Tyre Longevity

[Mick F]

How long is a pice of string?
Yes, I know it will vary from tyre to tyre etc.

My recent experience is interesting ................... or at least I think it is.

I have used 23mm Vittoria Rubino Pro (treaded) tyres for many many years, and the last pair I bought were the slick version.
In the past, the treaded versions lasted circa 4,800miles before being worn to need replacement. I often change them front for rear a couple of times and I'd make sure that the one remaining on the rear would wear out first. Some some tyre replacements, I've kept the remaining less worn front one.

Now, my story.
The slicks went on and were absolutely brilliant. Very pleased indeed.
I swapped them over front for rear at 2,300miles.
I was one my way home from Dartmoor this morning, and had a breather in Tavistock and just happened to look down at my rear tyre (no mudguards on) and saw a hole through the rubber down to the canvass, so turned the wheel and found another four!
I rode the 5miles home without a visit from the fairy and this afternoon found a spare used 23mm Rubino Pro (treaded) to put on.
I took the opportunity to look closely at the front one, and that too is looking decidedly dodgy.

Distance since new?
3,400miles .............. that's over 1,000miles less ie nearly a 30% reduction in longevity.

I've just found the TREADED tyres on a good offer from Wiggle, so new ones are now on order.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-rubino ... cher-tyre/

[amediasatex]

Is the treaded tyre actually made treaded by having more rubber (to cut the tread into) or are they similar thickness?

Could be a compound difference between the models too.

Tyre longevity really is a piece of string type question as so many factors at play. My worst performance was 750miles from a very posh race tyre, and my best is about 8000 miles from some armoured (and awful) commuter tyres.

[Mick F]

Could be a compound difference between the models too.

Good point.
To increase the grip of a smooth tyre, they probably make the compound softer.

[Brucey]

often the slick model is a bit lighter than the treaded model which suggests that the rubber is also a bit thinner in the slick model.

cheers

[reohn2]

Mick.
I always had you for a meticulous maintenance man and I'm surprised your tyres got so bad without you noticing them

[Mick F]

The trouble is ............. the Moulton!
I've been riding that more than Mercian since buying and modifying it, so Mercian has been sitting on the back-burner.

To be frank, I didn't even think about it because even though Mercian hasn't been ridden as frequently, I wouldn't have expected the tyres to wear out so soon. I do keep records of mileage, but as the tyre mileage was nowhere near where it has been before, I gave it no thought.

Lesson learnt, in fact two lessons.
One, keep an eye on tyres even though the mileage is low.
Two, don't buy slicks.

[Norman H]

Did you discover this before you descended Pork Hill?

And what about hitting 47mph on Gunnislake Hill last Friday?

[Mick F]

Exactly.
Looking at the Edge20 on the way down Pork Hill, I topped 50mph.
It was after that, that I was sitting on the wall in Bedford Square that I saw the tyre.

[reohn2]

The trouble is ............. the Moulton!
I've been riding that more than Mercian since buying and modifying it, so Mercian has been sitting on the back-burner.

To be frank, I didn't even think about it because even though Mercian hasn't been ridden as frequently, I wouldn't have expected the tyres to wear out so soon. I do keep records of mileage, but as the tyre mileage was nowhere near where it has been before, I gave it no thought.

Lesson learnt, in fact two lessons.
One, keep an eye on tyres even though the mileage is low.
Two, don't buy slicks.

I tend to check my tyres for cuts and foreign bodies every 200 miles or so and more often if I've had a muck/wet ride.With a proper check by letting the air out and rolling the tyre between thumb and index finger when I've got the bike hung up for maintenance every 700 to 1000 miles.

[Brucey]

some slick tyres have wear indicators (eg little blind holes) in the tread rubber. The idea is that when you cannot see them any more, the tyre is worn out, in the same way as a treaded tyre is worn out when there is no tread left.

Tyres that have puncture protection tend to show the special layer when the tread is worn out, eg many Schwalbe tyres show green or blue when the tread wears down. This gives you a little warning before you are into the canvas proper.

cheers

[rjb]

Does anyone remember those budget training tyres sold by Mike Dyason in the 1980's Some audax riders wore them down to the canvas in 200 miles
It was as if the tread had been painted on I had a very short lived pair, never bought anything else from him again, lesson learned.

[mig]

i rarely used slicks but was ,i think, given a pair of the original schwalbe ultremos in 23c which ended up on the summer lightweight bike. i thought they'd last only a few thousand miles but have actually survived double that so far with barely a nick, wear or anything.

i think they are now 'schwalbe ones' and i suspect that they're not cheap but i'd recommend them for your mercian.

[[XAP]Bob]

Could be a compound difference between the models too.

Good point.
To increase the grip of a smooth tyre, they probably make the compound softer.

Doubt it - slicks would already have better grip than treaded tyres.

They probably just put less tread on the tyre, so you wore through it faster. Either that or riding the Moulton has turned you in a raving hooligan, and you've skidded through them...

[amediasatex]

Could be a compound difference between the models too.

Good point.
To increase the grip of a smooth tyre, they probably make the compound softer.

Doubt it - slicks would already have better grip than treaded tyres.

There can be tread compound differences even on the same name/model of tyre from year to year. Not to mention that the pure slicks might be a more racing oriented compound so could indeed be softer than an allweather treaded version, despite the obvious contradiction of wanting more grip in poor weather.

[Vorpal]

I check my tyres every now and then. I can't say that I do it at consistent intervals, but generally, if I am doing other regular maintenance, I check my tyres.

I just check for damage, degradation, wear, etc. It doesn't take long.

Usually what happens is I check my tyres, think, 'oh, that looks worn. I'd better replace it', promptly forget about it, then when I get a puncture a week or two later, I think, 'oh, that's right. I meant to get new ones...'