rm -rf

But that would be every two weeks in the summer for me.

I use up the back tire, then move the front to the back, and put on a new front tire.
1. The best tire is on the front, for traction in the turns, and a less chance of blowout.
2. If I kept the tire on the front until it was worn out, it would take perhaps 5 years or more. I wear out a back tire about once a year, so this way the front stays fresh, too.

I have a few old back tires with a bit of tread left, where I've swapped them out before a long ride on vacation, and didn't want to take a chance with them. "One of these days" I'll put one back on, and use up the rest of the tread...

BluesDawg

I never move a rear tire to the front. I will sometimes move a front tire to the rear and put a new tire up front when the rear wears out.

Allegheny Jet

Those become my trainer tires.

slorollin

It's been years since I've changed tires due to tread wear. I have a knack for busting them up well before the tread wears through. There's lots of chip seal and old asphalt with scattered gravel where I ride. My sidewalls take a beating. Back in May I bought some of the new Gatorskin Hardshells and not a single flat since. From the looks of them I may never have to buy another tire. I'm a convert.

oilman_15106

+1 You are going to get more flats if you run them down to the threads. I was not present but there was a bad accident on a group ride where the guy had a rear blowout from running worn tires and he ended up under an SUV coming the opposite way.

Safety is the most important thing.

stapfam

Rear tyre is my indicator. When the tread area gets a definite flat acroos it- I take the tyre off. If it feels thin I change it----But with the tyre from the front wheel. That would last forever if I didn't put it on the back as I only weigh 150lbs. I only use Michelin PR2/3's so replacement tyres are not a problem. 3 bikes in use and one "NEW" spare tyre in the parts box.

But there is another indicator you can use. If the tyre has plenty of rubber on it- Then punctures will not be that frequent. A worn tyre will go flat often. Time to take the tyre off and see how much rubber is left.

Mojo Slim

I use Conti GP4000s too. I usually get 2500-3000 miles from them. I will replace a bit before the wear indicators are gone. Worn tires seem to get more flats. I had always changed front and back at the same time, but am now experimenting with not doing that.

thomm124

I bought a couple GP 4000 Continentals to replace my old tires with a while back. I also have a new Michelin Pro 3. That tire is really "thin" I guess is the right word. How many miles are you getting out of those?

The Continentals and the Bontrager Hardcase are way more heavy duty. The Bontrager Hardcase is actually 2-3 times thicker in the center than most any tire I have seem. So if you are riding on rough surfaces, that is the tire for you.

stapfam

I use 700x23 tyres and get around 2,000 miles to the rear tyre. That is providing I actually wear them out. Had a few deep carcase cuts this year on both front and rear so They have been changed as unsafe. But that was over broken bottle. The cuts did not puncture but checking after and I did not like the depth. They "Supposedly" have puncture resistance and I do believe it works.

But depends on what you look for in a tyre. The PR2/3's are light at 200grammes per tyre. I prefer light tyres. The PR2s have plenty of grip for me- in the dry and the wet. Hopefully the 3's will have the same.

lhbernhardt

Only 6 patches? Some of my tubes have 8 to a dozen patches! And you don't need a weighted roller. I just push down on the patch with something rounded. The whole key to making the patch stick is to let the glue set. Spread the glue, go away for at least 10 minutes, come back and put on the patch. This is why I never patch on the road; takes too long if you do it properly.

L.

George

Speaking of patching. I was at Performance and bought some glue for patching, but I grabbed the wrong stuff and got glue for gluing tubular tire onto the rims. That stuff should work for patching right?

Monoborracho

Never move a rear tire to the front. That's just asking for trouble. Rotate front to rear, toss the rear, and put a new one on front.

FYI, on our tandem I will change out a tire if it flats with ANY kind of a cut or if I see any noticeable cuts. Period. Any noticeable wear spots, threads showing, etc., it goes. And I don't use repaired tubes. I figure the mother of my children is worth the extra money.

xizangstan

I haven't noticed any comments here about switching tires and rims, for different kinds of riding. I ride a vintage GT Xizang mountain bike. For off-road trails and such, I use Continental MTB knobby tires, 26x2.4". For road I'm using Schwalbe Marathon Plus 26x1.75 road tires (thanks to suggestions from the Touring thread here). Easy enough to swap out wheels and tires. Wheels are Mavic 717s with Shimano XTR hubs and 9-speed cassettes.

My challenge is, to make sure I have a spare tube on board that's appropriate for the tires I'm running that trip out. Oh yeah... I carry a tire pump rather than a CO-2 inflator. Old fashioned, but it gets me by.

So how many of you guys and gals swap tires and wheelsets around? Am I the only one here? Or is it just that I'm the only one using a mountain bike for road, touring, and recreational riding as well?

ThatBritBloke

Like this?

stapfam

MTB and 3 sets of tyres already on wheels. Panaracer fire XC's in 2.1 on the main set of wheels- Mud Pros on the "OLD" set of wheels for when the ground gets a bit sloppy and A set of Kenda Tyres with slight knobbles on for the Smoother Hardpack trails in the Summer. Tandem and two sets of wheels that are normally set up as 1 pair with Fire XC's and one set with slicks- Till I do a longer Enduro offroad and then both sets with different Knobbly tyres. Decide what is required once I get to the start.

But If I am road riding- it is a road bike. However- untill I got the road bikes- The MTB did all the rides- Then I did have a set of slicks set up on a pair of wheels for the odd century road ride. Road riding on anything but slicks is not good.

badger1

Nope -- there are some others around! I will admit that I did buy a Sirrus Comp this year, and have been using that for longer road rides this season, but until this year all of my riding has been done on a heavily-upgraded mid-range hardtail, which I still use both off- and on-road for trail riding, commuting, and longer road rides.
Tires are (at the moment) Vittoria Randonneur 1.5x26 (folding), although I have more typically used Panaracer Pasela TG folding (also 1.5). Wheels are 717s on XT disc hubs. Can't be bothered to change tires out; I just look for something that is light, low rolling resistance, reasonably flat-resistant, and not too skittish on non-technical off-road. Works for me.

BengeBoy 

I make it a practice to never question Sheldon Brown (RIP) when he offers clear, unambiguous advice:

"Many cyclists waste money replacing perfectly functional tires simply because they're old, or may have discolored sidewalls. If you just want new tires because the old ones look grotty, it's your money, but if you are mainly concerned with safety/function, there are only two reasons for replacing old tires:

1. When the tread is worn so thin that you start getting a lot of flats from small pieces of glass and the like, or the fabric shows through the rubber.
2. When the tire's fabric has been damaged, so that the tire has a lumpy, irregular appearance somewhere, or the tube bulges through the tire."

Also, rear tires usually wear much faster than the front. If your rear tire is worn but your front tire is only part worn, Sheldon recommended moving the front tire to the rear, and putting the new tire on the front. The front tire (because you use it for steering and stability) should always be your best tire.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

BluesDawg

Agree on the tires, but I see no reason not to use repaired tubes.

Monoborracho

I will use patched tubes on the single.

LAriverRat

I use Bontrager hardcase on the rear, Conty Ultra sport on the front. I like the traction of the ultra sport, they are cheap and i get about 1400 to 1600 miles before putting a new one. Hopefully i will get 3000 to 3500 on the hardcase. I usually ride the mups and local streets. I patch away on the tubes.