Experienced tubular tyre people - Cracking tyres

petemadoc

This is my first season riding tubs and I splashed out on some Veloflex criterium. All very nice and very pleased all round.

Until this morning when I noticed the rear tyre has developed cracks all over the tyre. The tread pattern is just about visible, I'd estimate these have done 7-800 miles. There's lots and lots of cracks running perpendicular to the forward direction if that makes sense. Some are so close together that the whole top surface looks like it's about to crumble away.

Has the tyre just reached the end of it's life or is there something wrong here? The front looks fine with the tread pattern still in tact.

The tyres really don't look like they should have reached the end of their life, the tread pattern is still just about visible in the centre but it looks like the rubber is just failing.

ugo.santalucia

It does sound like a manufacturing problem.... worth sending a photo to the retailer and see what they say

keef66

Something similar happened to my Conti 4 Seasons clinchers, but they were by then 5 years old and just about worn out anyway. The council's newly resurfaced roads shredded what was left of the rubber and left great big patches where it was down to the carcass :shock:

I'd be well hacked off if it had happened to fairly new tubs!

Monty Dog

Do you use something like Muc Off to clean your bike? It literally eats tyres. Also, if you live near the sea, rubber age-hardens due to exposure to ozone.