Something else to consider is what tyres/tires Alan was using in all these sagas. ?
Something I heard a good while back may have some bearing on this.
A work colleague mentioned he had had new XXXXXXX tires fitted, by the importer, who said "try these".
(This is a road bike.) Owner said these tyres were like nothing he had ever seen, "you could lean the bike over until it was 90 degrees off vertical, and they still hung on". (bit of an exaggeration, but you get the picture.)
Apparently they were proddy racing specials = a really sticky compound.
Nothing on the sidewalls to indicate they were different, in the slightest.
Said they were a bit of a waste on a road bike, and they only lasted about 3000 km.
But were fun while they lasted.
There are tyres, and there are tyres ?