Tire sidewall cracking?

[Harb67]

After getting the bike out of the garage for the first time this season, I noticed that my front tire has some cracking along the sidewall. There appears to be a seam from production running around the right sidewall of the tire, and there are small cracks along this seam in several areas. None of the cracks are too deep, but it's not something I've ever seen/heard of and I want to know if it's safe to ride on this tire. It's only been on my bike for a year, and has about 5000 miles @ 30-32 PSI on it at most.

Pics (really big...didn't want to embed them and piss off those with smaller monitors):

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/Harbinger67/Tire%20Cracking/DSC01105.jpg

^close up of one of the worst areas of cracking. It's not too deep but it caught my attention while checking tire pressure.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/Harbinger67/Tire%20Cracking/DSC01102.jpg

^as you can see, there is a 'seam' of some sort that appears to be from when the tire was made. This runs around the entire tire.

Also, while I've got you guys here, here is a shot of the tread of the tire where there is also some cracking. Is this safe to ride on? :

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/Harbinger67/Tire%20Cracking/DSC01107.jpg

I plan on getting a new front as I've only got about an inch of tread above the wear bar, but I'd like to be able to wait about a month or so until I have some spare cash. Thanks for looking!

*edit* I'll update this with larger pics in a few...those are too small to really get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Edited March 24, 2010 by Harb67

[chevysoldier]

It's hard to tell in the pics. Looks like you have a little bit of dry rot. If they were a car tire I'd say use em. But with out seeing in person and can't say.

[ReconRat]

That first pic looks like impact damage, or something. The one that is a "Y" crack. Not normal looking to me.

Cracks in the tread grooves, I recently heard those are from running too low of pressures. But I haven't confirmed that yet. So just guessing right now. (But it was on a car tire manufacturer's website.)

In general, ozone in the air causes cracking in tires. Some crack more, some crack less. Aircraft tires are allowed to crack until the cord shows in the cracks. No thanks, I won't be doing that on a bike.

I replaced mine when it cracked in the tread. It's a front tire, I like them new.

[Harb67]

Yeah, it's hard to capture on the camera. I'd say the cracking on the side is hairline at worst, and it's less than half a millimeter deep or so.

[chevysoldier]

That first pic looks like impact damage, or something. The one that is a "Y" crack. Not normal looking to me.

Now with bigger pics it looks like that extends quite a ways up the tire. don't think it's impact IMO. I've seen dry rot look like that.

the best thing you can do it take a razor blade or very small screw driver and pry back the cracked rubber. If you see anything other than black rubber, don't ride on it. You should see nothing like wires or any other material.

[Likwid]

Shoot Pauly a pm, he can tell you.

Looks unsafe to me

[scottb]

I had a new tire that a "crack" almost all the way around the tire. This tire had zero miles on it. I noticed the crack when i was installing the tire back onto the bike. I returned the tire to the shop and they exchanged it. The shop indicated that it could be a seam that was caused during the manufacturing process. The shop said it was most likely ok to ride on. But got a new tire anyway.

[scottb]

here is a poor cell phone pic of my tire. Look at the "line" below the word ROTATION:

[chevysoldier]

here is a poor cell phone pic of my tire. Look at the "line" below the word ROTATION:

That does look like faulty manufacturing.

[Harb67]

I had a new tire that a "crack" almost all the way around the tire. This tire had zero miles on it. I noticed the crack when i was installing the tire back onto the bike. I returned the tire to the shop and they exchanged it. The shop indicated that it could be a seam that was caused during the manufacturing process. The shop said it was most likely ok to ride on. But got a new tire anyway.

Sounds like a more severe case of what I have. I can see the seam around the entire tire, but it's only cracking in a few areas. For all I know this has been there since day 1 if it was a manufacturing defect...

[ReconRat]

Dang it, it's just wrong to have to buy any tire with any defect. There should be no cracks, splits, fractures, blemishes or nothing on a new tire...

And it shouldn't show any for 6 years minimum, although that would include shelf life before it was purchased. Unless exposed to major ozone, like right next to an electric motor or something...