Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

Use this tire?

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

Use this tire?

Old 09-22-19, 08:45 PM
  #1  
madpogue 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,872
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2350 Post(s)
Liked 1,727 Times in 1,179 Posts
Use this tire?

Posting here because this mostly applies to tires I use on C&V MTBs. I often run across tires where this happens with the sidewall:

It's fine on the inside. Not a result of wear, or abrasion with an errant brake block, or the like. The tire's not dry rotted, or weather checked, no cracks inside or out. Generally still pretty supple. It's just that the sidewall sometimes shows its threads, on the outside only. Couldn't find another thread (no pun intended) with a similar pic. Keep or recycle?
madpogue is offline  
Old 09-22-19, 08:55 PM
  #2  
thook
(rhymes with spook)
 
thook's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Winslow, AR
Posts: 2,795

Bikes: '83 univega gran turismo x2, '85 schwinn super le tour,'89 miyata triple cross, '91 GT tequesta, '90 yokota grizzly peak, '94 GT backwoods, '95'ish scott tampico, '98 bonty privateer, '93 mongoose crossway 625, '98 parkpre ariel, 2k'ish giant fcr3

Mentioned: 26 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 919 Post(s)
Liked 745 Times in 546 Posts
i have some conti speedrides for mostly gravel use that had developed to that state over time. it's not been a problem so far.
thook is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 01:13 AM
  #3  
Lascauxcaveman 
Senior Member
 
Lascauxcaveman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Port Angeles, WA
Posts: 8,016

Bikes: A green one, "Ragleigh," or something.

Mentioned: 194 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1627 Post(s)
Liked 629 Times in 355 Posts
I've had tires that looked sort of like that new. But they weren't very good tires. Just cheepos.
__________________
● 1971 Grandis SL ● 1972 Lambert Grand Prix frankenbike ● 1972 Raleigh Super Course fixie ● 1973 Nishiki Semi-Pro ● 1979 Motobecane Grand Jubile ●1980 Apollo "Legnano" ● 1984 Peugeot Vagabond ● 1985 Shogun Prairie Breaker ● 1986 Merckx Super Corsa ● 1987 Schwinn Tempo ● 1988 Schwinn Voyageur ● 1989 Bottechia Team ADR replica ● 1990 Cannondale ST600 ● 1993 Technium RT600 ● 1996 Kona Lava Dome ●

Lascauxcaveman is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 12:11 PM
  #4  
stardognine
Partially Sane.
 
stardognine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562

Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 643 Times in 468 Posts
I've used one pretty recently like that. It seemed fine for awhile, then the wire bead worked it's way out of the rubber. This resulted in a flat, obviously, but the worst part was, it refused to stay on the rim, so I could walk it into a town. 🙁 That's probably not too likely to happen, for most folks, just oddballs like me. 😁😉
stardognine is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 12:46 PM
  #5  
tricky 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Upper Left, USA
Posts: 1,953
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 634 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times in 298 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
I've used one pretty recently like that. It seemed fine for awhile, then the wire bead worked it's way out of the rubber. This resulted in a flat, obviously, but the worst part was, it refused to stay on the rim, so I could walk it into a town. 🙁 That's probably not too likely to happen, for most folks, just oddballs like me. 😁😉
Originally Posted by madpogue
Posting here because this mostly applies to tires I use on C&V MTBs. I often run across tires where this happens with the sidewall:

It's fine on the inside. Not a result of wear, or abrasion with an errant brake block, or the like. The tire's not dry rotted, or weather checked, no cracks inside or out. Generally still pretty supple. It's just that the sidewall sometimes shows its threads, on the outside only. Couldn't find another thread (no pun intended) with a similar pic. Keep or recycle?
@stardognine makes a good point. Is that bead separating from the tire? It almost looks like it, but it might just be a trick of the light.
tricky is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 01:38 PM
  #6  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4559 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
Yeah, ditto the Conti SpeedRides -- a few Irish pennants along the sidewall near the bead where it contacts the rim hooks. No signs of abrasion or deteriorating. I've ridden those tires for thousands of miles and nearly 3 years, no problems.

