Originally Posted by
queerpunk
while i think it's unnecessary to fuss too much about skid patches, do remember that some ratios only leave you with one or two. this will make a big difference in your tire life, especially if you don't mix it up (loosen wheel, move chain a few teeth down the cog).
This could very well be a large part of your problem. Also, in my experience those Bontragers are awful, I only rode them a few weeks and it seemed like any little piece of glass on the street would slice right though them and they did wear down much faster than the cheapo nashbar's I'd been riding before.