What am I looking at here? (tire wear question)

[MattTuck]

Curious if this is normal. This is a Conti 4 seasons tire, from the front wheel, probably around 3,000 miles. Was stored inside, not in direct sun. Haven't seen this on other conti tires.

[mktng]

Is it dried up ??



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[Cicli]

Old dried up tire.
Probably ozone or uv damage.

[MattTuck]

This is what I figured, but it is nothing like other tires of the same age/vintage, on same roads, stored in same conditions, etc. Are some tires from the same line just more prone to it?

[Peter P.]

I don't know how long the tire sat idle either after your purchase or after the reseller purchased it, but that looks like an age issue.

A good reason to replace the rear tire when worn, by rotating the front tire to the rear and installing the new tire on the front. Left alone, front tires would likely never wear out but would suffer from aging issues like yours.

[11.4]

To be honest, the only tires I've ever encountered aging issues with are Contis. I explored the issue at one time and their sulfuration process in vulcanizing their rubber is different from what other tire companies use and is proprietary to Conti. It also is a precipitator of aging defects. Conti adds stabilizers to their compounds to counteract this, but that only goes so far. It doesn't take excessive ozone or heat to get age-related defects when you have this kind of issue at work. Now I've also had Conti tires that were extremely long-lived, so this isn't a damnation of all Contis. It's just a tire chemistry issue that Conti has that leaves them open on occasion to premature aging issues.

[AngryScientist]

i'll never buy another conti tire again, personally.

i've had numerous issues with them over the years with regards to drying out and ageing badly. the only tires i've had side blowouts due to dryrot.

get rid of that tire, and never look back Matt. there's way better rubber out there.

[AngryScientist]

screw you conti....

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rsQFaHb5F4s/VBI97860OwI/AAAAAAAABxQ/Zh4LmJ9_Gb8/s1000/P1080309.JPG

[Elefantino]

Friends don't let friends ride Contis.

Or Hutchinsons.

[regularguy412]

I've never had a problem with Conti tubulars. In 30 years, that's all I've ever ridden. That said, I vowed to never ride Conti clinchers. 'Back in the day', many of my riding buddies were on Conti clinchers and I saw many sidewall blow outs. Hadda help one of my buddies limp home one day when a Conti sidewall blew out so badly that we could barely get the tire boot to hold. Ended up only pumping the rear tire to about 50 psi. (Yeah, 'pumping'... no C02 back then)

I've never seen any Conti tubulars look like the OP's pic. Does look like age cracking to me, too.

Mike in AR:beer:

[rustychisel]

I've never seen any Conti tubulars look like the OP's pic. Does look like age cracking to me, too.

Mike in AR:beer:

Looks like a clincher - sidewall torn from tyre bead. Causes include manufacturing fault, torn bead from tyre lever, rotted tyre carcass, incorrect [over]inflation, and brake pads set to rub tyre wall. The latter I see often enough to make it an issue.

[kgreene10]

To be honest, the only tires I've ever encountered aging issues with are Contis. I explored the issue at one time and their sulfuration process in vulcanizing their rubber is different from what other tire companies use and is proprietary to Conti. It also is a precipitator of aging defects. Conti adds stabilizers to their compounds to counteract this, but that only goes so far. It doesn't take excessive ozone or heat to get age-related defects when you have this kind of issue at work. Now I've also had Conti tires that were extremely long-lived, so this isn't a damnation of all Contis. It's just a tire chemistry issue that Conti has that leaves them open on occasion to premature aging issues.

Oh 11.4, is there anything you don't know! I jest, but seriously, is there? Color me impressed.

[dgauthier]

i'll never buy another conti tire again, personally.

i've had numerous issues with them over the years with regards to drying out and ageing badly. the only tires i've had side blowouts due to dryrot.


I've been reading this forum now for what, about 14 years? And "The Bicycle Fan Club" for a few years before that. During all that time sidewall blowouts with Continental clincher tires has been a recurring issue. Why, oh WHY does anyone buy conti clinchers?

[Hilltopperny]

Just replaced a conti gpII two days ago because it looked the same as the op's 4 season. Replaced it and a well worn ultremo with some Chinook pass el casings. Not using Continental tires on my road bikes anymore...