When do you change your tyres?

I'm finding myself replacing my tyres even though I'm not down to the replacement markers in the sypes..... The reason for me is that the tyres are squaring off and getting a little squirrely.

So I'm wondering how many of you replace early for this reason?

[image: View Post]Monk, on 15 October 2010 - 04:56 PM, said:

I'm finding myself replacing my tyres even though I'm not down to the replacement markers in the sypes..... The reason for me is that the tyres are squaring off and getting a little squirrely.

So I'm wondering how many of you replace early for this reason?



I like to go for every ounce of tread, short of being stuck on the road with no tread like DUTCH! :laughing6-hehe:

Nothing short of a hole and severe high speed wobble would I replace early, it would have to be more than looks.

[image: View Post]spud786, on 15 October 2010 - 05:27 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Monk, on 15 October 2010 - 04:56 PM, said:

I'm finding myself replacing my tyres even though I'm not down to the replacement markers in the sypes..... The reason for me is that the tyres are squaring off and getting a little squirrely.

So I'm wondering how many of you replace early for this reason?



I like to go for every ounce of tread, short of being stuck on the road with no tread like DUTCH! :laughing6-hehe:

Nothing short of a hole and severe high speed wobble would I replace early, it would have to be more than looks.


I'm not sure what kind of roads(curves + or - ) you have in you're area, but I 'd think that people that have to ride locally on a lot of straight roads may not mind the squaring since it doesn't come into play as much..... Where people that have tight turns in their area aren't going to have squaring anyway.... Then there are the ones in between that it may bother.

Luckily our area is curvy enough that you won't square off unless you are super slabbing it all the time and skipping out on the "spirited" routes. If it was squared off I'd only really change it if the center was at the lower wear marks.

here in flatter then flat houston texas i change mine when the center gets down near the belts.

I tend to ride my bike in all sorts of weather and terrain, so I find myself replacing them earlier than some. When riding in the rain, I want as much groove as I can, so when they get down to the wear bars, my bikes get new shoes. Rubber is cheaper than plastic.

Tires are what keeps you from being part of the road. Do what gives you peace of mind. I usually change when they get to or around the wear marks.

[image: View Post]spud786, on 15 October 2010 - 05:27 PM, said:

I like to go for every ounce of tread, short of being stuck on the road with no tread like DUTCH! :laughing6-hehe:



Run em' till the air shows I always say! Actually, I prefer to replace them about 200 miles before they look like this but when you live in TX you have to suffer with the slab to get to the twisty bits.


[image: Posted Image]

[image: Posted Image]
[/quote]


Somebody has to test product limitations I guess :goofy:

I normally run mine down pretty far, although the one I had on right before T-Mac this year was squared off so I changed it. I probably could have gotten another 1000 miles out of it, but didn't want to risk it with being at an event like that. I commute a lot on the bike so the tires are bound to get squared off.

I change also usually a bit before I reach the wear indicator, or latest as it have, or if cuped badly. Usually chage front and rear as a set if money allow.

[image: View Post]Monk, on 15 October 2010 - 04:56 PM, said:

I'm finding myself replacing my tyres even though I'm not down to the replacement markers in the sypes..... The reason for me is that the tyres are squaring off and getting a little squirrely.

So I'm wondering how many of you replace early for this reason?


If only it was that simple...

The 'squirrely' fact definitely plays into the decision. I also factor in my riding season schedule.

I do around 20,000km per season and toss the tire set at 9-12,000 km. I could stretch things a bit more and do 1.5 tire sets per season, (which I tried the first couple of years), but alway seemed to end up with half done tires before major rides. The cost difference (per season) is only 125$, so I go for the 'fresh tire' feeling twice a year instead.

Depending on the brand/type of tire, the squirrel factor shows up earlier or later. For instance the BT021 flop over like crazy when the front sides start wearing, PR2's feel greasy until they get hot, etc. So far the tire model that shows the least 'squirrelyness' (can I butcher the english language any more :blush: ) as it ages is the Angel ST, which is my current set of tires. They presently have 7,000km and are showing squaring, but for some reason still feel fairly linear as I lean. But I should reserve judgement until they are done. The tire feel changes quickly sometimes.

Brian

I order new tires when I hit the wear bars. I do my best to keep them as round as I can through their lives...

I change before hitting the wear bars, usually once the tire starts squaring off I'll change both front and rear together. Usually the front would be good for a bit longer, but the hassle of changing again midway through the rear is annoying. Plus the majority of our riding is long distance sport touring, if I was using a bike for commuting I might be more stingy with tires.

I don't like "wasting" money, but an extra ~$500 a season between two bikes for good grippy tires is a price I'm willing to pay. Usually a set at the beginning of the season, and then again midway depending on mileage.

I've had pretty good luck with selling my non-toasted tires locally. A side benefit to changing early, IMO. I usually get $25-40 per tire, it cuts into the cost of the new ones nicely!

If the tires are affecting handling, they are completely done for. Significant flat spotting or cupping will make the bike feel extremely tippy, and will have a major impact on your cornering. You might not be aware just how much of a difference it is until you replace the tires and your bike starts feeling a lot more confident on curves.

I have changed tires because of cupping, worn tread that wouldn't last out a long trip, and a hole that I couldn't successfully patch.

Having had a front tire go flat while I was moving at highway speeds, I am not likely to ever want to try to push a tire far enough to see cords. When the tread starts to get thin the tire is much more susceptible to damage caused by hazards on the road. Fresh rubber is really not that expensive when you consider the alternatives. Pushing tire life on a car is one thing, when you have four points touching the ground. A bike only has two, and if anything happens to either one you are in serious trouble.

