Gatorskin Failure

meanredspider
meanredspider Posts: 12,337
edited November 2011 in Workshop
Swapped my Gators off the Boardman CX and was a bit horrified to see several patches a few mm across where the rear tyre outer looks like it's delaminated and the "canvas" is showing through. It's not typical wear but looks more like the tyre has blistered. Could this be caused by locking the rear? The only time I've seen something similar was on my race tyres on my car - turned out then that they'd seen too much load in very cold conditions. Any ideas?
ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH

Comments

  • Twostage
    Twostage Posts: 987
    Pictures ?
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    Yup - will post something when I get a mo. But just imagine a small patch of the outer rubber missing with the "canvas" showing through
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • Wirral_paul
    Wirral_paul Posts: 2,476
    I'll be down to all the wheelspin from all that power you're generating!! Eat only 2 shredded wheat like normal people and your tyres will survive.

    On a more serious note - how old are your tyres??
  • ADIHEAD
    ADIHEAD Posts: 575
    It's a bike tyre, they wear out lol! If you've had it more than a year, 1500miles I'd count yourself lucky it and change it;-)
    It's a good idea to check them after every ride, especially after a lock up or if you've been on rough roads.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    ADIHEAD wrote:
    It's a bike tyre, they wear out lol! If you've had it more than a year, 1500miles I'd count yourself lucky it and change it;-)
    It's a good idea to check them after every ride, especially after a lock up or if you've been on rough roads.

    If I had and it had then I wouldn't worry. I've had far more life out of previous Gators (2 or 3 times as much) doing exactly the same journey. This is also a 25c and my previous Gators have been 23c with a smaller contact patch.

    Anyhow - here's a pic

    Blister.jpg

    You can see two such holes but there a two larger holes
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    Wirral_Paul wrote:
    I'll be down to all the wheelspin from all that power you're generating!! Eat only 2 shredded wheat like normal people and your tyres will survive.

    On a more serious note - how old are your tyres??

    It's plausible.... LMAO (I wish)

    It's only 6-8 months old if that - difficult to be sure how many miles because I've swapped tyres about - I'm guessing about 1000 miles
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • ADIHEAD
    ADIHEAD Posts: 575
    Ok, just seen the picture and had the same thing on my GP4 season actually. It was after a really nasty ride though and didn't puncture until I got home. Apologies for the flippant earlier comment but I really don't see it as anything unusual to be honest if you ride on rough roads. I'd just swap it and be done, I've junked tyres for less....
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    ADIHEAD wrote:
    . I'd just swap it and be done, I've junked tyres for less....

    Don't have a problem with swapping the tyre - just like to understand why it's happened with this tyre. The front (which might have been the rear on one of the other occasions they were on a bike) is perfect. Found the order confirmation - got the tyre at the beginning of March but, as my son was having his tumour removed, rode almost nothing in March and have been swapping between 23c Gators, 23c GP4000Ss and the 25c Gators since then.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • ADIHEAD
    ADIHEAD Posts: 575
    All it takes sometimes is to ride over something nasty, whilst accelerating hard. Try replacing with perhaps Swalbe Durano or Michelin Krylion. I never round Gatorskins to be that tough to be honest and it actually ranks 3rd in my 'punctured tyre' league - out of approx 10!
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    I've done about 6000 miles on Gators and reckon I've had about 2 punctures though I'm not averse to trying something else. First serious problem I've had.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Good grief I've never had tyres that looked like that, I used to ride on gators in the winter but krylion carbons every year for me now, to me superior wear, you could give them a go .....
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    I've done over 1500 miles in just over 2 months, so slightly surprised by someone suggesting that's all you should expect to get out of something like a Gatorskin, I'd expect far higher mileage than that on mine.

    My rear GP4000S delaminated earlier this year, but it was ancient and must have had a few thousand miles on it. A big patch of the tread split and peeled off the canvas:
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    Well I contacted Conti so it'll be interesting to see what they think caused it. Also went via CRC who sold me the tyres. Will post back on here if I get any answers.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • ADIHEAD
    ADIHEAD Posts: 575
    My point was that whilst you may expect more than 1500 miles out of Gatorskins, you shouldn't worry too much if you ride on rough roads and you damage one after that sort of mileage. Personally my tires get binned once they've got more than a few cuts on them, which where I live means around 1500miles. I'd rather pay an extra £50 - £100 per year on tyres than have two or 3 rides ruined by punctures or worse. The damage to that Gatorskin looks to me like the result of accelerating hard over something rough. The damage to your GP4000 looks like a worn out tyre giving up, which I guess is what you're suggesting. I totally accept that over the right surfaces, you could get 3000miles plus out of a Gatorskin/Krylion/Rubino type tyre, just not on the roads my local club take me on:-(
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    ADIHEAD wrote:
    The damage to your GP4000 looks like a worn out tyre giving up, which I guess is what you're suggesting.
    Yep - I was surprised they lasted as long as they did, and knew I was pushing my luck by still using them. I was just slightly surprised about the way that they failed having not seen delamination like that on a bicycle tyre before.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    ADIHEAD wrote:
    My point was that whilst you may expect more than 1500 miles out of Gatorskins, you shouldn't worry too much if you ride on rough roads and you damage one after that sort of mileage. Personally my tires get binned once they've got more than a few cuts on them, which where I live means around 1500miles. I'd rather pay an extra £50 - £100 per year on tyres than have two or 3 rides ruined by punctures or worse. The damage to that Gatorskin looks to me like the result of accelerating hard over something rough. The damage to your GP4000 looks like a worn out tyre giving up, which I guess is what you're suggesting. I totally accept that over the right surfaces, you could get 3000miles plus out of a Gatorskin/Krylion/Rubino type tyre, just not on the roads my local club take me on:-(
    Amen to that pal! :mrgreen:
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    Credit to Continental (Cambrian - their UK agent) and CRC - both came back to say just return the tyre for a warranty replacement. I'm not any nearer understanding the failure but no-one is suggesting wear & tear.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Result!

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