How Often Should Tires Be Changed?

[shilpa123]

It all depends on how often you use your bike. I am a regular rider and I definitely think it is important to change it once in a six month. It is really useful to change.

 

[nsm3708]

Change them when they're worn out. Of course it all depneds on how much it's used. Either cracking on the sidewalls (due to age, sun, and underinflation, possibly exacerbated by poor tire quality) or the rubber in the center is getting paper-thin and you start getting a lot more punctures.

 

[vespid49]

It depends on how you use the bike and what environment you use the bike in. If you use your bike in extreme temperatures, both high and low, you'd want to change the tires more often, as extreme temperatures quicken up the 'curing' process of rubber.
If your tires have very minor punctures, you don't need to be replacing the whole tire. More often than not it will just be a small piece of rock or glass that cuts the inner tube, or it might be something on the inside that causes constant puncture. You should always check your tire for those two problems before completely ditching it.
Pretty much just do it when you feel that the tires are not performing up to spec - if they're cracking or show other signs of getting old. Having a new set of tires is always nice, but if you replace them too often then it gets costly.

 

[Kakashi]

I think it really depends on the usage and the type of tyres or bike you're using. If you're using an off-road bike regularly about 3-4 times a week then you really need a change it in about 6 months but if you're using it only in weekends then it can last up to a year or so. If it looks worn out then change it.

 

[Corzhens]

This tire replacement didn’t occur to me until now. I know that the tires of our car are replaced by new ones every 2 years although when we had 2 cars, it takes 3 years for the tires before being replaced. From what I remember, I had bought new tires just 3 times but I cannot determine the duration or life span of each tire. It’s funny but I buy new tires when someone would remark that my tires are going bald which means the treads are not very visible anymore.

 

[garage sale GT]

40+ year old tires with a cotton casing are prone to blowing out especially if they have been sitting flat.

It's easy to guess that the condition is limited to the truly old-fashioned bikes such as the old Raleigh Tourists but it's impossible to say in all cases what a tire's cords are made of and how it's been treated.

It is possible to damage a tire with a steel tire lever so that the rubber separates from the wire bead because it's been crushed by the pressure. Tires with that sort of damage may show a telltale bulge just above the rim when inflated. Those too may blow out.

Tire and brake pad and cable rubber can get harder and more brittle due to age and exposure to ozone. Sunlight or warmth worsens the condition.

I have used bikes that could have been 20 years old with their original tires and they worked but it was necessary to drive gently until the hardened surface was worn away. However, if you have an old bike why not support the manufacture of the obsolete sizes so they don't stop making them? It's not so much money.

 

[Froze]

My experience is that the Conti GP4000 is the best tire for me, and well worth the extra money they cost over the other brands due to their good performance, puncture protection and long wear. In my opinion, the reason Conti GP4000s sell well at a higher price is because a lot of us veteran riders have found them to be worth it. At the last road races I worked, a lot of the Masters Pro I/II field seemed to be using them.......a pretty good endorsement I'd say.

I've been buying them from ProBikekit at a decent discount. A friend thinks they are too expensive, and has had good luck from the Rubino Pros. Don't believe they last as long or roll as well, but they can be found a good bit cheaper on sale than the Conti's.

Not trying to change your mind here, certainly use the tires that work for you best. I think in terms of grip, fast rolling, puncture-protection and security first, then cost/mile. If a GP4000 goes 3600-4000 miles on the rear without any punctures, that's only a 1.25 cents per mile or so.....a lot cheaper than other cycling-related costs for me. Saving $10 on a cheaper tire just doesn't compute for me.

I've used various Conti tires including GP4000...they're were all junk! Conti tires are known for their crappy sidewalls that don't hold up and all, they have the worse sidewalls of any tire on the market even worse than a $18 Shen tire!! And the most miles I ever got out of a Conti was a Gatorskin that went around 800 miles. Sorry but myself and others here know Conti's suck.

My first purchase of Hutchinson (Intensive) tires were also negative, the smooth top portion of the tread peeled away from the side part of the tread like a recap peeling off, there were several peeled sections on each side of the tire and one measured 14 inches long. These tires only had 800 miles on them and Hutchinson won't return my emails concerning warranty.

So I will never buy either Conti or Hutchinson, I was stupid for falling to the lure of Conti 3 times, but I won't do that again with any tire and Hutchinson is that other tire now.

As much as I understand price fixing and know about Specialized doing that, but I bought a pair of their Roubaix tires when they had their buy one get the second for 1/2 price sale. And so far these are the best tires I've ever owned that weren't racing tires, I can't say what the durability is going to be yet but they feel smooth and seem to roll better then previous tires I've had, so far no flats which is a plus. For $30 a tire (sale price) these are a sweet deal.

 

[doctorold]

It’s all relative. My first set of road tires were Vittoria Rubino slicks and I got 6000 miles when I started seeing the threads. I then started using Continental Four Seasons which I had to change every year (I ride about 3000 miles a year). I started riding tubeless on Hutchinsons and I just changed out the rear with 3500 miles on it. I’ve only had one flat while riding in over ten years of road cycling so I have chosen well and I’ve had some luck.

 

[Froze]

I usually wait till I either see threads showing or I starting getting to many flats and the profile of the tire is too squared.

changing a tire every 3 and 6 months seems excessive but if you're riding 8,000 miles plus a year on the same bike then yes that could be necessary. I don't ride that many miles, probably about 6,000 a year but I have several bikes I ride so the tire wear is spread out over several sets even though I ride one bike more then the others, but that one bike the tires usually will last a full season and most of the time two. Touring tires will last a very long time which I do ride that bike of course when I camp.

 

[garage sale GT]

...if you haven't ridden your bike in years is it safe to use the same tires...?

The OP is probably long gone but just to stay on point, most of the answers to the thread have been relevant to hardcore road bikers who ride their bikes dozens of miles every day and who change their tires when they wear out.

Old tires are probably fine but the tubes may be a bit dry and won't be as resistant to tears around the valve stem. The rim strips which protect the tube from the spoke may also be stiffer and less resistant to having shifted around when the tire was rolled deflated and then was reinflated. That's for a bike that's 20-30 years old.

It's hard to speak for every make though. There might be manufacturers from the developing world still using older fashioned materials or lower quality.

If the rubber's crumbling off the sidewall, definitely replace.

Check around your hubs and where the cranks and steering fork enter the frame. There may be these oily dusty stains creeping out from the seam where the turning part meets the non turning part of the frame. That indicates the grease has separated and needs to be replaced before the first ride or as soon as possible.

 

[reighn]

I think it depends on your usage. If you use your bike a lot better to check the tire if still capable for a long travel. Actually, you will notice that when you riding your bike if you need to replace it or not. But I really don't know the lifespan of the bike tires.