Stock Rear Tire at 1,200 Miles
Update: it was a friggin' nail, but that wasn't obvious at first because the flat side penetrated, not the sharp side! The sharp side was also dulled and smashed, very weird. I brought out my pliers and tire plug kit, and it held air perfectly after yanking it. Was gonna ream the spot and plug it, but that'd do far more damage than leaving it alone. I'll ride on those tires a bit longer, checking air pressure on the rear nore frequently, and replace them when it seems appropriate.
Thanks to LowOnBucks for his input, I was prepared to change to new tires a couple thousand miles early. 😅 Learning as I go, noob rider.
Original post: Phew. I was going to go on a road trip this weekend, rescheduled it when I realized Memorial Day weekend is one of the most unsafe times of the year for Texas highways and I have minimal highway experience. I go out to do my weekly pressure check and install front axle sliders, and boom, tire wire hanging out. Just hit 1,201 miles yesterday, never gone above around 65MPH, zero speeding or aggressive riding, diligent about pressure checks.
At first glance, I thought it was a nail, but nope, that's part of the tire. It still holds air well, was at 40.5 PSI when the ideal number is 42 PSI, but I don't trust these. Sucks I missed the Michelin rebate window, gonna get a pair of Road 6 tires soon and have Cycle Gear install 'em cheap($30 each for labor).