View Full Version : Tire Repair
Okay I wanted to start this thread for the purpose of sharing a real life test. I have a brand new Pro Race 3 Clincher. Cut it last weekend ALL the way through the casing about a 1/4 inch wide. So here we go! I put two layers of duct tape (silver) on the inside of the tire, then used super glue to glue the cut in the tread back together. Lets see how long it lasts! 30 miles today and holding fine. Will report back hopefully tomorrow.
Chief
08-15-2011, 06:18 PM
I would have saved the tape and glue and instead used a $1 frn note as a boot since it is claimed to be "filled with hot air". Having said that I believe your fix will last as long as the tire.
Actuall the dollar was what got me home. But I needed a dollar for a cup o' joe so the tape became it's replacement. I hope that you are correct. I am leary about how long the super glue will hold the cut.
I would have saved the tape and glue and instead used a $1 frn note as a boot since it is claimed to be "filled with hot air". Having said that I believe your fix will last as long as the tire.
neiltron
08-15-2011, 08:19 PM
Let us know how long it lasts...this is an interesting test.
bike22
08-15-2011, 08:20 PM
i've never had much luck with the dollar bill boot trick.
a wrapper from an energy bar or from a discarded roadside potato chip bag works far better.
dekindy
08-15-2011, 08:26 PM
This would be a good investment for an expensive tire repair.
http://www.parktool.com/product/emergency-tire-boot-tb-2
The Park Tools boot is darn pretty fancy. But you should always have a dollar with you so why carry something else in your back pocket? I rode about 50 miles with the good ole dollar bill trick, the cut got a little bigger from tire pressure, and I had a dollar for something to drink once we got back to the shop! Of course I did have to dig it out of the tire to use it :)
I am really curious how far the cheap fix goes on a freaking expensive tire.
AngryScientist
08-15-2011, 09:39 PM
i have had good luck with rubber cement and gluing a piece of old inner tube inside the tire. actually i'm riding on a tire booted in this fashion right now.
Put another 30 on the tire this AM. Still holding. This is on the rear wheel too! Thought about putting on the front to nurse it, but this will be the gorilla test.
So 60 miles on the fix
skijoring
08-17-2011, 09:13 AM
I always boot from the inside, then fill the cut with super glue from the outside. Boot with a large patch. 60 miles is pretty good so far on your fix.
keithreynolds
08-17-2011, 09:14 AM
don't ever put a compromised tire in the front. you don't want a blow-out or any kind of failure in the front. If it does while cornering or any other time you're likely to get real banged up going over the bars or high-siding. It's not worth getting hurt.
Best option is to just burn through it on a trainer, but from what you've said I don't think I can convince you not to ride on it.
Kevan
08-17-2011, 09:20 AM
Pilfer the office supply cabinet and look for one of those mylar Fedex envelopes. Using scissors, cut off the adhesive flap, leaving the adhesive peel in place. Now cut the flap into 2-3 large band-aid style boots and tuck them in your saddle bag. They're free, tough as all get out, and the adhesive will keep it in place.
chismog
08-17-2011, 10:14 AM
Duct tape will work but is not really the best option. I liked your superglue trick though!
If I've gotta boot a tire, I use the casing from an old tire. I'll glue it inside the cut tire and make sure it's thin. The nice thing about tire casing is that it doesn't stretch much, so if you do a good job gluing it in your tire the cut is not likely to get bigger or even flare that much under regular pressure.
If I don't have tire casing, I use Babolat tape- the stuff you put on the top of a tennis racket to guard it from scrapes. I find it has a much higher thread density than duct tape, stretches less, not as gooey, and lasts a lot longer.
+1 for the guy who said not to ride it in the front.
toaster
08-17-2011, 10:39 AM
Try cutting a piece of Ballistic Nylon (cordura) to cover from inside. Use 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive (Gorilla Snot) as a contact cement and apply to both the inside of the tire and the cordura boot. Allow to dry and put a thin wet layer on boot again and assemble.
Haven't thought of those. When I raced track we used 3M weather strip glue (yellow) to glue up our silks. Never had a problem. Where do you find ballistic nylon??
TRUE TRUE TRUE. Rear blow outs are easier to manage. I wouldn't do this if I thought I was endangering myself or anyone around me. 31 years riding experience I have had to deal with every kind of failure possible, racing and just having fun. If I see this think even start to fail I'll rip it off. So far I have to really look close to find the cut. The super glue really is holding the cut together at full pressure. I really didn't think that it would work at all. But it does. Maybe because its new rubber.
don't ever put a compromised tire in the front. you don't want a blow-out or any kind of failure in the front. If it does while cornering or any other time you're likely to get real banged up going over the bars or high-siding. It's not worth getting hurt.
