Flat Tire Repair
12-26-18 | 09:13 PM
#1
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From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Specialized Crosstrail
Flat Tire Repair
I ride a fair amount on Rails-To-Trails surfaces which are gravel based. Had a flat in May 2018 and when doing the fix on the trail, I also put a piece of duct tape over the small puncture on the inside of the tire. Just had a flat last week on the same tire(piece of glass this time) and noticed that a fair amount of grit had infiltrated through the May 2018 puncture and lodged as a bubble under the duct tape. With no duct tape, all this grit would have been inside the tire and rubbing on the tube. I was not able to find any tire repair instructions that discusses this possible grit infiltration. So, from now on I think I will continue to use a small duct tape patch on the inside to catch the grit. Any thoughts on this?
Last edited by themp; 12-26-18 at 09:13 PM. Reason: spelling
12-26-18 | 09:23 PM
#2
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From: Williston FL
Bikes: 1988 Panasonic, 1989 Fuji, Schwinn Beach Cruiser
I took a tip off a YouTube blogger who carries a “boot” which is a small piece of an old tire in case of a blowout, so the tube is protected and he can hobble home. Can use a dollar bill, a piece of cardboard or whatever as long as the tube can be protected until can replace the tire.
12-26-18 | 10:13 PM
#4
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From: Everett, WA
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If it's a large enough hole for grit to get through, I'd call just getting home safely with it a success. And then change out the tire.
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12-27-18 | 11:10 AM
#5
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I think duct tape is too soft to use as a "tire boot," which is what you are describing. Use either a dollar bill, a piece of a FEDEX/UPS Tyvek envelope, etc. to cover the hole in the tire until you can replace it (if necessary). I carry a small strip cut from a bicycle tire sidewall to boot my balloon tires on the rare occasions I need to. You need a sidewall that is thinner than the rest of the tire so it can flex a little, but is still tough enough to keep any grime from pushing through the puncture.
Last edited by Papa Tom; 12-27-18 at 12:51 PM.
12-27-18 | 11:36 AM
#6
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I think duct tape is too soft to use as a "tire boot," which is what you are describing. Use either a dollar bill, a piece of a FEDEX/UPS kevlar envelope, etc. to cover the hole in the tire until you can replace it (if necessary). I carry a small strip cut from a bicycle tire sidewall to boot my balloon tires on the rare occasions I need to. You need a sidewall that is thinner than the rest of the tire so it can flex a little, but is still tough enough to keep any grime from pushing through the puncture.
12-27-18 | 11:54 AM
#7
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From: Zang's Spur, CO
There is no need to improvise something as inexpensive as a tire boot, when you can get good ones for a few bucks: https://www.parktool.com/product/eme...tire-boot-tb-2 And the Park boots have a self-adhesive so they can't slip out of place.
I once rode 20 miles home with a tire booted with a piece of old innertube, and it was not fun watching the boot bulging out the side of my front tire, on the verge of snagging the brake pad. The problem was the lack of reinforcement to prevent stretching like a balloon.
Years later I had another flat caused by a slashed sidewall, but this time the rip was large enough to put my thumb through it.
I had the Park boots with me, but had little confidence they could deal with such a large hole, and anticipated a 6-mile walk home. I gave the Park boot a try, and to my pleasant surprise, it held.
I once rode 20 miles home with a tire booted with a piece of old innertube, and it was not fun watching the boot bulging out the side of my front tire, on the verge of snagging the brake pad. The problem was the lack of reinforcement to prevent stretching like a balloon.
Years later I had another flat caused by a slashed sidewall, but this time the rip was large enough to put my thumb through it.
I had the Park boots with me, but had little confidence they could deal with such a large hole, and anticipated a 6-mile walk home. I gave the Park boot a try, and to my pleasant surprise, it held.
12-27-18 | 12:36 PM
#9
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I carry the park tool boot kit in one of my tool rolls, but in the past I've also successfully used cut up pieces of old tires, dollar bills, plastic baggies, and clif bar wrappers.
During a gravel race last year I gave someone a plastic sandwich baggie (I'd been carrying food in it) for a boot when he got a nasty sidewall cut. Neither of us had any idea if it would work but it was a "can't hurt to try at this point" sort of thing. I saw him successfully cross the finish line 15 minutes or so after I finished. He'd successfully ridden about 30 miles over some pretty rough terrain with it. We were both pleasantly surprised.
