Specialized trigger tyres - wear at 400 miles?

tangled_metal

Got a new bike 10 months ago, Specialized Cross trail with own brand trigger 38×700c tyres. Got first flat today, no puncture kit d'oh, and spotted the tyres are not in a good state on the sidewalls. It's on both tyres so not a case of running on flat tyre damaging the sides.

The sides just below the end of the tread has diagonal cracks running all the way round the tyre. In certain spots around the tyres nearer the rim of the wheels there's also some cracks.

The question is whether it's wear and tear or faulty tyres? I've done 393 miles over last 2 months plus only about 40 in the 8 months I had the bike before that. As said before I've had the bike 10 months from new, bought from Evans. Stored in shed and weekdays in open walled bikeshed at work over last 2 months.

Should I take it back to Evans or just replace? I really need to replace tyres tomorrow ready for commuting Monday. I'm nowhere near an Evans to try to sort it there. If I have to replace at another shop would Evans have any responsibility to contribute if the tyres are faulty and I replaced them before they could inspect?

The Rookie

My tyres last about 2000miles and they wear out not crack, cracking suggests poor quality rubber (not UV stable) and/or poor storage in high light conditions.

I'd be asking Evans to replace them under the sale of goods act (start politely, no need to mention SoGA unless you have to.

tangled_metal

That's what I thought, UV degradation. It's been out during the weekday in the sun, back wheel in the shade front wheel in the sun part of the day when it has moved around so the open bike shed is partly in the sun. Rest of time inside a brick shed. Other bikes parked up there for longer haven't gone that way.

Planning a trip to Evans with it, possibly this Friday.

One strange thing that happened, which led me to noticing the tyre issue, was I got a very sudden flat rear tyre. The valve is OK, the tyre is OK and no puncture. I've pumped it to 85psi which is towards the higher end of its rating. Over night it hasn't gone down at all. Not a very slow puncture as the tyre went from high pressure 80-90psi to flat after I went over a tiny bump. I've ridden into potholes 3" deep without issues but this immediately started the tyre to go flat in less than two minutes. Now it's all OK again.

Any ideas as to how a good inner tube/tyre deflates rapidly without any fault or cause? At least one I know about.

esa2

Can I ask how you find the bike other than that? Ive been considering a Crosstrail Sport Disc but think Im gonna save a few quid and go for the 2015 Crosstrail Disc

tangled_metal

Got it for £430 in the sales - a 2013 version bought when the 2013 models become 2014 (September i think). I had wanted to go for a £700 (2013 model) from another make and a 29er to boot but they had none left in my very large size. Then another bike i liked also not in my size. Eventually I got round to this one and they had it in XXL or was that XXXL i can't remember (well I am 6'5" so need a big frame).

Glad they had run out of the others, although the first one had hydraulic lock out for the front suspension and better brakes. Anyway Evans had claimed it was a £700 bike pre-sales so I was doubly happy with the bike at £430 and immediately bought a rack and other kit too.

I like it a lot but it is a little noisy on poor tarmac roads due to tyre noise. That is really the only minor gripe. That and the bloody suspension lock out has stopped working. It has been a bit iffy from day one. Going to try and take it back as faulty after my hols with it. The brakes are amazing compared to my iffy road brakes (25 year old set of brakes). Took me a while to get used to the sudden stop as they started to bed in. I used to brake like my old road bike and took me a while to remember to be more subtle with the braking. I ended up being shot off my seat and into the handlebars. Or more precisely the head set or top of the stem. Trust me it hurts!!

Anyway, it is a good bike but with hindsight I prefer a bit more speed so think I should have gone for another more road orientated hybrid. I would say that taking into account my lack of fitness these days this bike is about 5mph slower than my old road bike possibly more on the road. I could ride the old commute route in 20-25minutes on the road bike but I'm at 27-34 minutes on the hybrid (I am not as fit though so perhaps not as stark a speed difference.

Off road I don't know. Only gone on roads surfaced/gravelly towpaths and a bit of grassy towpath. I can see it will take a bit more than that terrain but how much more I don't know.