Architecture

Special ordered some Durano Plus folding tires from my LBS. Got them home, seated them on the rims, and...



Too risky to ride? Should I get them to order me a new one?

hueyhoolihan

IMO, if the tire is holding air, it's ride-able. OTOH, i wouldn't start out on a multiday tour with that tire.

Nermal

I wouldn't want to bomb a hill at 30+ mph. In fact, I'm not sure I would want to ride it around the block.

FBinNY 

If this was a new tire delivered in that condition, then you should return it. OTOH if this is a gouge that you put into it, it's a different story.

I don't think the tire is seriously damaged, and would probably be OK with it. The key is whether any of the cords were damaged, or simply the rubber cover. It's the cords that provide the structure, so if they're uncut then you're good. The rubber protects the cords, and you might consider something like silicone caulk to fill the gouge.

Ultimately the deciding factor is whether the inflated tire has a lump or twist in that area indicating that the cords are fraying apart, at which point the tire is toast.

CliffordK

The tire looks like it is probably just fine. As others have mentioned, it appears to just be in the rubber, and the real strength in the side walls lies in the cords. Of course the rubber does protect the cords some.

How many miles do you expect to put on the tires in a year? Tires per year? Years per tire?

If you're expecting to wear it out in a year, then the cords won't have time to rot. 5 - 10 years, and you may need all the extra protection you can get.

I'd probably just put it on the back and ignore it. Maybe talk to the store about getting a discount for a spare. Then don't rotate tires, just grind that one down and rotate when you replace it. I would be a little frustrated with a brand new $60 tire with a defect, but I don't look at my tires with a magnifying glass either.

Any idea of the cause? Was the defect near an inward or outward fold?

Stucky

Probably O-K to ride for now...but it's definitely going to affect durability. I'd send it back. If you have to keep it, put something like a self-adhesive Park Tools tire boot on the inside side of it.....that'll keep it from blowing out as it wears; should lengthen the tire's life; and will offer some protection from the tire coming apart/getting punctured in that spot.

bigredkevbot

I have a tire with literlaly strips of rubber hanging off of it. It still holds air (120+ PSI) and I've ridden at least 300 miles on it. It depends on how much you trust that tire. Mine took me more than 1000 mile before the gouge.

EDIT: New Tire? return it asap. That's could be a problem as few as a few bad patches of broken glass away. Have them refund or replace.

Little Darwin

I don't know what that L is supposed to look like, but at the top corner, it looks like the letter was applied to the tire after the damage. Therefore, if you just bought the tire retail, I would ask for a replacement. They will probably get reimbursed by the manufacturer or distributor, so you aren't putting them in a bind, and manufacturers expect some returns for issues they didn't catch in manufacturing.

Architecture

The tire is brand new, came out of the box that way. Unsure what caused the damage, But it was probably a manufacturing error. Haven't ridden it, as you can see the flashing still on the center bead. I didn't notice the gouge until I'd seated the tire, but I did it all by hand with no levers--just palms.

I called the shop last night and texted one of my shop buddies an image of the tire, so they're at least aware of the defect. I was planning to ride it today (as the weather's finally breaking) and just roll by and ask them to order a replacement. I figure it'll be fine until the new tire comes in as the store will have to place another order through QBP (they don't regularly stock high-end folding tires from Schwalbe).

As far as mileage goes, my guess would be 4,000+ by year's end, perhaps twice that if I go whole hog during the season. I don't race, but I ride a lot of longer distances on country roads--which in Texas means rough chipseal. For as expensive as these tires were, I feel like I am deserving of a product in near-flawless condition. Especially since I could've saved around $40 had I ordered them online.

dynaryder

I'd return it,but if you decide to keep it,def put it on the rear.

jon c. 

I would definitely return it. It might be functional, but it would bother me too much to use it.

CliffordK

Well, see what your shop says.

I assume you still have the old tires, but being without a tire for a couple of weeks could be a problem.

I still doubt that it will ever be a problem, and if you grind through it in less than a year, you should be just fine. No dry rot... really nothing will happen (unless the rubber in the tire is bad which is remotely possible, but I find dubious).

However, I agree that one should expect better quality when paying top of the line prices.

Do not use a Park Boot. It isn't necessary (and are only rated for emergency use).

I put a Schwalbe Marathon on the rear of my bike, and managed to get a flat in the first 50 miles (humongous piece of glass, relatively speaking, side of the tread). I rode it for a while without a boot, but decided to try a Park Boot when I got a couple. It started bumping with every tire revolution. So, I cut the boot in half, and put it back in. It rolls fine now, but I do wonder if the sharp edges on the boot will stress the tube (or tire). I now have a few hundred miles with the boot and it is still ok.

Anyway, somebody suggested maybe a Radial Tire Patch with feathered edges for a permanent boot.

Anyway, it is up to you. I'd probably ride it (but the tire would have been either mail-order or E-Bay). Hopefully, you, the shop, and Schwalbe can come up with a good solution.

Stucky

I had a tire blow-out on me when I first started riding; and I didn't have a boot or a spare tire- so I had to make it work for a week or so until I could get a new tire from Amazon- so I glued a tube patch on the inside; and filled the outside of the gash with silicone caulk....and rode it another 400 miles- and it was still fine- but at that point, I had the new tire, so just decided to put it on, so I wouldn't have to deal with it if it decided to give me trouble miles from home in the middle of nowhere. But I really wanted to ride it, to see just how many miles I could get out of it!

