Tyre direction

[Olly]

I have just got my new Vittoria tyres £15 for 2 on ebay!!!!
really happy with them but...

They are a nightmare to get onto my mavic Ma2 rims!! - I pu****red TWO inner tubes getting them on

but never mind, here's the question...

On my front wheel i put the tyre on the "wrong" way (little arrow facing the other way) - doh!!!

without having to take the f***ing tyre off AGAIN!!!
heres my options...

1. do nothing.
2. put my wheel on the other way around - quick release on wrong side. will this be bad for my hub (mavic 501)

lets have your ever helpfull input folks!!!

cheers
olly

 

[swee'pea99]

I've never understood tyres having a right way and a wrong way - certainly not slick tyres. I just put them on any old way and I can't say I've ever noticed any problems.

 

[beancounter]

Option 3 - get rid of the f*ckers!

Well, that's what I did anyway. Michelin much better.

bc

 

[Olly]

my thoughts exactly!
they have hardly any "tread" at all and thats only on the edges.

i wondered if there was any structural reason????

 

[John the Monkey]

Tires with "V" patterns are common for motorcycles, and are generally installed so that the point of the "V" hits the road first. This is to help "squirt" the water out ahead of and to the side of the tire contact patch, as a protection against hydroplaning . Since hydroplaning is impossible on a bicycle, there's no need to observe this custom.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html#direction

 

[Olly]

Option 3 - get rid of the f*ckers!

Well, that's what I did anyway. Michelin much better.

bc

what after the ultra faff putting them ON!!!
by the end i had thumbs worn to the bone and permanent tyre lever indents on my palms!!!!!!

they DOOO look nice though!!!

 

[Olly]

Quote:
Tires with "V" patterns are common for motorcycles, and are generally installed so that the point of the "V" hits the road first. This is to help "squirt" the water out ahead of and to the side of the tire contact patch, as a protection against hydroplaning . Since hydroplaning is impossible on a bicycle, there's no need to observe this custom.


i did read that bit about aquaplaning on sheldons site.

looks like i dont have to take off the tyre then!!! YAY!

cheers
for the help!

 

[HLaB]

I don't think it matters too much as there's hardly any tread on most road bikes. About 10 miles off from Pitlochry (on the Etape Caledonia) I noticed I had put my front on back to front The start was pretty wet but I don't think it affected my handling. The p'ture stop (carpet tacks ) gave me oppurtunity to correct it.

 

[skwerl]

2. put my wheel on the other way around - quick release on wrong side. will this be bad for my hub (mavic 501)

just turn the QR around. there's isn't really a wrong side for the front but convention puts it on the same side as the rear for convenience. Will not hurt your hub.

Road tyres aren't direction anyway so just ignore the arrow

 

[John the Monkey]

If you do turn the wheel (and have a bike computer) make sure you move the wheel magnet over too

 

[Olly]

thank chaps!
i think i'll leave it.
as you all say there is VERY little tread anyway.

cheers for your help!!!

 

[Bman]

I cant see how aquaplaning is totally impossible on a bicycle. Ok very difficult to achieve, but cant be impossible. At the very least there would be some loss of traction?

I always assumed the tyre direction would make a difference however slight. Thats why the manufacturers put the arrow on them.

 

[joebe]

Quote:
Tires with "V" patterns are common for motorcycles, and are generally installed so that the point of the "V" hits the road first. This is to help "squirt" the water out ahead of and to the side of the tire contact patch, as a protection against hydroplaning . Since hydroplaning is impossible on a bicycle, there's no need to observe this custom.


i did read that bit about aquaplaning on sheldons site.

looks like i dont have to take off the tyre then!!! YAY!

cheers
for the help!

This makes perfect sense to me, but next time you're out and about have a look at any parked motorcycles, the majority of ones I've seen with directional tyres follow this rule for the rear tyre and the reverse for the front. I could never workout why.

 

[gaz]

Quote:
Tires with "V" patterns are common for motorcycles, and are generally installed so that the point of the "V" hits the road first. This is to help "squirt" the water out ahead of and to the side of the tire contact patch, as a protection against hydroplaning . Since hydroplaning is impossible on a bicycle, there's no need to observe this custom.


i did read that bit about aquaplaning on sheldons site.

looks like i dont have to take off the tyre then!!! YAY!

cheers
for the help!

No doubt aquaplanning is vurtually impossible on a bike.. but you still lose traction in the wet, and thus still should be carefull when taking corners, accelarting and hitting metal man hole covers.

 

[hubgearfreak]

I cant see how aquaplaning is totally impossible on a bicycle. Ok very difficult to achieve, but cant be impossible. At the very least there would be some loss of traction?

yes, water is a great lubricant...especially it seems for the white paint that local government use toenhance our safety keep us from slowing motor traffic

but aquaplaning is where you are off the road, in effect water skiing. it's not impossible, but you'd need to be going fast. faster than anyone's ever travelled on a bicycle