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Originally Posted by Jer
Under normal conditions how long should a set of tires last?
Do they need to be replaced at the first sign of a crack?
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There is no "normal", really. It depends on the tire, what pressure you run, how you ride and whether or not they are left exposed to the elements (sun being the worst) for very long.
Some wear out in 5K miles. I am approaching 5K and don't think I'm close to half.....so I should be good for about 10K miles.
And no, you shouldn't panic when you find the first tiny crack. The key word is TINY. Sidewalls will often have "spider-web" checking in the side walls. This just means you should watch them closer for larger cracks to develop.
Having said that..........many riders are riding on unsafe tires......because they are too old. They LOOK good but are hard as a rock and probably have sidewall cracks they haven't noticed. Many riders never actually wear out a set of tires.
I would never ride on tires over 5 years old, if they spent a lot of time outside......unless maybe you ride like an old granny and never go over 30 mph. Tires 7 years old: GONE regardless of how they look or how they are used.
So, if you have a 2001 bike or earlier with the original tires, tsk, tsk !! :oops: