Cyclist0084

Which would be better to do.....replace tires based on the number of miles on them or based on the number of flats you're getting? Or perhaps it a combination of both?

I'm trying to decide if my back tire needs replacing. It's a 4+ year old tire with well over 5000 miles on it that hadn't had a flat.....until this year, and now I've had two on it (in addition to one flat on the front). It still looks to be in pretty good shape, but just unsure if I should replace it or just patch (or replace) the tube.

Any and all insight will be appreciated. Thanks.

tFUnK

What I would do will depend on the type of tire (lightweight racing, heavy duty touring, etc) and the nature of the flats/punctures (glass, thorns, nails, etc). That said, 4 years and 5k miles is a reasonable amount of use that you already have gotten from those tires.

toast3d

4 years and 5k miles is a great amount to get out of a tire, but when judging whether to replace it, the only thing that matters is the physical condition of the tire itself. Disregard what you've already gotten out of it and focus only on the visible signs of wear.

nfmisso

one flat is a random event; two flats are questionable, three flats are a trend and an indication of significant wear.

Tires can be worn out without appearing to be worn out, a sudden increasing in flatting is an indicator, lose of wet traction is another.

OP: your tires need to be replaced - if possible get the same brand and model as you have because they have provided excellent service.

Skipjacks

Replace it.

Tires aren't THAT expensive. It's well worth it to have a fresh new tire in factory condition than to be 40 miles from home and get an unrepairable flat. It could still happen with the new tire, but your odds are much better.

Bill Kapaun

If you have 5000 miles on a rear tire, I can't imagine it not being ready for "retirement".
If this is a "smooth" tire, compare how "squared off" the tread is vs the front tire.
Once you start getting frequent flats, replace unless you like fixing flats. The frequency will increase.

HTupolev

Replace them when they're worn. Mileage depends on the tire and how it's used.
Some tires have longer-wearing tread rubber than others. Some tires use a thicker layer of tread than others. Some tires are wider than others, and increased width tends to lengthen wear life. Some road surfaces wear tires faster than others. More weight on the bike tends to wear tires faster than less weight on the bike. Rear tires wear faster than front tires.

If the tread rubber is highly flattened out by use and it's getting close to being worn through, replace the tire.
If you've been using the tire for a long time and you start getting puncture flats in quick succession that aren't explained by debris left behind after the last flat repair, replace the tire.

toast3d

Question: did you carefully inspect the tire, including the inside?

You could be getting flats because your tire picked up a little hitch hiker. I've seen it before. "Why am I suddenly getting all these flats?" Maybe because the original cause of the flats is still embedded in the tire. It happens.

It could also be something on/with the inside of the wheel rim.

zacster

I'd agree, except the part about getting the same brand. I wouldn't necessarily get the same ones, although you got good use out of the ones you have.

Slightspeed

I have a 3 flat rule, unless its something unusual. When the rounded crown in the center of the tread flattens out (to about 1/2 inch wide) it's usually time. The Continentals I use have little holes molded in as wear indicators, but I usually replace them before they disappear. 5000 miles is great mileage. I don't track miles, but I'm sure I don't do that well.

Cyclist0084

Hey everyone, thanks for all of the replies. I appreciate them all.

I think I'll be making a trip to my LBS later on this morning for new tires. It'll be better to be safe rather than sorry.

Thanks again!!!

rm -rf

I don't get many flats, maybe one every 5000 miles or more. (And some are pinch flats, not debris punctures.) So I can't say from experience that worn down tires get more flats.

Since road bike tire treads are quite thin even when new, how does a worn down tire get more flats? The rubber tread isn't a barrier to sharp stuff, it's the fabric layers that protect against punctures.

Is this one of those widely repeated "rules", or from personal experience?

Retro Grouch 

I think that sometimes, if you turn a question around, the answer becomes obvious.

If you had a tire that looked almost new but kept getting frequent punctures, would you keep it because "it wasn't worn out yet"? I certainly wouldn't. Likewise, if I had a tire that looked worn but was continuing to perform to my satisfaction, I'd stick with it.

For the record, my personal experience has been that my tires always tell me when it's time for a replacement. They either get frequent punctures right down the centerline, or they get a sidewall cut that also compromises the casing. Either way it's "adios".

davidad

I replace my rear tire when the cord shows through or it gets damaged. I put a new tire on the front and the old front on the rear.

fietsbob

that's the way , best tire on the front..

dabac

zacster

When I went to do a 100 mile ride a few weeks ago, I got a flat at about 2 miles! This was the first flat on that tire, and also the last as the casing had torn. Upon inspection it was clearly worn out, and I had looked at it a few weeks prior thinking that I'm going to need a new one soon. I call my wife and she comes to get me. Undeterred, I have her take me to the LBS when it opens at 9am (lucky for me not 10 or 11am) where they don't have the Conti GP4000S II in a 700x23, but they do have a 700x25. I take that (also had read on the forum about how roadies are going bigger) and mount it outside the shop and proceed to do my ride. At about the 50 mile mark I'm riding on a shoulder with some gravel/dirt and PFFFFFFT. A flat on a brand new tire! I patched it (bought a patch kit too) and went on my way. At about mile 65 I decide that doing 100 will be too much, and the road was totally uninteresting for riding so I call my wife again. She picks me up at around the 75 mile mark in the podunk town and opens a beer for me when we get back to the lake house.

I've put around 400 miles on it since with no problem.

The moral of the story is to just be prepared!