Bicycle Mechanics - Any hope for this tire (tyre)?

It's a Maxxis Overdrive Maxprotect 700x38. As you can see, it sorta "ripped" right along the rim bead. The tube didn't exactly herniate thru this hole, but it has a rip right at that spot. This part is right at the outside edge of the rim. I checked the rim at that point, and it doesn't seem to be damaged, or capable of damaging the tire in this way. I'm quite sure it's not from mounting or dismounting the tire, as I always do that from the left side, and this is the right side of the tire. I wonder if it's a mfg defect.

In any event, is it worth trying to save this tire? The tread can't have more than 250 miles of use on it, probably closer to 100-150 (I don't remember exactly when I mounted these tires. I wonder if I should try putting a patch on the inside of the tire. Maybe just cement a piece of innertube on?

TIA

Whatever you do, for safety, do not mount that tyre on the front rim. I would replace the tyre, because it looks to me as though the sidewall is breaking down just outside the bead. Are you sure you are carrying enough air pressure? Have you hit any potholes or other "road hazards"?

It's gone, Jim...

The treads look relatively new and yet your sidewall's shreaded. If you don't have enough pressure, the rim could've chewed through the side wall.

Sorry Madpogue, that is the end of the road for that tire.

I have suffered the same problem. Luckily, on one occasion the bike shop was good enough to exchange the tire and return the faulty tire to the manufacturer. It may be worthwhile doing this in your case, as there are so few miles on the tire.

Before fiting a replacement, do make sure there is no damage, burr or other problem with the rim that could have caused this damage. Running at low pressure could be a factor, as others suggested - but then one would expect damage to be evenly distributed around the whole tire.

Good luck,

Ed

Are you sure you are carrying enough air pressure? Have you hit any potholes or other "road hazards"? Road hazards? On these streets? Only about daily! They're reconstructing our main artery road, one which requires crossing to get almost anywhere in town, and all the intersections look like Beirut 1983. Combine that with the dust/detritus of the incessant condo construction, the annual spring concrete heavings, and the broken beer bottles of the local frat boys, and... Yeah, I've learned the hard way to keep an eye on the pressure; I had 'em at 75 psi (max recommended).

This could have been going on for some time escaping my notice, because it was on a Bontrager rim (forget the model) which is very "high-walled", that is, the tire sits deeply in the rim (thus making it VERY difficult to pop it off with tire levers). The damage wasn't really visible until I took the tire off the rim.

Who knows, it may have been starting to happen when I bought the tire; that's an extreme close-up photo; it took close examination to find the damage. Bummer is, even though the tire was "new", I bought it at the swap meet back in January, so I have no recourse, except perhaps with Maxxis.

Hey, I got the tire for $5.00. I'm just bummin' that an otherwise good tire is gonna end up as landfill.

Thanks for the replies, fellas.

My first thought was that your brake shoes may need adjustment. It could be that they are making contact with the tire. That can cause damage just like that.