oboeguy

So I'm tooling around Central Park today in the gorgeous weather when I hear what sounds like a leaf caught in my spokes. Look... no leaf (besides, it's spring not fall!). Get off the bike... rear tire is soft. Arrgh! Fortunately, this being Central Park, there was a bench nearby at which I decided to carefully deal with this weirdness.

That was a good idea. I pumped the tire a bit and heard the telltale hiss of a flat. The problem was that there was a little hole in the tire -- apparently the tube was pinched or bulged through the hole and poof! flatted. While riding the hiss was interruped as the hole was covered with that part of tire on the ground (hence the "leaf" sound).

Anyhow, wanting to put in about six laps, and this being the first, I was determined to do something about it. I struck upon the bright idea of using one of my glueless patches on the tire (on the inside, of course). I also patched the tube as I had everything out (rather than go to a spare). The ride was fine after that.

My question: is it time for a new tire or will my patch hold? I'm a little worried because I'm likely doing a 70mi group ride on Saturday.

operator

New tire please. Does it bulge when it's pumped up with patch in place?

oboeguy

It's a tiny hole so there was no bulge. My tires are covered in little scores from the crappy roads and glass around here. I didn't know that this particular hole whent all the way through. I suppose I could post a pic, but I'm not sure I could find the hole again without taking out the tube (it's that small).

Karldar

They make boots for tires. Park makes glueless ones just like their patches, but they are recommended "for temporary use only". Never stopped me from using them, problem-free, long-term(only on MTB tires, tho).

[edit: just read your second post] I've got a slick and XC tire that are booted with large gashes with no performance issues. Sounds like you're okay.

moxfyre

What I usually do is use a strip of duct tape on the inside of the tire (makes a good boot because it contains a sort of fabric that won't stretch too much), and then when I get home clean it and use rubber cement from my patch kit to fill the hole from the outside.

Ideally I'd just get new tires, but glass and other urban debris means that I get lots of holes in tires that are otherwise new and good.

oboeguy

Thanks for all the replies, fellas. Do you think a tiny drop of "shoe goo" would be a good idea for the hole? (I only have a glueless patch kit so no patch glue on hand)

powers2b

Boot it with a mylar granola bar wrapper.
A buddy of mine has been rolling on his for two seasons now.

Enjoy

oboeguy

I have a half-eaten Powerbar here on my table, I suppose that would do. It's an interesting idea.

moxfyre

The patch kit glue is best because it actually causes the bonded pieces of rubber to react and fuse together. It's called "self-vulcanizing liquid" or something like that. Your tire is made of basically a layer of cloth covered by a layer of rubber. I use the duct tape to patch the cloth and the glue to patch the rubber.

I've heard those mylar wrappers work well as boots too... my only question is what prevents them from sliding around over time?

powers2b

Finish the bar first.
Otherwise you will be in for a very bumpy ride.

Enjoy

powers2b

Your tube doesn't slide around inside your tire.
Why would a mylar boot?
Two seasons @ over 100 miles / week sort of speaks for itself.

Enjoy

moxfyre

Well, the tube doesn't have "anywhere to go", so to speak, because every section of the tube is attached to a neighboring section as well as being pressed forcibly against the rim or tire.

I agree that the performance of the mylar boot speaks for itself. Guess I'll give it a try next time.

powers2b

That my friend is exactly why the mylar doesn't move.
Isn't this fun?

Enjoy

DanO220

I got a rear flat the second time I road to work on a new set of Pasela Tourguards. And it was a good one too. A nail went through the tread and out the gummy sidewall. I patched the tube to get to work. It bulged a lot. I put a Park boot inside the tire. It bulges a bit. So far so good. I'm riding it until the repair fails or the tire wears out. Good tires don't come cheap.

DanO

powers2b

Kevlar knobbies at TARGET were on sale for $5 last week.

Enjoy

oboeguy

LOL Target tires... this is a fairly decent road bike.

You know, a glueless patch over a piece of PB wrapper doesn't sound so bad. I guess I'll grab a tube of glue to fill in the hole in question and maybe a couple of other suspicious looking holes.

The funny thing is my brother called yesterday with the same problem. I told him to boot it, but he's determined to get new tires. Now that it's happened to me I seek advice too. Funny, no? Anyhow, I think his tire has a bigger hole in it so he may in fact need a new tire.

moxfyre

As I said, I wasn't doubting that they worked, just wondering HOW they worked

Metro

Tires are not that expensive. When in doubt, toss it out!

oboeguy

True, but I've had them for maybe seven months. I'm not tossing them until I really need to toss them, seeing as they are still newish (maybe 3000km on them?).

monkey69

just take a piece of an old tube and glue it in.if u have only fabric on the inside use gorilla glue which will even foam through the hole ,if you have rubber on the inside use rubber cement ,done.

nolageek

Also, "not that expensive" is relative. I have $1.33 in the bank and 37 cents in my pocket. Until the 15th.

I have a small hole in my tire as well. I will be trying this out tonight.

Vincent "Good Lord I'm Broke" Macaluso

caloso

I think your patch will be fine. I had a Park glueless patch on the inside of a Michelin Pro Race for more than 500 miles last summer. Heck, if I'd thought about sealing up the gap with tube glue, I'd probably still be riding them.

Bolo Grubb

I pump my tires up past the stated pressure on the tire by a little bit, then use a dab of shoe goo. Then I let out alot of the air. leave it over night.

Next pump the tire back up and the hole/nick/cut is now sealed. I do this only on small ones.

supcom

If this is a really small hole then your tube was probably punctured by whatever made the hole. It's unlikely that the tube worked its way through the hole. You may not need a boot for the tire, but if the current patch is adhering, leave it alone.