Tire Swapping limit ?
 

I want to swap my mountain bike tyres from a slick tire to a knobbly version, but i will probably want to switch back again. Can I swap clincher tires many times? say for example once per month. I am too thrifty to buy another set of wheels.

Yes, as long as you don't damage the tire. It may get messy if you run tubeless.

roth rothar I commute in Colorado where goathead thorns are prevalent. Before getting tire liners I was patching flats about once a week (now it's about once a year...if that) That's a lot of on/off and the tires, always inexpensive ones, didn't suffer. This was true for my 26-incher and then my 700C bike.

For the last five years I have mounted, unmounted and remounted snow tires on my 26-incher for snow season in the spring and fall with no problems.

However, I just bought a set of used rims at the bike co-op this summer...$40 for the pair. With some practice and adjusting the wheel-swap now takes just under 5 minutes including the brake adjustment, instead of the 30-45 minutes to swap tires.

If you can find cheap wheels in your budget, it may be worth it, provided the wheels are in decent shape and compatable with your derailier and chain.

If I find myself swapping tires more than a few times a year, that leads to a second wheel-set, and a second wheel-set always grows into a new bike.

But as far as the tires go... no problems if you want to change them each month. Or several times a month, for that matter

This is a good question. The answer is, whatever you are willing to do. With practice you can change tires without using any tools other than your fingers (find youtube videos to show you how.) Not using tools will mean you don't accidentally damage anything when you perform swaps, and so you can swap indefinitely or as long as your fingers hold out. Tubes might be better for this than using a tubeless setup, because every time you change tubeless tires you should add sealant, which adds up after a while. Be sure the tubes you're using match the tires you're using.

You could do it every day if you had the patience.

It’s easier to swap tires and tubes as a set. The partially inflated tubes makes the swap faster. A bike stand to keep the bike frame up is also a help. After the tires take a set well for most tires it is quicker. I wish for disc wheels set up the same. Next bike then.

You can do it 3 times a week except leap years you can do it 4 but if in Australia it is 2 in normal years but 6 in leap years provided you have consumed at least 1 case of Foster's. Now of course on Tuesdays in South Dakota, Vermont and some parts of central Florida you are required to get a permit to do it and in Wyoming it is not permitted at all on Sunday.

I need 1 plastic tire lever to remove the tore from my carbon wheels and can reinstall with my hands. Now on my tubeless wheels it's near impossible to get the tires off and on with tools and totally impossible without tools.

The spare tube I carry is puncture resistant so when i get a flat and install it, I remove it when I get home and put in a light weight tube. So for every flat the tire is removed and reinstalled twice and depending on my luck I might get 2-3 flats before the tire is worn past the wear indicator dots.

How do you do that? Keep the soil moist and lots of indirect sun? I'd love to grow new bikes from tires.

The key is to add plenty of money.