Just like everything else in life, your bicycle tires won’t last forever. So how long should you ride on your bicycle tires before you decide it’s time for fresh rubber?
Whether you’re a weekend road cyclist, daily commuter, or an off-road mountain bike fanatic, you know there’ll come a time when you’ll need to replace your tires.
The last thing you need to ruin your ride or mess up your schedule is a flat tire. You can easily avoid it by fitting your bicycle with new tires with the help of a bike wheel truing stand.
It’s no surprise why the question how long do bike tires last is fairly common in most cycling forums.
Bike Tire Construction
To understand how long bike tires last, it’s important to first look at the overall bicycle tire construction. This is because the overall construction of your bike’s tires will determine their durability.
Most tires are made using a combination of both soft and hard rubber. The soft rubber offers better traction but does wear fast. Hard rubber is more durable but offers less control.
A combination of soft and hard rubber provides the best of two worlds – better grip and traction and durability. Good tires also feature tread casings, stronger construction, and longer riding life.
How Long Do Road Bike Tires Last?
The matter of how long do commuter bike tires last can also be answered in terms of the tire’s expected mileage.
It’s conventionally held that bicycle tires last from 1,000 to 3,000 miles. This will depend on a number of factors such as the type or brand of the tire and the type of terrain you often ride on.
Tires on the high end of the price spectrum can last up to 2,500 miles or more. This is because they are made of superior quality rubber and other enhancement materials.
Racing bike tires made for high performance should be replaced with new ones after around 1,000 miles. But tough touring tires will give you up to 4,000 miles or more. It all depends on the surface you ride on frequently.
How Long Do Mountain Bike Tires Last?
There’s no guarantee to the life expectancy of any type of bike tire including mountain bikes. But you can approximate the life of your mountain bike tire in several ways.
For instance, if you take fast daily rides on rocky tough terrains for 5 days a week, expect to replace the tires in around 2 to 3 months.
For the more reserved rider who prefers to ride smooth pavement and softer dirt surfaces on weekends, your tires can last from 2 to 3 years. This is without the need for a replacement. Generally, a good mountain bike tire can last from 3,000 to 7,000 miles depending on usage.
Some of the factors that determine the overall life expectancy of your mountain bike tires include:
- Riding Style: Keep in mind that the harder you ride, the more wear and tear your tires are exposed to.
- Terrain You Ride On: MTB tires are designed for all types of terrains. But they’ll wear faster on rocky or root-lined trails and even on pavements. Smooth and soft dirt are the best terrains for mountain tires.
- Mileage: How often you ride will also determine the life expectancy of your mountain bicycle tires. The more you ride every day or week the faster the tires will wear out.
- Tire Pressure: Incorrect PSI can also affect the durability of your bike’s tires. Take a look at this guide for a selection of bike tire pressure gauges.
- Load: Basically, the more load you place on your bike the faster they will wear out.
- Care and Maintenance: To prevent unnecessary damage to your mountain bike tires make sure that you run the right PSI in the tires. Store them in a cool dry place when you’re not using the bicycle.
How about dirt bike tires? How long do they last?
While there’s no specific way to determine the life expectancy of dirt bicycle tires due to their tough usage demands, you can expect them to have the same durability as mountain bikes.
It all depends on usage, terrain, load, and maintenance.
How Long Do Bike Tires Last in Storage?
Gravel bike tires can last up to 5 years or more in storage depending on the conditions of the place you store them.
For extended durability in storage, keep your unused tires in a cool, dry, and dark place. If the tires are already fitted on the rims, keep them inflated and hung up in storage. This is to avoid damage to the tire’s sidewalls.
Keep in mind that tires also wear with age and may even wear out treads, harden, and crack. Never ride your bicycle with cracked tires for your own safety.
How Do You Know Your Bike’s Tires Need to Be Replaced?
There are several tell-tale signs of bike tire wear including the following:
- Tread wear indicators. Some types of tires come with handy tread wear indicators that show you when it’s time to replace worn tires. For example, some tire manufacturers include two small “tap holes” at the center of the tread. They disappear when the tire reaches the end of its life.
- Frequent flats. If you get repeated flats caused by small pebbles and glass, your tire could have reached the end of its serviceable life and need to be replaced. It’s similar to pumping a car tire with a bike pump.
- You can also check the sidewalls of the tire for signs of treadwear. Prolonged use of a bike tire with insufficient pressure can also lead to sidewall damage.
- The bead of the tire can also be damaged or worn out to an extent where it blows off the rim when you inflate the inner tube. In such a case, you’ll need to replace the tire.
Conclusion
So, how long do bike tires last? There’s no definite answer to this question as the life expectancy of your bike’s tires depends on several factors.
This includes how frequently you ride, the terrain you ride on, type of tire, load, pressure, and care and maintenance. Generally, a well-maintained bicycle tire should last between 1,000 and 3,000 miles depending on the above-mentioned factors.
However, it’s important to replace your Maxxis bicycle tires if they are worn or have come to the end of their serviceable life.
Giving your bicycle new tires improves performance, safety while riding, gives you better control of the bicycle, and generally peace of mind when you ride without getting frequent flats.
So, check your tires and if necessary give your ride a new pair to tackle the miles and adventures ahead of you.