Reversing BT003's

[Delirious]

Tried searching but was totally unsucessful!

Due to the Barbagallo curse...can I run the rear Bridgestone BT003 in reverse? Just wondering if it is worth trying to squeeze a little more life out of the black gold?

[Nero Diablo]

Do they have a directional arrow on them?

BTW what are they like?

[T_B R1]

I wouldn't. Tread is that way for a reason. Get dragon corsa's. Sticky and last longer.

[Hostilemonk]

A certain person at the track today was doing this - his conclusion - no farkling difference - the scuttlebut is that once you have scrubbed the reverse mounted tyre in over a session its just as good as the correct directional mounting.

But I have not tried this myself.

[ApatheticEnd]

I'd flip it. As long as it's dry. Smeghead told me he set his PB on a flipped tire. You may have dramas getting someone to do it for you though. Some shops won't do it. Which is really funny because about 30% of the time they do it by accident!

[bear122]

I ran a used pair of my own tyres that I raced round 5 last year on, Bridgie oo2 rear and slick front both in reverse yesterday (first time-same reason), and there was no difference to forwards. I did it on the advice of some very experienced racers and it works fine.

cheers
Simon

[Ozboy]

Cool, looks like the Dragons are goin on backwards after the next meet.

[Hostilemonk]

Cool, looks like the Dragons are goin on backwards after the next meet.

Whoa there old son - we were talking about real tyres = Bridgestones 003's not those imitation 'daggy' ones some claim to like .

[Ozboy]

Whoa there old son - we were talking about real tyres = Bridgestones 003's not those imitation 'daggy' ones some claim to like .

I'll go michelins once the Dunlops I'm buying off Chris Galbraith wear out, but even thats after these dragons that are on now crap themselves.

Such a long wait for a good tyre
Never tried Bridgy's, might give them a go one day

[Delirious]

Thanks guys, thought it might be OK to reverse.

[Rob]

reverse the rear, but not the front

[Delirious]

Yeah, figured that, thanks.

[smeghead]

.. not in the wet either

[Ozboy]

reverse the rear, but not the front

Reason Rob?

[Hostilemonk]

The reasoning I've read is that braking transfers more energy into the carcass of the tyre than acceleration - it is more likely to damage the carcass (split/shred it) if the energy goes into it in the wrong direction. Rears are made to absorb acceleration and some braking (though not much of the later), fronts aren't.

Also most of the wear on the front is when it is close to vertical under braking as opposed to the rear which wears at the side on a race bike. (though there is obviously some on the side of the front, especially if you trail brake into a corner)

May not be a problem as your front tyre should last for two rears (depending on how you ride) - so by the time your rear is shagged out in both directions the front will shagged out also.

[Ozboy]

Cheers HM, very informative.

[Hostilemonk]

Thanks - wasn't sure about using the tyre manufacturers technical term 'shagged out' - glad you understood

[ninetyfive]

ive been told by some reliable sources that its fine to run the rear in reverse, but only in the dry. when you think about it, the tread is more a hinderance than a help in the dry.....