how far do you push your tires before replacing?

[jadmt]

I know everyone has a different comfort level with how far they can push their tires before replacing. I hate flats so I tend to replace early. I know I probably have more miles on this tire (GP 5000 tube type) but it is making me nervous. there is a place where a little piece of fabric material is poking thru. the wear divots are still visible but I can see the casing in a few spots where there are small cuts. rubber is pretty thin. where is your comfort level when it comes to tire wear?

[avalonracing]

Even though you aren't to the bottom of the wear holes that tire looks a bit cupped. I don't screw around with old tires as I corner aggressively at times and I also don't enjoy flats. If I get a small cut in a newer tire I'll put in a bit of Shoe Goo or something in the slice. I would replace yours but I know there are people on here who will ride tires down to the tubes.

[m_sasso]

A performance tire when this squared off is no longer performance oriented in regard to rolling resistance and safe cornering. I say no longer safe for fast riding yourself or with others. If you are using it for errands and local commuting, it has plenty to go!

[Peter P.]

I use mine until they begin to show casing threads through the rubber.

Here's an extreme example of mine. I usually don't let them get this bad.

[jadmt]

Originally Posted by Peter P.

I use mine until they begin to show casing threads through the rubber.

Here's an extreme example of mine. I usually don't let them get this bad.

I would be a nervous wreck lol..most of my rides are end up at least 30-40 miles from the house and nobody is coming for me if I breakdown.

[djg21]

Do you really need to ask? Why risk it. It sucks getting flats on a ride.

[peanutgallery]

Life's too short for schitt parts and clapped out tires

They're relatively inexpensive and easy to change. If you have to ask...just replace

[prototoast]

I've ridden tires down to the threads, due to inattention, but ideally I would replace them sooner.

[jadmt]

Originally Posted by djg21

Do you really need to ask? Why risk it. It sucks getting flats on a ride.

I am just curious what others are comfortable with, when it comes to tire wear compared to my comfort level. the above photos are at the end of my comfort level and time for a tire change.

[tellyho]

It's more about my state of mind than anything. Can I ride and not think about the tires? Then carry on. Am I worried I'll flat? Swap them out.

[Seramount]

kinda depends...

if the tire is relatively unscarred, I go by TWI dots.

but, once I notice cuts and tears or get flats too often, it goes in the bin.

[NHAero]

Originally Posted by Seramount

kinda depends...

if the tire is relatively unscarred, I go by TWI dots.

but, once I notice cuts and tears or get flats too often, it goes in the bin.

+1
I find I get 5,000 miles from GP5000 tires, but a serious cut, especially on the front, has me change the tire.

[dgauthier]

Originally Posted by djg21

Do you really need to ask? Why risk it. It sucks getting flats on a ride.

Exactly. The moment it occurs to me it should go, it goes.

Typically this is triggered because the flat frequency has increased and/or the tire looks squared off. A deep cut on a very new tire gets the Shoo Goo treatment rather than disposal.

Since you're curious jadmt, my tires generally look much better than the photos shown here when they're disposed of, but that's because the flat frequency goes up long before the tires look as bad as these.

I also do the Sheldon Brown "old front to the rear, new on the front" thing too.

[Ken Robb]

I agree that a worn performance tire is no longer a performance tire but a non-performance tire with relatively high susceptibility to flats. Some folks who ride their performance tires well past the point where their designed performance advantage is gone would have better tire performance on average for the miles they ride if they bought middle grade tires and replaced them as soon as slight wear could be seen/detected. Let's say the lesser tire offered 80% of the "performance" of the racy tire when both were new but after 1,000 miles the racy tire's performance advantage was gone due to wear and the "lesser" tire was still "good as new".

This was more obvious to me on motorcycles than bicycles because their tires are wider and the effect on handling of a squared off tread made for such spooky handling that even I would notice.

[downtube42]

I'd toss it.

The very last pic with the cut I'd probably use for local rides, nothing with fast downhills though.

All the rest would be show-stoppers for me. Flats are annoying, and crashes more so.