Nightshade

"If in doubt throw it out" I say. Safest way to keep safe with anything.

Doug5150

The tire is ruined and should be returned.
Preferably all the way to the manufacturer, since the overprinting indicates that it got out of the factory that way.

You might contact the manufacturer by email as they may prefer you to mail it back to them directly. There is a lower chance of it getting lost in transit if it gets sent back to them in one step.

FBinNY 

This is unnecessary, and probably more expensive than the simpler solution of returning it to the point of purchase, especially if was a dealer vs. on-line purchase.

In any case, while I believe the tire is probably fine, the Op is entitled to a "perfect" tire, rather than a blemished one. He can seek a replacement or refund. If bought online, the seller might offer a $$$ concession reflecting the round trip costs of a return and replacement (I used this tool many times to mutual advantage with clients). If th concession is decent, the OP should take it, unless he's OCD and wants a tire that looks perfect.

Doug5150

Returning it to the manufacturer is more hassle, but it depends on how helpful you want to be to the tire manufacturer.
They may be willing to send you the prepaid shipping label, and they will be willing to give you at least one good tire in exchange. Maybe two, for your troubles.

It looks to me like the casing threads are exposed, and that alone means that it is a ruined tire.
Any time you have exposed threads or cracks that penetrate down to the casing threads, the tire is done. It can't be fixed enough to be safe to use..... outdoors.

The issue is that the threads flex as the tire rolls, and road dust works into the threads and abrades them internally until they fail.

It is true that there are such things as "skinwall tires", and that there is such a product named "Tire Saver" that is advertised as being intended to cosmetically repair cracked bicycle tire sidewalls.... but both of these items were only originally intended for indoor velodrome tires--where road dust would never be an issue.

FBinNY 

Exposed alone means nothing of the sort. As any long time user of tubular tires can tell you, exposed cords mean nothing except that weather may get to them eventually. But eventually is a long time, and tires usually wear out or suffer a catastrophic cut before that happens. In any case, it's easy enough to weather seal the exposed area by any number of means.

As for doing the manufacturer a favor, maybe but it's the long way around. Manufactures have quality control protocols in place, but know that 100% inspection of finished goods is cost prohibitive, and so expect a certain number of defective items to slip by. Plus there's a decent chance that the damage could have occurred in transit, or from the way the bale was tied for export. The manufacturer depends on the reseller to spot the defect before selling it, or as in this case the client to return it through channels.

We live in the real world where stuff happens, and it doesn't make any sense to blow every little thing way out of proportion.

CliffordK

The OP has said that the expected lifetime of the tire (on the rear) is about a year. It will be in the trash long before any significant deterioration of the cords. But, sealing them might not be a bad idea, but probably not necessary.

Are these made in China/Taiwan?
I suppose any manufacture can have QC problems on occasion. However, perhaps one should remind companies that flaws like this aren't acceptable if they expect to sell top fo the line merchandise.

fietsbob

Why are you Posting here and not talking instead to the LBS, First ?




Industry Flow chart = Retail> distributor> Importer > manufacturer .

Doug5150

It's not wise.
I would be willing to wager that no tire company (of any kind!) would tell you to keep using any tire that has casing threads exposed.

The entire issue of "skinwall" bicycle tires is a confused matter.... many references state that "skinwalls have little or no rubber applied to the sidewall exteriors". And apparently some were made with no external rubber added, but finding them is difficult since lots of coated tires claim to be 'skinwalls'.

Finding any example of a bicycle tire that has no rubber applied to the sidewall exteriors has proved to be a challenge it seems. The way that the rubber sheet is made, you will always see -some- rubber there, even if no external layers had been applied. The main indicator that you bought real skinwalls seems to be people who get on bicycling forums and complain that "the sidewalls are fuzzy after only a few months of light riding", which sounds about like what I'd expect.

rumrunn6

new out of the box? take it off and return it. whether you can ride it or not is irrelevant

FBinNY 

This is just another thread with a difference of opinion. The OP and anyone with a similar problem will have to decide for himself, based on the specifics of his tire, and weighing the various opinions offered here. In doing that he can consider the number of opinions, how they're explained, and the credibility of those posting.

In deciding, one should consider the likelihood of failure, the amount of warning one might expect, and the likely consequences of a failure. In some cases where something is dicey, one might decide to use it with restrictions such as frequent inspection for changes or, for a tire, restrict it to the rear wheel and around town riding.

There's no point posting more since it would boil down to "I'm right, you're wrong" because there's nothing more to say.

Doug5150

Or one could email a photo of the damaged tire to the manufacturer, and ask their opinion--since they would presumably be the technical authority on the matter.

If bad tires are getting out the factory door, any reputable tire company would want to know ASAP. And they'd much rather have you exchange it for a good one rather than try to use it.

CliffordK

Yes & No.
The biggest complaint with much of the Chinese merchandise hitting the market is there is no quality control. It looks good on the shelf, but lasts for a very short time (to be replaced again and again). No doubt some manufactures have concepts such as an acceptable return rate.

Other manufactures have planned obsolescence. It is not good for business to have tools passed down through generation from grandfather to father to son.

With a high wear item, the goal is for it to wear out before any manufacture defects are noticed.

Of course, this could be indicative of a process flaw, in which case, an entire batch of thousands of defective tires might have made it out the door. Or, it could be the one in a million defect.