Riding mismatched tires

[Gphin]

Hey All, So I just changed my rear tire from a Schwalbe to a Conti 5000. The front tire still has plenty of life so being lazy I just left it on and rode this way for a bit to see if I noticed any difference in ride quality( None so far). So how about it fellow paceliners who else rides mismatched tires???

[mecse]

Originally Posted by Gphin

Hey All, So I just changed my rear tire from a Schwalbe to a Conti 5000. The front tire still has plenty of life so being lazy I just left it on and rode this way for a bit to see if I noticed any difference in ride quality( None so far). So how about it fellow paceliners who else rides mismatched tires???

I am currently riding 23mm GP4000s in the front, and 25mm GP4000s in the back.

I've had this set up for ~3000 miles. I've sort of forgotten about it.

[caneye]

I do it all the time.

Too many bikes and wheelsets.
No time nor inclination, nor more importantly $$$ to ensure they all match all the time. I can't be the only one?

[shrimp123]

i only see my front tire when i ride..... so, i always assume that the rear is matched to it

[Louis]

I do it all the time too.

Rears wear so much faster than fronts, and I'm not willing to play either the "buy three and use two rears to one front" or the "rotate to even things out" games, it just isn't worth the effort.

[retropean]

All the time, I never set out that way but life happens. It does bother my OCD, but at the end of the day it’s far from the only thing keeping my rigs from being “perfect”

[ripvanrando]

Sometimes but rarely because I usually start the season buying a large supply of tires and for the road bikes, its GP5000. I do have a GP4000 on the front of a rarely used bike, it is on its last legs and needs replaced. Then, all will be well.

[SlowPokePete]

It makes no difference at all, but I don't really do it.

But back when i used to mountain bike all the time, I almost always had a different tire up front than in the rear...ie, nobby nick up front, racing ralph or ikon in back.

Nowadays, I always buy tires in sets of three since one front = two rears in terms of wearing out...anybody else do this?

Three GravelKings from Excel Sports also gets you free shipping

SPP

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by mecse

I am currently riding 23mm GP4000s in the front, and 25mm GP4000s in the back.

That's not mismatched, it's "staggered" and done regularly in the automotive world, allegedly for performance reasons.

[LouDeeter]

I try to have an ultra puncture resistant tire on the rear. Often, I go with a larger tire on the front, totally contrary to the way I used to ride. I'm riding 700x30 extra light front and 700x28 rear right now, but I had just the opposite for the first part of the summer, but with the front being extra light both times. Running 70-80 psi.

[Tandem Rider]

I do it all the time, rarely do the actually match. FWIW, I have gotten top 10 at Road Nationals on "mismatched" tires. Just ride what's on the bike until it wears out and replace as needed.

[Seramount]

currently riding Conti 23mm 4KII front and 25mm 5K rear.

[Gphin]

I agree with SPP on the different mountain bike tires as I do this as well, but for road set up I think I will stick to my mismatched tires and change when needed. Plus its been getting harder and pricier to find the conti 5000 in a 28mm.

[Steve in SLO]

I’ve done it from time to time, but prefer not to for no good reason.
OTOH, occasionally if I break a spoke on the wheel I will swap a different wheel onto that bike and ride it until I can replace the spoke. Come to think of it, I have a mismatched pair of HED rims on a bike I ride all the time It has been that way for at least a year.

[chicagorider]

I've a Pirelli P-Zero in limited edition yellow (can't get them anymore) and one of them got a cut that I wasn't willing to continue riding. So now that's paired with a Conti GP5000 (which was also orphaned due to a cut). I tried not to think about it and rode them for a while. Now they're on my spare race wheelset (which are also mismatched haha).