What's the best way to reduce cupping (scalloping) on your front tire?

Cupping is a natural result of braking. When a rider brakes (and most bikes are designed to use the front more than the rear brake for effective braking) that depresses the leading edge of the tire. Each time the time is depressed, it shoves the rubber backwards. After many revolutions it is possible to see the cupping effect. And once you have cupping it's not a fun ride as your bike bounces around with the uneven tread surface of the tire.

Three things a rider can do to help reduce this effect; 1) tire pressure is critical - check your pressure every time you ride and make sure you have an accurate gauge.
2) consult the tire manufacturer to ensure you have the correct tire pressure for your riding conditions
3) choose a tread design that is resistant to cupping - generally a tire with more minimal grooving but that still disperses water effectively. The more grooves in a tire the more the blocks of rubber move around whereas a big block of rubber does not.
Avon's Venom front tires are very resistant to cupping due to their bigger blocks of rubber.

--Sukoshi Fahey (Ms.)
AVON Sales Manager, North America
800 624-7470 toll free