What Could Cause These Slices In My Front Tire
03-20-22, 04:38 PM
#1
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What Could Cause These Slices In My Front Tire
I bought a bike with a rim that wasn't great and the vendor sent me a warranty replacement rim with a tire included 3 mo ago. The tire now has these crazy slice marks in it. I live in Miami and bike is stored outside on a porch around 75-80 degrees. Any idea what could cause this? I ordered a new tire but would like to avoid this in the future. Maybe they are just cheap AF. Please excuse my filthy tires. I spilled coffee while biking this am lol.
03-20-22, 04:55 PM
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where i live there are screws, nails, glass, branches, rocks, bolts, rusty razor blades, broken tools, plastic, car parts from accidents, pot holes, metal bits, and other crap. maybe one of those?
looks like blood to me, maybe you were in a knife fight and just forgot about it?
looks like blood to me, maybe you were in a knife fight and just forgot about it?
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03-20-22, 05:01 PM
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Dry rotted?
Is your bike stored in the sun or near a dryer vent?
Best not to ride until your tires are replaced.
Is your bike stored in the sun or near a dryer vent?
Best not to ride until your tires are replaced.
03-20-22, 05:26 PM
#4
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where i live there are screws, nails, glass, branches, rocks, bolts, rusty razor blades, broken tools, plastic, car parts from accidents, pot holes, metal bits, and other crap. maybe one of those?
looks like blood to me, maybe you were in a knife fight and just forgot about it?
looks like blood to me, maybe you were in a knife fight and just forgot about it?
Lol def just coffee this time. I ride in the street or on clear bike paths and am pretty observant of what I'm riding over. Puzzled
03-20-22, 05:28 PM
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03-20-22, 05:36 PM
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The age of the tires and the exposure to weather is what's causing the tire casing to split. Looks like the tires are old worn out and need to be replaced
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03-20-22, 10:00 PM
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Well, it’s obviously a raccoon problem. Raccoons armed with sharp knives, apparently.
I’d say you definitely got your monies worth out of that tire. I’m guessing the other one is in similar condition. Mount yourself a spiffy new set and keep on rolling. Try not to piss off the wildlife.
I’d say you definitely got your monies worth out of that tire. I’m guessing the other one is in similar condition. Mount yourself a spiffy new set and keep on rolling. Try not to piss off the wildlife.
03-21-22, 12:21 AM
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03-21-22, 12:23 AM
#9
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Well, it’s obviously a raccoon problem. Raccoons armed with sharp knives, apparently.
I’d say you definitely got your monies worth out of that tire. I’m guessing the other one is in similar condition. Mount yourself a spiffy new set and keep on rolling. Try not to piss off the wildlife.
I’d say you definitely got your monies worth out of that tire. I’m guessing the other one is in similar condition. Mount yourself a spiffy new set and keep on rolling. Try not to piss off the wildlife.
03-21-22, 05:17 AM
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The sidewall cuts look like they were done by a sharp object that you may have kicked up. The issue with the treads appears to be more of a manufacturing defect if the tires are only 3 months old. Sharp objects aren't likely to leave long cuts like that.
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03-21-22, 05:34 AM
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The second picture looks like a tire molding issue. Notice the top radius of the 590 Kpa doesn't match above & below the "slash". If it was a cut the radius of the 9 & 0 would match above & below with a gap between and they don't. All the sidewall slashes "appear to be" raised rather than depressed indicating mold marks.
The ones in the tread look to be age cracks. While the tire may be "new" to you, it's unknown how long the vendor had it and what conditions it was stored.
The ones in the tread look to be age cracks. While the tire may be "new" to you, it's unknown how long the vendor had it and what conditions it was stored.
Last edited by dedhed; 03-21-22 at 05:39 AM.
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03-21-22, 06:29 AM
#12
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A bike wheel can flex laterally quite a bit when ridden. Short and random sidewall cuts could be caused by something on the fork or front fender that's sporadically coming into contact with the tire when the wheel flexes.
Make sure there's nothing sharp on the fork or the front fender / fender mount, and there's good amount of clearance between the tires and the fork or front fender the new tire might suffer the same fate. Ideally, you should have at least 1 cm clearance between the tire and the fork or front fender.
It's also possible they are "age cracks". Did the tires smelled that strong new rubber smell that filled the room when you first received the tire? If the tire did not have strong rubber odor when you first had it, it's possible it's already old when given to you.
Make sure there's nothing sharp on the fork or the front fender / fender mount, and there's good amount of clearance between the tires and the fork or front fender the new tire might suffer the same fate. Ideally, you should have at least 1 cm clearance between the tire and the fork or front fender.
