Tomm Willians

I clean my tires after each ride with a spray on tire cleaner just so they look good. I then started wondering if keeping the grime to a minimum helps maintain their RR rating, grip characteristics, etc….or makes a zip of difference?

And I’m referring to road tires, not a gravel tire carrying a pound of mud.

datlas 

Doubt it makes a difference other than looks. But if important to you, no harm in doing it.

mihlbach

I am sure whatever you are cleaning your tires with, it is not improving their performance in any way. Whatever residual chemicals are left on the tire surface from the cleaning would probably reduce friction, not enhance it, but it would quickly wear off the contact patch anyway.

How is it that you are you getting your road tires so dirty that they need cleaning after each ride? I never clean my tires and they are clean enough to roll across the living room carpet. Even if I were to roll thru something dirty, like wet silt, the dirt wears off pretty quickly by just riding the bike.

Troul 

If it's containing chemicals that prevent degradation & protects from UV, it might have a worthwhile impact.
if it's just for a shine, it might increase plopping on hard surfaces.

Troul 

I often wonder how people don't need to clean the tires as well as the whole bicycle after a decent long ride?
30+ miles & it's usually poop.

easyupbug 

I have too many bikes so use Aerospace 303 to clean my tires and prevent dry rot and can not detect any difference in performance with clean tires

rsbob 

Excellent product. Have used it on my cars for years. Never thought about it for the bikes but might be worth considering to prevent dry rot.

jgwilliams

During bad weather I do wipe my tyres down with a damp cloth for a very simple reason. The damp cloth makes the rubber look blacker which means that any little flints embedded in the rubber stand out. I can then get them out before they work their way through and cause a puncture. This tends to be more of a problem in bad weather - I presume the flints get washed down onto the roads by the rain. In my experience it is the major cause of punctures around here so an ounce of prevention is worthwhile.

jpescatore

After every ride, I use a rag to wipe down the riding surface of my tires just to check for any gouges or metal/glass stuck in that might turn into a puncture on the next ride. I doubt anything like 303 would either harm or help the tires in any meaningful way, but since a lot of the high end tires claim miracle compounds, could be some impact.

1989Pre 

I use a sponge with hot water and a spot of dish liquid to go over the tires with after a ride. This enables me to be certain that there is nothing that I need to know about. Paying attention to thin, racing tires is important, and this gives me the opportunity to assess every aspect of them. Once, I wiped the tires down and saw a patch of bubbles (slow leak). I generally use 700x23 tires at 200g of weight. If they get me home, safe-and-sound, I give them some T.L.C.

Troul 

I've found the products containing graphene reduced sidewall fraying... it's my findings, ymmv.

CAT7RDR

Hmm. I clean the sidewalls with a cleaning wipe because my main bike has reflective strips and I sometimes ride in the early morning before dawn.

Iride01 

Other than cosmetic looks and perhaps the safety aspect that CAT7RDR mentioned, I doubt that much is being done for the short life the tires will have before the threads are showing or its get to what ever point of wear that you replace them. Perhaps if this is a seldom ridden bike that you take out once a year and the tires can last twenty years or more, perhaps it helps.

As always YMMV, particularly those that have unique conditions for both riding and where they store their bikes.

Bald Paul

Tire shine products are okay on automobile tire sidewalls. But, I've seen the effects of tire shine on motorcycle tires. Looks nice, until you lean into a turn and the bike goes out from under you.
Personally, I wouldn't use it on a bicycle tire, either. I can hear the EMT's now. "Wow, that was quite the crash you took on that twisty descent there. Don't worry, we'll get you to the ER in no time. By the way, your bike tires look really shiny!"

rumrunn6

my car is always more zippy after a carwash

cweb99

I clean the bottom of my shoes after each run

mpetry912 

I'd be concerned about residual chemicals that might affect tire adhesion, like when leaned over into a curve

/markp

spelger

never in my life have i even considered cleaning my tires. why would i? the moment i started riding they'd be dirty again. at least a frame can stay clean for a few rides.

LarrySellerz

I’ve never heard of people doing this and would imagine spraying them with something would do more harm than good

wolfchild

LOL...

soyabean

I have a Park Tool pizza cutter and the more clean it gets, it cuts way faster.

spelger

but the more you use it the more the rolling resistance increases.

79pmooney

My tires get accidentally rinsed off when I spray muck and dust off after rides. But if the bike looks OK (or the hose faucet is off for the freezing months) I don't bother. Never did this in my racing days or before I bought a house. So apparently I've experienced all the bad that happens with dirty tires. And stayed completely oblivious. (I wonder how many Tours I could have won if I had only cleaned my tires.)

rsbob 

Back in 1980, before LarrySellerz was even a glint in his mother’s eyes, I cleaned my bike’s gum walls with Comet cleanser. After several thousand miles they were almost black and dingy so I scrubbed them clean with a brush and Comet. I did it three more times, the last being before a 200 mile double. Three quarters of the way on the ride, my rear sidewall/gum wall blew out. the Comet had a corrosive effect on the fiber. I did manage to boot the sidewall with a dollar bill and new tube and finish the ride, but never again with Comet or anything else.

I originally got the idea because I used Comet and a brush to clean white wall tires.

KerryIrons

Are you saying you clean your bike after a 30 mile ride because "it's usually poop"? I suggest you quit riding in cow/sheep/pig pastures. I clean my bike every 350 miles or so, and lots of times the only thing really needed is clean/lube the chain.