New tyre side wall failure

Raymzor

Any tyre specialists out there!

Bought this Continental GP4000sII last October. Fitted mid June. Noticed tube bulging through last week after 600km use.

Why has it failed?

Disappointing for a €40 tyre!

mirrormatrix

Common issue (search the forums here).

Maybe see if you can get onto Continental for a replacement?

Alanstrainor

This is a known issue with these tyres. Get in touch with whoever you bought them off, I've had them replaced in the past, even long after they were bought.

Raymzor

Thanks. I contacted Continental but heard nothing. I’ve contacted wiggle who supplied these.

07Lapierre

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is a known issue with these tyres. Get in touch with whoever you bought them off, I've had them replaced in the past, even long after they were bought.

Really? I’ve been using them for years...never had an issue.

Alanstrainor

07Lapierre wrote: »

Really? I’ve been using them for years...never had an issue.

It is. Plenty of posts on this forum of people reporting the same issue. Others can be found through google. I've also used them for years tbh, covered many thousands of KM on them, it's just a defect in some tyres I suppose, it doesn't affect all.

OP, I also got mine through Wiggle and they replaced them without much question.

CramCycle

I use about 4 of them a year and this has happened to me once, I think last year. I contacted Rose who I got them from and replaced without question. I imagine there was a bad batch or similar.

Mine didn't last to getting out my front door.

nordicb

I had to throw away one after 100km. Small stone ripped the side wall.
Pinch flat caused me to throw another one not long ago, again, damage to the side wall.
Weak spot on these tyres.

NBar

have had this with the conti's and recently with a Hutchinson's which ended up ripping sidewall and tube in half, the roads are the biggest cause and small sharp stones will nick the side wall and nothing can prevent this really. hope you get sorted but I just put on a new tyre each time and got on with it

07Lapierre

Surely all these tyre sidewall failures are due to badly aligned brake pads? Any time I’m behind another cyclist I’m always amazed at the number of poorly adjusted rear brakes! Cables frayed, pads misaligned and the biggest bug bearer for me is the quick release lever setup incorrectly!

CramCycle

Mine blew walking out the door after being fitted and they accepted it as a fault without query so not brake rub, although you are right. Co worker asked me to fix their mudguard today and I realised their rear brakes were stopping on the tyre only.

Raymzor

07Lapierre wrote: »

Surely all these tyre sidewall failures are due to badly aligned brake pads? Any time I’m behind another cyclist I’m always amazed at the number of poorly adjusted rear brakes! Cables frayed, pads misaligned and the biggest bug bearer for me is the quick release lever setup incorrectly!

Thanks for your comments. In my case I’m sure the brakes didn’t contribute to the failure.

ford2600

Raymzor wrote: »

Thanks for your comments. In my case I’m sure the brakes didn’t contribute to the failure.

I've found them to be a lovely tyre to use; the reason they are nice is the suppleness of sidewall.

Suppleness doesn't lend itself to ruggedness

I just binned the rear one which failed on sidewall but I'll replace it with identical tire.

I'd ride 28mm on awful roads to off road at below recommended pressure so I can't complain.

07Lapierre

Raymzor wrote: »

Thanks for your comments. In my case I’m sure the brakes didn’t contribute to the failure.

To be clear, i don't doubt you, but I use these tyres and I've never had issues with them. It sounds like I've been very lucky!

CramCycle

07Lapierre wrote: »

To be clear, i don't doubt you, but I use these tyres and I've never had issues with them. It sounds like I've been very lucky!

To be fair, I have used them since they were released. I always get more mileage than the internet reports. Only one has had an issue, I'd still be of the impression they are a great value tyre.

Have other brands / models that are far sturdier but lack grip/speed/comfort etc. Comparable brand and models such as the Schwalbe One have not lasted me a month.

eeeee

Had a sidewall blow out on me too, but still have them on the road and track bikes as they roll so well. Mine had a bit of mileage in it when it went but was less than a tear old. Dirty kind of day, I reckon a stone got it. Booted up and got home but had to throw it out.
Still my preferred tyre issues and all. Would like to try latex tubes but they're too much of a risk I think. Maybe one for the back hmmmm....

secman

Generally use them on 2 bikes with bontragers on the good bike. Went to clean the bike I used on Sat and noticed rere wheel flat. As I had a bucket of water handy , I pumped the wheel up to see where puncture was. Bubbles appeared on tyre in about 6 or 7 spots ... but one section of side wall about 3 inches long was just continuous bubbles !
Too tired to change tube.. just cleaned the 2 bikes.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I had two GP4000's fail on me 2 years ago, both were nearly new with less than 100kms on one and less than 300km on the other. Both were binned and replaced with new GP4000's which are still on the bike and been problem free since.

nee wrote: »

Would like to try latex tubes but they're too much of a risk I think. Maybe one for the back hmmmm....

I've been running latex tubes in all 3 road bikes for the last few years and no problems on any of them and I'm running full carbon clinchers on my good bike with them and zero issues.

Try them, they make a big difference to comfort and rolling resistance/speed IMO.

CramCycle

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I've been running latex tubes in all 3 road bikes for the last few years and no problems on any of them and I'm running full carbon clinchers on my good bike with them and zero issues.

Try them, they make a big difference to comfort and rolling resistance/speed IMO.

Any recommendations on brands or are they all the same?

nordicb

Re latex tubes, they lose pressure very quickly if you don't mind pumping up a lot before every ride.
Valve length choice is limited.
I use Vittorias, but they are not very uniform, the valve side being double sided and the heaviest.
People report valves rip off very easily, but I did not have this issue.
They also say they can explode if you overheat the brakes...
I find they are a good compromise on 23mm tyres, they feel more like 25 comfort wise, but 23 being lighter, more responsive and aero (on those narrower wheelsets).
If you have a tiniest hole in the tyre, latex tube will find its way out and blow (e.g. pinched tyre).
They ride nice, are they worth double the price - not too sure... At times when I get a puncture, it feels a great waste to throw away a latex tube. But when replaced with spare butyl, they don't feel that different really.
These are my impressions using them on GP4000 and Vittoria Rubinos.

Cee-Jay-Cee

CramCycle wrote: »

Any recommendations on brands or are they all the same?

I have Vittorias on one bike and Michelin’s on the other two. No issues with either so far but the Michelin’s do seem to hold the air a little longer. You still need to pump them before every ride but with a track pump it’s literally one or two strokes of the pump to get them back up to desired pressure so no big deal and worth it for the difference in comfort.

Raymzor

I’m afraid the Supervisor at Wiggle has refused warranty on this citing it’s a tyre puncture! I did point out the inner tube is perfect and didn’t puncture!

Maidhci

Raymzor wrote: »

I’m afraid the Supervisor at Wiggle has refused warranty on this citing it’s a tyre puncture! I did point out the inner tube is perfect and didn’t puncture!

If it were me, I would pursue it further with Wiggle. It appears to me that it may be Wiggle policy to refuse to accept warranty issues, except in extreme cases, in the first instance. If you are reasonably confident that it is an issue with the tyre, as opposed to any other issue, you should pursue the matter further with them.

py

Try contacting Conti directly too.