But I just discarded a Michelin Krylion Carbon 700x20 from an older aero TT bike because the same area of the sidewall near the bead shows signs of deteriorating. Hadn't yet extended to the inner wall but it's not worth risking.

I inspect my tires at least once a week, often before every ride, to be sure the brake pads haven't slipped and abraded the tire. That's the most common reason for sidewall damage -- pad alignment. Even if the pad hasn't slipped, sometimes I'll see pads that weren't aligned correctly to begin with. Folks will eyeball the pads without clamping them shut against the rim, using a flashlight and reading glasses, etc., to be sure they're getting a good look. It can be tricky with cantilever brakes too.
canklecat is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 01:41 PM
  #7  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,527

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5218 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
oddballs like me


rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 03:24 PM
  #8  
stardognine
Partially Sane.
 
stardognine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562

Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 643 Times in 468 Posts
Originally Posted by rumrunn6


Hey, another oddball. 😁 I wasted a few minutes, wondering if you couldn't just cut off the excess, but didn't actually try it. 🤔😉
stardognine is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 03:49 PM
  #9  
scarlson 
Senior Member
 
scarlson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medford MA
Posts: 2,089

Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem

Mentioned: 80 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 963 Post(s)
Liked 1,447 Times in 721 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
Hey, another oddball. 😁 I wasted a few minutes, wondering if you couldn't just cut off the excess, but didn't actually try it. 🤔😉
I have also had this Schwalbe malfunction, on a nearly new tire. Talked to a Schwalbe rep, who told me to send Schwalbe customer service a photo, which I did and they sent me a new tire and instructed me to dispose of the old one. Nothing like telling me to do something for making me do the opposite, so naturally I tried to cut the wire off and put some gaffer's tape over the hole where it exited and reuse the tire. It lasted about a week before it extruded wire into the tube and caused another flat.
scarlson is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 03:54 PM
  #10  
scarlson 
Senior Member
 
scarlson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medford MA
Posts: 2,089

Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem

Mentioned: 80 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 963 Post(s)
Liked 1,447 Times in 721 Posts
And I always assumed that those diagonal cord marks were caused by me putting down massive power when accelerating or climbing, causing the tires to crinkle like they do on drag racing cars when accelerating from a stop.
scarlson is offline  
Likes For scarlson:
Old 09-23-19, 04:13 PM
  #11  
stardognine
Partially Sane.
 
stardognine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562

Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 643 Times in 468 Posts
Originally Posted by scarlson
And I always assumed that those diagonal cord marks were caused by me putting down massive power when accelerating or climbing, causing the tires to crinkle like they do on drag racing cars when accelerating from a stop.
Ha! You must have some monstrously big legs, if you can do that to a bicycle tire. 😁
stardognine is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 04:17 PM
  #12  
scarlson 
Senior Member
 
scarlson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medford MA
Posts: 2,089

Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem

Mentioned: 80 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 963 Post(s)
Liked 1,447 Times in 721 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
Ha! You must have some monstrously big legs, if you can do that to a bicycle tire. 😁
I'll drop my tandem into the 20t ring and 34t cog and you just watch! I bet we can do a wheelstand!
scarlson is offline  
Likes For scarlson:
Old 09-23-19, 04:44 PM
  #13  
madpogue 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,872
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2350 Post(s)
Liked 1,727 Times in 1,179 Posts
^^^^ That's it; it's all the burnouts I do coming home from work.....
madpogue is offline  
Likes For madpogue:
Old 09-23-19, 06:38 PM
  #14  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,527

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5218 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
Originally Posted by stardognine
wondering if you couldn't just cut off the excess, but didn't actually try it.
I had two flats in the woods so I would have cuz I was out of tubes but I had nothing to cut it with so I wrapped it w a bandaid and electrical tape and got it to stay on the bead and not puncture but instead of trying to ride it I hitch hiked a ride back to my car from s fisherman


