# Do you swap front and rear tires as they wear out?



## Stelth (Sep 2, 2008)

I've got about 800 miles on my '08 Rockhopper. It came with the Specialized Fast Trak LK
tires. The rear one is visibly worn but the front looks good (center knob depth). Is it advisable to swap the front tire with the rear? The only drawback to this I can think of is losing grip on slick pavement in turns. BTW, I ride mostly XC.


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## bobdole (Mar 13, 2008)

Well, i run different tires front and rear so when one gets worn i usually just buy a new one.


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## spec4life (May 14, 2008)

You can if they aren't front and rear specific...The only thing here is that you want more traction on the front tire than the back tire if you have to choose...if the back tire slides out then you can just drift around the turn however if the front slides out you are going to hit the ground....either buy a new back or leave it the way it is...


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## dimm0k (May 25, 2009)

Only wondering... I thought new tires would provide more traction so it would be better to put the new tire in the front and the old front tire in the back?


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## tduro (Jan 2, 2007)

I've always mixed and matched without worry. Tires are expensive! I make sure I wear them out before replacing. If that means putting a front tire on the rear, so be it. But do make sure your front tire has good traction.


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## daleksic (Aug 26, 2007)

When I used to run the same tires front and back I just pop the front on the rear and put a new front tire on. Now I run 2 different tires front and back and my front tire usually wears faster now as I use a stickier, softer compound than the rear.


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## Qatarbhoy (Jun 13, 2008)

If you find that your rear tyre wears faster, do not rotate your tyres by putting the worn rear on the front. You will lose front traction and a crash will be more likely as a result.


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## simian23 (Aug 13, 2004)

dimm0k said:


> Only wondering... I thought new tires would provide more traction so it would be better to put the new tire in the front and the old front tire in the back?


Yeah that would work. Eventually you'll start getting really anal retentive and run specific tires for the front and rear....and then specific tires front and rear for specific conditions. It can get ridiculous.


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## HarryCallahan (Nov 2, 2004)

Stelth said:


> I've got about 800 miles on my '08 Rockhopper. It came with the Specialized Fast Trak LK
> tires. The rear one is visibly worn but the front looks good (center knob depth). Is it advisable to swap the front tire with the rear? The only drawback to this I can think of is losing grip on slick pavement in turns. BTW, I ride mostly XC.


I did this a few times on my road bike when I was in college, and wanted to delay new tire purchases. It works better if you rotate before the back tire is really worn down. The trade-off is you eventually have to buy 2 new tires.

With my mountain bikes, I've generally run identical tires front and back, and cycle the front to the back, buying a new front tire if I'm not replacing both.


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## traffic002 (Dec 16, 2008)

On road bikes, many ppl put the front tire to the back and put new tires on the front. This way, the tires will consistently be replaced at regular intervals rather than having 4y/o tires on the front and brand spanking new ones in the rear.


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## tomsmoto (Oct 6, 2007)

road bike tires dont have knobs though.


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## LyNx (Oct 26, 2004)

:thumbsup: You thought right, that's the way you do it. :thumbsup: Keep the old tyre as backup or give it to someone less fortunate than yourself in need of tyres.


dimm0k said:


> Only wondering... I thought new tires would provide more traction so it would be better to put the new tire in the front and the old front tire in the back?


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

> road bike tires dont have knobs though.


no, but the back tires wear flat and its suicide to put them up front.

I agree with others, if your not running F&R specific tires, you rotate the front tire to the rear and put a new tire up front.


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## Stelth (Sep 2, 2008)

Thanks for the info, guys.


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