tire replacement

Lawr

After my last cycle, when hosing the grit off of my bike, I noticed that there were chunks of rubber missing from the contact strip of my rear tire, a Bontrager Race XXX Lite 700C Folding Road Tyre. To be honest, I am unsure how old the tyre is, but I didn't think it was that old. I never had an itemized receipt from my lbs, but I would say that I bought the tires around the time that I bought my saddle, possibly over a year and a few months ago. I cycle every weekend, though this has been a slow year for me as a result of work pressures. Nevertheless, I'd say I average about 2500 kms a year, perhaps more. I was just totally flabbergasted that the tyres would be going so soon. My last pair lasted for what seemed forever.

I am wondering if anyone else had any similar problems with the race xxx lite tyres. I bought them because of their high thread count, and I have had few problems with these tires otherwise.

Also, as I have to replace the rear tyre, I wondered if anyone had tried the Bontrager R4 700C Folding Clincher Road Tyre. If so, I'd love to hear any feedback on your experience of them. A slightly lower tread count, they seem to be significantly lighter.

Thanks in advance.

Briando

2500km off a race/lite/soft grade tyre is ok imho.

I dont know much about the Bontrager tyres though.

rollingscone

I wore a hole in my rear Racelite hardcase but I'd guess with four times the miles.

Every tyre will fail eventually, 2500km isn't great but the next one could last you 25k it's the lottery of life.

They're a great tyre IMHO

ZiabR

If you have any doubts, and given we are coming in the bad weather months, I personally would change it. They are not expensive and I would rather have a good tire I have confidence in, under me.

BadCharlie

Have a Bontrager Hardcase 2, not the same tire. But got between 2,000 & 3,000km on it and then it started to punture each week so i replaced it "it still looked good". The front tire is still going strong & should do another 1,000 or more.

Lawr

Thought I'd post some pics of the tire before removing it. I am going to take the tire down to where I bought it. These tires are expensive: €65 each. I don't pay that for my car tires, so I am having a hard time rationalising the tire going in what seem such a short period of time with it. I actually removed it tonight and put on the old xxx race lite tire. Weird. It appears the rubber strip (tread) is lifting off of the casing. The rubber strip up the centre of the old tire is much thicker and in relatively decent shape. It will hold until I get a replacement tire.

rollingscone

My tyres never got that badly damaged, just a single small hole about the size of a valve head.

In that first pic it looks as if the sidewall is bulging too?

Lawr

I hadn't noticed the bulging. But I can see what you mean. The undulations on the surface are odd given the 100psi that it is holding back.