Last edited by rumrunn6; 09-24-19 at 07:05 AM.
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 09-23-19, 09:35 PM
  #15  
madpogue 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,872
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2350 Post(s)
Liked 1,727 Times in 1,179 Posts
Bead is okay, nothing is shifting or separating. It's just the section of the sidewall where the lettering is, showing some of the threads. Fah, maybe I'll just mount 'em and ride easy for a while; the bike the tire is going on is going to need a few shakedown rides anyway.
madpogue is offline  
Old 09-25-19, 02:37 PM
  #16  
cannonride15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Hampton Roads
Posts: 143

Bikes: Cannondales: '85 ST400, '86 SR800, '87 SM600

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 55 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Low Pressure?

Jan Heine stated too low pressure will cause sidewall threads to break; just wondering...
cannonride15 is offline  
Old 09-25-19, 03:46 PM
  #17  
ThermionicScott 
working on my sandal tan
 
ThermionicScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625

Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)

Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3868 Post(s)
Liked 2,560 Times in 1,574 Posts
Originally Posted by cannonride15
Jan Heine stated too low pressure will cause sidewall threads to break; just wondering...
I don't see any broken threads. Just the gradual loss of sidewall latex that happens to all tires of this type.
__________________
Originally Posted by chandltp
There's no such thing as too far.. just lack of time
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
RUSA #7498
ThermionicScott is offline  
Old 09-25-19, 07:35 PM
  #18  
sovende
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Western WI (USA)
Posts: 555

Bikes: TNTL (Too numerous to list)

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 184 Post(s)
Liked 147 Times in 115 Posts
I recently had a set of (probably OEM ��) tires on a mid eighties bike (that I kinda like to ride) that we're getting more than a little "threadbare"! The gum wall had long since dried, cracked and basically fell off the side of the tire. The tires held pressure (90 psi) and seemed to be holding up OK. Recently, I was about 15 miles from home when I stopped to take a short break, have a snack and some water. While off the bike, I noticed a couple of "bulges" on both the front and rear tire. With the side wall gone �� I could see the threads of the outer ply were breaking down ��. First thing that I thought was " the wife is going to be PO'd if she has to come and get me (again ��). Second thing was, I'm hoping that the front tire doesn't blow while flying down a hill! I made it home OK but decided that is was time for a new set of tires for my old school favorite. After removing the dying but not yet dead tires, I inspected them closer only to find that I was down to one thread layer and could actually see the top of my finger through the ply! I should have taken a pic but sadly didn't. I will never let a fire get that bad again!!
Sovende
sovende is offline  
Likes For sovende:
Old 09-26-19, 02:53 PM
  #19  
cannonride15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Hampton Roads
Posts: 143

Bikes: Cannondales: '85 ST400, '86 SR800, '87 SM600

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 55 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Broken Threads

Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
I don't see any broken threads. Just the gradual loss of sidewall latex that happens to all tires of this type.
Sorry, to me the picture posted by OP looks like the beginnings of the pictured tire in Heine's article.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2016/...tire-pressure/. I guess we can agree to disagree!
cannonride15 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 03:47 PM
  #20  
mprince
Dont fix whats not broken
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Mooresville, NC
Posts: 302

Bikes: Steelman Stage Race, Dura-Ace 9s

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 95 Post(s)
Liked 166 Times in 93 Posts
I would ride on that tire (especially if period-correct for the bike) but make a point of keeping an eye on it.

I had a Bontrager road tire that had been on my bike since 2009 or so hanging in my garage - looked fine, after my first ride in about 10 years a few weeks ago, noticed when I got home that about 2" of tread was gone from the rear tire. It was a grey strip aside the black center tread that had dried out and crumbled when the tire flexed. Rode it for about another 50 miles until new tires arrived with no issue (the tire was a belted Hardcase model).

