F'ing tire prices <--Rant Alert

[LeftRightLeftThrottle]

So I need a new rear, at least the two inch strip in the middle ( commuting) I look around at a few discount websites and the average is about $150. Cycle Gear (really don't like this company, too gucci) advertised the tire on their website for 135 w/ $5 shipping so I figure why order from the internet when there's a Cycle Gear right down the road from my office, and I can take some twistier roads home. Ride out to the store, wait for the squids in shorts to finish buying flashy lights and chrome for their R1's and then the girl at the counter throws a bill for $160 at me!!! Another $20 to mount it when it gets here. I just kinda feel like the tire racket is set up to screw you. This was for a Pilot Road btw. In about a month I'll need a dunlop qualifier to match the front I have for the track, anyone have a spare?

[LeftRightLeftThrottle]

From the Raleigh website, last time I saw the owner he told me he'd gone into a curb (how?) and over the bars. Then he offered me his front brake rotor. Poor little Hawk

[ghandi1616]

I will join your rant. At my local Honda dealer here in Canada, the cost for a new Continental Sport Attack rear tire installed and balanced is $265.00. Now that is sick. On the other hand, I need it to ride.

[MrDude_1]

qualifier front from cycle gear: $130
qualifier front from ebay: $80 shipped

cost to mount/balance tire at cycle gear purchased there: $20
cost to mount/balance tire at cycle gear not purchased there: $25

yeea... guess what i did.

[Doc]

Do you guys always miss match your tires?

I always thought same tire brand front and rear was best. NO?

[MrDude_1]

Do you guys always miss match your tires?

I always thought same tire brand front and rear was best. NO?

well, NOW i run qualifiers front and rear.

when i first bought the hawk, it had michelin front, and sportmax rear.. i really liked that combo for daily riding.

[jaysun0ne]

Do you guys always miss match your tires?

manufacturer recommends that, but why???

another part of the scam if you ask me
the tire manufacturers and the repairshops are all in cohoots together! lol


this is why i have started to mount my own tires
added benifits
1 if the paint on the rim gets scratched its my falt and only mine
2 cost a lot less (currently take them in to get balanced for $7 per wheel)
3 its much more important to me to put everything back together right because my life depends on it and not some random michanic that i dont even know.

some time this summer im going to buy a bubble balancer and do it all my self

a set of tire spoons cost like $10 i got two sets and i plan to spend about $100 on the balancer, i use a 2x4 and a rubber malet to brake the bead

i will take some pictures next time i change tires show you guys how easy it is to do your self. the real trick is not scratching the paint on the rim.

[LeftRightLeftThrottle]

Do you guys always miss match your tires?

I always thought same tire brand front and rear was best. NO?

I run the pilot roads on the street. I got a free rear w/ the bike when I got it so I have a new pilot road on the front. The same guy I got it from has a Dunlop Qualifier 110/70 front that he'll give me cheap for track use. Once I find a 160/60 Qualifier for the rear I'll have a set of track tires.

qualifier front from cycle gear: $130
qualifier front from ebay: $80 shipped

cost to mount/balance tire at cycle gear purchased there: $20
cost to mount/balance tire at cycle gear not purchased there: $25

yeea... guess what i did.

Those bastards told me $30 if the tire was from somewhere else

On the other hand when I first changed out my tires I had a friend of a friend use his flimsy home shop tire changer. He took it to a gas station air pump but couldn't seat the bead. I took it to Cycle Gear and the guy (happened to be the Hawk owner, recognized the wheels) pumped them up and balanced them for free, which I thought was cool but more related to Hawk ownership than standard store practice.

We should find a company to sponsor the forum and give us all free tires

[Stevenjhow]

[Copytech]

balancer 69.99

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=39741

[Deadlego]

well im getting set of diablos for $300 with free install..... dealer speacial on there new tire.

[joel]

Get yourself a Harbor Freight changer and DIY.With the fleet of bikes,it more than paid for itself in less than a season not to mention I'll do anyone else's for lunch.

FWIW,I balance my rims and forget about it.~8 years of not balancing tires and no harm done.

[cafebaltimore]

I have a feeling that the online tire places sell older tires. I have a friend that just dropped her bike off at the local tires place. I will check date of manufacture and see how recent it is. Has anyone purchased a tire online lately? Post the date of manufature. It is molded into the tire as a 4-digit number with the week followed by the year. ie. 5106 would be the 51st week of 2006.

Maybe the discount tire places get a deal on old stock.

I am somewhat skeptical of the discount tire places because in the 28th month of 2005, I bought two sets of Metzeler Lasertecs manufactured in 4104. The tires quickly began to show tiny dryrot lines.

[Copytech]

. ie. 5106 would be the 51st month of 2006.

Last time I checked there were only 12 months in a year.

[Kilter]

I think he meant 51st week of the year,