3rd failure - Challenge Gravel Grinder TLR

[dem]

Disappointing. Will warranty again, maybe I am just too tough on tires!

All 3 de-laminated at the tread and eventually explode with a bang when it creeps to the sidewall. I'm sure #4 will also fail.

All failed within 300-600 miles.

[Gummee]

They had a batch of em do that. You may just be 'lucky' enough to get some from the same batch.

Have the LBS call Hoss Active Sports group and talk to them.

M

[R3awak3n]

its not you...

[commonguy001]

Seems to be an ongoing thing with Challenge. I had a pair of Almonzo come apart at just over 100 miles. That was the last set of Challenge I bought, no regrets.

[AngryScientist]

damnit.

did not want to hear this. that tire looks otherwise pretty new too.

the other thing is that i really wanted to like this tire, but to me it does not feel like it rides as nice and seems a little more "sluggish" compared to the gravel king i replaced with it.

the hunt for the ultimate all rounder continues!

[rain dogs]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

damnit.

did not want to hear this. that tire looks otherwise pretty new too.

the other thing is that i really wanted to like this tire, but to me it does not feel like it rides as nice and seems a little more "sluggish" compared to the gravel king i replaced with it.

the hunt for the ultimate all rounder continues!

out of curiosity, what's wrong with the Gravel King.... either the slick or the SK?

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by rain dogs

out of curiosity, what's wrong with the Gravel King.... either the slick or the SK?

SK's.

To be fair, i'm now pretty convinced it's an issue with the colored tires, not the black ones, as my front is just about shot too and not trustworthy.

less than 600 miles and the tread was pretty done, dry and cracking. not good for tubeless. i strarted a thread seeking replacements actually a while back...

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=240596

[dem]

Originally Posted by Gummee

They had a batch of em do that. You may just be 'lucky' enough to get some from the same batch.

Have the LBS call Hoss Active Sports group and talk to them.

M

Since the first retailer just refunded me, I actually bought this set from an entirely different retailer across the country, hoping I'd get a different "batch" - but at this point I am tired of replacing tires every 300-600 miles, so hopefully just get a refund.

I'll go back to the Specialized Trigger for a year, and hopefully by then someone will have come up with a lightweight, high tpi, side-knobbies-only gravel tire!

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by dem

Since the first retailer just refunded me, I actually bought this set from an entirely different retailer across the country, hoping I'd get a different "batch" - but at this point I am tired of replacing tires every 300-600 miles, so hopefully just get a refund.

I'll go back to the Specialized Trigger for a year, and hopefully by then someone will have come up with a lightweight, high tpi, side-knobbies-only gravel tire!

Triggers are a perfectly cromulent tire, but is there something a Gravelking SK doesn't provide for your needs? Angry's issues aside (which I agree are limited to the colored versions), this is a fast rolling, grip when you need it, durable option. The only real complaint I have with mine is the way new ones ping gravel everywhere for the first 50 miles.

[false_Aest]

I'm going to plug the WTB tires.

Both the Exposure 32 and 34s performed wonderfully for the Belgian Waffle Ride.

The Riddler (700x37) tires have been wonderful on rougher stuff from fire roads to double-track to single-track.

Riddlers have a slightly thinner sidewall so there were a few spots that wept during the first few days but after I topped up with Orange Seal they've been perfect.

[FlashUNC]

Challenge is a whole new level of tire masochism.

[HTupolev]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

To be fair, i'm now pretty convinced it's an issue with the colored tires

It wouldn't be a surprise. Most quality tread compounds make use of black rubber additives, especially carbon black. In order to give a tread bright colors, you need to not use those things. This poses obvious problems for the quality of the resulting material, and is why nearly all modern high-performance tires use black tread rubber. (A notable exception is racing tires for the polished wooden surfaces of indoor velodromes. The tread on those is often a very thin layer of latex, to minimize hysteresis. Such tires would get ripped to shreds extremely quickly if used on normal roads.)

[Mzilliox]

i guess im just lucky with challenge.

[merckx]

Originally Posted by Mzilliox

i guess im just lucky with challenge.

Luck is not an attribute one should have to embrace when choosing, or using bicycle tires.

[Mzilliox]

Originally Posted by merckx

Luck is not an attribute one should have to embrace when choosing, or using bicycle tires.

totally agreed, i was liking the tires based on my tiny sample size, but apparently they are to be avoided in the future.