marley mission

when does it happen for you guys - got my first flat since late summer - a puncture - the tires seem 'a little soft' - i kinda feel i've lost trust to go back out there with them and will probably pick up a new set

how many miles - i dont keep track - shame on me i know
but if i had to guess probably around 1000 or so as this bike goes out about 1-2x week in the current rotation

anyway - how do you guys determine that not so magic moment when you hang up the treads and move on
mileage? obsevable condition? one flat too many (or just one at all)?

being that i ride before work and i am sometimes far from home as i ride 30 miles a day(in the dark) - changing tubes is certainly not my idea of a good time

thoughts...

scozim 

Kind of depends. I had the inside portion of a tire start separating last year which then caused the tube to create a bubble in the sidewall - had to replace. I had close to 2000 miles on that tire when that happened and I knew I was probably close to needing to replace it anyway.

I also had a situation where I had two flats on successive weekends. The first time I just replaced the tube and kept going. The next weekend after it happened again I got home and found that the rim tape had shifted. New rim tape and no more problems.

Now that I'm running all sew up tires I haven't developed a good feel for when I'll need to replace vs. repairing them.

531phile 

If I see a bulge on the sidewalls or if the sidewalls look really dried out. If there is a deep noticeable indentation on the tread due to wear, I replace it.

Bianchigirll 

I perty much lose faith in my tubulars once they go flat! as for clinchers... I can't recall too many that I actually wore out for before getting a big slice in them.

Standalone 

My Panasonic's Schwalbe Blizzards are done. Six months, probably 1k miles. The rear started going flat and I pulled one of those little radial tire wires out from the inside. Flat again. So, convinced there were more wires lurking, I retired the tire. Haven't decided whether I'm keeping the front going or not.

bobn

I live in an area where the roads are clean so flats, cuts and debris are not an issue.

I ride a Raleigh 3 speed, so I am not out in traffic and speeds are around 8-12 mph.

I get 3 rear tires to one front tire. 2000 rear and 6000+- front. I wait until I see the casing coming through and then change out that tire.

I stick with the same brand tires and have been doing it this way for years.

bobbycorno

I try not to get down to the casing before I change 'em out, as I tend to like all-day rides with big climbs and descents, and it only takes one high-speed tire failure to ruin your day. On my "fun bike" I tend to replace 'em when the tread gets really "squared off", and there are too many tread cuts. On my commuter, I'd let 'em go a bit further but still not down to the casing. I've gotten as little as 1200 miles out of a tire (Avocet 700x28c, down to the casing), and as much as 5000 (Schwalbe Kojak, tread too thin/square and too many cuts). (Those are both rear-wheel numbers, btw)

SP
Bend, OR

marley mission

good feedback guys - roads are pretty crappy right now so plenty of debri but yeah the things that concern me is starting to see those deep indentations or even when little debri get 'plugged' in - not necessarily into grooves either - this seems to happen when the tread get a certain 'softness' to them

i cant stand getting flats (heh who likes it right?) because it is a workout killer for me - though i can easily get the tires changed - it can still take me a good 15 minutes - in dark and cold - once the gloves are off - i become a real fumble fingers

prettyshady

I change them either when they dry up and start splitting to allow tiny stones to get to the inner tube or wear down to a more square shape. Also if they flat more than once.

My favourite bikes get the new tyres, the bike lower in the hierarchy get the worn tyres.

RobbieTunes

My clinchers tend to cut before I do anything with them.
I prefer not to boot them, because they usually cut again after that.

My tubulars have not let me down, yet, but I'm sure they will.
If one goes flat, it would have to have decent tread left before I operate.

Currently, I'm enamored of my tubular clinchers.
We'll see how they hold up.

20grit

I had one set of tires have casings show through before I replaced them. Then I realized that some terrible things could happen at high speed, so I've since not allowed this to happen.

I had a pair of 19mm Schwinn Prologue clinchers that made it 4 rides on my Peugeot before they were taken off. Hit one small hole and hadn't kept the air pressure high enough. Had a pinch flat and had to walk home. Those are hanging, waiting for the day when I need skinny tires. So we'll say, first pinch flat that I can attribute to a specific quality of the tires results in them being taken off.

SJX426 

I have not had good luck with tires in the last two years. I am on a very tight budget, my wife says I don't have one for bike stuff! I was looking at a sew up last summer and found a big cut in the tread. I simply glued it back on the casing and continue to ride it! I always carry a spare that is in decent shape, don't go for very long rides(30mi.) due to being in bad shape and alway take a phone. Lousy second image but....

marley mission

yeah i always travel w alot of gear in my pack
-3 levers (with duct tape wrapped around them)
-2 adjustable wrenchs
-alien multi tool
-2 tubes
-hand pump
-rim tape
-some toilet paper
-cell
-wallet
-water
-house keys

overkill - maybe - but i never worried about being stranded

MKahrl

I had a Jack Brown tire get its first flat on my commute and because the rear fender covers it from most normal points of view I had not noticed it was thin. I could see daylight through 2mm size holes around the perimeter. Only got 3,800 miles out of it!

bikenut2011

I always have my phone, that way if i don't feel like changing the flat, I call the emergency response team (my wife in the mini van)

They definitely can "deflate" your mood for sure!!

andy

surreal

here's my rules:

any big slices/gaps, i replace. I never wait for the casing to show, but if it id, i'd replace. If i had 3+ flats and couldn't figure out why, i'd replace. but, here's the important stuff:

if you're commuting, and you dont run schwalbe marathon plus or similarly bulletproof tires, you need to get some serious commuter tires. for real; your boss doesn't want to hear excuses, and no matter how dead and heavy those beasts are, it's worth it if it comes to the hottt tires on your commuter-versus-having a job debate.

If you're running sew-ups on your commute, you get what you get. seriously.

-rob

oldlugs

The roads around here are terrible, most tires end up cut long before they wear out. I'd venture to guess that over the past 30 years, I've only gotten to run maybe two or three rear tires down to the point where they were showing signs of exposing the casing. The more common failure is from impact damage or potholes. I've pinched or flat spotted as many rims as I have ruined tires. At 300+lbs I stick to the cheaper tires these days as they seem to protect the rim better. At my size all it takes is a small rock to kill a rim or tire. Run over a frozen chuck hole and your out a rim.

sonatageek

I am pondering that question right now. I have a set of Schwalbe Marathons on my primary bike with a bit over 5000 miles on them. They still have tread, but I have begun to be skeptical that they still have that high level of puncture protection I have grown accustomed to over the past 3 years. The front has a slow leak and depending on what the cause is, they will stay (rim strip issue) or will go (something got through the casing).

All part of the eternal struggle of wringing the last bit of life out of something, to the point of experiencing reduced performance, or timely replacement and a life free (pretty much) of unneeded drama and hassle.

jptwins

Wow, i didn't even know they made 19mm tires! crazy!

I would say that when there are noticeable gashes on the tread or a sidewall that's looking weak, it's time. But i've only had that happen a few times...

I put some schwalbe marathon plus tires on my main ride and it's been over a year of consistent riding, and they don't show all that much wear at all. I'm willing to deal with the rolling resistance in exchange for the reliability. This summer I will probably get some more supple tires for non-commuting riding.

USAZorro

Good tubulars have this happen right off the shelf. If you're having this become a problem, perhaps installing tire savers during road debris season will help.