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<DIV>Earl, et al:</DIV>
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<DIV>This is a follow-up regarding tubeless wire wheels, Michelin XAS tires, and
tubes.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I have corresponded with Michelin and Longstone and here are their
answers:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Longstone: "<SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>Dear
Sir, </FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>Thank
you for your email, </FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT
color=#000000>The tyres are of tube type construction,so do require inner
tubes. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>The
thing that makes a tyre tubeless is a coating on the inside of the tyre that
seals them and stops them from being pouros something the 180x15 Michelin XAS
does not have. </FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT
color=#000000>It is clearly marked on the side of the tyre that they are Tube
Type". </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>That marking was clearly
disregarded by the installer of the tires (Len). Also, I did not have a
problem with the porousness causing any loss of air during the 7,000 miles the
tires have been in use.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>Michelin:
"...Regarding your question about the structure of the tire itself, this
particular tires in the size : 180HR15 requires a tube due to the construction
of the inner liners...".</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>Although there was no
response regarding my questions about a sealing bead or the safety of running
these tires without a tube, on the basis of these responses, inner tubes were
installed in the XAS tires on my BJ8 today.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="COLOR: #0070c0"><FONT color=#000000>(The Other)
Len<BR>Fairfield, CA, USA<BR>1967 AH 3000 MkIII, HBJ8L39031</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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