Premature tire wearing on friction drive motor bike?

GoldenMotor.com

blurptc

New Member
Jul 3, 2008
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Hi -- I'm new to the forum and to the motorized bicycle idea.

I'd like to know how long a tire will last with friction drives? I hear that they need to be replaced every 2 months with just regular work commute (10-15mi per day). Any ideas? Thanks!

paul
 

Bikeguy Joe

Godfather of Motorized Bicycles
Jan 8, 2008
11,837
252
63
up north now
All I can tell you is that in 200 or so miles that I ran my friction drive, I saw no appreciable tire wear. The roller wears, not the tire.
 

NEAT TIMES

New Member
May 28, 2008
1,964
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PENSACOLA, FL
Hi Friction Tire Wear? I Read On This Forum (i Think It Was Here) That A Friction Drive Tire Should Last Near 1500 Miles. That Would Get Me From The W Florida Gulf Coast Past My Former Home In N Wisconsin And Almost To The Canada Border. I Hope This Is Fact Because I`m Waiting On Some Parts To Build (assemble) Several Friction Drive Kits W/engines To Sell. Ron
 

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
Im doing a lot of experimenting with friction drive at the moment. I have been using the same tire the whole time. It doesn't show any significant ware. I use a fairly smooth steel drive wheel.
 

demolition_dave1

New Member
Jul 20, 2011
5
0
0
Alabama
I just put a kit from Staton on my Catrike ROad and it shredded a new tire in about an hour. The roller is a very aggressive one(not that I have anything to compare it to)
Im sure some adjustments will improve this but I dont know how much.
 

demolition_dave1

New Member
Jul 20, 2011
5
0
0
Alabama
Thank you for your well thought out answer. I will try again with a better inflated tire and see how that goes. It was the only thing I didnt consider when I put the kit on, and it had a much greater effect than I anticipated, if that is the cause.