Is a new back tire with a half-worn front OK?

[withiniswithout]

My Schwalbe 50 Energizer tires have 3500 miles on them. The back tire is getting pretty smooth, but the front is not bad. Is it OK to put a new tire on the back and have the front be a smoother tread? Is 3500 miles an average replacement time? I often have a pretty heavy load in the rear basket. Last, any comments on the tires and/or recommendations appreciated. These say "Life K-Guard 3" and 40-622 28 X 1.50 700 X 38 C 28 B. They've been good tires, no flats, no slow leaks.
Update: I purchased two Schwalbe Energizer Plus Tour tires. They were about €26 each plus about €4 for shipping. Arrived in three days. The tread and design are very similar to the Energizer Plus 50 tires that came stock on my Gepida Alboin. I'm leaning towards putting on both of the new tires and letting the bike shop have the old ones. The back tire could probably go until next fall before it's dangerously smooth, and the front for another year perhaps, but figuring might as well change them out just to get the safety benefit of new tires.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I think the new tire should go on the front as steering traction is most important.

 

[withiniswithout]

I think the new tire should go on the front as steering traction is most important.

So the front tire could be moved to the rear, and a new one on the front?

 

[Gionnirocket]

Yes... If the current front still has usable tread, it should work fine in the rear. You always want good front wheel traction. If you've ever lost control of a bike, it's typically because you lost control at the front wheel.

 

[ruffruff]

Not an issue.

 

[Gionnirocket]

It's completely fine in my opinion.

Motorcyclists change rear tire more often than front. Usually two rear tire changes every one front tire change.

By the time you wear out your new rear tire, it's probably time to change your front tire too.

Though not a must, I do feel that it is best practice to keep the best tread on the front tire especially since it's not costing you anything.
And since a front tire change typically takes less than 15 minutes... I really don't see the downside.

 

[indianajo]

I get 1 year, ~ 2000 miles, on a pair of tires. I change them when the knobs get down to 3/32" as below that I can get a flat from road trash. First street tires on the bike lasted 700 miles until flat.

 

[ElevenAD]

lmao! its gonna be ok for me as the tires i like were 69 bucks each! i will be installing my new "Tire" today, the front will just have to wait lol,so your not alone OP!

 

[6zfshdb]

I think this depends on how worn the tire really is. If it's bald or with little tread left, I would replace it.
I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. After around 3000 miles, the tread on the rear is about half gone. I rotated the tires this spring and plan to replace both at the end of the coming season.

 

[withiniswithout]

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires.

I'm looking at the Marathon tires. They're very good and pretty cheap for something so critical for safety. In a couple months I'll probably just change both tires and be done with it. Since a shop will be changing the tires, by the time they take off the front and mount it on the rear I've paid for half the cost of the tire if not the whole thing. I could run these another 500 miles at least so I have a bit of time. The rear feels smooth to the touch and most of the tread is gone, but no deep cuts or damage.

 

[6zfshdb]

I'm looking at the Marathon tires. They're very good and pretty cheap for something so critical for safety. In a couple months I'll probably just change both tires and be done with it. Since a shop will be changing the tires, by the time they take off the front and mount it on the rear I've paid for half the cost of the tire if not the whole thing. I could run these another 500 miles at least so I have a bit of time. The rear feels smooth to the touch and most of the tread is gone, but no deep cuts or damage.

Depending on size, many Schwalbe tires are backordered. I had to order my last pair from Germany and they took 6 weeks to arrive. I would order well in advance of your anticipated need.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I'm looking at the Marathon tires. They're very good and pretty cheap for something so critical for safety. In a couple months I'll probably just change both tires and be done with it. Since a shop will be changing the tires, by the time they take off the front and mount it on the rear I've paid for half the cost of the tire if not the whole thing. I could run these another 500 miles at least so I have a bit of time. The rear feels smooth to the touch and most of the tread is gone, but no deep cuts or damage.

Paying a shop to do this is another consideration.
At that point I'd probably change out both and keep the front as a spare depending on how much longer you wait to do this.

 

[Dallant]

My Schwalbe 50 Energizer tires have 3500 miles on them. The back tire is getting pretty smooth, but the front is not bad. Is it OK to put a new tire on the back and have the front be a smoother tread? Is 3500 miles an average replacement time? I often have a pretty heavy load in the rear basket. Last, any comments on the tires and/or recommendations appreciated. These say "Life K-Guard 3" and 40-622 28 X 1.50 700 X 38 C 28 B. They've been good tires, no flats, no slow leaks.

I just had a new SCHWALBE G-One put on back since the old one had a small gash from glass. With 1200 miles I decided to keep the old front tire where it is. Kept both the old rear tire and tube as a just-in-case alternatives and the tire is still in very useable shape though clearly worn a lot more than the original front tire.

 

[Sierratim]

Though not a must, I do feel that it is best practice to keep the best tread on the front tire especially since it's not costing you anything.
And since a front tire change typically takes less than 15 minutes... I really don't see the downside.

This is my practice; keep the best tread on the front for the best control. My MTBing sons practice this as well, as does the local high school MTB team.

I don't mountain bike, but many of our local back roads are gravel or dirt. Last summer my rear tire had worn smooth. I did rotate the still good front tire to the rear as has been my practice for some years but instead of just replacing the front tire with the same style tread I took my sons' sugestion and went with a bit more agressive tread design in the front. I've been riding this new to me combo on a wide variety of surfaces and do like the added control.

My tire combo? Schwalbe Smart Sam in the front and the OEM Specialized Trigger Sport in the rear. I'll switch my wife's ebike over to this setup soon, now that the weather looks like Spring.

 

[rich c]

I have 5,600 miles on my Schwalbe 50 Energizer tires on a 2016 Haibike Trekking. I'm a pretty big guy at 250 as well, and didn't plan to change anything this year. I think they will go to 7,000 miles with no problems. I'm a real maintenance nut, so monitor the air pressure quite closely.

Edit: Time for me to eat crow. I checked my back tire yesterday and was surprised it's not as good of shape as I thought. I do have over 5,600 miles, but will be changing tires in the next 500 miles. 7,000 would be out of the question, SORRY!

 

[m@Robertson]

I run tires until they individually wear out, then replace. For years I rotated the front tire to the back and then put new on the front since the fronts wear so slowly, but in recent years I have quit bothering and just replace what needs replacing. Only. World hasn't ended and I haven't crashed

 

[kmccune]

I always like the best tires in the front, believe it or not they recommend to always put the new tires on the rear on automobiles, I do not do that either the best tires go where the steering is,I know how to pretty well control a skid. I like that advice about as much as I like ABS and traction control( i have to cut the traction control off on my FWD cars in the winter so I can get them up the Hill where I reside) ( Please just give me a 4 point harness and rollcage with crush zones and keep the, "brake disablers and facebombs"

 

[theemartymac]

I run tires until they individually wear out, then replace. For years I rotated the front tire to the back and then put new on the front since the fronts wear so slowly, but in recent years I have quit bothering and just replace what needs replacing. Only. World hasn't ended and I haven't crashed

I agree, replace the front when it wears, but don't worry about always swapping the best tire up front. The rear on an ebike will wear faster for sure, unless you are trying to 'scrape the pegs' in every corner (A motorcycle term). lol