Tyre help

[Hywel]

HELLO!!

I'm having a bit of trouble shopping for tyres because my front wheel is a 16" / 130 section one which limits my choice of rubber quite badly. My question is, can I mix different tyres within the same brand? For example I want a Bridgestone BT-021 on the back but they don't make that for my front so would putting a BT014 or an 016 on the front with the 021 on the rear be ok?

TA!!

[Guest]

Im no tyre expert, never had to fit/buy any myself, but from what i have read, thats fine.

I'm a firm believer that u get what u pay for, if you buy a really good tyre, it'll serve you really well Seeing as the tyres you have mentioned are all by the same manufacturer and are all the same "type" just better versions, it should be fine

Might be worth ringing up a local garage or Bridgestone themselves to ask too.

[Hywel]

Ohhhh kay. I just had a little delve and it turns out Bridgestone actually do the 021 set in my size, there's so much contradictory info online... they're on order, bargain.

EDIT: Doh, the dealer rang me back and said he'd made a mistake. Was tempted to go for the 016 front / 021 rear combo but I quite fancy seeing what a perfect tyre match does to the handling so despite some reservations about tread wear I've gone for a set of the triple compound BT-016s.

[Guest]

I'm sure you'd be pleased either way Do let us know how they feel once fitted and run in!

[Guest akey]

Bridgestone tyres can be mixed and matched as long as they are the same type (ie Battleaxe), which the two you mention are. I have a mate who ran a similar combo on his bike and liked it.

Before anyone dives in about the mixing of tyres this info has been checked with 2 bridgstone main dealers, and it only applies to bridgestones as far as I am aware.

[Hywel]

Yeh well I figured I'm embarking on a long journey of discovery in finding out what tyres / tyre combos I like so I'm keeping it simple for my first purchase and getting an exact match. They're probably a bit sporty for a new rider like me to get the best out of them and they're not the longest lasting shoes around but I am looking forward to trying out some decent rubber!

Any do's or dont's for scrubbing in brand new tyres?

[Guest]

Don't lean too much, just ride gently for the first 100 miles Don't be as confident as you normally would be.

Massive burnout might be nice

[Guest]

Don't lean too much, just ride gently for the first 100 miles Don't be as confident as you normally would be.

Massive burnout might be nice

 

I just put a few heat cycles in my tyres, take it easy on the corners for the first 50mi and i was bombing it by 100 miles

[Guest akey]

021 is a sports touring tyre mate, will last you well, the 016 is sportier but its no dunlop qualifier.

[2fast2soon]

Be VERY smooth when you start off with cold, new tyres as they are prone to slides if too much power/sudden change of direction is used (I know this from painful experience!) Treat the first few miles as though its mid winter, smooth and steady and not too much lean.

Don't do a burn out on a brand new tyre as you're just ruining perfectly good rubber. Do it just before you replace it if you like the smell of burning rubber.

100 miles is what was always recommended, but you can probably get away with 20 or so. Its a mixture of getting rid of the release agent which shouldn't take very many miles at all, and getting some heat into them to set them up. Not too much heat though or you'll ruin them (there's another topic a few weeks ago where someone goosed a brand new set within an hour or so ), i.e. don't go doing a land speed record attempt in your first ride out on them.