Strange Wear on Tyres

[AtmoLav]

Hi All,

I'm a newbie here so be nice

Been riding for a while, currently commuting 100 miles a week due to me deciding to give up driving. Get to work quicker using a mix of train and bike, and cheaper!

I know my way around a bike, but I've just noticed a weird pattern of wear on my rear tyre (Panaracer somethings...I forget the model). There's a kind of cross-hatch pattern of wear forrming on the sides of the tyre, as opposed to on the tread itself. One of these little cross-hatches has started to split, so it's probably new trye time.

That tyre's probably only done 500 miles, the tread's not too bad...any ideas? Just wanted to check it's nothing to do with my brakes etc

Cheers!

 

[andy_wrx]

Might be best if you could post-up a picture ?


Is the 'cross-hatch pattern' due to the rubber on the sidewalls having been worn away, so that you're starting to be able to see the plies of the tyre itself ?

You suspect the brakes - hold the brake on and have a look at where it's pressing : is it on the wheelrim itself, not on the tyre or part on the rim and prt on the tyre ?

 

[lardarse rider]

I would go with the brakes rubbing - Either during braking or catching ever so slightly as you ride along. Do what andy wrx said and have a look.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Is the tyre underinflated? this would cause the wall of the tyre to contact the road surface when cornering, which might be the cause of the cross hatching pattern?

 

[Termite]

I was going to suggest under-inflation, possibly the extra flex in the sidewall from an under inflated tire may encourage the rubber to split along the lines of the plies?

I've also had some chain cleaning fluid drip onto the rim of the wheel and then the sidewall of the tire. I didn't notice until the next day (before I got on the bike), when I cleaned it off the rubber on the sidewall appeared less flexible than the rest and showed some cracks after a while. Maybe something similar has got on your tire?

 

[Globalti]

This is fairly typical, some tyres seem to do this. It's a combination of mechanical wear and degradation of the rubber due to sunlight. I believe this is one of the reasons why some tyres have light brown sidewalls. It's just the outer threads beginning to fray and as long as the actual carcass isn't bulging, don't worry about it.

 

[barq]

I was going to suggest under-inflation, possibly the extra flex in the sidewall from an under inflated tire may encourage the rubber to split along the lines of the plies?

Yep, I've seen it many times (including on Panaracer tyres). As the wheel turns the tyre deforms where it contacts the ground. If it is a bit soft then it deforms more and this eventually causes these characteristic lines to form.

 

[domtyler]

My first question would be are the pumped up to the correct pressure too, also what make are they? Any chance of that pic?

 

[AtmoLav]

Cheers for the advice guys, still an excuse for some new ones, yeah?