The other day someone posted that they normally get 10-12 rides out of a set of tyres (think it was someone who was testing tyres for Conti).

I, on the other hand, seem to be able to make a pair of tyres last forever. Or I'm keeping them on for ages. Anyway, is it down to terrain and riding style (a very fast mate used to actually rip knobblies off his tyres, whereas that's never happened to me), or am I keeping tyres way past their best?

Is there a rough and ready way of checking when a pair of tyres are done? It's a bit difficult to tell by the seat of your pants as it's such a gradual change as the tyres wear – they don't suddenly go from good to bad…

Someone, anyone?

Only really been riding a couple of years so nothing totally worn out, Conti Gravity that came on one bike is virtually untouched but MudX rear is looking pretty second hand. Guess it depends on what they are made of and if you ride loamy, muddy stuff or gritty rocky stuff?
What you got that hasn't worn out?

Ride the rear until it rips, or until it skids too much under power, change your front when it starts washing out on corners.

I chucked a Mud-X the other day because it had worn through the sidewall, but that's the exception.

Usually I hang on to worn tyres "just in case".

mine tend to last until the knobbles are worn down – couple of years!
they'll start cracking/splitting very easily when too (very) old.

they still just tend to go to the back of the shed…. just in case I ever need them again.

side walls seem to split more than ever now, in which case they get binned (begrudgingly).

Well, the other week I gave my mate the pair of Panaracer Cinders that came on my Inbred when it was new. Probably 4 or 5 years old.

Not done a great deal of riding in a fair portion of that time, but the only major wear had happened on the back tyre which had gone a bit sharktoothy where the knobs had slipped on climbs. The front had just worn fairly evenly, down to the indents in the centre knobblies, and the red sidewalls had turned pink. Still fairly serviceable though (turned the back one round on my mate's bike)! They've been ridden all over – rocky stuff in the peaks and sandy / muddy stuff in trail centres.

Some seem more prone to wear and loosing grip than others. I had some panaracer trailblasters that gave almost no grip even though there were plenty on knobbles left – the issue seemed to be that the eading edge to these was chamfered off hence no grip.I got a few hundred extra miles by swopping front and rear.
I usually chnage them when the grip is lost

Not sure if I can remember throwing away any tyres ever 😯

I'm sure I must have done, as I've been riding MTBs for about 13 years 😆

If only I could say the same about motorbike tyres…

Cheers, Rich

Used to be a couple of months, sometimes weeks depending on the compound – but that was with a 3 mile road ride to the local trails. Now I'm offroad pretty much from my front door so much longer.

I've split the last three before I've wear them out now…

when they donb't perform well, visially really worn or are just superseeded by a better performing pair? I tend not to throw them but give them away if they have a little tred on them if anyone wants tehm temporarily etc.

I ride them once then sling 'em.

When I'm not spending like a billionaire, I keep them until I feel they don't grip anymore, I had some trailrakers going for nearly 3 years until I gave them away (as a favour to a mate). They're still going strong now.

Used to be a couple of months, sometimes weeks depending on the compound – but that was with a 3 mile road ride to the local trails

What? Are you serious? What tyres can you wear out in weeks riding 3 miles on the road?! What makes 3 miles on the road worse than 30 miles off road in the dry anyway!?

I swap tyres regularly, so often go years without throwing any away, then have a cull! I often sell them/give them away though rather than throw them, gives people a chance to try them out to see if they like them. I don't ever let them get too worn though.

I usually run mine til they're slick, because I'm cheap and cant afford to replace tyres all the time. Probably not the safest option but I haven't had too many traction-related offs.

The quick downhillers I know chuck them as soon as the edges are rounded off after a run or two, I've got a pile of these in my attic which still work nicely for my modest abilities.

New set goes on a bike. Ride till the back one is shot. Front tyre on the back, new one on the front. Obviously there are times when both need replacing. If I think that a tyre may come in handy again I keep it. If it's totally shot, it's binned.

I swap tyres regularly, so often go years without throwing any away, then have a cull! I often sell them/give them away though rather than throw them, gives people a chance to try them out to see if they like them. I don't ever let them get too worn though.

I'm just about the same. I've seen tyres I've given a mate still on their bike 5 years later!

I've got a pair of Nimbuses on my hack commuter that I've had for God knows how long. Still fine.

If you actually saw the trade prices on some tyres, you wouldn't be changing them as much, trust me. Inner tubes as well. The mark up on essentials like these is just silly. Still, bike shops have to make money somehow.

I always buy whatever's cheap in a sale. I'm not bothered about tyres. Some are ok, some are better.

I get stuff trade, but Schwalbe are still cheaper from Germany, not sure where you're looking…

till the sidewalls rip

What? Are you serious? What tyres can you wear out in weeks riding 3 miles on the road?!

Um, well I said months not weeks…

And 3 miles each way is 6, and that's only riding to the trails, not the actual ride.

And in the summer, do that 3 or 4 times a week.

And it was Stick-e Nevegals…

I use Fire XC pros and it's been a while since I've chucked one for wear- usually it's a rip in the sidewall that does for them. I probably only buy one tyre a year I reckon!

As far as wear goes it's not a black and white thing for me. At some point I look at them with fresh eyes and see they look old (maybe when they're next to a new one) and then in the back of my mind I don't think they're as good. That doesn't necessarily mean that there is an objective drop off in performance though. Anyway, like lots of others above, I rarely chuck 'em straight away- first they go in the shed for 6 months to a year, until I find them, wonder why I kept them, and then chuck them.

I had a serious 'off' last year when my back wheel skidded unexpectedly on a familar corner. I knew the tyre was getting towards the end of its life but didn't replace it soon enough. A cautionary tale!
(You'll know when a tyre isn't as good as it used to be – at that point I would suggest replacing rather than eeking out a few more weeks of riding).

Hey I'm same as you garylake – I have to ride on the road to the trails, and road miles on soft compound tyres can make you cry with the wear rate 😥 Even on a Nevegal DTC I get very similar behaviour (rear goes much faster though)

So I generally end up chucking my tyres when the central portion is going flat and square. There will be loads of grip left on the sides, but it doesn't get it's fair use.

use em on the front, till they wash out
then on the back, till they spin out

then it depends on the remaining life
a. give to mates
b. give to kids to skid to final death.

some wear the treads, some split the sidewalls, time and usage varies.

b. give to kids to skid to final death

😀

Probably once or twice a year when I rip or split them somehow, or when I get bored and try something else.
Don't really wear them down, but I hardly ever ride on the road on my mountain bike.

I guess you will get a bit less traction in the wet as the wear, but it won't make much difference in the dry.

I used to get one set of new tyres a year arround january time (when you need the rear knobblies for traction)

Now I've got so many diferent tyres I can pick and choose depending on the weather, cant see any need to buy new ones for a few years.

General use
HR 2.35 SPC kevlar front
HR SS 2.35 SPC steel rear

Swap for a HR rear sometimes, or hollyroller 2.4 for trail centers with lots of rocks.

Pair of Swampthing 2.1 for the winter.

A high roller 60 a compound lasted
me 12 rides of between 3 and 5 hours each (lake district riding I e rocky)