I reported on PeakD that I just installed a set of Tannus Airless tubes.
I am breaking in the tires. They seem to handle like other tires. The tires seem a little wobbly when they get caught in a rut.
A great thing about the solid tires is that I no longer fear puncturing my tires as I ride. The next picture shows two containers for collecting recycled glass. They are set at the entrance to a bike trail.
There is a huge amount of broken glass on the pavement.
I used to avoid this trail for fear of popping my tires. But since my tires are solid, I rode over the broken glass without a care. I also rode on some bike trails that I know are covered with goatsheads.
I bought my new bike in the 1990s. It is a Novara from REI. It was a display model bike that I got at a deep discount. It was about $200.00. Before that I had a Schwinn Varsity which I got in the 1970s.
Putting the Bike in Storage
I moved out of state for a few years; So, I put the bike in storage.
I hoped to return to cycling when I moved back to Utah.
My parents got a dog and I ended up tending to a dog instead.
I tried rehabilitating the bike last year but the tires popped. To make matters worse; someone swiped my tube repair kit and my pump. So I couldn't afford to fix the bike.
I came across an ad for airless tires. Since I needed both tires and an pump I decided to try to the solid rubber tires instead.
The installation guide for the tires said that I should break in the tires gradually; so I've been doing several short rides. Since I am testing the tires, I have been riding in circles in local parking lots. The picture above shows the bike at the local fire station. Mt Olympus is in the background.
The odometer started at 94. It is now at 118. I forgot if it is in miles or kilometers. The problem I face is that I live on a steep hillside.
It would be fun to drive to a flat road and do a long ride.
My bike came equipped with the medieval torture device pictured above. The torture device was designed to dig into the soft tissue and castrate the cyclist. I've yet to get the seat adjusted in a comfortable position. I bought a gel cushion but it got squished while in storage.
There is some chatter in the drive chain or possibly in the bike hub. I want to fix this problem before any long run; so my plan is to do short rides up and down local hills for the next few weeks.
I covered my gears in oil before I put the bike in storage. I admit, I was more afraid of rust than grime. I intend to do a major cleaning before any long trip.
Since it has been several decades since I worked on a bike, I keep making time consuming mistakes like twisting the chain and getting the chain caught between the gears and frame.
I took a ride down Wasatch Boulevard and took a picture of Salt Lake City from the Bonneville Shore Line Trail Park. This is the map. I rotated it so that it would fit on the post.