Continental GP4000s - tire defect or just regular flat?
10-25-13, 12:42 PM
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Continental GP4000s - tire defect or just regular flat?
I'd like to know what you think of this. It's a tire with only about 60 miles on it. It's (unfortunately) not the first tire I've had a tear in, but I've never seen the inside of the tire look like this (click to enlarge):
On the outside from the same area of the same tire
Later I noticed the damage was in two spots. One under the cut, and one further away.
Damage away from hole
Damage under hole
Distance between two areas
You can see that there are these separation lines that follow the pattern on the inside of the tire. Is that just from the tire losing pressure from the initial flat, or is that some sort of defect with the tire? I was able to ride home with a new tube installed, but I do so very gingerly.
On the outside from the same area of the same tire
Later I noticed the damage was in two spots. One under the cut, and one further away.
Damage away from hole
Damage under hole
Distance between two areas
You can see that there are these separation lines that follow the pattern on the inside of the tire. Is that just from the tire losing pressure from the initial flat, or is that some sort of defect with the tire? I was able to ride home with a new tube installed, but I do so very gingerly.
Last edited by jkcrowell; 10-29-13 at 07:54 PM.
10-25-13, 01:15 PM
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Have flatted a few times with the GP4000s; but the inner tire hasn't separated as shown in your first picture. Will say that I've had pretty good experience with these tires (I use the 4 season version, the sidewalls are a bit thicker than the normal 4000S). But your first pic leads me to think there is a defect with the tire - the inner surface shouldn't separate like that.
You might try to return the tire - if you're a good LBS customer, the LBS may be receptive to an exchange or discount on a new tire.
You might try to return the tire - if you're a good LBS customer, the LBS may be receptive to an exchange or discount on a new tire.
10-25-13, 01:21 PM
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Looks a bit on the defective side to me.
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10-25-13, 01:40 PM
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Hard to tell from the picture if something sharp slashed the tire all the way through.
10-25-13, 01:56 PM
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There's no way to tell in your individual situation, at least from afar like we are. Having said that, I'm amazed that Continental hasn't gotten more flak about its quality issues of late. They still make good tires, but I can't understand why they have these sidewall separation issues that seem to be occurring rampantly before the tread life of the tire is exhausted. That just flat out shouldn't happen on a bike tire because, unlike a car tire where you can have improper caster alignment and other issues that will cause improper wear, that can't really happen on a bike.
10-25-13, 02:10 PM
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It wasn't on the side wall in this case, but right in the meat of the tread. Also, if it were just something sharp causing this, I wouldn't expect those 5 parallel slash lines. It's only the deepest of those slashes that shows through on the outside, so I'd think if they originated on the outside, you'd see evidence on the outside as well.
Oddly enough, I did just have to throw away another GP4000s last week, which is why this one only had 60 miles on it. That last tire did have a cut in the sidewall. However, it was pretty close to the end of it's life judging by the wear indicators, so I thought nothing of it.
Oddly enough, I did just have to throw away another GP4000s last week, which is why this one only had 60 miles on it. That last tire did have a cut in the sidewall. However, it was pretty close to the end of it's life judging by the wear indicators, so I thought nothing of it.
10-25-13, 02:17 PM
#7
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It's really difficult to tell; but, it looks like the failure was from the inside to out. Those additional failures of the inside of the carcass, kind of support this theory.
Defective, and should be replaced no charge.
Defective, and should be replaced no charge.
10-25-13, 02:30 PM
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I am with the DEFECT group too. I have never had a tyre look like that, if I did I would take it back to the bike shop.
10-25-13, 02:43 PM
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that's a casing defect. good fortune in getting it replaced. schwalbe had a recall on some of their ultremos from a few years ago for a similar batch casing defect. they replaced every one.
10-25-13, 03:10 PM
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Cut from the outside lead to the case separation on the inside. If the outside cut never occurred the inside separation wouldn't have occurred.
NOT a defect...just bad luck.
NOT a defect...just bad luck.
10-25-13, 05:49 PM
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Looks like multiple separations on the inside.
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10-25-13, 06:33 PM
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Looks like a manufacturers defect with the equal and distanced spaced angled striations in your picture. I will say this.............I have been running mine for a few months now and they are wonderful and I know I am jinxing myself right now........BUT no flat what so ever!
10-25-13, 06:40 PM
#13
Portland Fred
However, the cut on the outside is serious. If it's the result of hitting something, that tire would have been toast anyway
10-25-13, 07:03 PM
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I say defect.
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10-25-13, 07:49 PM
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10-25-13, 08:57 PM
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+1 regular flat, just put a boot in, epoxy the hole
10-26-13, 08:13 AM
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You're kidding.... right??
Take the tire back to your LBS and see what they can do. Maybe the Conti rep will give him a credit for the defect. Otherwise move on and get rid of the tire. Forget repairing it. That tire does not belong on any bike in that condition.
Take the tire back to your LBS and see what they can do. Maybe the Conti rep will give him a credit for the defect. Otherwise move on and get rid of the tire. Forget repairing it. That tire does not belong on any bike in that condition.
10-26-13, 08:32 AM
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Yeah there is no way I would ride on that being repaired. I had a friend with a smaller hole than that that could never be fixed.
10-26-13, 08:37 AM
#19
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I vote for defect.
I had a GP4000s come apart in the clincher seam within 6 miles. I sent the tire back (ebay online seller/bike store).. only cost me shipping but they sent me a new one. They earned a repeat customer that day.
I had a GP4000s come apart in the clincher seam within 6 miles. I sent the tire back (ebay online seller/bike store).. only cost me shipping but they sent me a new one. They earned a repeat customer that day.
10-26-13, 10:19 AM
#20
Professional Fuss-Budget
I had a similar issue with a GP4000s. I think they produced a bad batch recently.
10-26-13, 01:12 PM
#21
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Appears to be a defect from the pic. I've been running the same tire for years and have never seen this. I have seen it on another manufacturer on their lower level tires. It resulted in a huge bulge and was able to limp back in.
10-26-13, 03:26 PM
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OP, did the object in the 2nd picture that punctured the tire occur in the same place where the tire is separating? It looks to me like broken cords since you can see the end to the threads.
10-28-13, 03:36 PM
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I can't claim to fully understand how a tire is put together, so I'm trying to understand this.
A puncture, on a single spot of the outside of the tire, can cause multiple slits to arise in the inside of the tire, several of which are many inches away from the sole puncture, because the cut threads have caused the casing to unwind?
There is actually an additional section in this tire, probably 6 inches away from the first area, which you can again see these separations, maybe 5 more. But if there's one thread that was supposed to hold that whole thing together, and that got cut, then I suppose that might happen. I'm not debating the truth in what you stated, I'm just trying to understand fully the mechanics of it.
A puncture, on a single spot of the outside of the tire, can cause multiple slits to arise in the inside of the tire, several of which are many inches away from the sole puncture, because the cut threads have caused the casing to unwind?
There is actually an additional section in this tire, probably 6 inches away from the first area, which you can again see these separations, maybe 5 more. But if there's one thread that was supposed to hold that whole thing together, and that got cut, then I suppose that might happen. I'm not debating the truth in what you stated, I'm just trying to understand fully the mechanics of it.
