Fast Wearing Tires

[rockdude]

Last year, I bought a pair of Vittoria EVO CX tires for my climbing wheels. This past weekend, I put them on and headed to the mountains. While riding down a very, very steep hill about 20 MPH, I came around a corner and group of people were walking in the center of my lane. I moved to the other lane and saw a car coming around the corner. I applied the brakes pretty hard and locked up the back wheel for a second and then hit the brakes hard again and the wheel locked up again for a second or two. I was still going to fast to safely maneuver between the people and the car, so I locked up the brakes and skidded about 10 feet to gain control of the bike. A few seconds after I cleared the people and car my tube blew. I was freaked to see that each time I had hit the brakes, the pavement had ripped off the all rubber and through the threads of Kevlar of my tire down to the tub. I had three holes in my tire. I have never experienced any thing like this before. Has anyone had a problem like this before? Is this just a reality of having an ultra light tire? I am currently riding Michelin Prorace 2, in the same situation should I expect the same result?

By-the-way the tires had about 500 miles on them

Thanks, John..

[vaxn8r]

Those are really lightweight specialty tires. I wouldn't use them for every day riding unless you have cash to burn. Take a look at their cross section sometime and you'll see why this happened.

[SoCalSteve]

Last year, I bought a pair of Vittoria EVO CX tires for my climbing wheels. This past weekend, I put them on and headed to the mountains. While riding down a very, very steep hill about 20 MPH, I came around a corner and group of people were walking in the center of my lane. I moved to the other lane and saw a car coming around the corner. I applied the brakes pretty hard and locked up the back wheel for a second and then hit the brakes hard again and the wheel locked up again for a second or two. I was still going to fast to safely maneuver between the people and the car, so I locked up the brakes and skidded about 10 feet to gain control of the bike. A few seconds after I cleared the people and car my tube blew. I was freaked to see that each time I had hit the brakes, the pavement had ripped off the all rubber and through the threads of Kevlar of my tire down to the tub. I had three holes in my tire. I have never experienced any thing like this before. Has anyone had a problem like this before? Is this just a reality of having an ultra light tire? I am currently riding Michelin Prorace 2, in the same situation should I expect the same result?
By-the-way the tires had about 500 miles on them

Thanks, John..

I have ridden ProRace 2 for thousands of miles with never an incident like you have explained. I did have a sidewall blow out once on an almost brand new tire, but I chalk that up to a defect, not wear and tear.

Steve

[Ti Designs]

Stop locking up your brakes and you'll be much better off...

[rockdude]

Stop locking up your brakes and you'll be much better off...

I seldom lock up a wheel. The problem was, I was going to fast on a very steep narrow winding road and could not control my bike when I came upon the group of people walking in the center of my lane. I was riding about 20 MPH but the grade was about 14% -16%. Next time, I will ride a little slower in the same situation.

[11.4]

On a very steep hill at reasonable speed, you're going to do quite a bit of grinding before you stop. That would wear a flat spot in almost any tire, if not wear through to the casing. Evo CX's aren't that thin that you would generally have a problem -- it was the particular locked-brake skidding you did on a steep hill that took off the rubber. I can put a flat spot on just about any tire with a last-minute skid at a red light with a police car waiting there. Bike messengers who like to skid actually figure their gear ratios such that they don't skid on the same spot on the tire every time, but they basically try to distribute flat spots evenly around the tire. You were simply seeing the results of your circumstances on that hill. I've ridden Evo CX tubulars first to race and then as training tires, and discarded them when the tread was worn down almost to the fabric. I'll always notice a couple slightly flatter spots, but if I'd skidded like you did, I'd have been replacing the tire immediately even if I got it home in one piece. I wouldn't attribute it to the tire.

[Serotta PETE]

I agree with T, that this can (and as you saw does) occur with light weight tires and a "lockup". This could have even happened with the Michelin 23mm.

Good thing your bike skills were up to the task.

The Victoria is still my favorite tire even though they are more "tender" than the Michelins. Tires are almost as personal as seats. I also at times use the Michelin when SPOKES is running a sale special or will trade for a bottle of red.

Stop locking up your brakes and you'll be much better off...

[Ti Designs]

I seldom lock up a wheel. The problem was, I was going to fast on a very steep narrow winding road and could not control my bike when I came upon the group of people walking in the center of my lane. I was riding about 20 MPH but the grade was about 14% -16%. Next time, I will ride a little slower in the same situation.


Michael Shumacher did the same thing in the last race of the '98 season. Over cook a turn and you wind up over cooking your tires. It happens to the best of 'em. In your case I don't see many options (parachute, grappling hook and line, hitting the people walking...). Look on the bright side, a wasted tire is far better than the head-on into the car.

[Too Tall]

+1 Skid a tyre even a little and there will be a flat spot...what you described ain't out of the ordinary. Kudos on keeping it together.

[chrisroph]

they are excellent tires--my favorite clinchers and among my favorite tubulars-- and you can get a lot of miles out of them without skids.

[Chief]

Did the same thing on the same tires. I had to make a panic stop because someone pulled right out in front of me. I also did it with a Michlen tires on good ole Texas chip seal which will cut through the best of treads.

[Ken Robb]

not to sound "preachy" but we should never ride/drive fastefr than we can see and always maintain a speed that will allow us to brake or maneuver around any surprise.

I had trouble selling this to a couple of my old motorcycling buddiesw who are now cripples.

[rockdude]

not to sound "preachy" but we should never ride/drive fastefr than we can see and always maintain a speed that will allow us to brake or maneuver around any surprise.

I had trouble selling this to a couple of my old motorcycling buddiesw who are now cripples.

Ken,

You are preaching to the choir as of last weekend. I have been converted..