Is this Schwalbe tire worn out? or is it my corroded spokes? Not for faint-hearted!😁
 

Here is my schwalbe - it has a blue thin line showing. I was getting a noise while riding with each tire rotation. It is a 20" Dahon folder that I ride 15 miles every day in all weather. The noise might really be the spokes - they had some surface salt air corrosion on them - I have now cleaned and treated with light oil. Here are photos of this tire and the rim.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dc2dc8103.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...61676e932.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9752dd8b0.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...148c5772a.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d797e2bc7.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...083043515.jpeg

I see age, but not a problem with either.

Of course, I'm biased my the fact that I'm not in pristine condition myself.

I believe that the little blue lines running cross the tire tread cap is the puncture resistant liner just starting to show through the work rubber tread. In my world this tire is just at the worn out point. Replace soon, but likely to be a problem in the immediate future. This type of wear generally doesn't produce a noise, till the tube herniates out a casing hole...

Now spokes can and do make noises sometimes. Generally a clicking type. Sometimes at their crossings, other times at the nipples. Now that you have done some work on them this cause of noise might be different. Is it? Andy

haha - I hear you!

Thanks for the information - i will let you know about the spokes after tomorrow mornings ride - the rain has now come to NYC - so I will likely wait till then. The opinions are great to hear! Cheers

How did you wear the sides before the center tread?

Underinflation.

Most folks never check their tyre pressure, bike, ebike, car, van, basketball,...

If that were a auto tire I would say that it shows classic signs of underinflation. Never knew that a bike tire would show that much less ever seen that.

Do you need a new tire.... yes, you need a new tire, but you don't have to put it on until this tire gives up the ghost entirely by coming apart or goes flat more often than you wish to fix the flat. But have the new tire in stock so you don't miss out on any good days of riding. Tube too if you don't have one already as a spare unless that is tubeless.

Corroded spokes don't bother me either. But if they are making noises just rolling along, then you might need to have the wheels looked at and their spokes adjusted. The bike shop here will check them for very little cost. But it helps if you take the wheels off of the bike before showing up at the shop with them. That time saved of you removing them from the bike sometimes might be the difference of them looking at them right now or telling you a day or two.

Ebikes are more prone to underinflation simply because the ebike driver (I didn't say cyclist) never notices a difference.

This is why most vehicle drivers rarely check air pressure. It doesn't put them out of breath.

Oh yes, I have seen ebikes out there where I can tell they only have about 10-15 psi in the tyres.

A cyclist that regularly does 15 miles daily would notice almost immediately that the tyres feel wrong as they are pedalling more watts.

This isn't some trip to the corner store half mile away. If I knew I was going to do 15 miles of pedalling, for sure I would top up my tyres. I always do.

It sounds like OP does a significant daily commute on this bike so I would agree that they should have it tuned up at a shop at this point.

Re: what Iride01 said above I hope we mean taking the wheels off, it sounded like a suggestion to remove the spokes from the wheels which I would not recommend

I noticed that and corrected it so it's more understandable.... I hope!

This may be true, though car tires don't lose more than about 1 PSI per month as opposed to road bike tires that can lose 10 PSI in a week. It mostly has to do with volume.

I agree that a vastly larger volume, than typical bike tires have, will mean that the natural pressure loss will be less noticed. However, I have attributed natural loss much more due to higher pressures (2 to 5 times more than most cats need) and thinner amounts of rubber between the pressured air and the outside air. Andy

OP must corner a lot and fast

if you depend on that for a commute, just be done with it and get new tires :)

We're getting closer, but not home yet.

Loss of air pressure is proportional to but not the same as air volume loss.

Differences in the pressure loss rate depends on 3 main factors.

The initial pressure, the volume to surface ratio, and the permeability (thickness and properties) of the tire or tube.

Bikes lose air faster because all 3 are against us compared to cars. However, the rate will slow as the pressure drops.

I keep the tires at 60 psi - honestly, the whole wheel is a bit off center - so I better get that resolved - I think that is causing this cornering wear. I have been using only the front break. Haha

I did change the tire - and it feels great now and both it and the spokes are very quiet.

I better take the time to align the wheel. Thanks for the smart feedback!

I check my tires regularly but with my Schwalbe Super Moto-Xs 650bx2.4 I am probably pumping once a month and not because I am letting them run deflated but they lose very little PSI with pretty standard inner tubes and I have a separate Topeak gauge and one on the pump. Thicker sidewalls and treads tend to lead to less air being able to escape. I am usually at 40-45psi as Hank Hill would say "firm with just a little give"

I do notice as well but sometimes I get paranoid because of my suspension fork feeling so plush, which I also keep properly inflated and check more often than I need to maybe.

Not saying I disagree there are plenty of people who run with low pressure e-bike or not car or not.

With bike tires and a standard tubed setup, I doubt the thickness or tire sidewalls and treads have anything to do with the rate of air loss. Tires are more porous than tubes. In this case, the rate of loss has most to do with tire volume and amount of initial pressure. In your example above, once a month is sufficient unless you run latex or ultra-light butyl tubes which lose air more quickly.

FWIW, I run thorn resistant tubes in my mountain bikes and it takes a few months for the pressure to drop to where I have to re-inflate.

I've used regular marathons for ages on my commuter bikes and both these photos show significant tread wear. Heck I have some old 26x1.5 marathons with about 10,000 kms on them and look new compared to the wear on this tire.

The second photo with the wacky wavey wear is very significant, I've never seen that before, and as suggested, could be from chronic under inflation.

Pretty tough tires to still be in one piece though.
Idea--i wonder if being 20inch tires the added rotational speed was a factor?

I really do try keep the tires at 60 psi - most of the time - what do you recommend? I have a hand pump and an 18v Ryobi. Keep in mind - there are many years and many miles on these 20" tires. Thanks for the info.

glad you changed tires, not worth it on a commuting bike to have to deal with a tire issue. You definitely got your monies worth out of that tire.
I guess if you kept an eye on pressures then thats not it, but only you know if you rode them under inflated. If not, then they've just lived a good long life and have cried Uncle.

I weigh over 220lbs and it is only a 20" wheel - undoublty on some days I road it with under inflated tires. Any advice on the best tire pressure to use? Since I live in NYC - I need it to be a 20" folding bike for a few reasons - but I would love a full size bike. 😁

sorry, not only do I have no experience with smaller tires, I am going on close to a 100lbs lighter than you, so not the right person to ask.
Marathons in general are pretty tough tires, perfect for commuting and such.
There are lots of flavours, yours are probably the regular version, as I now see that the stuff showing is the green stuff. Its teh Plus versions that have the blue anti flat protection layer.

Thanks - the photos are hard to tell but it is very blue in person. At 2+ years and roughly 11,000 miles I am not complaining. Cheers