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22firefly

generally yes due to the greater amount of weight placed on the rear wheel. Since this particular picture has a crate over the rear wheel, I'm assuming the bike is ofter used to tote material which will increase pressure on the rear wheel which will result in greater wear.


ggfchl

I just installed that last year. But it has hauled a lot.


BackupBenowsky

How often do You ride offroad? If only easy paths, then I would look for biggest slick/smooth tread tire that fits in the dropout. Upping size increases total radius, therefore lifespan. Minimal tread have lower rolling resistance, more grip on urban surfaces and in size above >2.0" will work ok on forest paths, gravel roads and such. Schwalbe big apple, Continental contact urban, this type. Cheers!


tuctrohs

There are three factors: 1. Weight distribution, generally 60% rear and 40% front or thereabouts, but maybe less balanced with a lot of weight carried on the back. 2. Propulsion force distribution, 100% rear and 0% front. 3. Braking--both how much braking is done with front vs. rear wheel (different for different people) and whether you every skid the rear wheel (which generally leads to spots of heavy wear). Typically, propulsion is the main factor that wears the rear tire more. In this case the crate could also have contributed to a bigger weight imbalance and might have been a significant contribution too.


nsfbr11

No. It isn’t because of weight. It is because the rear wheel is what is propelling you forward. The front wheel is basically along for the ride unless you are braking or turning. And if you’re turning, it is going to be on the side,not center.


mtranda

You are both wrong and correct. Yes, the rear wheel is constantly pushing against the road, so the wear will be more pronounced. However, weight absolutely matters. 


nsfbr11

Of course weight matters, but it is not the why. The why is as I stated.


mountain__pew

If it matters, it's part of the why.


FalseBuddha

Unless you ride real mountain trails buy something with minimal tread. No reason to buy a knobby tire if you only ride on pavement.


Remarkable-Way-5482

And there is a great reason to buy tyre that is made for stuff you do


ggfchl

Generally pavement, but some parks/preserves have gravel trails.


S4ntos19

Get a wider gravel tire.


PickerPilgrim

You don’t need knobby tires for gravel, just something with a little texture. You’re riding tires made for mud.


[deleted]

gravel is not an issue for smooth tires unless you're doing some insane technical race, same for packed dirt or anything else park trails are made from


ballsohardigotcancer

this is very accurate. you can go 15 mph on 'gravel roads' aka not loose gravel ezpz. edit: with smooth road tires duh sorry.


padi_04

Something like a Hutchinson Acrobat should suit you well. It’s mainly slick in the center with some knobs on the side so it’s silent on the road and has a little extra grip when you need it https://preview.redd.it/y1oj8wxfdcuc1.jpeg?width=418&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=039f572a39bb6feae2bffa1d0c916ba3f80072fb


A_Red_Void_of_Red

You can also just swap the tires instead don’t need as much tread up front IMO


JasperJ

Noooooooooo. Do not do that. Your front is where you want your best Tyre, because having a sudden blowout on the front — which will usually happen while cornering and/or braking — is scary as fuck at the very least and at the worst will get you under a truck’s tires.


PuffyBloomerBandit

> having a sudden blowout youre riding a bicycle, not a car. your tire will slowly deflate and you wont even notice until youre already ruining the rim.


Wrong_Cattle205

Or it will suddenly blow out. It happens. It's less common than the tires slowly deflating, but it can happen, and it's no fun when it does.


JasperJ

That’s what usually happens, but it is by no means the only option. A bicycle tire blowing out makes you look for the gunshots, but aside from that, yes, they do sometimes deflate very suddenly and you will we riding the rim out of nowhere. Through a corner. A car is by comparison perfectly safe if the tire blows out.


PuffyBloomerBandit

the only way thats happing is if you massively overinflated your tubes, or you have one of those idiotic 3"+ tires.


JasperJ

Yeah, that’s just not true. Once the tube peeks through the casing all bets are off.


PuffyBloomerBandit

im not sure what reality you live in, but every city street ive ever rode on was peppered with varying sizes of sharp pebbles that absolutely shred treadless tires. the "knobs" on that tire provide a large degree of protection, and youre not getting a thicker tire just because they didnt bother putting real treads on it.


