silly rumor?
Yes and no. The “rumor” arises from a misunderstanding. Track tires, and these are most often still tubulars, are generally inflated to more than 10 bar and are dangerous if they were to explode. Good track tires, unlike road tires, are often made of silk with fine and thin strands that are not coated or otherwise protected. I have seen these tires get touched by another rider’s pedal and explode, or even when carelessly laid on any angular object, they can burst because only breaking a few cords is enough to start a burst. For this reason track tires are best deflated to less than half their running pressure when not in use. I can still vividly hear the sound of a tire exploding in an indoor track although I heard it only a few times years ago. It is not something you would like to have happen in your car or room. The reasons people give for deflating tubulars are generally false and are given for lack of understanding. This is what makes it sound like an old wive’s tale. Most people
