Bicycle Mechanics - Do I need a new tire?

Hi all.
Last week I accidentally ran over some glass and got a flat. I replaced the tube and removed the bit of glass from my tire. Then later in the week, I got another flat -- same place. I can see the puncture mark on the inside of the tire (where some of the threads of the tire are kind of sticking up), but I can find absolutely no other glass there.

Do I need to just buy a new tire?

Thanks.

hm. yeah, probably. "some of the threads sticking out" makes me think there's a big-ish hole in the tire, which makes the innertube bubble out through the tire and it'll make a hole in it pretty quick.

I agree, I had a flat that was recurring. It turned out to be a wire that what lodged halfway in the tire. I was only able to find the wire once I destroyed the tire out of pathological curiosity. I went out and bought Gatorskins. Kevlar is good. Replace the rascal!

I didn't think the hole was big, but I don't have a lot of experience with these things:

Inside (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nall/2527891149/)
Outside (http://www.flickr.com/photos/nall/2527891155/)

And while I have the stand, do I need to replace my tires in pairs?

I'd patch it one more time before I replaced the tire. Could have been you didn't get it all out the first time and it is gone now.

Just put a boot on the inside of the tire. I did this with one of my tires, and it lasted another 1500 miles. Why throw out an otherwise good tire

Just put a boot on the inside of the tire. I did this with one of my tires, and it lasted another 1500 miles. Why throw out an otherwise good tire

+1
Just apply a patch on the suspect spot.

Just so I understand, am I putting a tube patch on the problem spot of the tire, or is there some tire-specific patch product I need to be looking for?

Thanks for the help, everyone.

you understand. Just put it on the inside of the tire.

A tire boot patch isn't an inner tube patch. The boot patches are made with a fabric in the patch to take the strain. Tube patches are flexible and the cords being cut means the patch will load a lot of the strain into the good fibers to either side and further damage may well result unless there are only a few cut fibers.

I think boot patches have fallen out of favour since I have not seen any in all my 15 years of riding. Most folks just get a new tire.

But what the heck. I'd try the tube patch and see what the tire looks like when inflated. If the area around the cut is bulging then I'd call it quites and get a new tire. If it's staying even with the area around it then you're good to go.

Mr. Tuffy