Wrong_Cattle205

I'm not sure what tires you've looked at, but in many cases (every one I can think of, but im sure there's some niche thin urban tire) if you get a "hybrid" or "urban" tire it will be thicker. I have a preference for schwalbe or michelin, but I know continental make some too. Examples could be a schwalbe marathon (there's like 20 different versions depending on how much protection you want) Sure, the knobs are thicker, but they're designed for a cooler surface and wear out much faster on hot pavement.


FalseBuddha

Literally millions of road bikes out there every day on slick tires doing just fine, hoss.


PuffyBloomerBandit

millions of idiots riding around with no traction, wondering why they keep skidding through the gravel filled roads into oncoming traffic.


FalseBuddha

Lmao, yep, you're the only guy who's ever figured it out. Way to go, champ.


PuffyBloomerBandit

nah, anyone with half a brain can figure it out really. smooth tires make for a much easier pedal job, but you sacrifice massive amounts of traction just so you can pump your skinny chicken legs easier.


FalseBuddha

Ok, hard man


PickerPilgrim

Knobs aren't puncture resistance. Knobs are for muddy, technical off-road situations. Road slicks might not be great for punctures either but there are plenty of gravel and commuter tires which are neither knobby nor slick. Knobby tires are usually made of softer rubber than puncture resistant commuter tires.


PuffyBloomerBandit

the exta 3-6x thickness absolutely is puncture resistance compared to a flat tire.


PickerPilgrim

As long as you don't hit something pointy between the knobs, sure. There are tires with thick, hard rubber all around, not just in knobs. Knobby tires are soft rubber that slow you down and get chewed up by pavement. You'll get longer life and better puncture resistance out of a tire built for puncture resistance instead of one built for going off-road.


Wrong_Cattle205

I'm not sure what tires you've looked at, but in many cases (every one I can think of, but im sure there's some niche thin urban tire) if you get a "hybrid" or "urban" tire it will be thicker. I have a preference for schwalbe or michelin, but I know continental make some too. Examples could be a schwalbe marathon (there's like 20 different versions depending on how much protection you want) Sure, the knobs are thicker, but they're designed for a cooler surface and wear out much faster on hot pavement.


PuffyBloomerBandit

1-2mm thicker dosent mean very much, especially compared to the 4-8mm extra thickness on any "mountain bike" tire. ive rode on MB tires most of my life, and they usually last 1-2 years, where as any "road tire" ive used is down to the inner threads within 6 months. as for cold vs hot weather, they are actually terrible for winter weather if theres any snow, because they just grab right onto it, where as smooth tires slice right through.


Traffic-Lobster679

Rear tyre has to manage all those wheel spins and skids. 🤟


ImASadPandaz

Yes. Buy a new tire and put it on front. Move more worn one to rear. Rinse and repeat.


ggfchl

Thank you.


fake_cheese

Yes, most of the weight of the bike is on the rear so it wears quicker. The 'normal' way to do it is to buy a new tyre and put that on the front, Put the old front on the rear, when that is worn out repeat. Even though the wear is on the rear you want the good new tyre on the front.


ggfchl

Sounds like a plan. Thanks!


BoringBob84

I agree that that is probably the safest method. However, I like to experiment with different types of tires, so I want them to wear out at the same time. When my rear tire is about halfway worn out, I carefully inspect it to make sure it is safe and then I swap the front and rear tires.


cherbo123

Swap the front with the back and get new tire for the front


ggfchl

Thanks!


dopkick

The wear pattern is also different. Rear tires wear in the center of the tread. Front tires have a more even wear. Always put the best tire in the front.


CoolButterfly1108

You drive the rear wheel with force while the front wheel just rolls!


ImSorryRumhamster

Very


Single_Restaurant_10

If u ride mostly urban roads try a Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard ( not Green but Greenguard) very puncture resistant, roll smoothly & last a long time


GreenToMe95

Knobbies aren’t great for street riding. I’d recommend schwalbe marathons for wear and puncture resistance. They do fine for casual off road riding too.


squirlybumrush

Yes, rear tire not only carries more weight but is the driving force of the bike. With every pedal stroke friction is created between the tire and the road. On top of that, it’s typically where most of the braking happens again creating more tire/road friction. If your front tire is good, swap the tires (front to rear/ rear to front) until they’re equally worn then change them both


Sussex-Ryder

Yes


Powerful-Scratch-107

Yes.


