Broctoon

I got a set of those Specialized All Condition Armadillo tires a little over a year ago, for my road bike.

Last month, one of them failed with less than 500 miles on it. I'm not sure what to call how it failed. I've never had this happen before. An area about 1/2" wide by 2" long bulged out. It's like the casing became very weak in that localized spot, allowing the air pressure in the tube to push up a tall blister.

This happened about 45 miles into what was to be a 52 mile ride. I'd been going at moderate speed on good pavement for 30-ish miles, then slowly up a steep climb for several miles, followed by 3-4 miles of very fast downhill coasting--about 45 MPH. I did not encounter any unusual debris, and the tire/tube were not punctured. I was not carrying a heavy load. Right after I finished the fast descent, I heard something rubbing. I never felt the effects of the blistered tire through my butt or hands, but my ears alerted me to it. It was rubbing on the frame every time it came around, specifically on the seat stay bridge, where the rear brake caliper mounts.

Until this happened, I loved the tires. They were very hard to install, but they always gave good performance, and they showed excellent puncture resistance.

I still have the front one, on what is now a spare wheel. I've put new wheels on the bike, with Continental GatorSkin tires.

I hope the tires work out well for you and give long, reliable service.