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MTB - when to replace a tire ?


ChrisF

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It is easy to see the wear-indicator on car tires.  And we all know that car tires are ideally replaced when the remaining tread gets to 2mm ....

 

 

Not so easy with MTB tires ....

 

 

When do you replace your tires ??

 

 

The rear tire on my bike is certainly showing lots of wear along the centre blocks.

 

 

Where is that line between throwing away a tire too early, vs risking bad handling on the trails .....

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It is easy to see the wear-indicator on car tires.  And we all know that car tires are ideally replaced when the remaining tread gets to 2mm ....

 

 

Not so easy with MTB tires ....

 

 

When do you replace your tires ??

 

 

The rear tire on my bike is certainly showing lots of wear along the centre blocks.

 

 

Where is that line between throwing away a tire too early, vs risking bad handling on the trails .....

Personally I try to replace before the tire is totally finished and unusable...that way at least if the new tyre gets a bad cut (plenty of slate here...learnt my lesson..) or any other unrepairable damage I still have a couple of spares available to see me through till I can get another tire.....

 

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It is easy to see the wear-indicator on car tires. And we all know that car tires are ideally replaced when the remaining tread gets to 2mm ....

 

 

Not so easy with MTB tires ....

 

 

When do you replace your tires ??

 

 

The rear tire on my bike is certainly showing lots of wear along the centre blocks.

 

 

Where is that line between throwing away a tire too early, vs risking bad handling on the trails .....

That also depends on the tyre, I use big beefy tires so I start keeping an eye on handling once the gaps in the lugs themselves are no longer there and the corners are about to fall off.

 

Then I’ll buy a tyre to keep around for the inevitable day.

 

However from what I have heard the different tires and different brands can vary wildly with that.

 

Apparently there is this super awesome swalbe tire that gives zero warning, it either grips like a demon or is a road tyre, there is apparently nothing in between.

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Rouxtjie should be able to give a clear indication of when to change a tyre.....

 

Hiehie ....

 

No, there are no threads showing, not just yet .....  :whistling:

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I monitor the tire whilst not on the bike ????. Some tires start sweating through all the old holes and the same brand also start losing its shape from around the 3000km mark. So my approach is to replace the tire based on the number of kms it has on or when I start to have to maintain it more i.e. I have pump the tire more often. I get around 4000-4500km per tire. Front goes first

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I monitor the tire whilst not on the bike . Some tires start sweating through all the old holes and the same brand also start losing its shape from around the 3000km mark. So my approach is to replace the tire based on the number of kms it has on or when I start to have to maintain it more i.e. I have pump the tire more often. I get around 4000-4500km per tire. Front goes first

Really?  I get +- 3 times as much life out of a front tyre vs a rear tyre.  And no, I can't manual.

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I would think there is a reason there is no standard/marking as to when a mtb tyre should be changed.

 

If you ride mostly gravel roads, you can ride till there is hardly any tread left. If you planning on a nice ride with lots of lose marble type rocks (magalies monster) you will want more tread. A muddy race is seldom planned, so it’s unlikely you can consider tyre wear when it comes to that.

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There is no such thing as a worn mtb tyre...only semi slicks hehe.

 

And the latest Schwalbe addix (same guy who did conti black chilli) compound is on par with any of the rest now. The previous gen tyres were those that wore down riding around the block.

I have some new Rekon Race’s on my SS mtb now and i can see they will be finished VERY quickly.

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When you start losing the plot around corners and the tyre slips on steeper inclines where previously it would be fine.

I had a moment like that a few weeks ago, lost the plot, sprained an ankle and out for 3weeks. Needless to say more than 5000km on my front tyre was pushing it

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I had a moment like that a few weeks ago, lost the plot, sprained an ankle and out for 3weeks. Needless to say more than 5000km on my front tyre was pushing it

That's also where Iearnt my lesson, saw a nice corner, yeah I'll rail this, instant sprained wrist.

 

When your front looses it completely after you commit to a corner you fall so fast there's nothing can really do to alleviate the impact or save yourself.

 

I also knew I was pushing it with the worn tyre I had on the front at the time but I didn't realise how dangerous it can be.

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I would think there is a reason there is no standard/marking as to when a mtb tyre should be changed.

 

If you ride mostly gravel roads, you can ride till there is hardly any tread left. If you planning on a nice ride with lots of lose marble type rocks (magalies monster) you will want more tread. A muddy race is seldom planned, so it’s unlikely you can consider tyre wear when it comes to that.

I find a rear tire with spaced out blocks are not good on loose stone or gravel...no grip...slip and slide on one place. Edited by TCTG
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When the mechanic calls and tells you he cannot get it seated again .The rubber has Perished  and is delaminating or the damage to the tire  beading is not repairable.Be warned that rubber will perish and even the best brands will delaminate if the tires are,t used  regularly.As for wear ,it is obvious when the tire becomes smooth !

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