Back alley darkside vendor needed?

[bobhamlin]

Saturday morning, as I was putting my bike up on the lift to swap out my front tire and do other work like fork oil change, new brake pads, BLINGy rotors and stainless brake hose, I noticed that my back tire is nearing the end of its usefulness. I've been wanting to go darkside, but not enough to do so with a good back tire. Now I have my reason.

So I reviewed the darkside threads, focusing on specific brands and sizes rather than the general principle. Yesterday, I settled on the Dunlop SP5000 195/60R16 and placed an internet order. The order form asked for the vehicle on which the tire was to be installed, and I completed the "other" box with my Nomad's model number and year.

Today, a representative from Tirerack.com called and said he couldn't sell me the tire because of liability. He was very polite and cited liability. He implied that no reputable vendor would complete such a transaction, either.

Will I need a backalley transaction? Know anybody with darkside tires under a trenchcoat?