Tyre Longevity

[Kenn]

Mick, Sorry to go a bit off-topic , but I wondered why you have been mostly riding the Moulton instead of the Mercian. I would guess the Mercian is quicker and less work, so the Moulton must have something special.

[francovendee]

You use much narrower tyres than me and a lot of my cycling is on tracks but I've yet to 'wear' a tyre out. I get around 9000 miles and although worn it's the side wall that gives out. I'm not complaining, a new tyre every 18 months isn't bad.

[Psamathe]

I've found it very difficult to establish tyre longevity (round my cycling area). My Marathon Greenguards managed just short of 10,000 miles and the back one was very ready to be replaced. But since then tyres have been changed thanks to mainly thorns where removal damaged threads or left part embedded, so their natural lives have been somewhat shortened by cycling environment.

Ian

[Mick F]

Mick, Sorry to go a bit off-topic , but I wondered why you have been mostly riding the Moulton instead of the Mercian. I would guess the Mercian is quicker and less work, so the Moulton must have something special.

Well, this is a bit of a story really.

I've had Mercian on the road since late 1986. It's had different wheels and different gears - from 6sp to 7sp, then 9sp and now 10sp. It's had a couple of different chainsets, and variety of different tyres. I've ridden it all over Cornwall in the last couple of years, it's done JOGLE and LEJOG and Back, plus a trip through Scotland/England/Wales. Also Up North to Lancs and Yorks and back. It's also been abroad to many different countries when I was in the RN.

In recent years when it's not been on long rides, I've been riding it three or four times a week all round the area up to 70 or 80 miles a time, but usually around 30 to 40miles.

I've been getting bored.
It's fine if you are cycle-commuting, but now I don't do it, all I'm doing is cycling the same roads on the same bike.

In 2010, I was riding a Raleigh Chopper, and even did JOGLE on it. I found two things with that bike.
One, everybody wanted to chat about it, and it was fun to chat and to ride it.
Two, it was damned hard work, and I became fitter than I'd ever been in my life.

Moulton has changed my cycling life just about the same that Chopper did. It's a challenge to ride it due to its weight and non-aerodynamics. It's idiosyncratic and almost weird, and there's a never-ending stream of the public who want to ask questions about it.
It's hard work to ride, especially up steep hills, mainly due to the small wheels being twitchy when going slow. I doubt it's possible to do a track-stand on it. Also the weight at 30odd pounds is an issue.

Out yesterday and did 66miles on it.
66miles on Mercian would be a doddle, but on Moulton, it was hard, and I came home tired.

Hard work is better than ease?
Dunno, but if I'm more tired on it from the same ride on Mercian, I reckon it's doing me good.

Major plus-point of a suspended bike, is that it copes well with tiny little narrow bumpy lanes and even a bit of off-road. I can explore more with it than I could ever do with Mercian.

[Mick F]

New tyres have just arrived.
Not even been out on Mercian since fitting a spare rear tyre.

May fit them this afternoon and go out for a spin tomorrow.

[hamster]

Nice reasoning Mick! I absolutely get it.

Sounds like you ought to build up a singlespeed. It's my main off-road bike for the past decade, and riding it is like being shouted at by a marines PTI all the way. However ditching all that gearing malarkey saves around 3kgs in weight, which certainly helps. However it gets you fitter, plus you learn to tolerate pain more!

[Mick F]

I don't think it's possible to ride round here effectively with SS.
Living in a valley with long hills either side to get out would need a low gear.

I do the final stretch climbing Gunnislake Hill in bottom gear. 28/30 = 25" at about 4mph.
On the Devon side up to Gullworthy it's less steep but 2miles long. I do that in 3rd. 28/24 = 31" at about 6mph.

All a bit low for riding even on the flat.

[Samuel D]

New tyres have just arrived.

I hope they’re black this time!

[Mick F]

Yes, Black.
Sad really, because I've had white-walls since 2004.
Just checking my records ...............

Rubino Pro 20mm White
Nov 04
Jun 06
Jun 07

Rubino Pro 23mm White
Apr 09
Jun 11
Mar 13
Apr 14

Rubino Pro Slicks White
Mar 15

Now black.
...... but they were cheap, less than half-price.

Actually, I've just fitted them and I could swear that they are narrower than 23mm. Fitting as many as I have, they have more in common with 20mm than 23mm. Quick measurement at full pressure has them at 21.7mm. Maybe they'll stretch, but they did go on "narrow" so I'm doubtful they'll reach the full 23mm as the previous ones did.

[Mick F]

PS
Even in 1994 Mercian had white-walls.

Here it is in Helmsdale first stop on JOGLE.

[Samuel D]

Excessive colour coordination is a risk with bicycles. That said, yours did look pretty good with the white walls. All the same, I think it’ll look classier still with black tyres.

I distinctly remember you saying in the past that your 23 mm tyres came up a bit narrower than 23 mm. Around 22 mm rings a bell. I can’t find your post now, though.

On the thread topic: tyre longevity is obviously affected by climbing. Living where you do, you’ll wear out tyres a lot faster than someone like me.

[Kenn]

Mick, Thanks for the extended explanation about why you ride Moulton. I have been toying with the idea of getting one for years. Your posts about it being harder work uphill and about suspension bush issues have been very helpful - they have firmly put me off the idea, as I am looking to make riding and maintenance as easy as possible as I get further into my seventies.

Cheers Ken

[mercalia]

I have never had anything than basic Marathons, always will, they last a long time and dont cost the earth. end of story

[Mick F]

Photo
I reckon Mercian looks more "aggressive" with all-black tyres, though looks ok. Mrs Mick F will be the final arbiter, but she's not home until Friday.
As for width, I think tyres relax into their designed size maybe. Not sure about these, and I wish I'd measured the one's I took off.

[geocycle]

You use much narrower tyres than me and a lot of my cycling is on tracks but I've yet to 'wear' a tyre out. I get around 9000 miles and although worn it's the side wall that gives out. I'm not complaining, a new tyre every 18 months isn't bad.

I get more than 10,000 miles on marathons and find it a right pain! I got a pair of marathon racers free and have had them on for about three years. They are OK to ride on but nothing special. I'm desperately trying to wear them out without success. I'm too Yorkshire to retire them early and get something nicer!