bccycleguy

My Conti GP 4-Seasons have a bit over 900 km (~600 miles) on them and the rear is starting to square off about 5 mm (3/16"). I weigh 160 lbs (72 kg) and run them at 110 psi in the rear, 100 psi in front. I've never had a flat with them and performance-wise they handle nicely. I know these are a fast-wearing tire with a good grip in the corners, but I'm still suprised at how fast they are wearing out. They'll probably be finished in another 500 km.

These tires don't have wear indicator holes and I wonder how far to push them before I start getting flats? How do you tell when it's time to toss them (or assign them to trainer duty)?

chzman

really frequent flats or exposed casing = time to change your tires

clausen

On the rear I'll change with the first sign of threads if they last that long. Usually I've had cuts put the end of life to them.

operator

Either down to the threads or when you start getting an obnoxious amount of flats. The latter usually happens before the former.

Kayakado

one of our club members recently finished a transcontinental tour. He used only 2 sets of tires and that was with fully-loaded panniers. He was, however, super gluing the tread back on the tires as they seperated - it is all about how far you are willing to go.

stonecrd

I have been getting about 2000mi out of my tires, road conditions vary so much it will be hard to compare to others. My rides are all on pretty smooth roads but they mix coral in with the asphalt down here in FL so that adds more abrasives and makes the rough rodes very rough. I generally use the same tires and rotate the front to the rear and add a new one to the front. It keeps the cost down a bit.

Richard Cranium

Yeah, if you watch for it, just about any tire will show threads -- at that point, that area has little resistance to being cut. I actually ruined a tire recently when I was forced to "lock up" the wheel due to a motorist. Once you skid on an area of a tire -- it's likely to show quickly.....

oboeguy

I was happy to finally be able to wear a tire down the point where the threads were starting show. Usually, as mentioned above, too many flats have led me to a change. So if the tire handles well, is not showing threads and is not flatting, there's no real reason to change.

powers2b

+1

Enjoy

Boogs

Watch out you don't put too worn a tire on the front. I've had front flats at reasonable speeds that were a little hairy, and I can't imagine how f'ed up a front blowout on a descent would be!


David

blue_nose

I end up getting a cut or hole in a tire before it wears down. In general, I get about a year out of a tire.

Pat

I average about one flat per 1000 miles. I get between 2000-3000 miles per tire. If I get a flat and the tire seems pretty thin. I change it. I know that is not very much help. But a worn tire when viewed in cross section will sort of have a "u" shaped wear pattern on the top of the tire where the rubber is thinner than on the shoulders of the tire. When that pattern is very obvious, I change the tire. I used to ride tires until the threads showed.

racingpain

I have a have a pair of Bontrager Race tires on my bike and they are rated for 5000 miles according to the LBS and articals I have read. I have also heard of people getting more mileage out of these Kevlar tires but I think at that point you are playing with a combination of luck and fate.

RacingPain