It's also possible they are "age cracks". Did the tires smelled that strong new rubber smell that filled the room when you first received the tire? If the tire did not have strong rubber odor when you first had it, it's possible it's already old when given to you.
Last edited by qwaalodge; 03-21-22 at 06:34 AM.
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03-21-22, 07:29 AM
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The ones in pictures 2 and 3 puzzle me, because they're not circumferential. I'd guess somebody has been walking by your bike with something sharp, dragging it against the parked tire. And more than once, which leads me to believe it may have been deliberate. Besides which, I can't figure out how a shopping cart or wagon is going to have something that sharp sticking out of it.
I agree with age for the cracks on the tread. It makes me wonder if your shop pulled some wheels with tires off an old bike in the back and called it "warranty."
I agree with age for the cracks on the tread. It makes me wonder if your shop pulled some wheels with tires off an old bike in the back and called it "warranty."
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03-21-22, 08:28 AM
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Maybe you just got a crappy set of tires. The only time I have seen cracks on a relatively new tire (far older than 3 mo) is when they were ridden with too little air pressure so that the tire flexes too much. The first place this shows up is in the sidewall.
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03-21-22, 09:42 AM
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These don’t look like random cuts nor like road damage nor, for that matter, like weather checking. They are too regular and you have parallel “cuts” on both sides of the tire. Weather checking and random cuts would be more, well, random. Weather checking would also look less regular. Do you have fenders on the bike that could be rubbing? That’s a whole lot of rubbing but seems more likely than other types of damage. You can see the groove skips up over the top tread in places like the object cutting the tire is bouncing on the tire.
It could also be moulding issues on the tread.
This “cut” looks like it was a manufacturing problem rather than damage. The red arrow points to a flaw over the “9” and “0”. The extra printing over the numbers doesn’t match up with the font of the numbers. If the tire were sliced, the little eyebrow over the”9” and “0” are too large to be the result of a slice. The eyebrow over the 9 is particularly wide.
(Green arrow) Have you been taking bike tours of crime scenes? Or did someone try to steal your bike and you “dealt” with them? Is there a mound in your back yard that holds a dark secret?
It could also be moulding issues on the tread.
This “cut” looks like it was a manufacturing problem rather than damage. The red arrow points to a flaw over the “9” and “0”. The extra printing over the numbers doesn’t match up with the font of the numbers. If the tire were sliced, the little eyebrow over the”9” and “0” are too large to be the result of a slice. The eyebrow over the 9 is particularly wide.
(Green arrow) Have you been taking bike tours of crime scenes? Or did someone try to steal your bike and you “dealt” with them? Is there a mound in your back yard that holds a dark secret?
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03-21-22, 01:32 PM
#16
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This is on a hybrid of some type? I agree the tires look pretty worn - the corners are OK but the center tread looks like it's got a couple thousand miles on it. Is the wheel true (no side/side wobble?) I'd make sure nothing is obviously rubbing and then replace one with a new tire. Tires are wear items, although I understand nobody wants to change them too often. Otherwise, I like the raccoon theory. That's why they have masks -- so it's harder to identify them if they get caught.
03-21-22, 01:46 PM
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If there is that much tire tread wear after 3 months and ~270miles, the tires are problematic. Tire upgrade is in order. Bazillions of options, choice based on your priorities. Durability, comfort, tread preference, price, etc.
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03-21-22, 01:56 PM
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That definitely seems like a lot of wear for that little time. Odd stuff happens though. I got a tire that was new and put it through 5-800 km on the trainer, but first ride out on the road (actually an MUP), I didn't see any glass or anything but it came back with enough cuts on the sidewall and threads up top that I had to retire it. All after 1 ride of 20 km outside (and at most 800 km on rollers indoors). That was a Continental GP5000S tire, so it can happen to any level of tire.
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03-21-22, 02:01 PM
#19
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The second picture looks like a tire molding issue. Notice the top radius of the 590 Kpa doesn't match above & below the "slash". If it was a cut the radius of the 9 & 0 would match above & below with a gap between and they don't. All the sidewall slashes "appear to be" raised rather than depressed indicating mold marks.
The ones in the tread look to be age cracks. While the tire may be "new" to you, it's unknown how long the vendor had it and what conditions it was stored.
The ones in the tread look to be age cracks. While the tire may be "new" to you, it's unknown how long the vendor had it and what conditions it was stored.
That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the detailed analyzation
03-21-22, 02:04 PM
#20
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Yeah I could just be a crappy tire. I keep that pressure up pretty high and fill it regularly.
03-21-22, 02:04 PM
#21
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A bike wheel can flex laterally quite a bit when ridden. Short and random sidewall cuts could be caused by something on the fork or front fender that's sporadically coming into contact with the tire when the wheel flexes.
