Fincci tire issues

[Zambam]

I have not had a flat for about 5 years over approx 8,000 miles among my 3 bikes (mid drive and a moped), until 2 weeks ago when I got a flat on the rear of my TSDZ2 mid drive with Fincci tires bought 6/2024. The flat turned out to be on the rim side of the inner tube, not from road debris. The rim tape was the original from 1995 Raleigh M80 hardtail deteriorated to tatters. I installed Velox fiber reinforced rim tape and new butyl inner tubes on both wheels. Hope for another 8k miles of no flat.

Unrelated to the flat what do you think of the cracks on these 2 year old Fincci tires? Probably has around 1200 to 1500 miles on them. Is it normal? What causes it? Is it unsafe to ride on?

edit: sidewalls look fine with no cracks.

2nd edit:
AI overview
Cracks on bicycle tire rubber typically happen due to aging, environmental exposure, and low inflation pressure.

Tire pressure spec is 45 to 60 psi. I rode it mostly at avg around 30 psi for most of the tire's life for a softer ride (I am light in weight), until recently when I raised it to 45 psi.

Other than the cracks, these tires worked well for me. I ride year round. Not when it rain or snow. I don't go faster than18 to 20 mph. No idea about the tire's rolling resistance. Who cares when I have assistance from a motor? I easily get 50 mile range (on lowest assist level) from my 48V 6 Ah (measured capacity) battery so the tire efficiency can't be that bad.

Rear


front

 

[e-beach]

I say ride that tire until it has no traction or completely bald or it splits in half or until rubber chunks start flying off of it.

 

[Zambam]

I say ride that tire until it has no traction or completely bald or it splits in half or until rubber chunks start flying off of it.

Since these tires worked well for me, I think I will buy 2 new ones, run them at the recommended pressure, inspect the threads for cracks regularly and see if it makes any difference.

 

[99t4]

Is it normal?

Sunlight can accelerate the aging, as can higher ozone levels. Are your tires seeing high levels of either?

 

[Zambam]

Sunlight can accelerate the aging, as can higher ozone levels. Are your tires seeing high levels of either?

Bike is stored indoors @ room temp. Exposed to Sunlight (which is not very intense in NYC) only when riding. I'm gonna send the pics to Fincci see what they have to say.

 

[99t4]

Bike is stored indoors @ room temp. Exposed to Sunlight (which is not very intense in NYC) only when riding.

OK so we can rule out UV damage, what about indoor ozone levels? (Sources include air purifiers, disinfectors, laser printers, photocopiers, etc.) Other than that, we are left with suboptimal tire ingredient recipe or possibly flawed manufacturing process. OR possibly your tires were subjected to high levels of tire-degrading conditions prior to your purchase.

 

[Zambam]

OK so we can rule out UV damage, what about indoor ozone levels? (Sources include air purifiers, disinfectors, laser printers, photocopiers, etc.) Other than that, we are left with suboptimal tire ingredient recipe or possibly flawed manufacturing process. OR possibly your tires were subjected to high levels of tire-degrading conditions prior to your purchase.

Ozone not the issue. Do not have any of those devices.

 

[Zambam]

@Zambam was simply posting similar content in a similar topic-based thread so that other members might be able to various opinions and data points regarding a common issue with tires. No need to get territorial, it's still "your" thread. Remember that forums are communities.

Exactly! Just wanted to share my tire issues.No malice intended.

 

[Zambam]

Since these tires worked well for me, I think I will buy 2 new ones, run them at the recommended pressure, inspect the threads for cracks regularly and see if it makes any difference.

I ordered 2 Fincci tires from Amazon before contacting Fincci. Wow, I received the following reply the next day!

"Thank you for providing such detailed information about your riding conditions and the clear photos.
Based on the images you attached, I must strongly recommend that you do not ride on these tires anymore and replace them immediately.
Despite the low mileage (1,200 miles) and the fact that they were stored indoors, the cracks running along the tread grooves are not normal wear and tear. This type of cracking indicates that the rubber compound has prematurely lost its elasticity, usually due to a chemical reaction with city road grit, or a manufacturing/structural flaw.

Why are these unsafe?
In a city environment like NYC, you are constantly braking, turning, and riding over road debris. These deep cracks act as pathways for moisture and small particles to reach the internal cord. Even at your moderate speeds of 9–18 mph, this significantly increases the risk of a sudden catastrophic blowout or a rapid loss of air, which could easily cause a crash.

What you should do next:
1. Stop riding on these tires immediately. Your safety is the top priority.
2. Please take a close-up photo of the sidewall to locate the manufacturing date code (DOT code) to ensure these weren't old stock sitting in a warehouse.
3. Since these tires have failed structurally after just 1,200 miles of normal use (and careful storage), this looks like a batch defect. Terefore I'm happy to offer you a free replacement pair. Please confirm your order number and your full delivery address.

We want you to enjoy your rides safely, so please do not risk it with these cracked tires.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.
--
xxxxx
Customer Support Manager"

I tried to cancel my Amazon order but it had already shipped. When received, I immediately requested a return/ refund. Amazon asked for a reason (optional). I wrote "free replacement from Fincci". To my surprise, they gave the refund and told me I do not have to return them! So now have 4 new tires that are free. Already mounted a set. Will monitor them for cracks regularly from now on.

