A retired racer in Tucson showed me how to read tire wear in 10 seconds

I was truing a wheel for an older guy at the shop, and he glanced at the rear tire and said "your customer is braking way too late and riding the shoulder." He pointed at the flat strip of wear on one side and the scuffing pattern, then explained how the contact patch tells you everything about their style before you even touch the bike. Has anyone else had a customer's riding habits called out just from looking at rubber?

2 comments

2 Comments

jackson.max4d ago

Scuffing on one side is normal if they're right handed, actually.

smith.lee4d ago

That's partially true, but it really depends on what kind of scuffing we're talking about. If it's on the toe or the outer edge of the heel, sure, that's a right handed thing because of how you pivot. But if the scuff is on the instep or the top of the shoe, that usually means your laces are too loose or the shoe just doesn't fit right. I've seen plenty of lefties get the same wear pattern because they drag their foot a certain way. So it's less about handedness and more about your gait and what surface you're on.