Best option is to just burn through it on a trainer, but from what you've said I don't think I can convince you not to ride on it.
MattTuck
08-17-2011, 11:04 AM
Very interesting. Keep us updated.
A guy in the shipping business once told me that duct tape's 'stick' only lasted a few days when it was up against cardboard. Not sure if it is true, or if it is any different when stuck to the inside of a tire.
That said, you're pretty brave.
My comfort test is, "what happens if this fails at 40mph on a descent?"
If you have anything on your bike that you consider "bomb proof", and you're riding that tire... well, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link.
That's exactly what I did. I like the suggestion of using a piece of ballistic nylon and the Mylar envelope as a boot too. Latter seem a bit thin though. So far the fix seems to be working okay. The cut isn't opening up at all. I really have to look closely at the tread to find the cut.
I always boot from the inside, then fill the cut with super glue from the outside. Boot with a large patch. 60 miles is pretty good so far on your fix.
eltonbalch
08-17-2011, 11:11 AM
Okay I wanted to start this thread for the purpose of sharing a real life test. I have a brand new Pro Race 3 Clincher. Cut it last weekend ALL the way through the casing about a 1/4 inch wide. So here we go! I put two layers of duct tape (silver) on the inside of the tire, then used super glue to glue the cut in the tread back together. Lets see how long it lasts! 30 miles today and holding fine. Will report back hopefully tomorrow.
PLEASE!! Buy another tire!! It's $30-40!! If it gives out it will always be at the worst possible time. Not worth the risk IMHO :no: .
Well it failed on me while on a 35+ MPH descent to begin with (thanks to the folks who deposited their liquor bottles on the roadway). I heard the fatal sound, but really didn't even know that it was me.....or at least I was hoping that it was someone else :) Agree the duck tape adhesive usually drys out over time, but the adhesive doesn't really worry me as the tire pressure is what keeps the boot in place. The sticky is a convenience to keep the boot in place until the tire is fully inflated. At least that's my theory!
Very interesting. Keep us updated.
A guy in the shipping business once told me that duct tape's 'stick' only lasted a few days when it was up against cardboard. Not sure if it is true, or if it is any different when stuck to the inside of a tire.
That said, you're pretty brave.
My comfort test is, "what happens if this fails at 40mph on a descent?"
If you have anything on your bike that you consider "bomb proof", and you're riding that tire... well, the chain is only as strong as the weakest link.
I am contributing myself in the name of junk science to prove that this is not folk lore. If you are on a double century you might like to know the results of this little experiment. NO WORRIES for me. It won't be a catastrophic failure, the cut will open up, I will feel the bump and know it's time to put it to rest. OR MAYBE NOT?
PLEASE!! Buy another tire!! It's $30-40!! If it gives out it will always be at the worst possible time. Not worth the risk IMHO :no: .
Y'all know those folks from Chicago. Duct tape is like a badge of honor on your car there.
C'mon now! This is the SEROTTA Forum. We spend money like nobody's business. So here's the best solution for this problem:
Go to West Marine or any boating supplies store and get some sail tape. It's very thin, absolutely no stretch, and has an adhesive backing that is strong enough to stay in place on sails. Use a big piece of it (since it has no bulk to speak of anyway) just to help avoid any bulging at the cut. If the cut is down near the edge of the rim you can wrap it right around the bead and up the outside til it clears the edge of the rim. Lasts forever, dirt cheap (just joking about how we spend money here), and you can have either black or white or sometimes some interesting inbetween colors. A piece in your tire bag is a very nice solution.
Tyvek is ok but if it does start to give, it goes pretty fast, and it's also pretty slippery so it can slide out of place. That's what's wrong with the dollar bill as well. And duct tape in a tire tends to leave adhesive smears inside and the piece of tape can slip when hot. And it makes you look like a Chicagoan.
You've seen my car! I was a miracle the day that they invented red duct tape. Really looks nice over the hole on BMW's tail light! My daughter went out bought her own yellow roll just to make a purse out of it ;) I guess we Chicagoans DO LOVE our duct tape
Didn't know about sail tape. Great suggestion.
Y'all know those folks from Chicago. Duct tape is like a badge of honor on your car there.
C'mon now! This is the SEROTTA Forum. We spend money like nobody's business. So here's the best solution for this problem:
Go to West Marine or any boating supplies store and get some sail tape. It's very thin, absolutely no stretch, and has an adhesive backing that is strong enough to stay in place on sails. Use a big piece of it (since it has no bulk to speak of anyway) just to help avoid any bulging at the cut. If the cut is down near the edge of the rim you can wrap it right around the bead and up the outside til it clears the edge of the rim. Lasts forever, dirt cheap (just joking about how we spend money here), and you can have either black or white or sometimes some interesting inbetween colors. A piece in your tire bag is a very nice solution.
