wrote:

But the casing is in great shape, the tread looks terrific, the tire's
straight, never been punctured or patched, and it's perfect for the
riding I plan to use it for. So the tread peeling is the only flaw...

Flaw = warranty claim to Vittoria?

Firestone learned something about that...

It's a heartbreaker, kind of like a favorite piece of clothing with
just a little unravelling.

Ah, there's the problem. You notice if your clothes are even just a
little unravelled!!