The day I figured out I was installing tires backwards for 2 years

I was changing a flat for a customer last month and he pointed out my tire was facing the wrong direction. I told him no, the tread pattern goes this way on my bikes too. He just pulled out his phone and showed me the little arrow on the sidewall I never noticed. I had been mounting tires opposite for probably 30 or 40 tire swaps. Anyone else miss those tiny directional markers or am I the only one?

2 comments

2 Comments

stella_murray8d ago

Yeah I used to think those arrows were just some kind of manufacturing mark or something. I figured tread direction was just a suggestion and tires would work fine either way. Then I actually looked into it after messing up a set of winters on my own car and realized the whole water channeling thing is actually real. Kinda embarrassing but at least I know now instead of going another two years doing it wrong.

gonzalez.reese8d ago

Oh man, I've definitely installed tires backwards before and wondered why my car felt like a shopping cart.