Tyre wear

[Auntie Helen]

OK folks, just wondering if any of you can give me an idea of how long your tyres last.

I seem to be quite hard on tyres - I'm running Schwalbe Big Apple all round now but the front tyres only seem to last for 1500 miles before they get so worn I start getting punctures. The back Big Apple has been on for 3000 miles no probs and still has lots of life in it.

When I had Marathon Racers I was down to the canvas after 1100 miles.

Is this particularly bad? Is this because I'm a heavy lass on a solid bike running on rough country lanes?

 

[HLaB]

The tyres on my commuter (700x37) have done just over 5,250 miles on all surfaces and I don't think I'd be in a rush to replace these. The 4 seasons (700x25) on my winter/ general bike have done 2,600 likewise I wouldn't be in a rush to replace them on roads/ lanes. My summer bike has only seen 2,250 on road (the weather has been carp ) and the tyres (700x23 conti grand prix) look OK on that too, I'm just away to look now.

yip the look fine, I guess if I start getting p'tures I'll change them.

 

[Auntie Helen]

I've heard of some people getting through tyres every 900 miles and I'm not thaaat bad, but I noticed some tread wear today on the tyres I put on at the beginning of Jan. Mind you, with 20" tyres I suppose the relevant bit of tread is hitting the road more frequently than on a larger wheel!

 

[Tynan]

I get through tyres fairly rapidly, I'm 15 st plus pannier but I put most of it down to the road surface, the London roads are so rough and full of crap it's unreal

 

[Aperitif]

I used to be a fan of these Auntie Helen and still ride on them but I'm going for M+ when I change my wheels - I think.
Lee 1010 rides his trike on M+ too
Also, since writing that review I'm teetering on the 100kg mark...(subject to change according to doughnuts )

 

[Auntie Helen]

Hi Aperitif, your review of the gatorskins was interesting but I need a bit more tread on my tyres, I think, to cope with all the hawthorn and other grot that abounds in country roads.

The M+ seem like a good idea but with an arm disability I don't think I'd be able to get them on and off on my own (I've heard tales about how difficult they are!) The Big Apples have the same technology, I think, but in a larger tyre which adds suspension. I like the soft ride too!

It's interesting to me that the back tyre clearly is wearing at less than half the rate of the front ones, whereas it's the drive tyre. No doubt there's some sensible reason for this but it's counterintuitive (to this female brain at least!)

 

[jimboalee]

A pair of conti Force/Attack did E2E and then got chucked. 1500 miles.
The replacement pair have done approx 1000 miles and the rear has started to square off.

Conti Gatorskin ( front ) has done 2000 km of AUK + approx 1500 miles of commuting in two years and is still OK. Rear was changed after one year at about 1500 miles.

The pair of Michelins on my Pug have been on the bike since 1988. The bike does about 50 miles per year and they are showing some wear now (1000 approx), but not enough to need changing.

So all in all, my type of use gets 1500 miles out of a rear tyre.

 

[Auntie Helen]

This is encouraing, thanks - suggests my 1500 miles isn't a sign that I'm too horrendously heavy or doing something massively wrong. I didn't realise there would be so many consumables with a bike though - after 3000 miles I've had a new chain (which is 3 chains for a recumbent), new cassette, five replacement tyres...

 

[Steve Austin]

Sounds like you are wearing tyres at an alarming rate!! and in my experience, rear tyres always wear faster than front tyres, always.

I really can't think of anything to suggest if you can wear a schwalbe marathon plus in 1100 miles! That is the tyre for long lasting mile munching!!!

 

[Auntie Helen]

It was a marathon racer I wore in 1100 miles, haven't used a marathon plus as I don't think I'd be able to get it on the rim.

 

[4F]

On my 700 x 25 marathon + I have used them for 3000 miles so far with no real sign of wear and as you know I am no Kate Moss figure wise. Before that I used to ride continental sports contacts and used to get about 5000 miles out of them before seeming to come across a duff batch as I suffered 3 sidewall blowouts in a short space of time, hence the change to M+

 

[Cranky]

I've heard of some people getting through tyres every 900 miles and I'm not thaaat bad, but I noticed some tread wear today on the tyres I put on at the beginning of Jan. Mind you, with 20" tyres I suppose the relevant bit of tread is hitting the road more frequently than on a larger wheel!

I seem to get through rear tyres at that sort of rate, regardless of the brand, GP 4 Seasons included. By 1000 miles I seem to get continuous punctures and can see the rear tyre squaring off noticeably. I'm 83kg, which I wouldn't regard as excessive (tall, fairly slim build), only carry very light luggage on the rack and keep the pressures well up to maximum. I seem to do a little better on the chunkier semi-slicks of my touring MTB - about 1500 miles - with panniers.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Another vote here for the marathon+'s . I have 28's on my galaxy and never had a puncture ever. The rear tyre wears more than the front..like Aperitif I'm around the 100kilo mark....actually 98 this morning. They are a PITA to fit initially but because I kept ripping the valves out with a dodgy pump to start with I had to take them off and put them back on again...the second time they were easier to fit (stretched?). I used a blunt edged metal kitchen spoon instead of a tyre lever and a touch of washing up liquid on the rim helped.

I don tknow if the do them in 23's but if so i may fit them to my Bianchi.

On tour I was very happy I had them fitted as I felt 100% confident they would not puncture, and they didnt.

 

[Aperitif]

Another vote here for the marathon+'s . I have 28's on my galaxy and never had a puncture ever. The rear tyre wears more than the front..like Aperitif I'm around the 100kilo mark....actually 98 this morning. They are a PITA to fit initially but because I kept ripping the valves out with a dodgy pump to start with I had to take them off and put them back on again...the second time they were easier to fit (stretched?). I used a blunt edged metal kitchen spoon instead of a tyre lever and a touch of washing up liquid on the rim helped.

I don tknow if the do them in 23's but if so i may fit them to my Bianchi.

On tour I was very happy I had them fitted as I felt 100% confident they would not puncture, and they didnt.

This is what it's all about.
I have never 'run a marathon' but I'm going to do a couple shortly...now, where's my Bullworker...

 

[jimboalee]

One of the Golden Rules of cycling :-

Assume you are going to get a puncture. Then it will not be a surprise.