Road Cycling - Minor tire damage advice.

I have a new set of vredestein tricomps. I've been running these tires for less than 2 weeks, and probably have about 200 miles on them. This past weekend, I hit a big rock(guy in front didn't signal). I was amazed that I didn't get a flat. I rode home with no problems.

Yesterday, I noticed that there was a very small gash in the side, just below the label.(see attachment)
It's more of a knick, but deep enough to see the threads... at 145 PSI there is no tire bulge, and I rode yesterday for 21 miles with no issues. These tires have rather beefy sidewalls than some other performance tires that I've owned(also 245g)... the rubber goes quite a ways around the tire as well.. which may be there is a gash, and why I didn't get a flat. The threads looks as durable as the sidewall.. but it's so small it's hard to tell.

A friend recommended Shoe Goo... and possibly putting it on the rear.. I had thought of reinforcing it inside with tyvek to be safe.

I don't want to lose a new expensive tire, but I don't want to put myself or others at risk. Losing this tire would be like losing two since they are bright red and 2003 tires.
If I keep it, should I put it on the rear?
I could probably upload a picture of the damage a little later today.



Any recommendations?

If the threads are NOT cut (not frayed etc.) I have heard of
folks using a bit of shoe Goo to hold down the flap. I'd try it but
be careful. I agree you probably don't want it on your front tire tho.
If the flap has threads in it, or the exposed threads are cut/frayed
do yourself a favor and get new tire(s).

Just my .02 worth,
Marty

Any recommendations?

This was sort of covered last week, although this thread didn't discuss a side wall cut, it was a tread cut: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=49944&highlight=tire

First I'll state the obvious:

If you can afford to replace it, do so. Put the tyre on the rear wheel. It all depends on the size of the nick....blah, blah.....

I have successfully repaired MANY, MANY side wall nicks over the years, WITHOUT A FAILURE, and I put at least 150 psi in my 20mm Continental GPs (oooh baby, they fly :D ).

As I think I wrote on a previous post, I simply cut a small, circular piece of plastic from one of those plastic A4 folders we used at school, and stick in over the nick with a couple of bits of gaffa (on the inside, obviously).

Now, you're gunna get a lot of do-gooders out there goin' on and on' about blowing tyres, but if something is reparable, then it's reparable. I regularly check the patches, and the high pressure of the tube doesn't make a dent in the plastic.

Oh yeah, I forgot: I tried Shoe Goo a few times and I reckon it's no good. My way is better ;)

It took out a small pinhead size piece of the rubber. The rubber is gone.. just pulled it out, and apparently pulled it from the tire threads.. cleanly. No cuts on the threads.. no penetration, no flat. Either way, the threads clean and untouched. I'm going to try the shoe goo.

Two things concern me.. 145psi(I may run it lower if in the front) and a blowout on the front at high speed. But I would think that I shouldn't be concerned unless there is a bulge of some sort... any such wobble should so since it's on the front.. if I don't move it to the back.

Pleeeeeeez listen, the Shoe Goo thing is not very effective; it is rubber, so it stretches!! It will stretch under pressure from the tube, where a hard piece of plastic will not. The Shoe Goo might seem effective initially but it won't last. Also, it will definitely not work if you put it on the outside.

Side wall damage does not always manifest as a buldge, therefore signs of 'swelling' is not always a precursor to a blow out.

If you don't wanna use plastic and gaffa, you can use thick, cloth rim tape

After you fix it, stick it in the back, just in case.

Cut wasn't as deep as I thought... it looks as though what I thought were "threads" may have been where the rubber cut away. I don't the goo was needed, or other patch, but it makes me feel better.. so does having it on the rear. Last thing I want to do is have the tire blow out on me at high speed.. or high speed in a turn!

SuperGlue works better than anything else I've ever tried. Unlike Goo, it's not pliable. It simply bonds everything together for the duration.

FWIW: I run the Fortezza non-TriComps and cuts are not uncommon. My guess is, it's the higher pressure. Regardless, we run these on our tandems and personal bikes at 145psi (23mm) or 135psi (25mm) and have never had a glued-cut open back up. The glue has even held a few cuts that got into a few of the threads. However, as others have already suggested, once you get a cut and fix it set the tire aside for use on the rear and put a new tire on the front, or if the rear hasn't worn much just swap them. Again, I haven't had a glued tire fail at the repair, but I never tempt Murphy.