Square tyres

xloly
xloly Posts: 140
edited April 2011 in Road beginners
Not sure what I've done wrong, I use Continental GP 4000s tyres and have convered about 1000-1200 miles on them but the back feels square, almost if the centre section has been flattened off.

I'm 16 stone and run them at 110 / 120 PSI.

Any help appreciated!

Comments

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    This is normal wear. The rear wears faster cos it takes more weight and transmits your effort to the road. Keep going till you can see that you've worn through the grippy layer, or until you start getting punctures, then replace it.

    Resist the temptation to swap front and rear tyres; a squared off front tyre could affect handling, especially in the wet
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    So it's not cause I'm fat and have over / under inflated it?

    According to the wear indicators, it will last bloody ages!
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,351
    it's normal

    when you can't see the wear indicators any more, get a new tyre, move the old front to the rear, put new tyre on front

    you don't mention what width tyre you are using, if you are currently 23/23 front/rear, going 23 front / 25 rear is worth considering (obviously don't move front to rear in this case!) you can drop the rear pressure a smidge for more comfort and the larger contact patch should mean reduced wear
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • xloly
    xloly Posts: 140
    Thanks for that - they are both 23, I didn't even realise I could fit a 25!

    Are there any other effects of running a 23 on the front and a 25 on the back?
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,351
    aside from the slightly different look it gives, they're the main effects

    narrower tyre tends to have less drag (in practice it depends on total tyre-wheel combo), so good at the front

    wider at the rear, the bigger contact patch gives you more traction, maybe less chance of puncture, and it's a better ride as well, the air at the back is dirty so there's probably no real difference in drag

    it's a good option, for instance if you look at the conti attack/force tyres, they are 22/24 by design

    a few months back i switched from gp4000s 23/23 to attack/force on the shiny bike, was surprised at the difference the slightly wider rear tyre made to traction/comfort
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny

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