Tire Direction
12-22-20, 08:23 AM
#1
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Tire Direction
I decided it was time to put the studded snow tires on my mtn bike last night. I noticed the tires tread is not symmetrical in rotational direction however there is no marking on the tire itself. The tires are Nokia mount & ground with 144 studs. At present I have the front installed opposite the back so I got it half right. Based on the attached pic , is the downward direction forward or back?
Nokia 144 studs
12-22-20, 10:22 AM
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You might need reading glasses to see it (if you are near my age), but directional tires almost always have a marking on the sidewall- -- you should see an arrow pointing in the direction that the tire will spin when mounted correctly.
Last edited by Koyote; 12-22-20 at 12:03 PM.
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12-22-20, 10:26 AM
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Looking down at the tire from the riding position the tread forms an "arrow" that should point forward.
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12-22-20, 10:47 AM
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I put on my directional touring tires backwards once. What a pain.
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12-22-20, 11:01 AM
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The point of the chevron should be pointing in the direction of rotation. The idea is that the point of the chevron hits the ground first and helps pull the tire around corners better. It’s more important for the front wheel than the rear and far less important for road tires than tires that have knobs on them.
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Last edited by cyccommute; 12-22-20 at 11:05 AM.
12-22-20, 11:51 AM
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I run them with the chevrons facing left.
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12-22-20, 12:33 PM
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One brand of tires I have has different arrow directions for front vs. rear mounted. The front points the chevrons opposite the direction of rotation, my guess to improve traction when braking and cornering in the dirt.
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12-22-20, 01:33 PM
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Ignore the Peanut Gallery above ^
It’s a long, dark winter.
It’s a long, dark winter.
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12-22-20, 01:39 PM
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12-22-20, 01:53 PM
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12-22-20, 04:16 PM
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I do hope you weren't referring to my post. Click on the "What do the direction arrows mean?" tab
https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_tread
https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_tread
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12-22-20, 05:46 PM
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I do hope you weren't referring to my post. Click on the "What do the direction arrows mean?" tab
https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_tread
https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_tread
12-22-20, 06:52 PM
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Automobile tires are installed so the "point of the chevron" hits the ground first. Water is then channeled to the outside of the tire, reducing hydroplaning.
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12-22-20, 09:56 PM
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i did that with my road tires yesterday. With the bike flipped over on its back the rotating direction looked fine until it was right side up. Off the tires came Moron
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12-24-20, 05:24 AM
#20
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I have experimented over and over with tire direction and found that it makes little to no difference when I ride. The little difference it makes is noise. Chevrons facing forward runs quieter than chevrons facing rearward. For winter commuting it made no difference, even in 6 inch snow and on ice. My hypothesis is bikes just don't stress tires enough to affect traction in a significant way at the speeds most bicycles travel. Of course there must be exceptions for the folks in the super human category or extreme conditions/circumstances.
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12-24-20, 08:14 AM
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I do hope you weren't referring to my post. Click on the "What do the direction arrows mean?" tab
https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_tread
https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_tread
So in theory, this pattern should face one way on the front, and the reverse direction on the rear?
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12-24-20, 08:52 AM
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[Pityingly] It should be obvious that you're missing the strobe light necessary to determine whether the wheels are turning at 33 or 45 rpm.
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12-24-20, 09:00 AM
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I have experimented over and over with tire direction and found that it makes little to no difference when I ride. The little difference it makes is noise. Chevrons facing forward runs quieter than chevrons facing rearward. For winter commuting it made no difference, even in 6 inch snow and on ice. My hypothesis is bikes just don't stress tires enough to affect traction in a significant way at the speeds most bicycles travel. Of course there must be exceptions for the folks in the super human category or extreme conditions/circumstances.
12-24-20, 10:27 AM
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I have experimented over and over with tire direction and found that it makes little to no difference when I ride. The little difference it makes is noise. Chevrons facing forward runs quieter than chevrons facing rearward. For winter commuting it made no difference, even in 6 inch snow and on ice. My hypothesis is bikes just don't stress tires enough to affect traction in a significant way at the speeds most bicycles travel. Of course there must be exceptions for the folks in the super human category or extreme conditions/circumstances.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!