how long do tyres last ?

stronginthesun

ive just notched up 1500 miles and there doesnt seem to be any noticable wear or any need to change them .its been ridden on many different road surfaces . 25 slicks

John C.

How long is a piece of string ?

When it's worn out replace it

FSR_XC

If you're a fat lump like me, 1500 will be enough to gibe the rear a nice flat centre tread.

It depends on the tyre too. Nice super soft grippy rubber won't last as long as a training tyre.

mikeyboy12345

Hi guys,

Apologies for going over old ground here, but I'm a noob and just replaced my tyres cuz of sidewall damage. It occurred to me that with slick tyres, how do you know when they are worn enough to need replacing? It's not like they have tread wear indicators, like car tyres (or do they?).

Sorry for being stupid enough to not be able to figure out something so elementary! Is it visually obvious when a tyre's worn, or do you simply replace at set intervals?

Geordie Mick in Wigan

Do slicks not have wear indicators which emerge as small holes in the tread, when they're manufactured the holes are covered by the 'useable' tread and when thats gone you start to see dimples/holes in the tyre.

I use slicks for motorbike track days and that's how they work on motorbike tyres

Gav888

I would also be interested to know how you could tell they are worn and need replacing....

APIII

Continentals have wear indicators. Two dimples that once disappeared, mean time for new tyres. I've not come across any other makes with them though.

mikeyboy12345

Right...just been out to the wheelie bin to retrieve my old Conti 4000GP with knackered sidewall, and it does indeed have two little dimples! About an inch apart. I've replaced these with some Vittoria Rubinos and can't see anything obvious on these (and nothing mentioned in the fitting instructions either).

CiB

I run Pro Race 3s - the front looks like new after 2500 miles, the rear lasted about 1500 miles of hard commuting and weekend rides. I knew it was time to replace it as the tread surface had given way to increasingly easy to spot patches of bare canvas.

Slow Downcp

If you start getting more than normal amounts of punctures, that's an indication that the tyres are worn.

bobtbuilder

Continental GP 3000s & 4000s both have wear indicators on them. They are 2 small dimples in the tyre surface that will level out and become invisible when the tyre is worn out.

geoff_ss

I've just replaced my Schwalbe Blizzards after 4500 km. The rear was showing some red through the black which I hadn't noticed until I had to repair a snake-bite puncture :shock:

I have been known to take it to extremes such as getting a puncture when riding home from work in the dark and finding I was trying to use the inner tube. I managed the last 7 miles with a gaiter round the tube.

OTOH we had to replace all the tyres on our camper van last year because they'd perished. The van is a 1995 model but has yet to cover 30k miles.

So you change 'em when they're worn out, rather than worn through.

Geoff

balthazar

I agree that you can take tyres pretty much to the limit, until the first carcass threads are showing. I can't resist off-road excursions on my rides, so my tyres are usually finished by sidewall cuts before then.

SgtFinaldo

So 1700 km on Vredstein fortezza's shouldnt be a concern?
Im just under 10 stone, and the roads im on are....well, theyre ok.....