You have a versatile mountain bike and are curious to know about the lifespan of its tires. You want to see how you can maintain it so it may last longer and save you money. Here, you will get to know how long your bike’s tires can last. We will also provide valuable tips that will help you keep your bike for another extra year. And the factors that can affect the life expectancy of mountain bike tires.
If we talk about how long do mountain bike tires last? Let’s take an example. Riding a mountain bike on a rocky path for almost about four days a week, you may see yourself replacing it in the next four months. But the same tires can last two more seasons if you are riding on a soft and smooth pavement.
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6 Best Tips for Maintenance
Generally speaking, the life of your tire’s bike highly depends on how you are using it. So we can say the rider itself can well answer to this question. However, in terms of its usage, one may get an exact idea of how long mountain bike tires can last.
Mentioned below are the six best tips for maintenance that will increase the life expectancy of your tires.
1. Clean your Tires after every ride
You should take a brush and remove every piece of dirt and twigs from the tires after every ride. Wash the tires thoroughly. Use the soaps and warm water for this purpose.
Note: You must wipe away moisture present on the chains of the tire to prevent corrosion.
2. Learn the basics of Mountain Tire
It’s a basic concept; to treat a problem, you must know the cause of the problem. Similarly, to properly maintain the tires, get to see how the treads and sidewalls of the tires look in healthy conditions. In this way, you will better identify any damage, wear, or tear.
3. Regular Inspection of the Tires
You must do a regular inspection of your tires. It will be best if you inspect the tires of your bike once a week. If you find any issue, try to fix it by yourself. If it’s out of your hands, get an expert for it, but do not leave it untreated.
Add these Check Lists in your regular inspection of the tires;
- Tire Pressure – Check if you have the tires fully aired up. If not, air them up.
- Bolts and wires – Check if the bolts and wires are not loose. If these bolts and wires are open, then tighten them.
- Break pads – Check the brake pads should not be thick below 1 mm. If it is so, you have got to replace them.
- Inner Tube – Check the inner tube of the tires. Change the oil and the seals in its suspension.
4. Check Hydraulic Brake
You need to check the hydraulic brake of the bike. If the fluid is turned black or dark, there is a solid need to replace it.
5. Tire Tread
It is very necessary to shed water when the bike is on wet roads. You should check for uneven wear every month. You can use a tread depth gauge for this purpose.
6. Weight Reduction
It is a simple way of keeping the tires healthy. Try to never exceed the maximum load limit. Always stay below the limit. Reducing weight can surely increase the life expectancy of the tires of your mountain bike.
Importance of maintaining mountain bike tires
The answers to this question can be so many. No one wants to replace a bike, to which one often develops an emotional attachment. Secondly, why worry about the high costs of replacements when you can save your money by learning some maintenance practices.
You can save your dollars by simply learning practical maintenance skills. You only need to add these tasks to your weekly routine. It will keep your bike high functional for a more extended period. This maintenance will provide you with a less harrowing experience with your bike.
Moreover, tires should be properly working. Properly working tires will ensure the safety of the riders and other individuals on the road. A less effort is made by the rider when the tires are well maintained.
The braking of the mountain bike tires works perfectly when no dirt, mud, or any solid object is clogging the tire treads. Hence, you cannot deny the importance of proper maintenance of the tires of your mountain bike.
Effect of riding style on the lifespan of mountain bike tires
The riding style of the rider dramatically affects the life expectancy of the bike tires. The tires which we use frequently have a shorter lifespan. It is because of the wear and tear of the frequently used tires compared to the occasionally used ones.
The tires frequently used by the rider bear various weather conditions such as mud, grease, temperature, etc. This rough weather is mostly the case with professional mountain bikers.
Similarly, if your mountain bike is the source of your daily transport, you will need to replace the tires more often. However, the tires will last longer if the rider is riding smoothly on a relatively smooth path. This longevity is because less traction is involved.
So, we cannot say that how long a mountain bike tire can last. The exact tire can last 300 miles as well as 1500 miles. It all depends upon how frequently the rider is using it.
In case you always skid, the rubber of the tire will easily shred. The tire will also lose its tread.
Premature damage can occur in your tires if constant braking on downhill trails is applied. This braking may rip the tires apart if you are not choosing lines and hurdling your way through the trail line.
Factors that determine Life Expectancy of Mountain Bike Tires
Following are some of the leading factors that determine how long the mountain bike tire last;
- Tire Quality
- Moisture
- Terrain
- Dirt
- Rolling resistance
Tire Quality
The popularity of mountain bikes is increasing day by day. And the suppliers are coming up with more durable and high-quality tires in the market. That can withstand a wide range of stress.
High-quality mountain bike tires are designed to last longer. They support large loads with a low or no risk of tires getting ripped, burst, or torn apart.
However, low-quality tires cannot sustain the load. They are more prone to bursting and tearing. They cannot withstand weather elements that are a common thing in mountain biking professionals. This way, low-quality tires offer short lifespans.
Moisture
While all the bikers imagine having a fantastic weather condition whenever they plan to ride, this is not always the case. Your desire for a dry and devoid of water road is not always fulfilled.
Too much moisture in the environment may give your tires a high time. Your tires may be getting punctured either or damaged by stone crushing excessive loads.
The water on the roads deeply affects the lifespan of the mountain tires. This moisture may also lead to puncturing f the tires.
Terrain
Mountains have rugged terrains. They have sharp stones, spiky edges, mud, broken tree branches, thorns, and sometimes spiky vegetation. All of these can easily damage the tires or puncture them.
The longevity of the tires is reduced significantly. This is because of the tearing of the tires beyond repair due to sharp stones and other objects.
So, for you to increase the life of your tires, try riding in parks or areas with less traction between surfaces.
Dirt
Hard dirt and gravel can heavily damage the sidewall of the tire. Similarly, a very rough road with plenty of sharp stones can damage or puncture the tire.
In the case of complex surface objects, the damage risk is relatively higher. These conditions certainly reduce the lifespan of the tires.
Rolling Resistance
The designs of the tires, which have poor design insertions, have a very high rolling resistance. This rolling resistance reduces the traction between the surfaces.
Life expectancy also gets reduced.
How Long Do Mountain Bike Tires Last Summary
To conclude, while having fun and exercise activities with mountain bikes, it is excellent to take care of your fun source, i.e., of course, your riding bike.
Taking care of the tires is essential to get a fantastic performance from your mountain riding bike. Without the tires in good health, you will be riding on flat roads, not on the mountain pavements.
With all the things mentioned above, you can better understand how long your mountain bike tires can last.
However, mountain bike tires are designed by the creators to withstand rugged conditions for more prolonged periods. But over time, they do wear out.
But, we can certainly do things that increase the lifespan of the tires. Moreover, these measures reduce the risks of punctures and other damages as well.
We have also made a list of the factors that impact the life expectancy of mountain bike tires. Similarly, we have also mentioned some tips to help you out with the ultimate results of the increased lifespan of your bike tires. This can save dollars for you.