Tyvek is ok but if it does start to give, it goes pretty fast, and it's also pretty slippery so it can slide out of place. That's what's wrong with the dollar bill as well. And duct tape in a tire tends to leave adhesive smears inside and the piece of tape can slip when hot. And it makes you look like a Chicagoan.
toaster
08-17-2011, 02:53 PM
Haven't thought of those. When I raced track we used 3M weather strip glue (yellow) to glue up our silks. Never had a problem. Where do you find ballistic nylon??
Ballistic nylon can be found in fabric stores. It's that material you see on backpacks.
Sail tape sounds interesting.
Thoughts on repair: again, never put a compromised tire on front, super glue has never worked, JB Weld would probably work much better than super glue and rubber inner tube as boot will usually stretch outside thru cut if even a slightly long cut.
SamIAm
08-17-2011, 02:58 PM
Actuall the dollar was what got me home. But I needed a dollar for a cup o' joe so the tape became it's replacement. I hope that you are correct. I am leary about how long the super glue will hold the cut.
Where did you get a cup o' joe for a buck??
palincss
08-17-2011, 03:54 PM
Put another 30 on the tire this AM. Still holding. This is on the rear wheel too! Thought about putting on the front to nurse it, but this will be the gorilla test.
So 60 miles on the fix
Well, when it goes it's going to go with a bang, most likely. Is that what you want on the front?
palincss
08-17-2011, 04:00 PM
TRUE TRUE TRUE. Rear blow outs are easier to manage. I wouldn't do this if I thought I was endangering myself or anyone around me. 31 years riding experience I have had to deal with every kind of failure possible, racing and just having fun. If I see this think even start to fail I'll rip it off. So far I have to really look close to find the cut. The super glue really is holding the cut together at full pressure. I really didn't think that it would work at all. But it does. Maybe because its new rubber.
I bought a couple of used tires from an e-pal once. I didn't realize it, but one had been repaired with superglue. I rode the tire for almost 2 years before the blue bond failed -- out of the blue, no warning, just BANG!. Fortunately, it was in the rear and I was climbing at about 4 mph. I stopped instantly, of course, basically just stepped off the bike. It would have been a very different story if I had been going down that hill rather than up - it's one of those creek bed crossings that pass for hills in Southern Maryland, with enough elevation change I'm usually doing 34 mph crossing the bridge at bottom.
I like the idea of using the tire on a trainer. I wouldn't use a tire like that on the road anymore.
victoryfactory
08-17-2011, 04:36 PM
dollar bills? ballistic nylon? duct tape? really?
Why not just glue a tire patch over the hole
from the inside?
My local Gomero does it on my car tires for five bucks.
Lasts for years.
Rode a fast 28mi group last night. Repair still holding just fine. so we are at about 88 miles on the actual repair. Not counting the 50 I rode on it with a dollar bill boot and no repair to the tread cut.
Thinking about the repair and what someone else mentioned......if the boot is made of material approaching the strength of the original casing you are there, super gluing the tread is a secondary safeguard to keep the cut in the tread together. The Super glue sure is doing a great job of that. One of the guys in the group who is a super great mechanic, even says he rides tires with the dollar bill boot for miles on end.
Lifecycle
08-19-2011, 09:41 AM
Why not just glue a tire patch over the hole
from the inside.....
Clay I beg of you PLEASE .... replace the Tire, before we see another this is how I wrecked and............
Best...
Another 18 this AM. Still looks looks fine. The super glue is was amazes me holding the rubber tread together so it looks seamless. Total miles on the repair 106mi.
I may replace the duct tape boot with the Park Boot or the sail tape. As long as the casing stays tight all should be good for many miles.
Okay brisk 100 mi training ride on Sunday. about 20 miles into it, a corner peppered with gravel. Everyone slowed. Then, Pop! Oh rats. Did a quick wheel swap, continued on.
Got back home looked at the super glued tread. Not a sign of separation!
Looked at the duct Tape Boot. No tears or cuts.
Looked at the tube, you can see the outline of the duct tape boot. No cut there.
Turned out to be what looks like a pinch flat. Don't recall hitting any big holes, but its in the right spot.
So the repair is still holding. Although I am going to repalce the duct tape with the Park Tools Boot.
This is a jinxed tire, but I shall continue on for the sake of the road test. Donating my body to the forum :)
While I did have a confirmed pinch flat as previously described, I took the tube out replaced the duct tape boot with a Park Tool boot, and super glued the casing together (not in exactly that order). as well this time. Another 40 on the tire and she looks great.