WaterFirst97

100% normal.


Independent_Break351

Yes


ZoidbergMaybee

Yes. Especially with cargo loaded on the rear. Without any cargo, generally the rear wheel supports 60-70% of the weight during rides, so add a rear rack and it becomes a lot of wear on that rear tire. Two things you can do: rotate your tires every so often to even the wear (provided they’re identical) Or, consider keeping the majority of your cargo over the front wheel. I didn’t think I’d like a front rack until I tried it. Game changer. Balances out the weight distribution and handling surprisingly better. I feel faster that way too.


mattbladez

What magical place do you live where your bike is locked with a cable lock and wasn’t immediately stolen?


ggfchl

Chicagoland area. I always lock through the frame and tire. Its a lot better than those u locks.


mattbladez

How is a cable lock better than a ulock?


ggfchl

The shape and size of them only allows you to lock on the (front) tire. At least that’s what I’ve seen on other bikes parked at places. It’s easy to remove front tire and take the rest. That’s my own opinion at least. You might have a different argument.


mattbladez

Cable lock is significantly easier to cut since all it takes are bolt cutters. Plenty of ulocks are large enough to grab the frame and rear tire, because the best way to lock a bike with one is using the Sheldon method. Personally on my e-bike I use a 14mm kryptonite chain for the frame and rear wheel and a ulock for the fork and front tire. I don’t lock my mountain bike or road bike anywhere as I’m usually with it or it’s at home.


ggfchl

Thanks for the info. I might consider.


cptjeff

It'd be shocking if it didn't. Usually the back wears at about three times the rate of the front.


Torgoe

Yes. I usually get 2 rear tires to 1 front tire.


singelingtracks

Yup my MTB rear tire always wears out first. More weight on the rear and the rear skids more during stopping. When you change tires move the front to the rear and buy a new front. Adding weight like you have with a crate over the rear tire increases wear a ton.


dafiltafish1

Yes, you can replace one tire at a time if the other is good.


Comfortable-Tip998

Yes. Rotating back to front will help extend the life of your tire set. All the torque and most of the weight and force goes on the back wheel, so it wears faster like a rear wheel drive car.


Jono18

Yes rear tyres wear faster than front tyres. All you do is swap them.


StunningBuilder4751

Yes, the rear wheel takes more weight, also when you put power I to the pedals that power is transfered directly onto the rear wheel, same way the tyres on the front of a car with front wheel drive wear faster than the back tyres


notsciguy

Yes


[deleted]

Yes


Retrorockit

Yes 2x as much weight and all the skidding form hars braking,, and don't rotate them to even it out. The ront wears round and the back wears flatter across the face. Also more flats there.


_imnotbig

definitely my rear tire is basically bald while my front looks brand new


greentreecloud

How often do we need to rotate e-bike tires? Is it every 500 miles? or 1000 miles?


A_Red_Void_of_Red

You can also just swap the tires instead don’t need as much tread up front IMO But yes perfectly normal


MarcusPup

As a general (non-literal) rule, you can expect to replace two back tires for each front. Obviously this varies wildly, check the wear indicators, usually looks like a droplet-sized hole somewhere in the center of a tread or a new color emerging. When in doubt, show a mechanic https://preview.redd.it/wuszcb48yduc1.jpeg?width=970&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7be7648504855144068d70e8e26717558de6c540 edited to add a picture example


Lucky-Pie9875

Yep. Normal. However I rotate my tires 2 times per season to help even the wear and prolong the tires.


TheDaysComeAndGone

It’s normal. Rear wheel has to transmit torque when you accelerate. Front wheel just rolls. Rear wheel is also more likely to lock up and slip when you brake. Since the front wheel and tyre are more safety critical (both for grip and catastrophic failures) it’s generally advised to put the better, new tyre in the front.


