You’re new enough to cycling that you wonder how far your bike’s tires can take you. Fortunately, today’s article thoroughly addresses that important issue.
Commonly, budding bicycle riders ask, “How long do road bike tires last?” The answer is, in fact, complex. In general, you can expect your tires to cover between 1,000 and 3,000 miles. To reach the top of that range, you must invest in premium tires.
As you dive deeper into this subject, remember that several variables play roles in a bike tire’s lifespan. Continue reading for a fuller explanation.
Your Mileage Will Vary
When properly inflated, the typical, well-made road cycling tire will support about six months of rides. On average, that’s 2,500 miles. So, in general, your tires will last you a couple thousand miles.
Keep in mind that your mileage will vary. Factors like the type of tire, its quality and how hard you ride play a part in a road tire’s lifespan.
Now, let’s explore some tips to help you wisely choose your next set of road bike tires.
Tips for Finding the Right Road Bike Tires for You
1. Quality Matters
Please consider the well-known adage that says, “You get what you pay for.” With that in mind, we urge you not to shop for road tires based principally on price.
If you put price first, the quality of the tires you purchase will likely be insufficient.
Your ride quality relies on your tires’ quality, so make price a secondary consideration, and smile if you happen to catch a sale. Otherwise, the answer to the question of how long road bike tires last will be not long!
2. Your Riding Style Plays a Role
As you evaluate potential cycling tire life, remember that the way you ride is a factor.
Are you a hard rider? Do you push relentlessly, or do you cruise for half of your miles? When obstacles appear, do you always dodge them, or do you hop onto concrete medians and plow over road debris?
If you ride hard, expect your tires to give up the ghost a tad early.
3. Your Body Style Matters, Too
Think about a rider with a petite physique. Now, mentally compare that image to one of a rider who is extra large.
Which of those two riders will be rougher on tires? The answer is based on physics. A larger person will naturally apply more force to their pedals and, ultimately, their tires.
Therefore, if you are bigger than average, expect to wear out your tires sooner than a smaller rider might.
4. Think about Where You Ride
While we’re weighing rider size and related variables, remember that where you ride matters, too.
If you happen to ride on rural roads in a climate that receives significant annual snowfall like northern New England, for example, you’ll burn through tires faster than average. Due to freeze-thaw cycles, such roads are usually rougher than those in temperate locales.
Of course, the matter of where you ride is not solely about geography. It also relates to your on-bike choices.
New asphalt treats bikes’ tires the kindest. A brick road does quite the opposite. You’ll extend your tires’ lives if you select your riding surfaces wisely.
5. No Two Tire Models Are the Same
Some people think that a bicycle is a bicycle or that a tire is a tire. This is simply not the case. Tire models vary, and one aspect in which they vary is quality.
For optimal performance, your choice in gear always matters. After all, a smart rider would not expect a bike from a big-box store to ride like an Eddy Merckx SanRemo76 Ultegra. Treat your choice in tires similarly.
If you ultimately select bargain road bike tires, we advise you to buy several pairs. You’ll probably need them unless you plan on converting your bike into a clothes rack.
6. Consider the Types of Road Bike Tires
Purpose, design and construction determine a bike tire’s abilities. Subsequently, those abilities factor into a particular tire’s potential mileage.
Let’s think about racing tires for road bikes versus touring tires. Racing tires have a singular purpose, which is going fast. To achieve that goal, such tires are made of a minimalist quantity of lightweight materials. As a result, they wear faster than the average road cycling tire.
Expect a good set of road bike racing tires to carry you about 1,000 miles. On the spectrum’s other end, a touring bike’s tires can reach 4,000 miles.
For most tire classes, you’ll likely attain more mileage if you’re willing to spend more money.
7. Tires Are Meant to Be Used
Whether it’s on a bike, car or city bus, a tire is a traction device. Its nature and intent makes it prone to wear. Trading rubber for grip is largely the tire’s intent.
As you consider the lifespan of a pair of road tires, develop a usage mindset instead of a preservation mindset. You need to understand that you’re simply going to wear out your bike’s tires. View this fact with pride rather than regret.
Plan to replace your tires regularly. Select the tire model that best suits your riding style. Remember that regular maintenance is part of responsible bicycle ownership. Treat tire replacement as part of that maintenance.
8. Bikes Are Meant to Be Ridden
When you buy a road bike, you have to plan to ride it regularly. Likewise, you must plan to periodically purchase replacement tires.
Which replacement road bike tires are right? We suggest a simple recipe. Make your cycle’s stock tires your starting point, and decide if you want to acquire a better model.
Please note that a bicycle manufacturer might skimp a little on a particular model’s stock tires, too. Brands will do this to hit a competitive price target. If your bike’s stock tires are wrong for your rides due to that or another reason, upgrade them.
Choose replacement tires that provide the performance range needed during your typical ride.
9. Take Pride in Using up Tires
We said this already, but it warrants a brief reiteration under its own heading. Using up your bike’s tires should be a mark of pride. It’s empowering to ride so much that your tires require regular replacement.
10. Don’t Overuse Your Road Bike’s Tires
We want you to maximize your tires’ safe-usage range. On that note, do not overuse your bike’s tires. Visible wear spots and sidewall damage are signs that it’s time to switch out your tires.
How to Extend a Road Bike Tire’s Life
The key way to lengthen your bike tires’ lives is simple. As you would a car’s tires, rotate them.
Your bike’s rear tire receives more weight and crank force. If you do not rotate your tires, you will need a new rear tire much earlier than you’ll need a front one.
It takes time, tools and bike knowledge to rotate your tires, but you can learn online. Alternatively, you can book a quick tire rotation at your favorite bike shop.
While you’re there, ask your shop to quickly true your wheels, too. When we true wheels, we adjust the device at the end of each spoke, ensuring that the wheel rolls straight. An untrue wheel can hasten tire wear, and it can even cause a crash.
Related Questions
Which Style of Road Bike Tire Best Suits Long Rides?
This answer applies to everyone but the elite racer. Those pedal-churners are on an entirely different level from the rest of us.
If you plan to take mostly long rides on your road bike, we submit that you will be happier with wider tires. First, these enable heightened comfort, which is a crucial consideration for long rides.
To further the comfort a wide tire provides, you can inflate it to the low end of its inflation range. Doing so will add a little shock-absorption to your setup.
Wider tires enlarge your margin for error, too. Their increased surface area improves your traction. It also lets you be less precise when your body begs you to cruise for a few miles.
How Much Should You Spend on Road Bike Tires?
As we have highlighted in other segments of this article, you’ll get more out of your tires if you spend a little more. Do not think of this subject in terms of a fixed price. After all, economic inflation and other factors will raise the cost of a good bike tire over time.
Instead, look for must-have features and benefits, and be willing to pay the proper amount to maintain confidence in your tires throughout any ride.
What Items Are Must-Have in a Bicycle Patch Kit?
We assume you agree with us that a patch kit like this is a critical gear for your bike rides. Also, long rides require something beyond a basic kit. Imagine a supreme patch kit for those rides.
Such a kit’s contents should include patches, a tube of rubber solution, tire levers, a spoke wrench, zip ties and needle-nose pliers. We also suggest a little duct tape, which we consider nature’s most versatile wonder.
Additionally, carry a multi-tool device that has several Allen-wrench sizes, a few hex-wrench sizes, a chain tool and both common screwdriver styles. Of course, don’t forget your mini-pump or CO2-cartridge pump.
Related Article:
10 Essential Tools To Carry On Road Bike
How To Store A Bike Outside Without Rusting It
How Long Does a Road Bike Helmet Last?
