Tire Tread Direction
 

I have a set of Continental Top Touring 2000s I'm getting ready to put on my bike. I was looking the sidewalls over and saw a set of arrows on them. Am I reading it correctly that points in the Vs in the tread point forward on the front tire and and are reversed on the back tire? (front <--- > )
Seems to me that they would be pointing the same direction ( front <--- < ) Anybody Know?

Bike tire tread is inconsequential. Mount the tires however you want.

Well i dont know what kind of tires those are, but on many knobbies this is because the "<" has teeth, and these dig into the ground and propel you forward. I know on my tom slicks its the same tread pattern direction front and rear

These are road tires. It just doesn't matter which way they are facing.

oh they are? Yea it doesnt really matter then, infact sheldon brown has an interesting article about the tread on road tires.

I have TT2000's, also. You're reading the sidewall arrows correctly, the tread is reversed on the rear tire.

The arrow refers to the intended rotation of the tire. Your rear tire was mounted backwards. Not that you are likely to notice a difference anyway, but it will look better with the vees pointed the same direction.

Hmmm... my experience indicates that if a uni-directional tyre is not mounted the correct way, especially as a drive tyre on the rear, it will wear much more rapidly. Admitted this was an MTB tyre, but I was quite astounded.

I have refrained from commenting on the TT2000 until I get home and have a look at the 700C pair I have hanging on the wall to see if there are in fact two arrows on the sidewall, one for front mounting and one for rear. I might learn something, because until now I have mounted both front and rear with the pointy part of the V towards the front (when looking down from above the tyre). I might irmprove the already impressive tyre wear on the rear (I like TT2000s for loaded touring).

I have read that before about mounting tires with arrow shaped elements pointing toward the front on the front tire and toward the rear on the rear tire. I don't know how much difference it makes on a road bike, but a top Touring has a much more pronounced tread than a typical slick or nearly slick road tire. If it was my tire, I'd do what the Continental tire people suggest. I'd think it would be pretty arrogent of me to assume that I somehow knew more about bike tires than they do.

I would assume the reason for the tread is for wet conditions and that both Vs should face forward to expel water from under the tire. It sounds like your rear tire was mounted backwards. As others have mentioned, any effect is likely to be subtle, especially on dry road.

Thanks Retro for reminding me...

Well, I've learned something today, so I have advanced my life by an increment.

Indeed, there are two arrows on the sidewall of my TT2000 x 700C tyres hanging on the wall. Darn. This is the second time in a fortnight tyres have caught me out with front one way, rear the other.

Short answer... do what the arrows say.

Thanks Hillyman for the heads-up. Maybe my rear tyre wear on the TT2000s will be even better.

I will now slink away to cause havoc on some other forum (double checking my facts beforehand, of course!!!).

You may be right, Retro Grouch, and I'd probably mount the tires the way Conti suggests, if only because there's no reason not to. But I wouldn't do it just because the Conti people say so: they know more than I do about both tires and marketing.

Remembering back to my off roading days the direction that you mount the tires effect only traction in a non perfect enviroment. The resistance on your front tire is pulling the bottom of the tire back. The resistance of your rear tire when pedaling is pushing the bottom your tire forward. So to equalize traction on less then perfect surfaces the arrows are correct, as long as you are pedaling.

MTB tyres were the other set that caught me out recently. Michelins.

Thanks for the posts! I just wanted to double check my eyeballs.
I mounted the back tire 'backwards' as directed by Continental.
Who am I to argue with German engineering :)

I think possibly an altered rear tread can throw water differently.

On mtb and XC, sguare knobbed, non-chevron pattern tires can be reversed.
You can do this later in the life out of the tire as wear will to be the first contact side of the knob.

road tires have channels, more a water than traction thing, as they have max contact patch compared to other types.

The side edge tread on tires unless squared knobbes spaced even, no doubles = is designed to to stop wear and squirm.
This is why the grooves are angled to take the wear.

On offroad, the pitch, or resistance can be used skidding reversed if worn.

An odd idea, if you reversed slick tires would they be more grabby as to the grain of the rubber?
Like a wet race day?...only got used.

It has to do with rolling resistance and if the tire is being driven under power or rolled along. The rolling resistance changes depending on how you ramp up or ramp down a gap in the tire. Or how the side of the gap distorts as the gap rolls across the road surface or is pushed by power. The rear wheel under power pushes one side of the gap
the front wheel sort of pulls it along.

If I remember correctly the tire forces want to go from the middle of the V out to the edge. So the tires are opposite. It looks backwards when you look at it. I think it was the point of the V to the back on the bottom of the back tire. The opposite of the way you think it should work for traction. And the point of the V to the front on the front tire. It rolls easier this way. But it looks backwards.

Hmmm.... might also explain why the TT2000s seem a little noisier than others. Very interesting discussion.

I read this about rolling resistance in an article written by someone who was from one of the big name tire makers. I can't remember who, it was maybe four years ago. I have the same situation on my Maxxis semi slicks on an mtb. They look backwards too. Rolling easier is more important than traction in more cases than not, is the theory. My studded Nokian ice tires with huge knobs are marked one way for dry conditions and the other for wet conditions. ??? I'm lost on that one. I spent way to much time looking at the tread! :o

It is also supposed to be better (faster) to roll up a slight ramp than to jump onto a square edge like a huge knob.