....Park Tool boot,.....
FWIW - the Park boot eventually drys out and and cracks...I had one give out after a year or so....repaired it with duct tape. I think the sail tape sounds interesting.
martinrjensen
08-29-2011, 08:57 PM
duct tape definitely will not last. I suggest removing it and gluing on a boot patch or a thick piece of old tube. Supergluing the casing on the outside is a good idea though.
Park Boot may work out given these are Pro Race 3's. They are toast after about 1500 miles...tops. That's about three, maybe four months for me. I'll watch it. The sail tape is a great idea, although I wonder if it would add any puncture resistance. The PArk Boot is thick enough to limit the possibility of something pushing through it.
FWIW - the Park boot eventually drys out and and cracks...I had one give out after a year or so....repaired it with duct tape. I think the sail tape sounds interesting.
The super glue on the casing holds up too. Adding just a bit more structure to the tire repair. The tire tread has amazed me how well the super glue is holding up.
duct tape definitely will not last. I suggest removing it and gluing on a boot patch or a thick piece of old tube. Supergluing the casing on the outside is a good idea though.
palincss
08-30-2011, 01:59 PM
Well, it has only been a few days. The superglue repair on that tire I mentioned earlier held up a lot longer than that. However, it did fail, and it failed suddenly and with a huge blowout.
30 seconds before the blowout, I was going down hill at 34 mph. Fortunately, I'd crossed the bridge and was on the uphill section following it, and had lost all my speed when it blew. I think it might have been a nasty crash had it happened 30 seconds earlier.
Keith A
08-30-2011, 02:02 PM
Clay -- I did a similar thing with a PR3 that had a cut in it, but I used the Hutchinson tubeless tire repair patch. I figured it was designed to patch a tubeless tire, why wouldn't work with a regular tire. So I picked up the MTB kit since the patches are bigger. The patch held fine and I was able to wear out the tire from use instead of the cut. I did put this on the rear for both the safety factor and so I could wear it out faster.
Here's the patch kit I used...
http://www.amazon.com/Hutchinson-RepAir-Tubeless-Tire-Repair/dp/B003UWDXSQ
Tubeless Tire Patch would seem to be a perfect match.
Another update, been off the bike for a few days because of family, but since my last post I have added another 78 miles. Super glue is holding great and I am sure that the Park Tire Boot is helping.
Well, it has only been a few days. The superglue repair on that tire I mentioned earlier held up a lot longer than that. However, it did fail, and it failed suddenly and with a huge blowout.
30 seconds before the blowout, I was going down hill at 34 mph. Fortunately, I'd crossed the bridge and was on the uphill section following it, and had lost all my speed when it blew. I think it might have been a nasty crash had it happened 30 seconds earlier.
Those who crash allow themselves to do so.
Well haven't had the wheels with the tire on much in the past couple weeks, but since my last post another 86 miles on it. The Super glue has let go a little on the cut, but no bulges in the tire. Still looks safe to ride in my opinion. My throw it on for a fun Century ride this weekend. Will post again soon.
odin99
09-14-2011, 03:52 PM
i had a slice in one of my tires - on the side wall. (GP 4000). tire was almost new too. :( anyway, i put two 'boots' on the inside with rubber cement. both old tire casings (would never use an old tube as the rubber is too soft!) - glued them on and they seemed to look good. but when i pumped it up, there's still a slight bulge in the tire, which I DON"T LIKE. bottom line, this is going to be a trainer tire for rainy days.
Haven't reported in in a while, mainly because I have had different wheels on my bike over the past few weeks. But here is the latest after another 243 miles the super glued tread opened back up, but the tire is not bulging. The Park Liner that I put into the tire looks to be doing a great job of providing protection for the tube.
Sorry, I haven't reported in a quite a while. Another 350-ish mile on it before winter set in hard. To sum it all up,
Duct Tape: worked okay, but iffy protection in the event something penetrated the cut.
Super Glue: Held for what a couple hundred miles.
Natural Tar from the road: Filled in the gash nicely over time.
Park Tools Boot/Patch: gets my vote. Provides in essence a replacement for the tire casing and protection against anything puncturing the tube via the tire cut.
Added note: had a LBS mechanic looking at my BB. I pointed out the cut and he even said it looked like it a few more miles left on it.
martinrjensen
01-23-2012, 07:17 PM
I use superglue for large cuts and it works great. I have a cut about a quarter inch long in the outside rubber that I superglued together. I do check and have reapplied it a couple times but my cuts were not all the way through. I still suggest replacing the ducktape. Go find some old ducktape and look at how it lasts after a while. it really is not the right stuff to use. Temporary to get you home, fine, not permanent though
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.