The point of a boot is to finish the ride, not a permanent solution. Replace the tire, ffs.
During a gravel race last year I gave someone a plastic sandwich baggie (I'd been carrying food in it) for a boot when he got a nasty sidewall cut. Neither of us had any idea if it would work but it was a "can't hurt to try at this point" sort of thing. I saw him successfully cross the finish line 15 minutes or so after I finished. He'd successfully ridden about 30 miles over some pretty rough terrain with it. We were both pleasantly surprised.
The point of a boot is to finish the ride, not a permanent solution. Replace the tire, ffs.
12-27-18 | 12:42 PM
#10
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I can see keeping a tire that has some wear & tear on the outside, meaning shallow notches, cuts, indentations or minor dry cracking. but not one that has a hole through to the inside, where the tube is
12-27-18 | 12:53 PM
#11
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Oops! Yes, you are correct. I have changed it to Tyvek. I had just read an article about Kevlar audio speaker cones, hence having "Kevlar" on the brain!
Also, I just realized that, a summer or two ago, I bought a pack of the Park tire boots and stuffed them in my tool kit. I've never used them, but I'd assume they are still there!
Also, I just realized that, a summer or two ago, I bought a pack of the Park tire boots and stuffed them in my tool kit. I've never used them, but I'd assume they are still there!
12-27-18 | 01:01 PM
#12
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From: Metro Indy, IN
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
I have been known to fill in a smallish hole or gash on the outside of a tire with Shoo Goo. Seems to stay in place reasonably well.
And I carry a Park boot but have never used one.
I would probably replace a tire with a hole that allows entry of 'stuff'.
And I carry a Park boot but have never used one.
I would probably replace a tire with a hole that allows entry of 'stuff'.
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12-27-18 | 02:08 PM
#13
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I took a tip off a YouTube blogger who carries a “boot” which is a small piece of an old tire in case of a blowout, so the tube is protected and he can hobble home. Can use a dollar bill, a piece of cardboard or whatever as long as the tube can be protected until can replace the tire.
Cuts too small for that to be an option are more frequently glued shut with super glue, liquisole or patched from the inside.
12-27-18 | 09:27 PM
#14
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From: Raleigh, NC
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Ok, that is good to know. But every tire repair video or step by step, does not really address when a tire should be replaced. Side wall tears sure, but a hole in the tread is really not discussed much. My May 2018 flat was on new tires and I just could not see replacing the tire at that point. I just left the duct tape in place and waited to see what would happen next. I knew that the Park emergency patch was not a long term solution because of the edge wearing on the tube. But I carry thin duct tape so felt that the edge would be ok. Are you using a tube patch for the inside tire patch?
12-27-18 | 10:07 PM
#15
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That's a 3" long #10 decking screw, which poked three or four holes in the tube before I stopped. I know where that was, because I marked the tire, but I couldn't find the hole when I went looking for it. I know from experience that a smaller screw ruins a lightweight 28 mm tire.
12-28-18 | 06:07 AM
#16
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Even for the same rider, the ”should” probably varies with the type of riding.
Most of my rides are commutes, with decent bail-out opportunities in case limp-home mode shouldn’t work.
There are several repairs I’m happy to try on my commuter that I wouldn’t try on my ”race” bikes. There are also levels of wear that I accept on my commuter that I wouldn’t accept on my ”race” bikes.
So far, repairs I’ve refrained from trying/tires that I scrap are broken beads and tires showing lumps and bulges not associated with an obvious damage. And wide-area damage or wear.
.... can often be repaired and last well enough to let the tire be worn out.
Ignoring tires with extra flat protection, ”sidewall” is merely a location, and not a design element description. The casing/carcass is the same underneath the tread surface as in the sidewall. Only difference is that the rubber outside the casing is thicker.
I’ve never had much luck super glueing cuts. Lack of success made me stop that fairly soon. Liqui-Sole has shown greater success for me, but even those have been possible to scrape out easily, which made me wonder what good they made.
What I’ll use on the inside depends on what I can make stick. And how many patches I need. When I had the studs wear through on the inside it became a double no. The vulcanizing compound wouldn’t stick, and there were many holes. I settled for contact cement and patches cut from a thick inner tube.
Duct tape can be a real friend. I always carry a couple of feet wrapped around the seat post. If applied bead-to-bead so that it overhangs and the bead helps lock it in place, it’ll hold up for even inch-sized cuts on mid-pressure tires.
