ADHD tire question

[verbs4us]

After this morning's ride I was cleaning up the bike and accidentally put the quick release skewer in the wrong side and said to myself, "opps..then the tire will roll backwards..." and took out the skewer and put back in the way it was before. Then thought: If the tire does not have a directional tread, does it matter? The bearings don't care. I run rim brakes, and they wouldn't care. Or do I just need to refill my prescription for Ritalin?

[ORMojo]

Sounds more like OCD!

Some bicycle tires are directional, some aren't. Those that are should have a directional arrow on the sidewall. If there isn't a directional arrow, then it shouldn't matter.

[joosttx]

Sounds like dyslexia, not ADHD.

[NHAero]

I would think that having the cassette on the NDS of the bike would lead to some kind of issues.

Isn't it grand, the way you can get your mental illness diagnosed by the Paceline community? ADHD, OCD, dyslexia - personally I think it's a touch of schizophernia....

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by ORMojo

Some bicycle tires are directional, some aren't. Those that are should have a directional arrow on the sidewall. If there isn't a directional arrow, then it shouldn't matter.

Some tires have directional arrows, but at least for road tires, there is zero evidence that rotationg direction makes any difference. An engineer at Continental Tires once said that the only reason they put a directional arrow on their tires is to stop people asking them which direction to mount the tires.

Actually, I take that back - there is a little bit of evidence that rotating direction matters. Swiss Side did some testing of different tires on their aero wheels, and the decided to test one of them (Continental GP) with the tire mounted in both the forward and reverse directions (according to the arrow imprinted on the tire sidewall). They found that the tire has lower aero resistance when mounted backwards.

[dave thompson]

Originally Posted by joosttx

Sounds like dyslexia, not ADHD.

Of course you’ve heard of that new organization DAM, Mothers Against Dyslexia,

[joosttx]

Originally Posted by dave thompson

Of course you’ve heard of that new organization DAM, Mothers Against Dyslexia,

I worship dog.

[NHAero]

Amazing how much air drag that darn arrow has!

Originally Posted by Mark McM

snip

Actually, I take that back - there is a little bit of evidence that rotating direction matters. Swiss Side did some testing of different tires on their aero wheels, and the decided to test one of them (Continental GP) with the tire mounted in both the forward and reverse directions (according to the arrow imprinted on the tire sidewall). They found that the tire has lower aero resistance when mounted backwards.

[gbcoupe]

The tire will wear a little bit more on the side facing the crown of the road. Maybe we should rotate non-directionals more often? Flipping hub also takes miles off the bearings.

[El Chaba]

Originally Posted by gbcoupe

The tire will wear a little bit more on the side facing the crown of the road. Maybe we should rotate non-directionals more often? Flipping hub also takes miles off the bearings.

The same thing is true for a chain. Reversing it will double its life.

[Ken Robb]

I think I remember some motorcycle tires designed to be mounted one way on the front and the other way on the back. I suppose this might be to maximize acceleration traction on the rear and braking traction on the front. Even so it might only matter on wet or loose surfaces.

[ORMojo]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

An engineer at Continental Tires once said that the only reason they put a directional arrow on their tires is to stop people asking them which direction to mount the tires.

Or as Schwalbe puts it (for their road tires), "Tires marked with arrows simply look more dynamic."

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I think I remember some motorcycle tires designed to be mounted one way on the front and the other way on the back. I suppose this might be to maximize acceleration traction on the rear and braking traction on the front. Even so it might only matter on wet or loose surfaces.

Again Schwalbe: "Off road, the rolling direction is far more important, as the tread ensures optimum connection between the tire and the ground. The rear wheel transmits the driving force and the front wheel transmits the braking and steering forces. Driving and braking forces operate in different directions. That is why certain tires are fitted in opposite rotating directions when used as front and rear tires."

[reuben]

Originally Posted by NHAero

Amazing how much air drag that darn arrow has!

They're chevrons, my dear man, chevrons. +13 watts if reversed.

[verbs4us]

You guys are the best. I decided to skip Ritalin and go directly to Scotch. Thanks.

[unterhausen]

amost all tires are directional. I don't think it matters for most of them.