 

[99t4]

I never knew that bicycle tires had date codes! Curious to see what yours have. Here's one from one of my tires in the retired tires pile (Schwalbe Crazy Bob):


Pretty sure that's October 2011, so almost 15 years old. It was 13 years old when I started using it. No cracking, just wore out:


Going to check my other tires now.

 

[neptronix]

Unrelated to the flat what do you think of the cracks on these 2 year old Fincci tires? Probably has around 1200 to 1500 miles on them. Is it normal? What causes it? Is it unsafe to ride on?

2 year old tires and you live in an environment with low UV radiation ( close to sea level ) and decent humidity..
I can't think of what stress you could have put on them other than extreme weight or much too low/high of pressure that would cause them to fail so early.

I would blame poor manufacture.
I visited the company's website and it's super cheesy, looks like it was translated.
Have never heard of them until today.
Prices are lower than my beloved Kenda tires ( which are good quality, but low to mid price ).

Possibly a case of getting what you paid for, or perhaps you ended up with very old stock.

For UV, I don't expect a tire to look like this except for if the vehicle spent 5 years exposed in the sun here in the high desert ( 4500 ft. above sea level, so the sun is notably more intense ), or 10+years anywhere else.

 

[Zambam]

I never knew that bicycle tires had date codes! Curious to see what yours have.

I didn't know either, till now. The date code on my cracked tires have 10 digit white numbers inked on the inside of one of the tires (see photo, the other tire does not have a date code that I can find!). I am waiting for Fincci to decode it. The new tires have 8 digit date codes molded in raised numbers on the sidewall.

 

[Zambam]

extreme weight or much too low/high of pressure that would cause them to fail so early.

Weight not the issue. I ran the tires at 30 psi for most of its life until the last few months when I upped it to 45 psi.

I would blame poor manufacture.

Certainly a possibilty.

I visited the company's website and it's super cheesy, looks like it was translated.
Have never heard of them until today.

They have great customer service and stand behind their product though.

Possibly a case of getting what you paid for, or perhaps you ended up with very old stock.

Let's see how the new tires perform. Maybe the cracked ones came from a bad batch?

 

[Balmorhea]

Those tires do look like very cheap, sub-entry level products that would go on department store or mail order garbage bikes. The brand name suggests take-the-money-and-run Chinese improvisation.

Ozone does not have to come from ozone or negative ion generators. Cities are heavy with it because of the electrical and engine-powered machines everywhere. It is murder on tires, even good ones.

Recognizable brand tires with an earned reputation for durability are worth the extra purchase cost on a per-mile basis alone, not even taking into account the superior puncture protection they are likely to have. You don't have to shop from the fancy high priced options to get a long lasting tire from Schwalbe, Continental, Panasonic, CST/Maxxis, Kenda, Michelin or the like. Some others like WD, Innova, and Vee are likely to be crappy even when they cost a lot. Cheng Shin is the budget line of CST and Maxxis, but those tires usually don't suck even if they look like they do.

 

[fechter]

They might have been really old when you bought them.
I've been burned by old stock inner tubes several times.

 

[rafalg]

I have some tires with cracks that started showing up not long after putting them on a road bike. It's vittoria tires, so a well established brand. So i suppose they were just old, very old, when bought, or are just bio-degradable by design. Didnt explode or bulge, even under quite high pressure, and there is some internal reinforcement that is probably OK, so i'm not that afraid of a sudden failure, but will change them on next occasion.

 

[Zambam]

Usti

Prices are lower than my beloved Kenda tires ( which are good quality, but low to mid price )

Which Kenda? Does it come in 26 x 1.95? More precise ETRTO 50-559?

 

[lnanek]

I bought Fincci tires once too. They were super cheap off Amazon, like $20. Popped super quick. I think they are just imitation tires, like imitation crab meat or something.

I'd take CST, Kenda, or YunSCM over them any day. Have ended up with those from OEMs and Facebook marketplace before and they weren't terrible despite being the bottom price tier.

Although I buy Rene Herse, Continental, Schwalbe, and Vittoria myself. Vittoria have been the most poppy of those, so I'm just going to keep their air liner inserts and drop their tires. Hutchinson keeps winning rolling resistance tests, so I'll probably try them next.

 

[Zambam]

I bought Fincci tires once too. They were super cheap off Amazon, like $20. Popped super quick.

Popped as in puncture flat or blowout flat? I bought them based on 77% 5 star rating on Amazon. Are those ratings fictitious?

 

[armyofevilrobots]

It's worth mentioning that a lot of cheaper tires are made with very hard, low-grip rubber. It's far less of a concern on a city bike than on a racing bike or mountain bike, but you're still more likely to slide out a corner than you would be on a better set of Schwalbes/Contis. If your tires are lasting more than a couple years, I'd be tempted to pop for really nice tires as a bit of really cheap safety insurance. Cheaper than a deductible.

 

[99t4]

I bought them based on 77% 5 star rating on Amazon. Are those ratings fictitious?

How to Spot Fake Reviews on Amazon

With fierce competition among third-party sellers, it can be tough to find genuinely good products. These tips can help.

www.wired.com

 

[OlderGiantFan]

The flat turned out to be on the rim side of the inner tube, not from road debris. The rim tape was the original from ...

I had an identical puncture, a good rim and rubber tap, no issues there. It was just a crap tube and it split in the middle of nowhere. Probably a defect in the rubber or the mold that made it. There is so much enshitification now days it didn't surprise me at all.