Read our Frequently Asked Questions.
Check tire pressure before every ride — it's the highest-impact maintenance action per minute of time spent. Inspect tires visually before and after rides, looking for embedded debris, cuts, and sidewall condition. Remove any foreign objects trapped in the tread with a small tool after each ride. Clean tires with water, not solvents. For tubeless setups, check sealant every few months. Store the bike away from direct sunlight, heat, and ozone sources when not in use.
Before each ride: look for any obvious cuts, embedded objects, sidewall cracking, or deformation. After each ride: look more carefully at the tread for sharp objects that may have worked partway into the rubber — a small piece of glass that hasn't reached the tube yet can be removed before it causes a flat on the next ride. Also check for cracks developing in the sidewall, which indicate age-related degradation, and any uneven wear patterns that might indicate a rim or suspension issue.
Use water for cleaning tires. Avoid petroleum-based solvents and aggressive cleaning products — they can degrade the rubber compound and attack the casing. If commercial bike cleaning products come into contact with the tires, rinse thoroughly with clean water. High-pressure washers should not be used directly on tires — the pressure can force water into the casing, causing damage that isn't immediately visible. Wipe or rinse gently and allow to dry naturally.
Tires age even when not in use, through ozone exposure, UV light, and temperature cycling. Store the bike away from direct sunlight, heat sources (hot pipes, radiators), and electrical equipment that generates ozone (air conditioners, electric motors). Michelin recommends storage above 0°C and away from humidity. If the bike won't be used for an extended period, removing the wheels and hanging them is better than leaving the full weight of the bike on the tires — sustained static load can cause flat spotting and accelerate sidewall stress.
Remove any material trapped in the cut and inspect how deep it goes. If the cut appears superficial — only through the outer rubber layer without penetrating the casing — it's worth monitoring but may not require immediate action. If the cut appears to go through the casing, the tire is compromised even if the tube hasn't been punctured yet: the casing keeps the tube in shape under pressure, and a casing cut means the tire may fail under load. For tubeless setups, small cuts may have been sealed by sealant — inspect carefully to confirm the seal is complete.
Five practices make the biggest difference:
Check and maintain correct pressure before every ride
Remove embedded debris from the tread after each ride before it works deeper
Avoid hard locking braking — gradual deceleration wears the tread far less than skidding
Store correctly away from sunlight and ozone
Rotate front and rear tires occasionally (when tread patterns allow) to even out wear rates
