My Conti GP 4 Seasons tires have 3,300 miles on them. A couple weeks ago I noticed this small spot on the rear tire where the outer layer of rubber had come off. It was holding 100 psi fine and I rode it home from work yesterday 15+ miles.

Today I got home from work and found the rear tire completely flat. I found a tiny tiny leak in the tube, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't in the exact spot as this spot on the outside of the tire. I put a patch on the tube and got it all back together and aired up, but I'm not too sure about this. I went ahead and put my old stock Vittoria Zaffiro 700x25c back on for now. Should I not use this GP tire at all anymore?

I'm generally pretty cheap and will ride tires longer than most, but it seems to me a loss of rubber like that might indicate dried out rubber that might start falling apart all over. If the tire is not actually that old, and that rectangle was chopped out by a piece of glass or something, then I think you're OK. But if you've had the tire for a long time (years, 1000s of miles), then I'd think about replacing it.

Tire has been in continuous use for 13.5 months, 3,300 miles. Installed 24 August 2013 (thanks to my parts tracking on Strava ).

Tire is not installed currently, and I put a little Shoe Goo in that area. May try putting it back on tomorrow. I had a cut on those Zaffiro tires once, put some Shoe Goo in it, and never had any trouble with it.

It would make a nice front tire.

yes if you want to have a nice (un)expected flat. Generally, the best tire shold be on the front.

For the Op's tire, I had a 4 Season which was a little worse than that a few years ago, carried a spare tire, and rode it till the threads went, it didn't last too long at that stage.

That looks more like a tread cut from a road hazard than just wear and the cords don't seem to be damaged. I't try Shoe Goo or silicone seal as a patch and get a few more miles out of it. The tread does seem a bit crazed and cracked so I expect the end is near anyway.

It is on the way out so I would start shopping.

Dang... I love the tires but I got them stupid cheap, brand new from a friend. I can't really see spending over $60 each on a new set of these.

I'm sure it was some rock or piece of gravel that did it.

If it was me, I'd move on to a new tire - especially with Winter coming.

IMO winter is the best time to finish off a beat up tire that still has some life. Why expose a new tire to road salts and harsh conditions. Also, the faster wear of winter riding means that you don't drag out the dying process of an older tire.

heh, rarely ever any salt or sand to speak of around here. Winter riding is really no different than any other time of year, aside from the temperature.

Same rules apply. The place for a bat up tire is on the rear so you finish it off faster and can move on. I don't rotate tires as they wear and often end up with an old well worn front tire. It's one of those rare examples of how Murphy's Law can work for me. As soon as I decide that this tire is gone with the next flat it becomes bullet proof and refuses to go, until UV and ozone finally weaken the body enough that it quits.

Plus (I've been told) you want the better tire on the front because that's where you need traction. So generally, buy a pair, wear out the back, move front to back, new tire on the front.

Patch the tube, it might last for a couple more hundred miles however if those hundred are all at once or will take you to a far corner where the tire failure would ruin a ride replace early. I generally run tires until I have cords showing in two spots or they would ruin a long ride if they were to fail. I never rotate, rear tires simply do not last long enough to be worth the effort to rotate a half or nearly half worn tire. Buy tires in sets, replace the rear when due. Upon replacing the rear a second time replace the set and use the front for a trainer tire until it is totally gone. Doing this has given me a stack of trainer tires.

I decided to put the tire back on Friday evening, and then rode my longest ride ever with it on Saturday, 45 miles. And then another 15+ commuting to work this morning. So far so good. I used Sheldon Brown's method of "folding" up a wire-bead tire on the tire I took off (on of my bike's original tires with less than 1500 miles on it) and strapped it on the rack as a spare on my long ride Saturday, just in case. I think I'll be fine without it.

ughhh found the repaired tire flat again just before a ride yesterday. So had to put the old wire bead Vittoria back on again!

Sucks, I'm not ready to stop using these tires.

I kinda like it when bike parts wear out. It gives me a reason to buy new bike parts. Of all the stuff I spend money on, new bike parts make me the happiest.

The flat may have nothing to do with the tire issue. If you want to squeeze more miles out to this tire, glue a plain patch to the inside to reduce the chance of a puncture arising from the thin (or no) tread. Then finish it off on the rear wheel.

Of course, the tire is old so there's limited added life. I only posted the above because you want to get every last mile out of it.

Missing Rubber
Broken cord poking out of tread to the left
Looks like it might have suffered a skid

What would it take for you to accept that a tire has earned retirement?

Yes, the GP 4 Seasons are nice. Yes, they are not cheap.

Time for a new rear tire.

Nope, have never skidded a tire on this bike.

You might check out this: Tyres | ProBikeKit.com I have ordered from them multiple times. Shipping will be a bit slower than from a US net source but
the price is not bad and shipping is free if you buy two or more.

I do it the other way around on the theory that I'd rather change a flat in the warm and dry than the dark and wet....

oh wow PBK has Gatorskin folding tires 700x25 for under $36!