Replacing a tire

[zip]

I've looked for this information elsewhere on the forum, including a Google search and did not find it. (Just posting that disclaimer so as not to get spanked {again} by the moderators.)

I've holed a rear Metzler tire with a roofing nail. I'm going to sticky string the thing, but also going to order a new Michelin Pilot Road 2 to replace the plugged tire in the next few days. (The roofers are going to pay for the tire because they didn't clean up very well in working on our house. Pissed about that.)

Is there a good reason why I must/should I also order a front to match? Or will the existing Metzler be okay on the front with the Michelin rear? Just wondering if there's some safety or performance issue around having non-matched tread patterns.

Also, I'm assuming that the rear will wear out before the front, so that I'm likely to replace both together on the next round. Is this true? What's the ratio of wear for rears vs. fronts?

Thanks for your guidance as always.

 

[SkooterG]

Mix and match away. Many prefer not too, but many do.

As far as ratio of front to rear wear, that is dependent on the make/model of tire and rider habits. There is no 'one size fits all' answer to that question. You didn't even tell us how many miles are on your front Metz.

Of course, you could just repair the hole in the rear and keep on riding it.

 

[Daddydukes]

Zip,

The tires do not have to be of the same manufacturer, BUT they have to both be either radials or bias. Do not have a bias/radial mix.

You might find the two just don't work well together, that happens sometimes, but at worst you order a new front to match your rear.

Keith

 

[zip]

Mix and match away. Many prefer not too, but many do.
As far as ratio of front to rear wear, that is dependent on the make/model of tire and rider habits. There is no 'one size fits all' answer to that question. You didn't even tell us how many miles are on your front Metz.

Of course, you could just repair the hole in the rear and keep on riding it.

Bought the bike with 13,090 miles on it, and I can't recall whether the previous owner said that this was his second or third set of tires. They both look in fine shape, actually, with plenty of tread depth left on each. I'm going to repair that rear, see how that works out. (Read an old post from Warchild about it that gave me some confidence on that.) But still going to charge the goddamned roofers for their inattention and get a new tire. (I've got two small kids, and am angry with their lack of concern about the dangerous stuff left around that I've had to pick up.)

Dukes & Skooter, great advice. Thank you.

 

[eeksnake]

...Of course, you could just repair the hole in the rear and keep on riding it.

+1

Unless I was close to replacing it anyway, it gets plugged and ridden.

(With Stop-n-Go plugs but don't tell Skooter... Shhh)

As for matching, I've heard you're not supposed to mix brands/types but know of plenty of riders who do without issue. I'm currently riding Michelin Pilot Road front and Pilot Road II rear. I've also managed to get the wear cycle mismatched enough that I'm either replacing one or the other but never both (easier on the wallet). Some day I'll have a changing station and spares on hand at all times.

 

[SkooterG]

(With Stop-n-Go plugs but don't tell Skooter... Shhh)

You are SO fired!

All I can say is that if you experience enough flats, eventually you will throw the Stop-n-go kit away after it lets you down several times.

 

[eeksnake]

(With Stop-n-Go plugs but don't tell Skooter... Shhh)

All I can say is that if you experience enough flats, eventually you will throw the Stop-n-go kit away after it lets you down several times.

Just yanking your chain Skoot (I couldn't help myself)... I carry string type plugs too.

Seriously though, if it's the first hole and there's plenty of tread, plug that bad bear and get some miles in before the next nail, screw, porcupine quill...

 

[Pierre]

Male in the back & female in the front, good match !

 

[Fred W]

Male in the back & female in the front, good match !

Is that the Canuck version of "Liquor up front and Poker in the rear"?

 

[mr.paul]

Just mouted up my 3rd set of Metz Z6's. They seem oddly to wear at the same rate front and rear. Is this a conspiricy to always sell me 2 tires? My ol' Vmax would usually go 2 rears to one front on the ME880s.

I have always heard that you shouldn't mix your tires. So I haven't done it much. On the Max, due to availability, the last I had on there was a Dunlop Qualifier (for Vmax) on the front with a Metzeler ME880 on the back. It worked great!

paul from Minnesota

 

[bergs]

Mixing can be done, though, I don't recommend it.

 

[Grumpy]

Zip,
The tires do not have to be of the same manufacturer, BUT they have to both be either radials or bias. Do not have a bias/radial mix.

You might find the two just don't work well together, that happens sometimes, but at worst you order a new front to match your rear.

Keith

\Plus they have to be round and black!

 

[Fencer]

No prob mixiing here.

I've had Stradas on the rear and Avon up front, Avon in back and Powers in front. No probs

 

[luvtoride]

I've mixed tire brands several times... & will be doing it again one day I'm sure