Hi, I only have to endure one more week of my road bike before the charity ride is done and dusted and I can sell it. Just doing a once over to make sure I don’t have any avoidable mechanical issues during the 100 mile event and I noticed the the surface of the gator hard shell tyres have little slits all over them. It’s obviously where something has tried to puncture and left a slit but I wondered if this was a concern and a tyre could just fall to pieces during the ride and I can’t finish and lose all the charity money.

I am only used to mountain bike tyres which I guess hide this kind of thing, should I buy two new tyres just for one ride?

Many thanks

You will die, sell it now and get back on your kids mountain bike.

In that case I am giving it away tomorrow.

So is it a normal thing for road tyres to be covered in these then?

It can be pretty common depending on where you ride but without seeing them it’s hard to say how bad they are. Rather than buy new tyres, just ride and take a spare tube with you. It seems pretty pointless riding “for charity” and spending a lot of money to do so.

Thanks scotroutes, was only worried as I keep hearing tales of tires splitting and I wondered if this was how it starts. Be a bloody shame if a tyre stopped me collecting the charity money.