Oh dear...

[Matt2matt2002]

This bulge appeared today on my afternoon ride around town.
12,500 miles and 50 months old.
I had put in a new inner tube last week so perhaps damaged the side wall?
Or is this a thing that can develop with old tires?

I have a couple of used spares in the loft.
1.75 and 2.25.
One of the 1.75s looks reasonable so I'll see how it goes for a while.
Off to Thailand again in Feb so may buy a new replacement before then.

Thoughts folks appreciated.

Matt

[RonS]

Oh, dear indeed.
At least it happened at home and not on tour.
I'm confident you are experienced enough to not damage the tire during a tube change. My guess is that 12,500 miles of sidewall flexing and 50 months of UV rays (even in Scotland!) took their toll and time was just up for that tire.

Back to Thailand. How exciting!

Best

Ron

[Matt2matt2002]

And here is a back home, off in the garage close up.
I can clearly see the wire edge.

I guess it's not had a bad life.
Orkney twice. Shetland once and Thailand last year.

Anyone make use of old tires?

[Danneaux]

Anyone make use of old tires?

I have!

I cut the beads off and cut out short sections to use as tire boots. If the tire tread on the boot is a little thick I sand and profile it down, but yours looks about ready to use as-is, Matt.

These tire boots are good for emergency repairs, especially when a sidewall has torn and you need to reinforce it from the inside to limp onward till you can find a replacement tire. Air pressure from the inflated innertube can hold them in place but if the sidewall is badly ripped, it may be necessary to stitch it closed using dental floss. It is also possible to stitch the boot to the sidewall in some case, but you'd want a really sturdy needle (upholstery shops have these!) and something to use as a pusher/thimble to save your thumbs. I've done it using pliers to push the needle through. As needs must on a dark rainy night by torchlight.

Lacking a tire boot, currency can do in a pinch. Here in America, bills are made of linen and cotton. In Europe, I found some countries' bills -- like Romania's Lei banknotes -- are made of an extremely tough polymer plastic. It doesn't tear but can crease if stored carelessly, causing previously folded notes to be rejected by shopkeepers because they don't store flat in a register cash drawer.

Best, Dan.

[Andyb1]

Hi Matt - A guess, but perhaps your old tyre got damaged when you had the puncture and weight on the unpressurised tyre creased it?
You can get similar damage when vehicles are left parked up with flat tyres.

[Matt2matt2002]

Hi Matt - A guess, but perhaps your old tyre got damaged when you had the puncture and weight on the unpressurised tyre creased it?
You can get similar damage when vehicles are left parked up with flat tyres.

A good point thanks
And thanks Dan as well.

I'll see how I get on with the old replacement tire. !.75 so a little bigger than the split 1.25.

Matt

[in4]

Generally have you been pleased with the Marathon Plus tyres, Matt?
Thailand sounds like a great prospect, especially during the colder months ( Says I up near Perth atm Brrrr!) 

[PH]

If that had happened to my Marathon Plus's I'd have been rejoicing, I disliked them intensely, only my pig headed insistence on getting my monies worth kept them on so long.
I did have a standard Marathon split like that many years ago, after less miles than yours, the bike shop put it down to incorrect fitting or being run at too low a pressure, which might have been correct, though I'd been hoping for a warranty replacement.
Looking forward to hearing about your Thailand trip, returning to the same area or something new?

[Matt2matt2002]

If that had happened to my Marathon Plus's I'd have been rejoicing, I disliked them intensely, only my pig headed insistence on getting my monies worth kept them on so long.
I did have a standard Marathon split like that many years ago, after less miles than yours, the bike shop put it down to incorrect fitting or being run at too low a pressure, which might have been correct, though I'd been hoping for a warranty replacement.
Looking forward to hearing about your Thailand trip, returning to the same area or something new?

Thanks PH

I think I've been running the Marathon Pluses on all my Raven tours - way back to the Pamir Highway, 2015.
No problems until this one - and it's done quite a few miles.

The 2.25's I used on the Pamir Highway went on just before the tour and came off straight afterwards. They've been stored and ready to use again if I'm ever silly enough to go back!

71 tomorrow and still loving touring but recognizing my physical limitations.

I've no experience of other makes so will refrain from recommending them above anything else.

Thailand? Yes the same area, South of Bangkok. Very flat which my knees say they like.

Last time I rode South, toured the area above Malaysia and then trained it back North.
This time I'll train both ways to give me more time on some of the islands.
Mrs. Matt has not let me go again for 55 days so it's a quick 29 days.
Weather looks good in Feb. Fingers and toes crossed.

Matt

[Matt2matt2002]

Generally have you been pleased with the Marathon Plus tyres, Matt?
Thailand sounds like a great prospect, especially during the colder months ( Says I up near Perth atm Brrrr!)

Ha ha- there's cold and cold. I hope it will be warm in Thailand then. Lovely last May/June but a little hot and a few short sharp thunder storms.
After a downpour the streets were bone dry within an hour. Crazy. And they build their roads for those big rain storms. I saw minimal flooding in towns.

Yes - I'll probably make a Crazy Guy journal and link it here.
At 71 tomorrow, I now think of tours now as perhaps my final one. I'll be happy that I have chosen Thailand if it is.....

[mickeg]

...
At 71 tomorrow, I now think of tours now as perhaps my final one. I'll be happy that I have chosen Thailand if it is.....

You are a month and a half ahead of me.  My tours are getting more road oriented where restaurants and grocery stores are more frequent, am now less interested in touring far off remote areas.

[Matt2matt2002]

...
At 71 tomorrow, I now think of tours now as perhaps my final one. I'll be happy that I have chosen Thailand if it is.....

You are a month and a half ahead of me.  My tours are getting more road oriented where restaurants and grocery stores are more frequent, am now less interested in touring far off remote areas.

Snap. At first I was upset with myself at this 'decline' but then reasoned that I have a good number of fantastic tours over the years and the body can't keep cranking out the miles and hills.
Now, it's more about breaking the routine and getting out of my comfort zone while experiencing different cultures and food.

Matt