Tire repair

[SamIAm]

I have a virtually new tire that was cut on a recent ride. It is a very small cut, but it does go all the way through the casing. I hate to just toss it, but I don't want to risk a blow out either.

Is this safely repairable, if so how?

Thanks

[staggerwing]

If it was just a thorn, or the like, I'm not sure I would worry about it too much. For smaller cuts, I would be more worried about the tube extruding through than a tire casing failure. There are many reports of fairly large cuts being successfully "booted" and ridden, if only to make it home.

Depending, I might consider applying a round tube patch on the inside of the tire. Clean well with alcohol, and use the cold vulcanizing fluid, as with a tube.

[crownjewelwl]

I've had luck patching up smaller gashes in tires with super glue. In fact for tubeless tires the patch kits come with what is essentially super glue. Just clean the cut with alcohol, apply the glue and hold. You should be good to go.

[dgauthier]

When you fill the tire with air, does the tire bulge out at the point where the casing is cut? If so, toss the tire. If not, you can probably still ride it. (I have ridden tires with cuts like this for their normal lifespan.) Fill the cut in the rubber with "Shoe Goo", and you should be fine.

[SamIAm]

When you fill the tire with air, does the tire bulge out at the point where the casing is cut? If so, toss the tire. If not, you can probably still ride it. (I have ridden tires with cuts like this for their normal lifespan.) Fill the cut in the rubber with "Shoe Goo", and you should be fine.

I don't think it bulges out, but I will have to check. I do know I discovered it because every tube that I replaced and inflated eventually went flat without even riding on it.

[Louis]

You could try a Park tire boot, then inflate it and see what it looks like under pressure.

[false_Aest]

Patch the tyre on the inside. I suppose you could even rubber cement a piece of tube to the inside of the tyre.

I've patched 3 or 4 tyres this way. Maybe I've just been lucky but the patch inside has lasted beyond the usefulness of the tyres.

Superglue might work but be warned that it gets hard. I would imagine that if the application is not done correctly a speck of glue might work itself in further than it should and act like a little piece of glass.

[TAW]

I don't think it bulges out, but I will have to check. I do know I discovered it because every tube that I replaced and inflated eventually went flat without even riding on it.

You've probably already checked this, but make sure that there's nothing still in the tire that's causing it to deflate like a small piece of glass/thorn. I've ridden for quite a long time on a tire that has a boot, or something between the tire/tube.

[FGC]

I take a piece of old rim tape and glue it (with tubular glue usually, but use whatever is around) to the hole in the tire. I think using an old piece of tube or patch are no good because they stretch and eventually will lead to tearing more the casing. The rim tape will not stretch nearly as much and keep the shape of the casing.

[AngryScientist]

if you ride PR3s often, you get familiar with tire cuts. small rubber patch glued with rubber cement on the inside of the tire will keep the tire serviceable for many more miles.

[mandasol]

You could try a Park tire boot, then inflate it and see what it looks like under pressure.

I'm riding with one of these now on a puncture. I check it before and after every ride and its holding up fine.

[Nelson99]

My rule of thumb is that if I can see the tube through the cut, the tire must be booted or tossed.

Booting the tire is gluing a patch to the inner surface of the tire at the cut. As mentioned above you can get boot material from Park, or use rim tape. I've tried other tapes, and cello packing tape can sometimes work (surprisingly), duct tape doesn't. These days I don't use anything but rim tape and glue.

[alancw3]

patch on the iside of tire and shoe goo on the outside to fill in the cut. works perfect.

[ischon]

a hole from a thorn is one thing, but i wouldnt mess around with a tear in the tire...
i was training on a tire with a similar situation and as i was descending after a hard climb i started to feel almost out of control as my rear tire bulged sufficiently and about a minute later flatted (a vittoria diamante...)

im usually one for cheap and resourceful options, but so much can go wrong if you have a bad tire
be careful!!

[spiderman]

or a twenty if you're really loaded!

[I'm New Here]

The best tire boot that I have run across is just a piece of old tire. I use scissors to cut the beads off of a piece of old tire that's 3 or 4 inches long then place the boot inside the cut tire. The pressure of the tube holds the boot in place. For emergency use, I wrap one of these boots around my spare tube before I stick it in my seatbag so I don't have to fiddle around on the road. The price is right and the strength exceeds that of dollar bills, power bar wrappers, or commercial products. YMMV.