On the very first ride with the new tires (Continentals) a tiny piece of gravel I didn't see cut the sidewalk of the front tire. I didn't ride that one out, waited for the replacement to arrive.
mprince is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 03:53 PM
  #21  
ThermionicScott 
working on my sandal tan
 
ThermionicScott's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,625

Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)

Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3868 Post(s)
Liked 2,560 Times in 1,574 Posts
Originally Posted by cannonride15
Sorry, to me the picture posted by OP looks like the beginnings of the pictured tire in Heine's article.
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2016/...tire-pressure/. I guess we can agree to disagree!
I don't want to start an argument, but I'm not sure about "broken threads" in Jan's picture, either. The "loose weave" of the extralight casing is apparent right after they (CX Magazine) mounted up the virgin tire:



CX Magazine noted sidewall leakage from the get-go, so it wasn't going to take much sidewall flexing to open up more spots for sealant to leak out. Especially at the low pressures they were running.


Given the way the fabric is laid up, it's pretty easy to see which paths leaked sealant will take, given the chance.

I expect to see frayed ends flapping in the breeze when threads have truly broken. That's the kind of thing that should concern you and make you consider replacing the tire. Not what we've seen so far in this thread. I've had a handful of skinwall tires lose their sidewall latex and look worse than the OP's picture, but they hung on just fine until they wore out or succumbed to an unrelated injury.

That said, running really low pressures accelerates sidewall wear, so the pattern of the OP's wear indicates he should probably be running a bit more pressure.
__________________
Originally Posted by chandltp
There's no such thing as too far.. just lack of time
Originally Posted by noglider
People in this forum are not typical.
RUSA #7498

Last edited by ThermionicScott; 09-26-19 at 03:57 PM.
ThermionicScott is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 06:24 PM
  #22  
stardognine
Partially Sane.
 
stardognine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562

Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 643 Times in 468 Posts
Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
That said, running really low pressures accelerates sidewall wear, so the pattern of the OP's wear indicates he should probably be running a bit more pressure.
Hmm, I wasn't aware of this, thanks for that info. 🙂 I tend to run low pressured, thinking that gives me a safety margin, from over-inflating. 🤔
stardognine is offline  
Old 10-10-19, 12:48 AM
  #23  
mech986 
Senior Member
 
mech986's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: La Habra, California
Posts: 820

Bikes: Italvega Super Speciales and Superlights

Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 355 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 174 Posts
I've run Compass / Rene Herse Bon Jon Pass Extralights for the past 3.5 years, but I use them with a tube and running on relatively narrow Mavic MA-3 rims. Because I'm 210 pounds, at first I ran them at 55 front/60 rear because I couldn't get myself to run them lower even though many suggested lower would be fine. I trained on my first set for Eroica California 2017 and continued to ride it the following year. I got one flat from a tread cut but still had plenty of tread left. I bought new tires in Feb. 2018 and ran those in Eroica California 2018 with no ill effects. In Summer 2018, I dropped the pressures to 50 front/55 rear with little change in ride or wear. I rode about 1500 miles on them and wore the rears down about 1/2 way, front only about 1/4. I purchased a new tire for the rear Feb. 2019 and kept the same front tire, and ran those on the 75 mile Santa Lucia route for Eroica California 2019 with absolutely no problems. I have used sealant per my LBS suggestion, I think Stan's primarily.

Since Eroica, this year I've dropped the pressures to 45 front and 50 rear. Tire feels a touch softer, my fellow riders think my tire is going flat, and they just keep running. I try hard to avoid hard bumps and lift/glide over rough patches when able. Personally, I've had zero problems with the sidewalls aside from them getting dirty. It was difficult to get them mounted on narrower 700C rims but using thin Stan's plastic tape which is slippery helped the beads to move into place. Once there, they pretty much stay there. As for wear, the front tire is still showing tread, and the rear is doing fine. The 3-4 tires I had used in the past are still good enough to put on other bikes, assuming clearance is ok, which I will do with some builds over the winter.

I get the tubless use that Cyclocross mag was doing. Odd though they never did a follow up after the August 2016 update. Plus there are other Compass / Rene Herse knobby tires for CX use now.
__________________
Italvega and Torpado Enthusiast
mech986 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.