So I recently (very recently) got new tires front and rear.
Metzeler ME888s.
Got them installed, running the proper PSI, took it easy for the first 100 miles.
I have maybe, maybe 250 miles on them now (somewhere between 200-250).
Well I looked at my rear tire and noticed all this wear, it looks like dry rot but looking at the tire date it was made in February of this year.
I called the place I got them from (cycle gear) and told them I would bring the bike in tomorrow (wouldn't have been able to make it there today before they closed).
Has anyone seen wear like this before on such a new tire with such low miles on it?




These 2 sections are about 8-10 inches apart from each other, I haven't checked the rest of the tire yet to see if there is more..

 

now ya got me looking at my rear I just installed........

 

Took another look at my tire and found another section of it.

 

More than a couple people have reported tread separation on Metzlers over the years. I was going to go with the 888s myself, but I came across a few threads along the inter-web about Metzlers quality dropping over the recent years.


I am no tire expert, but that first photo looks like the rubber to didn't bond properly in the molding process.... Almost like the mold wasn't hot enough. Seems chunky.

 

Have to say that does look curious. Be interesting to see what the tire tech offers as an explanation, or perhaps Metz itself.
For comparison, here's my rear ME880 with about 5K miles on it:



Hope you get it worked out.
~

 

When Metzeler moved production from Germany and started production in Brazil I was done even considering them... permanently...

 

I have them , just a few months now. They look good and handle great as always.
My front is made in Brazil and the rear made in Germany.
That's how my last Metz set came too.
I'm going to keep an eye out for abnormal wear.
That first tire looks like poo. retread tires melted in?

 

Looks like a production issue to me.. Molding temp not high enough or contamination when the rubber was laid in the mold.. Email pics to Metzler. I wouldn't ride that tire..

 

cycle gear should take that tire back. its obviously a bad tire. shoulda got a set of shinkos.

 

Cycle gear are replacing the tires (both front and rear) and covering all associated fees. Returning the tires to metzeler, replacing them with dublops k591s.