Life expectancy of a tire.



str8shooter said:
I'm riding a 2004 Trek 5000 with Bontrager 700x25 tires. With 2100 miles on it the I see the rear tire is substantially worn compared to the front. I know the rear will wear faster than the front especially when I look in the mirror and see what it has to deal with:eek: . I don't see any cord showing through. What other signs should I look for? Is it worth the bother rotating it with the front? I really hate dealing with flats. Does 2100 miles seem normal for tire replacement?

Thanks
2,000 is usually what I get out of a rear and I usually get at least twice as much from the front. I usually buy 3 tires at a time. I have tried rotating, but hate looking down at the flat ridge on the front. Plus a front flat is far less desireable than a rear one at any rate of speed. I have used everything. Conti's are ok, Michelins seem to last the longest but the tires I prefer are Hutchinson Fusion Comps. they wear a bit fast, but I love how they feel. I also picked up a cheap set of Panaracers for a spare/winter bike and was pleasantly surprised at how well they ride.
 
str8shooter said:
I'm riding a 2004 Trek 5000 with Bontrager 700x25 tires. With 2100 miles on it the I see the rear tire is substantially worn compared to the front. I know the rear will wear faster than the front especially when I look in the mirror and see what it has to deal with:eek: . I don't see any cord showing through. What other signs should I look for? Is it worth the bother rotating it with the front? I really hate dealing with flats. Does 2100 miles seem normal for tire replacement?

Thanks
Get more of the same here ... http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=121052
 
Doctor Morbius said:
Only threes? I buy 'em in lots! Last order was 15 or 16. Can't remember. Got Conti Ultra 2000's through Nashbar. One went bad after only 80 miles. It goes on the trainer this Winter.

I don't think there is a correlation between longevity and price. Cheaper tires are usually heavier and that may explain why they last longer as there could be more rubber.

The $9 Maxxis Detonators sound like they came from JensonUSA a while back.

Good call on JensonUSA - that is exactly where I got them.
Buying 15 or 16 tires at ones? I can't afford to have half of my net worth tied up in rubber!
 
jmoryl said:
Good call on JensonUSA - that is exactly where I got them.
Buying 15 or 16 tires at ones? I can't afford to have half of my net worth tied up in rubber!
With a pricematch and a coupon I got them for $8 or $9. I can't remember. Nashbar hasn't let me stack a coupon on top of a pricematch the past few orders though. I think I may have gotten lucky and snuck them through in the past.

Still, not a bad price for Conti Ultra 2000 wire beads. They're all I need. It's not like I'm going to be kicking Lance's ass anytime soon. ;)
 
BikeyGuy said:
If you've ever had a flat on the front tire, odds are you end upon the pavement.
I always keep my best rubber in the front. ALWAYS !
In other words, when I need a rear tire, I buy one new tire. That new tire gets mounted up front and the used front tire goes on the rear.

I've had plenty of flats on the front and never went down because of one. I have had to come to some scary fast stops, but that is about all. I have never had a flat while cornering downhill at 40+. I have thought about the 'what if' while doing it and my theory has always been, it would suck...big time! Nevertheless, I usually replace my front before I need to, just to feel safe. I do a lot of high speed decents on rough roads, I like fresh tires!
 
BikeyGuy said:
If you've ever had a flat on the front tire, odds are you end upon the pavement.
I always keep my best rubber in the front. ALWAYS !
In other words, when I need a rear tire, I buy one new tire. That new tire gets mounted up front and the used front tire goes on the rear.


Yeah.. I got real lucky on my last two front fats(all with in less then a year of each other), both times going down hill( 1st time was going 30+ mph, hit a rock that was in the middle of the road.. not sure how that got there, almost lost control- USE YOUR REAR BREAK - not front ;) , and there was a on coming car- so I got real lucky) .... and 2nd time was starting to go down hill.... and the Slim Tube I had in my front, was patched , and the patch came undone :eek: ;) )

That is good advise about moving a front tire to the rear... definitly ! I also am finicky about having nice cornering- supple riding front tires :) very important .