I've been riding Intense System 3 tyres for a while now and really enjoyed them, they suit the mix of road and light off-roading I do really well. Last year one of the System 3 developed a kink in the tread along with a bulge. I posted a picture on here an someone said that some of the cords in the tyre had snapped. Earlier this year I noticed that a second System 3 on my hack bike also appeared to be developing a similar bulge.
On my ride today I noticed a familiar kick through the saddle and saw that a third System 3 (the tyre that replaced the original one) had also developed a kinked and bulged tread although this time there seemed to be two areas of failure. Now I'm 15 stone, so no lightweight, but this is an off-road tyre that's been used mainly on-road and not particularly abused. All the tyres have relatively little wear (except on the highpoint) and at 590grams for a folding bead tyre aren't that light, so I'd have expected better durability. I've run them all around the 50psi mark; they're quoted for 40-90 psi.
Have I just been unlucky or should I try something different. The picture below shows the most recent failure. This one may have gone around a small puncture entry.
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I had similar on an Intense System 2 XC tyre - I looked down at it one day, and it was 'wibbly'.
I've heard/read on various forums that some Intense tyres are made pretty cheaply, and aren't all that much cop, but the pricier ones are OK, this has been my experience also.
I don't suppose you want a hardly used pair that are hung up in my garage? Yours for £30 posted
The System 3s retail at just under £30 each which in my book make them higher end tyres so I would have expected a bit more from them.
JustRide, thanks for the offer but I think I might give up on them and try something else.
No worries. I think that I will have to sell them cheap if that is what can happen to them. I thought that they would be good tyres coming from Intense. I don't use tham as they aren't recommended for tubeless use.
I now have Panaracer Razer XC. These are fast rolling tyres that would probably fit your requirements. Picked up a pair cheap of Merlin when they had a good deal on.
Uh oh! I'm waiting on the fedex man delivering some 2.5 909's and world cups, bought on the cheap from jenson, 20 dollars each. I'll give them a go, it was too much of a bargain not to but will await the wobblyness.
i've got 4 sets of intense tyres between skinny xc (system 2) and 2.5 downhill and they have all been fine. Though i wouldn't have system 3's at 50 psi: my suystem 2's rarely make it past 35: do you ride rocky/jumpy trails at that pressure? Would that rupture the casing?
The System 3s have a pressure range of 40-80 psi, so 50psi at the lower end of the scale. Most of their usage has been on-road with a bit of gentle off-roading, nothing too extreme.
...just poor quality casings then? 🙁
richiethesilverfish off here works for the distributor iirc: he may be able to reassure you that you had a 'friday afternoon' batch. tbh intense tyres are more well known/notorious for their love-or-hate handling characteristics than their toughness...
Uh oh! I'm waiting on the fedex man delivering some 2.5 909's and world cups, bought on the cheap from jenson, 20 dollars each. I'll give them a go, it was too much of a bargain not to but will await the wobblyness.
I snapped their hand off also,not tested them yet though
well that's them fitted, the 2.5 909 i got for the front looks mean as f***! like a big moto tyre, the 2.5 world cup for the rear not quite so mean but looks like it will roll better, looking forward to trying them out in anger 😀
My System 3's have always been fine. You were unlucky methinks.
I give the 909's a blast today and they are fantastic on dry dusty trails rs,definitely worth the money I might get some more before they run out
update
love the 909's performance but guess what,I've noticed a kink on the back one
As far as the System 3s went, Intense acknowledged a faulty batch (more recent batches should be maked inside with white LOT number stickers) and asked me to return them. I liked the System 3 but would be worried about trying them again, especially if the problem appears in another ranges.
Get in touch with Intense, they were excellent at helping me out and will probably ask you to get in touch with Silverfish to sort the issue. Silverfish with probably want you to warranty them through the original retailer.
Return them. Tyre tread wear shouldnt create structural failure/problems. Tyre defect.
Mate has some Intense tyres - blooming heavy and wide...but the rear has a split right round the edge of the tyre - on the carcass about halfway from tread to bead...looks a bit suspect.
Apart from that (and the weight!) they seem to be good tyres...