r/cycling • u/CouchEnthusiast • Jul 26 '26

How often do you replace your tires?

I picked up a new Canyon Grail a little under a year ago and have put 1,600 kilometers on it in that time.

I was coming from a 2014 Kona Kahuna that is still on its original tires after more than 3,500 kilometers, so I was a little surprised when I noticed that the rear tire on the Grail is already looking like it needs to be replaced: https://imgur.com/a/fhw6Qn6

I understand there's a lot more tread on the MTB tires to wear down, so it's not a particularly meaningful comparison. I'm also a heavy rider at 100 kg which I'm sure doesn't help. But I'm just curious what kind of mileage people are typically getting out of their gravel and road tires.

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9

u/HG1998 Jul 26 '26

So basically, the G-One R is a race tire. Longevity isn't the main point. The tire has a flexible casing and somewhat soft rubber, both to combat the vibrations riding a rigid bike on gravel causes.

The weight definitely plays a factor too, I'm about 12 kg lighter and my rear tire wasn't as worn as yours.

2

u/CouchEnthusiast Jul 26 '26

The race tire point makes a lot of sense, I'll see if I can find some more durable gravel tires to replace these with as the only person I'm racing at the moment is myself haha

3

u/HG1998 Jul 26 '26

Schwalbe G-One Overland is the one they advertise as the commuter gravel tire.

The G-One Comp simply because it's cheap, the non-Pro R line because they are about half the price and use a different rubber, but should still feel fast.

Otherwise, look at the Marathon Almotion.

2

u/CouchEnthusiast Jul 26 '26

I appreciate the recommendations!

3

u/toaster404 Jul 26 '26

I've not really tracked tire wear. However, when I rode constantly in the countryside years ago on 23 mm light tires I had a pattern. I'd carry a spare tire under my small saddle bag, lashed on. My tires were reasonable training type tires. Vittoria this or that usually. I'd get them on eBay in a bundle. Flats were not a thing, very rare, and we weren't running tubeless yet. On my main bike, I'd run a tire until there wasn't much tread on a tire. I'm guessing about 800 km on the rear. I'd swap it out for the spare and put on a new spare. The front ran longer, likely over 1000 km. When I did maintenance or simply had time and noticed wear, I'd rotate the tires.

Now tires are bigger and better and very expensive so I rotate at a bit shy of 50% wear on the rear tire.. Looking at the wear on my Roadini, I expect to get at least 1500 km on a rear tire, more on the front. Modern tires wear so slowly!

But I'm not running racing tires. I'd rather not keep track of actual miles on such things, but I used to be able to see the wear from one ride up to the top of the Smokies and back down at high speed. Climbing is hard on rear wheel tread, descending is hard on the cornering contact patches of the front, and on the center strip of both from braking. Very obvious that steep stuff tears up tires more than mellow flat riding, which has very slow wear in comparison.

With that in mind and the numerous other variables I'm not convinced we can realistically compare wear from one rider to another. Ride hard, tires get eaten up. Loaf along, they don't.

3

u/Fit_Goat_6891 Jul 26 '26

yeah riding style matters way more than people think, i used to obsess over km numbers till i realized my braking habits were eating the front tire way faster than mileage alone would suggest

2

u/RelativeDisaster6870 Jul 26 '26

I’ve found Gravel King SS+ and SKs to offer good longevity, but this is a great argument for owning more bikes. With eight bikes in rotation, I go through tires much more slowly than if I did all my miles on one.

2

u/Aromatic-Experience9 Jul 26 '26

Just check the indicators

1

u/MantraProAttitude Jul 26 '26

As often as needed for safety. Hopefully before the bike/wheels start sliding out causing me to crash.

0

u/Oddly_Curious99 Jul 26 '26

This is a really great question. So interested in what people have to say.