# cuts/cracks on the tire



## Josh M (Nov 5, 2005)

I have about 2000 km on a rear Vittoria Rubino pro tire. It has started to develop cuts on the part of the tire where rubber touches the road. There are a few very small cuts, one deep looking cut about 1 inch in length, and another shallow scratch 2.5 inches in length. I know this is not unusual for tires, but do the presence of these cuts increase the chances of me having a shredded tire a long way from anywhere?


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Small cuts in the tread don't matter—as you said, almost everyone with a few weeks of riding on their tires have them. I would take a closer look at your 1-inch cut, though. See if it's wide enough for a small piece of sharp gravel to get into it and puncture the tire body. If it is, think about filling it with something like Shoe Goo (sporting goods store), which cures into a resilient and waterproof rubber plug.

Almost all spectacular tire failures are from cuts in the sidewall, not the tread. Take a close look at those sidewalls. If you see cuts there, don't ride the tire on the road. If you see just a couple of loose sidewall threads, glue them back down with rubber cement from your tube patch kit.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

double post, sorry


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

A one and two inch cut sound large. Maybe you meant cm? I am more concerned about cuts down to the thread. The cuts may help tiny pieces of glass and stuff to get into them and work their way to the tube and cause a flat. 

Try letting the air out of your tube before you inflate your tires next time. Pinch the tire around the cut to open it up and look inside. A flashlight helps. You may find small pieces of glass in there.


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## sekaijin (Aug 22, 2006)

*Should I be worried?*



wim said:


> Almost all spectacular tire failures are from cuts in the sidewall, not the tread. Take a close look at those sidewalls. If you see cuts there, don't ride the tire on the road.


I am riding a commuter bike I just bought used, a 1992? mtb with original tires. The treads are in fine shape - the bike was not ridden much - but there are many small hairline cracks in the sidewalls. Does this mean the tires need to be replaced?


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## bahueh (May 11, 2004)

*depends..*



Josh M said:


> I have about 2000 km on a rear Vittoria Rubino pro tire. It has started to develop cuts on the part of the tire where rubber touches the road. There are a few very small cuts, one deep looking cut about 1 inch in length, and another shallow scratch 2.5 inches in length. I know this is not unusual for tires, but do the presence of these cuts increase the chances of me having a shredded tire a long way from anywhere?


tire replacement really depends on the retentiveness of the rider and the type of riding being done. I have the same rubber you have with a cut or two. I'm slightly nervous about it as I train for road racing on them and typically hit descending speeds of 35+mph...fearing a blowout which would inevitable probably put me in the hospital. so...I keep the speed down when I begin to notice tire wear (have about 2000 miles on a set). 
if you're commuting and generally riding lower speeds, the cuts aren't as detrimental to your health and safety...so keep riding them until their performance is shot. 

a lot of racers replace their tires after 1500 miles approximately, no matter what. others ride them until they can see thread....


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

> _I am riding a commuter bike I just bought used, a 1992? mtb with original tires. The treads are in fine shape - the bike was not ridden much - but there are many small hairline cracks in the sidewalls. Does this mean the tires need to be replaced?_


Although you're seeing hairline cracks, they're in the sidewall rubber and not in the sidewall threads. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Check your sidewalls for bulges every once in a while and keep riding if you don't see any.

Compared to thickly coated MTB tire sidewalls, most road tires have an extremely thin coating of rubber over the sidewall threads. A cut in that paper-thin rubber layer usually means that the threads underneath are also cut.


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