As the title. Is there any benefit in reversing the rotation of the front tyre to help with braking ? Kinda makes sense when you look at the shape of the blocks.

Sometimes. Just see how they ride with them on backwards.

if they have a V shaped tread pattern and the proper way to mount them (as per the arrow of direction on the side wall) says the point of the V should point forwards, it kinda makes sense and when the tyre is in contact with the floor the open end of the V is pointing forwards. if you turn it around the opposite is true (as if you needed me to tell you that) and traction will decrease.

N.B. this theory is not corroborated by any empirical study into the friction coefficent of said tyres and thus makes me immune from any forum flaming for thinking I know anything about tyres and their grip when used not as directed by the manufacturer.

What highclimber said. They’re designed for braking and cornering, why would you flip them? You’d make both worse.

Bez, – The design of the tyres and indicated rotation direction appear to favour the rear wheel, where the tyre is ‘biting’ into the ground during acceleration / forward motion. Obviously at the front end the opposite is true – you need the tyre to ‘bite’ under braking,(an not acceleration)hence the ‘reverse’ fitting of the tyre.

I flipped my rear Hi Roller to get it to bite as I climbed – it really did not stop well that way round and made bugger all difference in climbing.

I certainly would not swop a front round, you need all the braking you can get, and of course a front wont help you climb.

Up until last week I would have said this was a snake oil trick, but actually, running a Maxxis Minion DHF on the rear, in the alps and initially following the rotational direction, I found it locking up and snaking way too easily under heavy braking. Switching it around, so that the tread gave an ‘open V’ shape to the trail, I found really improved the braking performance.

It was the only spare tyre I had hence why I was using it. The other guy I was riding with (who was seriously good I should add and a design engineer riding a bike he had designed and built) was also doing the same thing, so maybe there is something in it.

“The design of the tyres and indicated rotation direction appear to favour the rear wheel“

What tyres are we talking about then?

Generally if there’s a hint of V-shaped pattern going on, the Vs should point outwards from the bike as you look from the top. But IME strongly directional tyres tend to be front-specific and mildly directional ones tend to indicate different rotations for front and rear on the sidewall. Though I can’t imagine that’s anywhere near a universal truth.

I’m sure that the collective consciousness that is STW knows better than the folk that design them and put helpful arrows on them….

IIRC the ramped blocks on Nevegals are set up so that the ramped edge faces forwards (to reduce rolling resistance) and the square edge faces backwards.

I can see how having that flipped around might help braking.

Bez, – They’re kenda nevegal sticky things. Not got them in fron of me but the individual blocks have a ramp on 1 side of them. If a tyre was fitted as per the direction arrow the square side of the blocks would bite into the ground when the bike was going forward.- seems sensible like a little paddle wheel. As such under braking the ramped side of the tyre would have to provide the reaction – not so sensible.

“IIRC the ramped blocks on Nevegals are set up so that the ramped edge faces forwards (to reduce rolling resistance) and the square edge faces backwards.
I can see how having that flipped around might help braking. “

Presumably the ramped edges face forwards when looking from the top, and will hit the ground first. Whilst the square edges, which will dig in better under braking, will face forwards at the bottom.

If you flip it round then the ramped edges are the ones which will be loaded under braking. How exactly will this improve it?

Tron – you beat me to it.

Right, so here’s our chappy. To me they look fairly clearly designed (both knob layout and knob profile) to run with the ramped edges pointing away from the bike as you look from the top – certainly on the front, anyway; I’d imagine there’s not a huge difference for the rear.

But that’s me. How that compares with their recommended direction of rotation I’ve no idea.

Just been to look at the tyres. – Bez you’re right, its the ramped section which bites into the ground under acceleration – kinda counter intuitive to what I thought when I first looked at them.

So then do i flip the rear around to give better grip when climbing 🙂

Yes, some people advocate “flipping the rear” (not a euphemism) on this type of tyre. Try it and see.

I run a Maxxis DHF on the rear and seem to remember reading in a few places that they worked better on the back reversed for climbing and braking. Thought that’s what you were supposed to do with ’em. Did try them the ‘proper’ way round on the back but the braking was definitely reduced. Better the wrong way round.

The other giveaway is the print on the tire.
If there’s only branding on one side then this usually goes on the drive (right) side. If there’s lots more on one side also then that usually holds true as well.

Looking at that pic of the kenda above, I would mount it on the front so that the bottom part of that pic was pointing forwards when looking from the top.

I always flip the rear tyre but have absolutely no evidence that it makes any difference, just makes me feel like I know what I’m doing! 8)

Front? No. I’m not mental. It’s one of the signs of being straight-up radio ga-ga mental apparently. I’ve had a test, they asked me about my tyres and I just said no no no not on the front. Back is ok though. They let me back into society.

Wierdo.

one of the other signs of being straight-up flip-side mental is being offered a purple or a yellow fruit pastile and choosing the yellow. I bet you do that as well. eh? nutjob!