Sounds like an older tire that’s suffering some dry rot. I would replace it. Mismatched tires are like playing a bass with a non tort pick guard. It’s ok as long as nobody notices, especially if you are just tooling around for fun.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
basscyclist thread picture thread
- Thread starter Nobody
- Start date
I'd put the better-condition tire on the front. If a tire blows out due to dry rot, on the back very little will happen, but on the front you could easily lose control - for example if you're heeled over in a turn.
But if one tire is dry rotted the other one probably is, too, depending on how long you've had the bike and the tires and how often you've changed the tires. Me, I keep bikes for decades so each one has been through many tires.
It's been unusual for me to have two MATCHING tires.
Personally I would never ride on a tire where I could see the cords. Or I'd only ride it as far as the next bike shop where I'd buy and install a replacement.
As to life, I've had some really old tires look just dandy and some considerably newer ones exhibit dry rot. It's all about the rubber formulation of the specific tire. There's no substitute for personal inspection.
Oh, one more thing (you DO carry a tool kit and patch kit, DON'T you???) put a piece of canvas or old tire casing in your tool kit. In case you ever do have a rupture of a tire casing on the road, having a "boot" to slip inside the torn tire can get you home. All that goopy stuff people like to use, won't do a damn thing if you have an inch long cut in the casing, but that piece of canvas will get you home. (I started riding back when we didn't call mommy or wifey when it started raining or a tire went flat...)
But if one tire is dry rotted the other one probably is, too, depending on how long you've had the bike and the tires and how often you've changed the tires. Me, I keep bikes for decades so each one has been through many tires.
It's been unusual for me to have two MATCHING tires.
Personally I would never ride on a tire where I could see the cords. Or I'd only ride it as far as the next bike shop where I'd buy and install a replacement.
As to life, I've had some really old tires look just dandy and some considerably newer ones exhibit dry rot. It's all about the rubber formulation of the specific tire. There's no substitute for personal inspection.
Oh, one more thing (you DO carry a tool kit and patch kit, DON'T you???) put a piece of canvas or old tire casing in your tool kit. In case you ever do have a rupture of a tire casing on the road, having a "boot" to slip inside the torn tire can get you home. All that goopy stuff people like to use, won't do a damn thing if you have an inch long cut in the casing, but that piece of canvas will get you home. (I started riding back when we didn't call mommy or wifey when it started raining or a tire went flat...)
Last edited:
I got home once with a wrapper of an energy bar, spit, and dirt.
You do what you gotta do.
Not going to lie, I've been looking at parts for a tire repair kit. In all of my years I've never gotten a flat, my commutes are honestly such that I'd probably just lift my bike to my shoulder and walk if something happened.
A cheap adjustable wrench and some patches and rubber cement would be a cheap insurance in any case.
My super thin (and light) front tire last Sunday, tubeless:
https://youtube.com/shorts/ze9PM2chJlw?feature=share
It was at 42 psi the week before, in the video the tire was at 38 psi.
https://youtube.com/shorts/ze9PM2chJlw?feature=share
It was at 42 psi the week before, in the video the tire was at 38 psi.
If you HAVE to use an adjustable wrench (as mechanics and engineers call them, "nut rounders") for corn's sake don't use a cheap one. Of course you're far far better off with actual wrenches.
Paper money works well for sidewall cuts. I keep a couple of US dollar bills in my repair kit just for that. Canadian loonies and toonies just don’t work as well. And I’ll be damned if I put a fiver in there!
And @pie_man_25 - never leave home without your micro-adjuster!
Last edited:
I've never stopped at this spot to take pics but this!
Went to a couple stores and picked up a few things for a flat tire repair kit today. Namely, a small wrench for the rear wheel with a nutted axle, a stubbie Phillips head driver for the derailleur if I need to adjust or remove it, a spare tube, a smallish pump and a tube repair kit - I've had a bad experience with the stick-on patch kits so I got one with separate adhesive.
I also just happened to get a flat on the inside of the diameter of the tube this week, so I needed the kit anyways. I won't bore you guys with details, but I've patched the tube, found the cause, fixed that, and used it as an opportunity to replace those old tires whose threads you could see in some spots anyways. I've probably clocked 2500 miles on those tires and they weren't new when I got the bike either - a new set of cheapish Michelin tires from the trek store ought to do it.
I also picked up a can of fluid film, there's some rust in spots and I think I'll try to take it off with some gun oil or elbow grease and just spray the bike down, minus the rims, to try to slow down any further rust while not making the bike look attractive to anybody with bolt cutters.
I also just happened to get a flat on the inside of the diameter of the tube this week, so I needed the kit anyways. I won't bore you guys with details, but I've patched the tube, found the cause, fixed that, and used it as an opportunity to replace those old tires whose threads you could see in some spots anyways. I've probably clocked 2500 miles on those tires and they weren't new when I got the bike either - a new set of cheapish Michelin tires from the trek store ought to do it.
I also picked up a can of fluid film, there's some rust in spots and I think I'll try to take it off with some gun oil or elbow grease and just spray the bike down, minus the rims, to try to slow down any further rust while not making the bike look attractive to anybody with bolt cutters.
Last edited:
slobake
resident ... something
Looks like you're having fun!
Beauty ride to both you guys, this one's got those classic style points. Slobake's looks like a tough and tumble beast. I dig it
slobake
resident ... something
Yup, great open space with nice hills about a mile from my new home. It blows my mind to realize I have gone from this:
To This:
To This:
slobake
resident ... something
I liked the urban ride too. Lot's of adrenaline. Kind of like running with the bulls in Spain. Mrs slo and I took one look at the nearby open space and started shopping for mountain bikes. My old commuter bike sits mostly neglected but I do get it out occasionally to for long treks on the bike trails around here.
In all fairness, it looks like there are some decent bike lanes that way. I'm kind of in the odd outskirts of town where there are wide shoulders and some honestly decent low-traffic riding if I head north or west. If I go east that gets farther into town and while easily %95 of people are great, there's that leftover couple percent that I'd rather not be around, and there are some bike lanes, but they're really weird and intermittent.
