Rear tire threads risk question

[longrider]

Is everybody on this forum perfect? It is really getting old how anybody can get jumped on for asking about something that is not the ideal action. I personally have a ton of respect for Charlie for being able to say My tire is shot, I cant afford a new one, so I will park the bike.

Back to the original question, you should make it to your storage place with no problems. I will relate a story of my own, I was returning from a cross country trip and stopped in Steamboat on the last day for lunch. I saw a spot of cord in my rear tire, immediately got paranoid and was ready to buy a tire in Ft Collins. Stopped on the east side of Rabbit ears, the spot was the same size. Stopped in Walden, still no bigger. When in Ft Collins it was still no bigger I decided to head on home and made it with no issues and it was still the same size.

[Sean]

Is everybody on this forum perfect? It is really getting old how anybody can get jumped on for asking about something that is not the ideal action. I personally have a ton of respect for Charlie for being able to say My tire is shot, I cant afford a new one, so I will park the bike.

There are very few positive and/or helpful posts on the thread these days...

To the OP, it's up to you to determine how bad your tire is. If you want, post a pic and some of us could probably be more objective. The one time I was showing chord, was the morning of my first time on Deckers/HP hill. It wasn't smart, and I even rode home in the rain after that, so there is a good chance that you'll be fine, but as I said, it depends on your tire and your trust in it.

If you do it, try and opt for side streets, that way the tire may not heat up as much.

[bulldog]

I usually agree that people are a bit harsh on this board, but this time I am not so sure since this is more about safety awareness this time.

The moral of the story here is to not wait this long! Tires have wear indicators and they show to replace way before threads start to show. If you don't then it is fairly irresponsible not only to you but others on the road. I give him props for asking the question, but I don't feel it should have come to waiting till threads are showing. I don't know I have been riding sportbikes over ten years and never had a tire show threads. Was I annoyed that it still looked like I had life on that tire after the wear mark was gone; yes but why risk it to save a few bucks.

Now I apologize if this was a defect in a tire and your wear marks show the tire is still good; that is a different situation.

[grim]

Its a good question i myself don't know what kind of mileage you can expect when the warning threads are showing. This past weekend my front tire got shredded down so much i lost all of the tread on the sides and is completely bald like a race tire i do not see the warning threads yet but i don't care its parked and its staying there until i get a new tire!

[bulldog]

Its a good question i myself don't know what kind of mileage you can expect when the warning threads are showing. This past weekend my front tire got shredded down so much i lost all of the tread on the sides and is completely bald like a race tire i do not see the warning threads yet but i don't care its parked and its staying there until i get a new tire!

I think many people think that there are such a thing as "warning threads", but this is not true because there are "warning marks" built into each tire (which go before threads). There are different varieties, so hard to describe them, but most shops will show you where they are. Maybe Scer can chime in and describe them better!

This is a ballpark way to test it with a penny:
One quick way to estimate the tread is to insert a penny in the tread with Abe Lincoln's head upside down. If the tread still is deep enough to cover Abe's eyes you are ok
If it barely touches his hair its time to change

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I ran my last 2 sets of tires to the cord because of lack of $$, barely, but as soon as I saw even a hint of cord, I stopped riding the bike until I could get new ones.

It could mean your LIFE, so my .02 is don't risk it. My idiot friend had a bad habit of always riding around on the cords, and one day at about 90+ his back tire blew up and came apart. A piece came around and smashed the rear part of the tailsection all to hell and dragged all that back into the tire, put a hole in the top of the seat where it hit (narrowly missing his lower back), and even knocked a hole in the rear wheel well, the seat base, and all but about the 1/2" of seat foam left before smacking him in the nutz.

Yeah, best to park it.

[Bueller]

I just rode a bike that the front tire is down to the wear bars and the bike is down right dangerous and scary to ride. It still has tread but it is beyond worn out. People mentally compensate for the handling degradation as they wear the tires out. Then when they put new tires on it is such an improvement they think they have discovered the best handling tires on earth.

Those are not warning threads they are the "you have pushed too far" cords. When you see wear bars, that is the warning. I have ridden on cords a couple of times in my career but try like hell to never get to that point.

Earlier this year on one of the few posted rides I was on, I noticed the guy in front of me started to show cords toward the last 1/2 of the ride, by the end of the ride he was on a wrecked bike that was later totaled by insurance and he was pretty beat up.

Coincidence? Perhaps

But no it didn't go flat.

[asp_125]

I had a tire that was close to the wear indicators before I left on a 400mi trip up the Poudre, around Walden and back over Trail Ridge. It was corded by the time I got down to Lyons.

[Ghost]

Is everybody on this forum perfect?

A few of us, yes.

Everybody, no...

[Charlie Rotten]

ive never seen these wear indicators.
i always thought that if the tread was gone, then it was time to replace.

I think its a little unfair to call me irresponsible because I stopped riding once i noticed there were cords showing.

[Ezzzzy1]

ive never seen these wear indicators.
i always thought that if the tread was gone, then it was time to replace.

I think its a little unfair to call me irresponsible because I stopped riding once i noticed there were cords showing.

You are good dude... There are a lot of "perfect" people around these pages. Fuggem!

All tires have tread indicators now days. Basically its a raised piece of the rubber in the tread. Once the rest of the tire levels out with it its time to get new tires.


I dont put much though into the rear tire but I am vary attentive to the front.

[Scer]

DOT legal tires all come with a wear indicators. They will most likely.be towards the crown of a tire (where the tire wears out quickest).

If you can't find it then rule of thumb is when only 1/32 of tread is left, then start shopping for a replacement. I think Nate mentioned that if it doesn't touch Lincoln hair.. and that's about right.

Measure on measuras

[grim]

i know the OP is rear tire but this is my front tire as it stands..

[Ezzzzy1]

Um yea Grim.... You crazy! What are you waiting for before you decide to replace that?

[grim]

Um yea Grim.... You crazy! What are you waiting for before you decide to replace that?

hahaha I'm waiting for nothing my friend I'm not riding either though I will hopefully be slapping a new tire on that bad boy on Friday!