LOL, I always so enjoy these threads. I've had one sidewall blowout on a new one of these years ago when they were certainly having an issue with a batch of them. But the reality for me is I run these more than any other tire on my many bikes. I probably easily have over 30,000 miles on them over the years with only the one blow out. Maybe 3 or 4 flats over that time too. I really don't give using these a second thought. Oh and I routinely do descents on them in the 45-55 mph range, no worries.
I even flat spotted the rear on one a couple of years ago when I locked up the back for a second avoiding an idiot camper that did a U-turn in front of me on a country road. Got home 20+ miles after the event to find I had worn clear through to the white casing when I locked up the brake. yet the tire held up just fine, no flat or blowout of any kind.
Obviously it does happen sometimes but it's not something I see any value in worrying about.
Oh and I ride really crappy chipseal roads all the time so it's not like I'm babying them on smooth pavement only. I don't even know what it's like to ride on smooth pavement, LOL!
Of course I've never considered them a gravel tire, they are road racing clinchers. If you ride them in gravel and they fail then that's user error to me, not a problem with the tire.
