Lifespan of tyres?

PhilTheFish
PhilTheFish Posts: 82
edited September 2007 in Commuting chat
How often do you fine people change tyres on your bikes? Do you change them periodically (i.e. certain mileage or number of months)? Or do you look out for signs of wear (if so, what should I be looking for?)

I'm clocking around 80-90 miles per week.

Comments

  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    I used to replace my tyres once they started letting in punctures. Since I started using Schwalbe Marathon Plus I haven't had any punctures so I replace them once a year.
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • cupofteacp
    cupofteacp Posts: 578
    dondare how many miles do you do a year?
    15 * 2 * 5
    * 46 = Happiness
  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    Very roughly about 4500 miles.

    That's to work and back, five days a week, except for holidays (and when I don't feel like riding, which happens sometimes.)
    This post contains traces of nuts.
  • baudman
    baudman Posts: 757
    I check for general wear, slices and sidewall damage.

    Any sign of fabric coming thru the tyre's main surface, or sidewall damage and the tyre goes. Slices - it depends upon the size.
    Commute - MASI Souville3 | Road/CX - MASI Speciale CX | Family - 80s ugly | Utility - Cargobike
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    baudman wrote:
    I check for general wear, slices and sidewall damage.

    Any sign of fabric coming thru the tyre's main surface, or sidewall damage and the tyre goes. Slices - it depends upon the size.

    Likewise. Bin them when they are knackered, not after a pre-specified time limit. Last pair of Conti tourers that I retired had done c. 10,000 miles and weren't *that* bad. About halfway through that I changed the back one with the front one.
  • e999sam
    e999sam Posts: 426
    dondare wrote:
    I used to replace my tyres once they started letting in punctures. Since I started using Schwalbe Marathon Plus I haven't had any punctures so I replace them once a year.

    Anyone else got any recomedations for puncture resistent tyres (23mm)
  • ash68
    ash68 Posts: 320
    another vote for marathon plus I've done around 6,500 miles on mine with 1 puncture last winter.Swapped front to rear after 5000miles and still looking good.Unfortunatly they only come down to 25mm not 23mm, sorry. I use 32mm tyres which aren't fast by any means but for commuting they are reliable and very comfortable after my 23mm tyres on my summer racer.
  • neslon
    neslon Posts: 54
    Anyone else got any recomedations for puncture resistent tyres (23mm)[/quote]

    specialized armadillos on my allez - seem pretty bomb proof, although the Schwalbe marathons on my hybrid will be there with the cockroaches and BBC micro at the end of the world
  • baudman
    baudman Posts: 757
    Gussio wrote:
    About halfway through that I changed the back one with the front one.

    Always put your new tyre on your front wheel. (See Sheldon or search this site as there's been a few threads on this).
    Commute - MASI Souville3 | Road/CX - MASI Speciale CX | Family - 80s ugly | Utility - Cargobike
  • egebamyasi
    egebamyasi Posts: 107
    Schwalbe also do a Stelvio in 700 x 23 with smartguard puncture protection.
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    baudman wrote:
    Gussio wrote:
    About halfway through that I changed the back one with the front one.

    Always put your new tyre on your front wheel. (See Sheldon or search this site as there's been a few threads on this).

    Wise words from Sheldon (thanks for the pointer):

    The only time tire rotation is appropriate on a bicycle is when you are replacing the rear tire. If you feel like taking the trouble, and use the same type of tire front and rear, you should move the front tire to the rear wheel, and install the new tire in front.
    The reason for this is that the front tire is much more critical for safety than the rear, so you should have the more reliable tire on the front.

    If you have a blowout, if it is on the rear tire, you have a very good chance of bringing the bike to a controlled stop. If your front tire blows, you can lose steering control, and a crash is a real possibility.
  • hamboman
    hamboman Posts: 512
    Gussio wrote:
    baudman wrote:
    Gussio wrote:
    About halfway through that I changed the back one with the front one.

    Always put your new tyre on your front wheel. (See Sheldon or search this site as there's been a few threads on this).

    Wise words from Sheldon (thanks for the pointer):

    The only time tire rotation is appropriate on a bicycle is when you are replacing the rear tire. If you feel like taking the trouble, and use the same type of tire front and rear, you should move the front tire to the rear wheel, and install the new tire in front.
    The reason for this is that the front tire is much more critical for safety than the rear, so you should have the more reliable tire on the front.

    If you have a blowout, if it is on the rear tire, you have a very good chance of bringing the bike to a controlled stop. If your front tire blows, you can lose steering control, and a crash is a real possibility.

    Professionals, manufacturers and journalists alike recommend you don't ever swap tyres, either front to back or vice versa.

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