Hello all,
I commute to work about 3 miles each way. Tonight when I was riding home my tire blew. Took it home and saw that the inner tube was damamged so i replaced it. When i reinflated the tube i saw this gash in the tire. I think I already know but I just want to confirm. This is toast until i get a new tire, correct? Would you think this is safe to ride?
Edit: Thanks to everyone that replied! I already knew that these tires were toast. Just needed confirmation. Off to the bike shop this week!
by ccon33
29 Comments
Done, do not ride
That needs a replacement.
No.
If I was in the middle of nowhere bikepacking, I might try to sew it up and boot it to get back to civilization, but I’d be at the first bike shop I could find for a new one.
Best not to ride it. If you absolutely have to you can boot it with a tire boot or a dollar bill, but that should be a temporary measure.
You can ride it to the bike shop to get a new tire
Based on what I understand from Sheldon Brown, yes, you can.
But without the rubber to protect that metal weave underneath, it probably won’t last long.
You could try stitching the rubber together and using some vulcanizing compound (like in patch kits) to weld it together.
You could. The question is if you should. The answer to that is no.
Can you? Sure. Should you? No.
You can ride that all day as long as you know you might get a flat. There’s no “no”, just know the consequences.
You can put a boot in to make it rideable (dollar bill, duck tape, tyvek etc. between the tube and hole). The opening in the rubber will attract more punctures, and the slash could still grow though.
Yeah… that’s just long enough, and right on the highest friction area that I would be terrified it would just open up all of a sudden.
The only answer is it’s not safe.
Less safe in the front. A bit more safe in the rear.
If you have to ride it throw some gorilla tape or duct tape on it and put it in the rear till you can get a replacement.
It still won’t be safe but it’ll help it survive longer.
That’s done. The shinny black bit is the tube poking through between the cut that went through the tires ply chords (the white part). If you try to ride on that again, the new tube you just put in there is going to pop.
there are ways you could patch this back together for a temporary fix while you source a new tire, but this is 100% a replace it now situation.
I’d ride it on the rear with an internal patch. I’d fill in the gash with some rubber cement. Depends on how broke you are.
I wouldn’t
You should at least boot it. I also wouldn’t ride it at high speed.
Technically, yes, you can. Get the Lezyne plug/patch repair kit. It’ll seal that. We trust them in the shop and they haven’t let us down yet!
I’d probably try supergluing it and keep it on the back wheel, as long as you’re prepared for a flat.
Yes, if it holds air you can ride it to the nearest bike shop and get a new one put on OR ride it home, park it, then go get a new one to put on yourself.
for a couple of miles
You sure can.
I probably wouldn’t, though.
The question you need to ask yourself is ‘Can I walk home?’
That tire looks pretty worn and not safe to keep riding with that cut. Time for a new tire.
just put a bit of superglue in it
If you know how to change a tire you could open it up and put something between that hole and the inner tube a lot of people use those mail security envelopes, I think they’re for checks. it has the special waxy paper stuff it’s very durable. Honestly I wouldn’t do shit though it’s fine there’s just a very small slightly higher chance that you will get a flat tire. Also if you inflate way way too much it’ll make a little pimple
Yes, just go get a pack of radial tire patches (sold generically (Amazon or local autoparts store) as well as Lezyne branded), best type for this are the ones without the rubber stem. You glue them on the inside just like a tube patch (clean, sand(gently), glue, press/roll). They are heavier and stiffer than a tube patch and reinforce the casing as well as provide a thick rubber barrier between the road and your tube. You can do this in 10 minutes and it will last the life of your tire. Not many people bother fixing things these days.
The poor student in me says hell yes.
A little boot on the inside, some shoegoo to fill the hole and the outside, stick it on the rear and wear that sucker down to the canvas.
you can – but you should replace it. You can also stitch the tire if it is new and expensive and worth the hassle.
I’ve done this in the past and even running them tubeless with stiches worked fine.
Technically yes.
But the question is why would you?