trek1

Is it a good idea to rotate front/rear tires at the start of another season? I was thinking it would be best to keep wear even since I will log about the same mileage as last year. What would you do if anything?

pelotonracer

Most will tell you NO. Since the back tire receives more wear b/c more weight is placed on it, it gets "squared", as in, it no longer has a smooth curve from side to side and the middle part is really flat. Putting one of these in the front COULD harm your steering.

That said, I never hesitate from doing this once in a while. I don't notice any steering difference.

ken cummings

When I have thinner (28s and down) tires they wear out in less then a season so rotation does not matter.
The last time my tires got changed was two years ago when the bike was in the LBS for an 'overhaul'. They got ahold of the wife and said my tires were so bad they didn't want to put them back on for liability reasons. She said put on the toughest tires you got. I still haven't worn out those heavy 700x38 nimbus Armadillos.

trek1

Maybe just wear them as is until they need replacing from wearing out. I was trying to keep them more equal but maybe that would require rotating every 500 miles or so.

pelotonracer

Dude, tires are cheap... like less than $30 from ProBikeKit for ProRace2's. Just replace when you need to, and keep front and back separate.

trek1

Cool, it wasn't the $ factor just so they would both be worn in about the same time.

G60

if you rotate them often enough you won't have any tire squaring problems.

that's the whole point of rotating a tire, rotate it before there is much wear on them so they'll both wear evenly.

you're not supposed to wait until one of your car's tires wear down too much before you rotate it, and if you're into rotating your bike tires, you shouldn't let the rear one get out of shape before rotating it.

trek1

Will a front tire outlast a rear tire by 2:1 or maybe it's not really worth it at all?

sogood

I can't understand the logic of this suggestion unless the primary wear on the front tyre is always slanted.

Machka 

I don't know about anyone else ... but my tires rotate while I ride!

trek1

I don't know but I guess it isn't as important as rotating my car tires every 5K-7K miles.

trek1

Could that mean case closed?

jrennie

I like the freshest tire I can on the front so I get them in sets of three. When the rear gets worn the front goes to the back and front gets a new one. As peletonracer said, tires are cheap.

trek1

Thanks, I like the sound of that

z415

I remember reading that you shouldn't (Sheldon Brown maybe?). I believe the reasoning was that a front tire damage is worse than rear tire damage when riding - which it true from personal experience. I believe this also applies to cars, although you should rotate those tires.

FIVE ONE SIX

didn't i just start a thead like this yesterday? yeah, i did...

trek1

thanks for the clue, I will search it some more?

FIVE ONE SIX

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/280699-do-you-replace-both-tires-just-rear.html

trek1

I see but I was asking if it was good to rotate prior to either one weraing out and get even wera per set of tires. I think I like the thought of replacing the front or just both at the same time....need it or not, start fresh is ideal.

Machka 

I don't think it is necessary ... and quite frankly, I don't see the point. When all is said and done it doesn't save on the quantity of tires you go through.

trek1

I think that is why you will start new especially if you switch brand or type.

G60

yeah, but rotating a bike tire prior to one wearing out means rotating them probably every 100 miles or so.

you're supposed to rotate your car tires every 3000 miles, and they usually have a life of about 30,000 to 50,000 miles, some shorter some longer.

most bicycle tires have a life of maybe a few thousand miles. if you rotate a 2,000 mile life tire after 1,000 miles, it's already worn down half way.

i, personally don't rotate my bicycle tires. they are cheap enough to get them fresh when needed.

Psimet2001 

I've gone back and forth on this. I used to rotate a lot. Now I just seem to buy new tires when the rear gets worn enough to replace. Because of the web deals (buying great deals regardless of the color) I tend to always buy two and replace both. Fronts still have a ton of life in them.

I now subscribe to the theory that one should ride the rear until you are ready to replace and then move the front to the rear and replace the front with a new tire.

80vette

I replace tires front or rear as they wear out. I don't rotate them.
When I replace the tire I replace the tube.

Psimet2001 

That's definitly not needed. I have had tubes that have lasted through 5 different tires. One of the tubes I am running now has been on the bike (although on different wheels) since 2005.