I pulled out dozens of glass shards from this tire, which has about 2k miles. Fortunately none of them poke through the casing, but a few large cuts like so have created local weak spots. I want to increase the life span of this tire because it is quite expensive ($60).
Do you also periodically pull out the shards in the tire? Will it help to glue patch from the inside of the casing at the weak spots?
by killedbyboar
9 Comments
Dig out glass and debris then use superglue to close the cuts; I have done this for years bike commuting in NYC and buy tires yearly
Bonus: less flats
Every time you ride, hose down your tires and then dry them off with a cloth. While you are doing it, inspect the tire for flints, glass, metal shards, etc. Pull out any you find. It takes a few minutes each ride, but it makes a massive difference. Also, try to story your bike in a place that’s out of the sun, dry and without temperature extremes. Mine lives in my house (which is another reason for giving the bike a quick wash and dry every ride).
To be completely honest with you, that tire is at about the end of it’s life as it is. Yeah tires can be expensive but they are a wear a tear component if your bike that needs to be replaced sometimes and there isn’t much you can do about that, 2k is honestly pretty decent! If you want to make sure they last longer then maybe invest in some more puncture resistent ones like a marathon plus or something, but they do have some drawbacks when it comes to performance.
Lose weight 😉
I pull out glass and debris every month or so (I commute several days a week), but don’t bother with any glue.
They last for ages just as they are…
If the hole goes right through, I put a big patch on the inside…
While I am one to think that the tire still has plenty of miles left, once they start looking like that, it is my experience that it will not be long before you experience flats practically every other ride. I find it oddly satisfying picking out the shards but that might be a futile exercise. I think picking out the shards and internally patching behind the larger cuts can do no harm, but if you really want to squeeze out the most miles out of those tires you may consider running a liner.
🤣
I’m not sure if the post or comments are better this time. Super glue?! Only if you’re riding fixed.
OP – tires last as long as they will. When they are toast you replace them because grip = control of the bike and that keeps you having fun instead of recovering from an injury. It’s just part of the cost of riding.
You can make a DIY tire boot by taking an old inner tube, cutting the valve out, and putting it underneath the tire. Can be helpful if youre running worn tires to get less flats. Just be extra careful your tire beads are seated properly when youre pumping it up
loctite blue super glue stays flexible after it cures and works great on tires