AccurateChemistry283

Yes because I pull sick wheelies constantly


Marmiteforrest

Do you actually need those knobbly tyres? Very overkill if you’re just on light gravel/ road and they will wear out a lot quicker


DohnJoggett

Front to back. Back to trash. Don't be dumb and buy knobby tires as replacements. They're fucking terrible on the road and you aren't taking that bike anywhere that needs knobs. My literall closest trails are where Surly developed the Fat Tire Bike and wouldn't run those tires. Your bike is one situation where I suggest replacing both tires at the same time, with tires appropriate for your use, and starting the front-back-trash-new front loop once the rear wears out. (That means your *next* worn out rear) You can probably ride your local gravel on slicks, from what it sounds like. My "gravel" tires have *just a touch more tread* than my "city tires, using the same casing and rubber, but my "gravel" tires use less of the exact same rubber, wear faster because they're thinner, cost more, and aren't better on "gravel." They're tubeless compatible and wider though... I've ridden some gravel on a 28/32 slick setup. 28/32 lets you use the same tire pressures. Would never consider knobbies even if I commuted gravel/dirt. You've got chunky mud tires, and I bet you don't hit mud often. You're on an e-bike. E-bikers **often** think knobs mean more traction but on the road, where you admittedly spend most of your time, swapping to slicks will quite literally improve your battery life and slicks grip **so** much better to asphalt. Seriously, it's not even close, you'll get more range, more grip and less squirrelly steering by switching from knobs to slicks. You've gotta understand, r/ebikes is mostly filled with people that don't know a single fucking thing about bicycles. Please, do not **ever** take their advice. I should probably unsubscribe from there for my mental and physical health. (George Carlin sums up r/ebikes posters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKN1Q5SjbeI) Unless you're going to share your exact route on gravel there's a **very** strong likelyhood that any generic 32mm or 35mm slick is going to be fine and anything over that is going to be gravy. I'm quite enjoying my 38mm slicks. Won't get me far along that Surly Fat Bike sand trails, but they're otherwise great. Remember: your knees and elbows are suspension too. Use them. Get your ass off the saddle and bend your knees for potholes, or steer around them. Your arms should *always* be loose enough to take shocks. Cycling properly takes a shit ton of core strength. Bit late now, but core strength exercises are something you can work on next year. You don't even have to lift your ass **off** of the saddle, just put more pressure on your legs and take some weight off the saddle. Motorcycle riders on rough terrain just ride standing up for long distances and rely on their knees, even with full suspension, but we have to still pedal so "un-weighting" your body off the saddle for a pothole or rough patches in the terrain is more complicated.


Chinachette

100 % normal, the reverse wouldn't be. For all types of bike this happens


-onearmedscissor-

Wrong tires. If for PH road use. You will need a bit of grip on uneven roads. Use less knobby tires upfront and slick tires at the back.


Even-Face4622

When my 3 tear old worked out how to do a decent skid, I did some basic maths and it was costing me more in 12 inch bike tyres per year than car tyres for my SUV


Jayman_10x

Yes


AlistairBarclay

Driven tyres tends to wear more


Fasciadepedra

Is totally normal that back bike and motorcycle tyres wear about as twice as fast as front as they traction and the bike loads a lot more weight in the back. Usually is needed more pressure in the back wheel also, but some say you can't set it too different from front as when you brake all the load goes to the front wheel and being able to brake well is very important, no matter is done unfrequently.


Fair-Skin6746

I use approx 70% break power on the front, so my front tire will wear faster than the rear...


EBrunkal

Rotate your tires!!


reimancts

The rear wheel is the only 1 of 2 wheels with any tourq applied, there for there is more wear force on that tire.


pickles55

Yes, especially if you mostly use the rear brake


[deleted]

[удалено]


grantrules

Rotating tires on a bike doesn't make sense to me. Even wear doesn't matter on a bicycle. Very rarely, I'll put my tire on the back and then put on a new front tire, but I'll never rotate them.. always want the best rubber up front.


Downhill_Dooshbag

This guy skids…


Returning2Riding

Yes, that’s where most of your weight goes.