Commuting - Sooo...time for a new tire?

How much tire damage is too much? This Continental Contact had roughly 1200 miles on it before an arrow-shaped rock about the size of a BB managed to plant itself right under the valve stem and mess up my ride home today. I pulled it out, replaced the tube and it ran just fine going home. On the outside it looks like about a 3/16" cut while on the inside it's no larger a hole than any other goathead would produce, but it's a fairly deep slice. I was hoping for at least 5,000 miles out of this puppy!
:notamused:

I had that happen to me today.
Riding in the rain picked up a sharp rock chip.
Changed tubes, rode home and then glued a heavy rubber patch inside the tire.
Super glued the outside cut together.

Tire had 822 miles on it.
Pic before the repair

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/SerfasFlat822miles002.jpg

repaired, thick rubber boot inside, super glue outside:
Ready to ride.
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/SerfasFlat822milesa002.jpg

I had that happen to me today.
Riding in the rain picked up a sharp rock chip.
Changed tubes, rode home and then glued a heavy rubber patch inside the tire.
Super glued the outside cut together.

Tire had 822 miles on it.
Pic before the repair



That's pretty durn close to what I'm looking at. If it survives the ride to work in the AM, I'll squirt some polyurethane adhesive into the cut.

You are going to need to use some kind of boot on the inside to prevent the tube from being pinched at the cut.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/tireboot002.jpg

You are going to need to use some kind of boot on the inside to prevent the tube from being pinched at the cut.

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to do that.

Wow, I suppose my passion for cycling is greater than I expect. I felt myself near-drooling at the site of the 56 patch kit you have. All I could think was "Oohhh, that is wicked. I want one."

BTW, this is how I knew it was time for a new tire.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bostonandback/4782569827/

Why doesnt my picture work?

Why doesnt my picture work?

Because the link you used was for the page that had the picture embedded, not the picture itself. You wanted this:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4782569827_ebf52bb992_b.jpg

Wow, I suppose my passion for cycling is greater than I expect. I felt myself near-drooling at the site of the 56 patch kit you have. All I could think was "Oohhh, that is wicked. I want one."

Here's what I use; three bucks at Harbor Freight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/27-piece-tire-tube-patch-kit-97204.html

The 56 piece kit from HF says it's for radial tires. I don't know what that means but the description does say OK for bikes. I don't know if that means tubes or the tires themselves.

http://www.harborfreight.com/56-piece-radial-tire-patch-kit-97215.html

I would guess that the 56-piece HF kit would be meant for bike tires rather than tubes--none of the other listed applications (rafts, car tires) are anywhere near as stretchy as a typical inner tube.

@ 10 wheels, rex_kramer: I can't tell from the pics--did any of the cords get cut in either of those slices?

I would guess that the 56-piece HF kit would be meant for bike tires rather than tubes--none of the other listed applications (rafts, car tires) are anywhere near as stretchy as a typical inner tube.

@ 10 wheels, rex_kramer: I can't tell from the pics--did any of the cords get cut in either of those slices?

Some of them, Yes, I also glue reinforced mailing envelopes in the inside.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/cut.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/TireGlue001.jpg

Some of them, Yes, I also glue reinforced mailing envelopes in the inside.

Nice! I've used a Clif Bar wrapper as a tire boot during an event. Fold it over a few times and it works just fine.

Some of them, Yes, I also glue reinforced mailing envelopes in the inside.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/cut.jpg

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Tire%20Repairs/TireGlue001.jpg

Nice. I recently removed a tire with a similar cut after probably about 1000 miles on it. Might have to have a go at booting it.

@ 10 wheels, rex_kramer: I can't tell from the pics--did any of the cords get cut in either of those slices?

No, it's simply the rubber that is cut. I'd write it off as superficial had my tire not gone flat.

I have huge gashes in the rear tires (on the road contact part) on both my bikes from various types of road debris. It hasn't affected the ride quality or flat amount, and they've been there for months.

Because the link you used was for the page that had the picture embedded, not the picture itself. You wanted this:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4782569827_ebf52bb992_b.jpg


Thank you, I believe I finally have it figured out. Although it takes away from the effect of my first post.

Thank you, I believe I finally have it figured out. Although it takes away from the effect of my first post.

I think it's time for a new tire, dude. You're pretty safe from being accused of not getting all your use out of that one.

Yeah, Soften The F Up and buy a new tire! ;)

that picture with the worn, thread bare tire and the hole has is something else, right.
The OP had a knobby tire shown in the thumbnail.
If true, that knobby tire has more life in it going with the advice already given, including a decent boot on the inside of the tire.