There are some good ways to reduce your cost on tires. Purchase a tire changer, or find a friend with one. Order tires online and plan ahead. Watch for local sales.

I manage my tire wear by not slabbing more than I canyon ride. Usually four to one. Four commuting trips to one respectable canyon ride. Since I hate squared off tires in the canyons I'd change them. Race tires can be ridden till the tread disappears but the tire wall is so thin at that point a small sharp rock can puncture it. After two incidents of having to plug a tire and limp the bike home I now use the wear indicators as my clue to change tires. Tires are cheap compared to repairing a crashed or rashed bike and I don't like performing road side flat repairs.

I change them now....as this morning my rear was flat. As my mother used to say "those are so thin, you can shoot a pea through them"

thinking about trying Power Pure this time................

[image: View Post]Monk, on 15 October 2010 - 04:56 PM, said:

I'm finding myself replacing my tyres even though I'm not down to the replacement markers in the sypes..... The reason for me is that the tyres are squaring off and getting a little squirrely.

So I'm wondering how many of you replace early for this reason?

I take this approach also, when the squaring off gets bad enough to really start affecting the handling they've got to go. The PR2 rear really seems to resist the squaring off though and I'm getting nice long life out of them, commuting 200 miles/week mostly straight up.

[image: View Post]vfrcapn, on 16 October 2010 - 09:18 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Monk, on 15 October 2010 - 04:56 PM, said:

I'm finding myself replacing my tyres even though I'm not down to the replacement markers in the sypes..... The reason for me is that the tyres are squaring off and getting a little squirrely.

So I'm wondering how many of you replace early for this reason?

I take this approach also, when the squaring off gets bad enough to really start affecting the handling they've got to go. The PR2 rear really seems to resist the squaring off though and I'm getting nice long life out of them, commuting 200 miles/week mostly straight up.

Yea... I'm running PR2"s...This is my 3rd set, and this last set I have just over 8000m on them....Best set so far.... When I was living in Denver I never had a problem, I'd wear 'em down round......

Monk I just replaced my rear ppwer it was looking georgious, but it was right on the bars and i went ahead and installed a new proad 2 , I could have squeaked one more ride out of the Pwer, but it would have been sub wear bar,

I gave up 200 mile of tread possibly

I had 3k on my oem metzlers and they were near the wear mark on the rear but not flat in any way.
New tires turned in so much easier, it was the right time, as they started feeling squarely too.

I replace them as a set especially when they are oem.

I will replace my tires when I think they are worn down enough, are getting squirlly, or when I feel like spending the money. I'm at the point that I should replace my tires. I always replace in pairs. Even though the front has semi decent tread, I dont like all the cracks and the "oldness" of the rubber. Sadly, the middle of my rears is the wear point. Tons of tread on the sides, but flat in the middle. I feel as if I'm paying full price and only getting 1/3 of use.

Monk I waited until I started to see this with the mindset of getting all my $$ worth. After putting on the new set though I realized how badly the old squared off ones handled. I think I may be replacing early like you next time.

[image: Posted Image]

And like Timmy said....Thin.........It's amazing how thin they are...Even new........

I always end up waiting until they are low on tread all around, then when I get the new tires on, and the bike turns in so much better, I wonder what I waited for.

But I'm a cheap bastige and so I do it again...

[image: View Post]jasonsmith, on 17 October 2010 - 12:02 AM, said:

Monk I waited until I started to see this with the mindset of getting all my $$ worth. After putting on the new set though I realized how badly the old squared off ones handled. I think I may be replacing early like you next time.

[image: Posted Image]

It was the only reason I could keep up with you!!

I ride a lot of straight miles around here, so my tires always get replaced due to being squared off. But I did manage to kill the sides of my front tire during my Skyline Drive trip last weekend. :smile: It gets replaced tomorrow night.

For rears, I usually wait 'til I see cords. I replace fronts when cupped or getting very low on tread. I won't lie - I notice when my worn tires affect handling, but I don't replace the shoes right away. I definitely get my money's worth out of tires. :wink:

The exceptions...I'll replace a fairly worn tire before I big trip, as I did a couple times this year.

On my Kat with Z6s or strada's I was replacing once they got past the wear bars. With the Bt021's I have on the VFR now they will be replaced in the spring even though they aren't quite down to the bars. They slid a few times in the corners on Hellbender and feel twitchy taking on ramps on normal speed.

[image: View Post]spud786, on 15 October 2010 - 05:27 PM, said:

I like to go for every ounce of tread, short of being stuck on the road with no tread like DUTCH! :laughing6-hehe:

Nothing short of a hole and severe high speed wobble would I replace early, it would have to be more than looks.

That's sorta like what my buddy said that day...
[image: Posted Image]
Getting all my money's worth out of that tire... About thirty minutes before this, we had all met up at Cycle Gear to ride down to Barber for the AMA races. i was looking over all the other bikes and mentioned to this fella that "you aren't seriously thinking about riding this whole weekend on that tire?" (a totally bald and squared off rear) Just thinkin' it might be a good place and time to get a new tire before heading up to the twisty sections.

"Oh yeah, i'm going to get all my money's worth out of that tire, and besides that i just spent $90 for a new battery"

Well i'm here to tell you that the $90 battery worked great--it was trying to crank that motor the whole time it was burning until the wires melted through...

I replace them when my rear tire shows the metal cords. Probably will bite me in the arse one day.

When the legal limit is reached/wear indicators.
We have lots of turns here and rain can come in. no point in false economy/bragging rights... :laughing6-hehe: