Our April club night was a great success. We had 42 members attend for a fascinating presentation by Tony Charlton and Ian Tollett. The presentation was given by Ian Tollett who is their technical senior manager and supported by Tony Charlton, their Southern area accounts manager.
The presentation looked in detail at the way Michelin tyres are formulated. It covered how their R&D consider the different elements that form tyre compounds. How the different types of tread pattern, groove depth and groove design are suited to different types of bikes. Ian gave a clear explanation of the importance of ensuring tyre pressures are kept at manufacturers specifications and the impact on tyre life and safety of over and under inflation. Pictures were shown of a tyre that had been run under-inflated. Then how a slow puncture made the internal casing fall apart.
An interesting fact was the advice not to store your bike close to an electrical motor as they give off a level of radiation that will damage a tyre. They also spoke of a person leaving their tyres in the garage close to their freezer and how it perished the tyre.
It was recommended that if you have plugged a tyre after a puncture, it should be checked by a garage to ensure the internal casing is still sound. This is because a slow puncture could damage the casing. If the tyre casing is sound, then have the tyre repaired with an internal patch.
Ian advised against fitting tyres from different manufactures on the bike, as they have not been tested against each other. Also that it is better to change tyres as a pair.
There was a lot of other useful and fascinating information and we will ask them come back next year. Thanks to Sarah Farbrace for inviting them, and to Iain Moss for the projector set up.