Hi All,

Is this something anybody else has experienced? My Ardents, front and back, are wearing on the sidewalls despite being less than 6 months old with 80% tread left otherwise.

Have I done something wrong? Too low pressure? I never really pinch flat so I dont think I’ve been riding them too low – I don’t have a tubeless setup and I’m probably probably around 110kg fully kitted up. I don’t really ever feel them roll around on the rims, even when cornering pretty hard. All riding in Scotland with a mixture of natural riding and trail centres.

What do you think?

Here’s an idea of the tread on the front – it’s in pretty good condition:

Side wall of same tyre:

My Maxxiis advantage did that as well. Didn’t affect the tyre though, not to worry.

I’ve had this on just about every tyre I’ve had, admittedly, all Maxxis. Minion DHFs, Advantages, High Rollers and Minion dual plys. If it still works fine then stop worrying.

Don’t know about Ardents, but my Conti MK2’s look the same after not that much use. I’m around 100kg kitted up, I wonder if there’s a correlation.

I’ve got this on my advantages…only one side…I think it’s the chain intermittently hitting the tyre..

All mine have done this.No biggie.

mine to.

You have an ardent on the FRONT…. THE FRONT…. You have bigger worries than the look of your sidewalls me think.

I have had this on a front Ardent that was running tubless it lasted well over 12 months before it was slashed properly by a sharp rock along the sidewall

I replaced it with the exo version which just adds a webbing of rubber to the side wall.

Cheers all! Feel a bit better knowing that it’s not just me. I guess it’s a price you pay for relatively light tyres of this type. Never happened with my HRs or other tyres I’ve had in the past.

Juan, I’ve found them fine, and I prefer the profile to the HRs. Just ordered some Hans Dampfs to try for the winter mud, so will see how they go. Will still do a bit at Trail centres, so don’t want a full on mud tyre.

That pattern is usually as a result of running the pressures too low.

Timely – spotted yesterday my ardents had gone like this after 11 months. I put it down to running tubeless at lowish pressure on crest rims.

My Beaver is looking like this after not much use,but two big Wales trips.Running 30-35 psi so not super low.Weighing bout 13.5 stone + gear.
Thanx,
Max

One of my Swampies did that. Didn’t really seem to affect it though. Kendas quite often show white spots as well, just from the tyre wearing, but again never been a problem for me.

Don’t see what the issue of running an Ardent on the front is, I know a few people that rate them. As for that wear, never seen that before but surely it has to be rubbing on something on the bike to cause that. Any paint missing?

I can say from the Ardent I used on the back that that type of wear is not related to low-pressures.

I had the same wear running at about 40psi and that sidewall wear is down to riding rocky terrain (ime).

PS – Agree with Juan about having an Ardent on the front – not recomended.

Speak to the distributor – I had two replaced under warranty through Evans. People will say its because you run your tyres too low. Thats bollocks your inner tubes don’t like low pressures…..Maxxis brought out a new improved sidewall ‘version’ didn’t they….admitting theres an issue… 😉

My RQBC started doing this where the side protection stops and where the writing is.
Also had a crossmark and advantage go like this.
Mainly on the rear wheel so my guessing is impact damage.

I had similar wear on an Advantage (EXO version), eventually a hole appeared in the sidewall (after about 7 months of use). A previous High Roller delaminated in a similar area.

Twice is enough for me to look at other manufacturers for tyres.

Live in a rocky area and run them tubeless at 25psi ish and mine look nothing like that, but then you’re 30kg heavier than me 😯

If it’s because I’ve been running them at low pressures then surely I would have been pinch flatting all over the place at my weight? As I say, I don’t run them tubeless. I can count on one hand the number of flats I’ve had in the last few years and I’ve only had one with these tyres. I rode the Devils Staircase/Cieran Path and Glen Sligachan (both have notorious water bars)on these without one flat…and I’m not that good, so I’m pretty sure it can’t just be low pressures.

Seems a bit naff to design a tyre which has tread at 80% whilst the side walls are wearing through, just because they are being ridden in ‘rocky terrain’…it’s mountain biking, no?

Not sure I like the idea of holes appearing and I guess now that the carcass is exposed it is being weakened each time it gets more worn. Think I’ll contact the distributor and see what they say.

I had the same problem on advantages & ardent which i split both off on the back shortly after I noticed it. I have ripped 6 different rear tires this summer on the sidewalls and have given up on the lighter tires ardent etc. I am heaving round baron’s at nearly a kilo each to save walking back to the car, I am 95kg loaded up.

+1 with riding rocky terain.
I’ve ridden quite a few granite strewn trails this year; Ignitors lasted about 2 rides, Ardents are looking like yours after a dozen rocky rides.
Got Minions on front and rear now; bullet-proof and enjoying the extra grip but pretty slow on the tarmac.

HAng one let me think that straight. Hoora complained because he uses the tyres on his bike by riding?
WOW

ive changed to tubeless ardents on standard rims as the side walls are a bit thicker

My dual ply minions look like that & I reckon its from rubbing rocks in the Lakes. Don’t see how it makes much difference, but if they do fail before 50% tread is left then I will be a bit miffed.

Just thought I’d update this thread to say that I finally went to the distributor, who told me to go back to the retailer – fair enough.

I took them back to the retailer who told me this was as a result of riding at low pressures but that they would send pics to the distributor to see if they would honour the warranty. The distributor came back and said that they also felt this is a result of running low pressures. I shouldn’t think I’ve had these at less than 35psi at any point. I’m aware of the Sale of Goods Act and so on, but TBH can’t be bothered to make a fuss and the retailer was pretty decent about it all.

Anyway, I guess the moral of the story is that if you want tyres you can ride in rocky terrain without them doing this then go for something else. Apparently the pressure range for these stated on the side walls starts at 35 (? haven’t looked) and the distributor was saying that if they are run out of this range then they wouldn’t be covered under warranty – I can imagine that most run tyres below this and that Maxxis know this.

tbh As I stated above, I think its a combination of your weight, where you ride and low-ish pressures.

I run lower pressures than you and live/ride in the Borders, so plenty of rocks – and haven’t had problems with Ardents (ran them on the rear all year), in fact I’ve just worn the tread off.

Maybe also your rims are too narrow/wide – what are they?

My dual ply Ardents look like that, doesnt seem to cause a problem

I’ve had a michelin tyre (xc extrem) go just like this. I run below 30 psi, tubed, with no pinch flats. I’m in the south east though so water bars and rocks aren’t an issue! I put it down to the low tyre pressure. Eventually the side wall split open.

b r
tbh As I stated above, I think its a combination of your weight, where you ride and low-ish pressures.

I run lower pressures than you and live/ride in the Borders, so plenty of rocks – and haven’t had problems with Ardents (ran them on the rear all year), in fact I’ve just worn the tread off.

Maybe also your rims are too narrow/wide – what are they?

You’re probably right although it’s still a bit disappointing. Anyway, I guess I may need to be more realistic about how light I can go tyre wise given my weight etc.

Rims were Mavic 721 rear and a Sun Ringle EQ27 on the front so not really that wide or narrow. I’m now running a Flow EX rear and an 819 front both tubeless with Hans Dampfs, so will see how it goes.

My Baron’s going to end up in the bin long before the tread’s worn out, the sidewalls aren’t just worn, they’ve had a couple of wee frays appear. Not from damage either, just from use at normal (30-psi-ish) pressures.

Not that impressed tbh, explains how they managed to make a reasonably light 2.25 mud tyre, they just didn’t include enough sidewall. But I’ll still buy another as it’s been brilliant while it lasted.