Bicycle Mechanics - Continue using shreaded tire?

I have a specialized hemisphere 26x1.95" with the flakjacket compound on it. Riding home today I heard a loud pop and when I stopped to check, something had tore a 3/4" long gash on the side of my tire. I managed to patch the tube with a glueless patch. When I got home I went to boot the tire with a large thick patch with glue.
Anyway here's what it looks like. A large piece of metal or glass or something ripped right through the tire. Right now it's holding 60psi pretty good, there's just a very tiny bulge in the area where the cut is. Still good?

Replace it as soon as practicable. That boot won't hld for long, especially if it is already bulging. One good clunk through a pothole, and it will probably blow out again.

I have a specialized hemisphere 26x1.95" with the flakjacket compound on it. Riding home today I heard a loud pop and when I stopped to check, something had tore a 3/4" long gash on the side of my tire. I managed to patch the tube with a glueless patch. When I got home I went to boot the tire with a large thick patch with glue.
Anyway here's what it looks like. A large piece of metal or glass or something ripped right through the tire. Right now it's holding 60psi pretty good, there's just a very tiny bulge in the area where the cut is. Still good?

A bulge anywhere on the tire or a wiggle in the tread means that one of more of the cords have been cut. There is no effective repair for that kind of damage.

I wouldn't chance it if there was a bulge. Would you ride on this for a long period of time? :eek:

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/whidbey_island-20040516/PICT0083.jpg

Unfortunately, the rider of this bike had no choice unless he wanted to walk. All the bikeshops in the area were closed that day. We even tried K-Mart and Wal-Mart for cheap tyres but all they had were 27". Luckily he had Mr. Tuffy liners so we overlapped several layers at the point of the cut and that was enough for him to make it the 20 miles back.

How do you judge if a tire should be replaced? Yesterday, I blew out my rear - a fairly new Michelin Pro Race - only to find a very small, but not tiny, puncture hole in the tread. Big enough to warrant an internal boot but not big enough to bulge. My gut says replace but my wallet wants to know what you guys think.

55/Rad

Whatever it was made a 3/4" cut on the outside and on the inside of the tire, where the threading is, it sliced through half an inch of threading, I'm guessing it's severely compromised... Even though my wallet says my cheap boot should hold for regular commuting, maybe I'm wrong.

Anyone know what the actual physical difference is between the armadillo's and flakjacket? Wondering if armadillo's would've at least held up better.

A cut is OK, if it is not too big. If it buldges, I would replace it.