Tire sidewall damage, (when) is it salvageable?

[Gsinill]

Hit some broken glass which cut the sidewall of my rear tire.
Looks pretty bad so I guess I will bite the bullet and replace an almost new Gatorskin clincher.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2hocv93.jpg

General question though: any damage to the sidewall of a car tire automatically means that it can't be repaired.
What is the rule for bicycle tires? I would assume the high pressure rules out any patching as well.

Cheers!
GS

[avalonracing]

People ride all kinds of stuff...
My thinking is that replacing a $50 tire is a lot cheaper and more comfortable than compound fractures and reconstructive surgery from a blowout that can happen if your repair fails.

Use it on a trainer.

[Ozrider]

Sometimes s$&# happens! as @avalonracing says a new tyre is much cheaper than even the rim damage that might occur in event of a blowout, and potential injury.



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[YoKev]

If it was mine....

Considering that it is so new, I'd simply boot it (as I have done in the past) and continue riding. It really doesn't look bad at all.

YMMV

[donevwil]

You do know it only happens to new tires, right ? On the first day of a seven day, 500 mile bike tour I picked up a cut on a 28 Gatorskin that was ~3/16" wide and went completely through. I booted it and finished with no problem. That said, if I'd had the opportunity to buy a replacement (shops only had 23s) or had thought to bring one (I now do) I definitely would have replaced it. Probably why I now always buy three tires.

[Cat3roadracer]

Boot it and install on the rear wheel.

[lhuerta]

boot it and install on the rear wheel.

+1

[FlashUNC]

I wouldn't ride it and consign it to trainer duty. But that's just me.

[Ahneida Ride]

I just had a Conti GP 4 seasons blow out on me.
I had about 20 miles on the tire ....if that.
It was the rear tire and I had just descended a very steep hill

I replaced both with Vittorias.

in 2004, a young local cyclist was killed from a front tire blow out.

replace the tire. the risk is unacceptable.

[Black Dog]

Use a tire boot and ride it. It will not blow out with a boot in there especially if the cut is superficial. I'm a super cautious about safety issues and this does not appear to be one.

[Admiral Ackbar]

id just boot it and call it good. maybe run 2 or 3 stitches through it. doesn't look too bad from here.

[Dead Man]

Boot it with a patch... I might dab some cement in the hole on the outside too.

I've never tried it before, but I might also be tempted to try a small patch on the outside also... sandwich them together.

[Cicli]

If there is no bulge when inflated. Ride it.
If there is a bulge replace it.

[zachateseveryth]

If cords are cut/frayed replace it. Booting a tire is fine for getting yourself home but it isn't a long term solution.

[dawgie]

I feel your pain. I recently had to throw out a Rivendell Jack Brown tire with a cut right at the bead. The tube bulged out even with a boot. It was a great tire and I hated to scrap it, but at least I got about 2,000 miles of riding on it.

[Gsinill]

Thanks guys, looks like a perfect opportunity to switch over to tan sidewall tires (and keep the other Gatorskin as a spare) ;)

[d_douglas]

Coincidence? I have nearly new GP4000 25mm tires on my road bike and right at the end of a ride last week, I flatted.

I got off to see what happened and a sizable wood chip had worked it's way into the tread. I kept riding until it eventually punctures the tube. While
Changing the tube, I was trying to remove the woodchip from the tire and literally pulled it through the tire in order to dislodge it! As I said this was not a sliver, it was a wood chip!

Once removed, the hole In the tire shrunk and ultimately disappeared but it is not entirely encouraging from a reliability/durability perspective.

I bought Contis due to their rep for being decent riding, but incredibly reliable. Oh well, I guess sh*t happens?

[benitosan1972]

Continental tires have notoriously fragile sidewalls.
While their tires has great tread compound and flat protection,
usually when you run over something sharp, it will flip up from the
protected tread area and cut the sidewall, so frustrating! I use mostly
Gatorskins, Hardshells, All Seasons, and GP4000's and I've had many new-ish
tires get ruined by cuts in the sidewalls. As said before, just boot it for a temporary fix, but replace the tire for peace of mind. Continental tires with that waffle-sidewall-pattern are the most susceptible/fragile (Gatorskins). The Hardshells are better at solving this, bit I guess it's a little bit too late now :(

[brando]

Doesn't look too bad in your photo.

[Sean Mac]

Last night I had to use a Park boot inside my Conti GP 4000 tire. This tire has about 3,000 miles on it, so there is a lot of life left in it. Can I ride with the tire booted for an extended period of time or would I be better off replacing the tire ASAP?

I put in 27 miles last night with the booted tire - no bulges and it seemed to ride pretty smoothly.

[YoKev]

^^^ keep riding