• Speed, load & temp limits for bike tires

    From [email protected]@21:1/5 to All on Sat Mar 15 18:50:27 2025
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    Thanks for reading,

    bob prohaska

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  • From AMuzi@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sat Mar 15 16:19:28 2025
    On 3/15/2025 1:50 PM, [email protected] wrote:
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    Thanks for reading,

    bob prohaska





    That's a good question and I do not know. Occasionally, we
    have genuinely serious questions about max load and tire
    manufacturer reps have informally told be 'about 150lbs per
    wheel'. Both said not to quote them on that.

    Regarding your specific application, I would strongly
    suggest you not use a not-DOT-rated tire on public roads.
    'Probably OK' doesn't cover your liability if anything
    unrelated goes awry and you're found noncompliant- even your
    insurance carrier will likely walk away from you.

    --
    Andrew Muzi
    [email protected]
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971

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  • From Roger Merriman@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sat Mar 15 22:13:48 2025
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    I’m not aware of temperature limits, but certainly Schwable tyres will
    mostly have a E bike specification E-25 or E-50, and a load weight, some
    tyres due to their age will not.

    Are some cargo bike specific tyres if you have heavy duty use case, I’d be inclined to pay more attention to the tyres intended use than the load
    weights in particular!

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    Probably depends on use! Ie how heavy the load and how fast.

    Thanks for reading,

    bob prohaska





    Roger Merriman

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  • From [email protected]@21:1/5 to Frank Krygowski on Sun Mar 16 01:28:15 2025
    Frank Krygowski <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 3/15/2025 2:50 PM, [email protected] wrote:
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    I'm not aware of any such data. I very much doubt temperature is a significant variable. In the past, this group has had extensive
    discussions of maximum temperatures of rims and how they affect tire integrity, but all that was in relation to rim brakes heating on
    super-long descents. A trailer would see none of that.

    Some tandem teams are quite heavy, but I'm not aware of any disasters
    from using fairly normal tires. How much load are you envisioning
    carrying, and at what speeds?

    As a wild guess, fifty to one hundred pounds per tire, at maybe fifty
    miles per hour. Ambient air temp might touch one hundred farenheit,
    but pavement in full sun gets considerably hotter.

    Thanks for writing,

    bob prohaska

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  • From Catrike Ryder@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Mar 16 03:41:26 2025
    On Sat, 15 Mar 2025 18:50:27 -0000 (UTC), [email protected] wrote:

    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    Thanks for reading,

    bob prohaska



    There are trailers made specifically for pulling behind a motorcycle.

    https://theusatrailerstore.com/pull-behind-motorcycle-trailers/

    --
    C'est bon
    Soloman

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  • From Roger Merriman@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Sun Mar 16 10:14:53 2025
    <[email protected]> wrote:
    Frank Krygowski <[email protected]> wrote:
    On 3/15/2025 2:50 PM, [email protected] wrote:
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    I'm not aware of any such data. I very much doubt temperature is a
    significant variable. In the past, this group has had extensive
    discussions of maximum temperatures of rims and how they affect tire
    integrity, but all that was in relation to rim brakes heating on
    super-long descents. A trailer would see none of that.

    Some tandem teams are quite heavy, but I'm not aware of any disasters
    from using fairly normal tires. How much load are you envisioning
    carrying, and at what speeds?

    As a wild guess, fifty to one hundred pounds per tire, at maybe fifty
    miles per hour. Ambient air temp might touch one hundred farenheit,
    but pavement in full sun gets considerably hotter.

    Thanks for writing,

    bob prohaska




    Load would be fine, most tyres seem to be rated for around 200lb, is
    clearly faster than expected how much that matters?

    Roger Merriman

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  • From pH@21:1/5 to Catrike Ryder on Tue Mar 18 03:30:05 2025
    On 2025-03-16, Catrike Ryder <[email protected]> wrote:
    On Sat, 15 Mar 2025 18:50:27 -0000 (UTC), [email protected] wrote:

    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.

    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    Thanks for reading,

    bob prohaska




    Would that Jobst were still with us. I'm certain he would have an answer to that.

    pH

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  • From Radey Shouman@21:1/5 to Frank Krygowski on Wed Mar 19 17:31:31 2025
    Frank Krygowski <[email protected]> writes:

    On 3/15/2025 2:50 PM, [email protected] wrote:
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.
    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    I'm not aware of any such data. I very much doubt temperature is a significant variable. In the past, this group has had extensive
    discussions of maximum temperatures of rims and how they affect tire integrity, but all that was in relation to rim brakes heating on
    super-long descents. A trailer would see none of that.

    At highway speeds a standing wave occurs right after the tire contact
    patch. In the frame of the tire, of course, it travels at the ground
    speed of the vehicle. Repeated deformation of the tire carcass results
    in heating the tire and can result in failure, which is why car tires
    have a speed rating. Bicycle tires are not so rated.


    --

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  • From Radey Shouman@21:1/5 to Frank Krygowski on Sat Mar 22 01:18:45 2025
    Frank Krygowski <[email protected]> writes:

    On 3/19/2025 1:31 PM, Radey Shouman wrote:
    Frank Krygowski <[email protected]> writes:

    On 3/15/2025 2:50 PM, [email protected] wrote:
    Is anybody aware of testing results for the speed, load and
    temperature limits of bicycle tires? Something like the DOT
    specs for load range and speed rating for auto tires, but
    applied to bicycle tires? It's obviously not relevant to
    bikes apart from tandems engaged in downhill racing. Perhaps
    not even that.
    This is an admittedly obscure question, but maybe there's an
    answer lurking somwehere I've not found. Probably manufactureres
    do it as part of design and production quality control, but whether
    results leak into the public sphere is unclear. I ask because I have
    a very nice bike cargo trailer (cycletote) which I've pondered
    attaching to a small motorcycle. It isn't something I'd do
    under normal circumstances, of course. Merely wondering what
    might be possible in a pinch.

    I'm not aware of any such data. I very much doubt temperature is a
    significant variable. In the past, this group has had extensive
    discussions of maximum temperatures of rims and how they affect tire
    integrity, but all that was in relation to rim brakes heating on
    super-long descents. A trailer would see none of that.
    At highway speeds a standing wave occurs right after the tire
    contact
    patch. In the frame of the tire, of course, it travels at the ground
    speed of the vehicle. Repeated deformation of the tire carcass results
    in heating the tire and can result in failure, which is why car tires
    have a speed rating. Bicycle tires are not so rated.

    Since tire rolling resistance measurements by rotating drums are
    measuring mostly the hysteresis losses within the tire, we can
    probably do some approximation calculations of the heat input. But
    decent estimates of heat loss would be much harder, given the
    complexity of forced convection. And you'd need both input and output
    to get a handle on temperature rise.

    I'm not going to bother with numerical estimates, because I'm pretty
    sure it's a non-issue.

    Any accident on the highway with a tire not rated for motor vehicle use
    is not going to be a "non-issue", it's going to be expensive and painful.

    --

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