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General Category >> Technical >> Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
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Message started by jayg on Sep 5th, 2017, 9:11pm

Title: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Sep 5th, 2017, 9:11pm
Airing my new Aero's tires in preparation for a ride was a long process, until this past Monday. It's equipped with Schrader valve tubes. The valve stems are accessed through single 2-inch diameter holes in one side  of the carbon disk covered wheels. It's impossible to attach either a floor or small bike-mounted pump hose head directly to the the stems. Greenspeed recommends using a Topeak Pressure-Rite connector. It screws directly to the valve stem and has a tube with a Schrader thread on its end that extends sideways and permits a pump tube head to be attached. If a person doesn't have tiny fingers that will fit into the 2-inch hole, it can be a very long process attaching the connector to the stem with needle-nose pliers. One way to simplify the process, suggested in a BROL thread, would be to convert to Presta tubes and use a special $75 pump hose head (Kuwahara Hirame). I elected to use a $4 PEP Boys air chuck and some parts on hand to fabricate an assembly that clamps onto the valve stem and permits airing the tires with either a floor pump or bike-mounted pump. I carry it in my trike's tool kit.


http://i.imgur.com/zMyWZqh.jpg (https://imgur.com/zMyWZqh)

PEP Boys clamp-on air chuck, 1/4" NPT adapter, and brass tube w/Schrader thread on one end.


http://i.imgur.com/3q0B6HQ.jpg (https://imgur.com/3q0B6HQ)

Drilled hole in 1/4" NPT adapter, inserted brass tube, and soldered them together.
Applied Teflon tape to threads and screwed adapter into chuck.


http://i.imgur.com/rMp9jC1.jpg (https://imgur.com/rMp9jC1)

Works great. Problem solved.


http://i.imgur.com/QvTlIqW.jpg (https://imgur.com/QvTlIqW)

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jrob_bent on Sep 6th, 2017, 3:29pm
That is cool Jay! I too like DIY things.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Sep 6th, 2017, 5:17pm

jrob_bent wrote:
That is cool Jay! I too like DIY things.


Thanks, Jerry. After experiencing 3 flats on last Saturday's Lancaster Air Show ride, and delaying my fellow riders a total of about an hour just getting the tires aired up, I had to do something to make the process easier.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by bob wand on Sep 6th, 2017, 5:55pm
Necessity is the mother of inventions. Great job Jay.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Sep 6th, 2017, 7:54pm

bob wand wrote:
Necessity is the mother of inventions. Great job Jay.


Thanks, E. Bob.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Sep 8th, 2017, 11:46am
You should sell them, to Aero owners out there...  $50 each.   ;)

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Sep 8th, 2017, 1:10pm

FlyingLaZBoy wrote:
You should sell them, to Aero owners out there...  $50 each.   ;)


I will make one for what the materials cost for any RBENT member that buys one of those Aeros at John's Trikes and Bikes in Lancaster.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jrob_bent on Sep 10th, 2017, 8:15am
Jay, I could just cry. A guy just sold his Aero on another forum for $2,300. He purchased it new in April. I was less than an hour late. I guess I need one of those apps on my phone that lets you know when things are available.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Sep 10th, 2017, 10:15am

jrob_bent wrote:
Jay, I could just cry. A guy just sold his Aero on another forum for $2,300. He purchased it new in April. I was less than an hour late. I guess I need one of those apps on my phone that lets you know when things are available.


That was one of the current production models (dual idlers). Has to be the best deal ever on BROL. Sorry you missed it. You would have had to have been on BROL real early, yesterday morning, to have snagged the trike, because the ad was posted at 2:47 AM.

Don't know why the guy would sell it so cheap, unless it perhaps stranded him in the middle of nowhere, because he couldn't air up a flat tire.  :D

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jrob_bent on Sep 10th, 2017, 12:46pm
I think he is going through a divorce! He told me the guy bought it about 50 minutes before I sent him a PM. Left me with the Smokey Robinson "Tracks of my Tears"!




jayg wrote:
[quote author=jrob_bent link=1504663878/0#7 date=1505049353]Jay, I could just cry. A guy just sold his Aero on another forum for $2,300. He purchased it new in April. I was less than an hour late. I guess I need one of those apps on my phone that lets you know when things are available.


That was one of the current production models (dual idlers). Has to be the best deal ever on BROL. Sorry you missed it. You would have had to have been on BROL real early, yesterday morning, to have snagged the trike, because the ad was posted at 2:47 AM.

Don't know why the guy would sell it so cheap, unless it perhaps stranded him in the middle of nowhere, because he couldn't air up a flat tire.  :D
[/quote]

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by Patti on Oct 3rd, 2017, 8:55am
Hey Jay,
Make one of those for me at the shop and I will pay you for it. I only have one pump head that works on the Aero and even with small fingers, it still takes a while for me to use the Topeka adapter.  ;D

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Oct 4th, 2017, 2:55pm

Patti wrote:
Hey Jay,
Make one of those for me at the shop and I will pay you for it. I only have one pump head that works on the Aero and even with small fingers, it still takes a while for me to use the Topeka adapter.  ;D


Done.


http://i.imgur.com/CWnaPBP.jpg (https://imgur.com/CWnaPBP)

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by Patti on Oct 11th, 2017, 10:00pm
THANKS JAY! Sorry I didn't see this until today. How can I get that from you?

By the way, when I saw the GS folks in Philadelphia last weekend, they told me that some of the Aero buyers have been using Drexel tools to enlarge the opening in the wheel covers.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Oct 12th, 2017, 6:05pm

Patti wrote:
THANKS JAY! Sorry I didn't see this until today. How can I get that from you?

By the way, when I saw the GS folks in Philadelphia last weekend, they told me that some of the Aero buyers have been using Drexel tools to enlarge the opening in the wheel covers.


I'd deliver it to you, if I needed something at the shop, but I don't, so I'll mail it with your name on the attention line.

Re enlarging tube stem access holes in carbon wheel covers: I don't need to do any surgery on the discs with a Dremel, since my custom air chuck assembly is compatible with the stock 2" diameter holes. I'm leaving the stem caps off and covering the access holes with 2-1/2" diameter, adhesive-backed, black vinyl to keep dirt and dust out of the wheels' interiors.


http://i.imgur.com/1L1c8oW.jpg (https://imgur.com/1L1c8oW)

2-1/2" diameter vinyl hole cover; Circle cutter and "Cricut" Premium Outdoor Glossy Vinyl roll, both obtained from Micheal's.

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by Patti on Oct 12th, 2017, 9:10pm
Thanks again! I don't know if we will have anyone else come look at the Aero but this will certainly help me keep it ready to ride, just in case.  ;D

Title: Re: Airing GS Aero Trike Tires Simplified
Post by jayg on Oct 12th, 2017, 10:24pm

Patti wrote:
Thanks again! I don't know if we will have anyone else come look at the Aero but this will certainly help me keep it ready to ride, just in case.  ;D


I thought y'all had two Aeros (red and black). Did you sell one of them?

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