Make sure there's nothing sharp on the fork or the front fender / fender mount, and there's good amount of clearance between the tires and the fork or front fender the new tire might suffer the same fate. Ideally, you should have at least 1 cm clearance between the tire and the fork or front fender.
It's also possible they are "age cracks". Did the tires smelled that strong new rubber smell that filled the room when you first received the tire? If the tire did not have strong rubber odor when you first had it, it's possible it's already old when given to you.
Make sure there's nothing sharp on the fork or the front fender / fender mount, and there's good amount of clearance between the tires and the fork or front fender the new tire might suffer the same fate. Ideally, you should have at least 1 cm clearance between the tire and the fork or front fender.
It's also possible they are "age cracks". Did the tires smelled that strong new rubber smell that filled the room when you first received the tire? If the tire did not have strong rubber odor when you first had it, it's possible it's already old when given to you.
Thanks I'm going to check everything over
03-21-22, 02:08 PM
#22
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These don’t look like random cuts nor like road damage nor, for that matter, like weather checking. They are too regular and you have parallel “cuts” on both sides of the tire. Weather checking and random cuts would be more, well, random. Weather checking would also look less regular. Do you have fenders on the bike that could be rubbing? That’s a whole lot of rubbing but seems more likely than other types of damage. You can see the groove skips up over the top tread in places like the object cutting the tire is bouncing on the tire.
It could also be moulding issues on the tread.
This “cut” looks like it was a manufacturing problem rather than damage. The red arrow points to a flaw over the “9” and “0”. The extra printing over the numbers doesn’t match up with the font of the numbers. If the tire were sliced, the little eyebrow over the”9” and “0” are too large to be the result of a slice. The eyebrow over the 9 is particularly wide.
(Green arrow) Have you been taking bike tours of crime scenes? Or did someone try to steal your bike and you “dealt” with them? Is there a mound in your back yard that holds a dark secret?
It could also be moulding issues on the tread.
This “cut” looks like it was a manufacturing problem rather than damage. The red arrow points to a flaw over the “9” and “0”. The extra printing over the numbers doesn’t match up with the font of the numbers. If the tire were sliced, the little eyebrow over the”9” and “0” are too large to be the result of a slice. The eyebrow over the 9 is particularly wide.
(Green arrow) Have you been taking bike tours of crime scenes? Or did someone try to steal your bike and you “dealt” with them? Is there a mound in your back yard that holds a dark secret?
Wow great investigative skills. The Green arrow points to coffee drips that flew out of my cup because the coffee lid on my cup in my bike basket became unsecured. You are the second person to call crime scene though LOL
03-21-22, 02:10 PM
#23
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This is on a hybrid of some type? I agree the tires look pretty worn - the corners are OK but the center tread looks like it's got a couple thousand miles on it. Is the wheel true (no side/side wobble?) I'd make sure nothing is obviously rubbing and then replace one with a new tire. Tires are wear items, although I understand nobody wants to change them too often. Otherwise, I like the raccoon theory. That's why they have masks -- so it's harder to identify them if they get caught.
Yes it's a hybrid. The tire probably has 500 miles on it. I'm pretty sure the front tire isn't completely true
03-21-22, 02:11 PM
#24
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Thank you. I've already ordered a replacement but all the markings just baffle me .you guys have offered some good suggestions though thank you all so much
03-21-22, 02:57 PM
#25
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The more photos I take the more I realize I need to scrub my bike. It's so filthy. I'm a neat freak so it's kind of weird that I've let my bike at that dirty. Anyway.. I was checking the clearance around the tire and it has a lot of clearance in every direction. There's more clearance than I could capture in the photo. I biked around a little and watched the tire, walked it and watched the tire, spun the tire when it was upsidedown and it's not completely true but barely untrue. I haven't even had the front brakes connected in about 4 or 5 months because I haven't wanted to deal with them. I thought maybe they were bouncing around and hitting the tire or something but after wiggling them they're pretty much seized open and stuck for the most part until I get around to cleaning and lubing everything there. I'm good with airing up the tires regularly as well as cleaning and lubing the chain but pretty much everything else seems to be falling to the wayside. When the new tire arrives I'm going to have to deep clean everything while the bad one is off. Also the elbow or noodle or whatever it's called above the tire in the photo isn't moving around at all. I really don't ride any place crazy just the street and perfectly paved flat trails. Also the tire looks off center in the photo but it's just the bike and camera angle. Right now I'm going to chalk it up to extremely cheap crappy warranty tires as you guys have said could have just sat somewhere and not being properly stored for far too long.
Last edited by Straightbangin; 03-21-22 at 03:02 PM.