dabac

Hi guys,

I'm about to discard a tire, and thought I'd take the opportunity to make myself some tire boots out of it - seeing how often they're recommended on this site.
But how are they cut? Do I leave the bead on, or do I trim them off?

HillRider

I've not done it so this is second hand information but I understand you cut off the beads and only use the sidewalls and tread. That makes sense as the boot has to fit completely inside the regular tire and cannot interfer with the fit at the bead seats.

FBinNY 

Dabac,

You've been around a while, so before you do this, consider. Then's the last time (first or only?) you found yourself wanting or needing a boot? And if it's ever happened, when weren't you able to make do with something laying around, or a $1.00 bill.

If you still want to make and carry around this virtually useless item, use a wire cutter to cut the bad, cut a section straight across about 2-3" long, then carefully cut the beads off that section. In a pinch it can possibly save you a walk home. BTW- you can make a nicer boot with a scrap of woven (not knot) cotton or polyester cloth. Cut a square or rectangular section on a 45° bias, and carry that with you. If you want to get fancy you can dope it with rubber cement and back it with something like the silicone backing paper from a pressure sensitive label. That will keep it from raveling and improve the traction against the tire when you use it.

However, unless you're going to the end of civilization, you'll never use it.

dabac

Well, it's just how things lined up. I've read about the boots, and I've got a discarded tire on the workbench at the moment. Now or never kind of deal. The seat bag isn't that crowded, so I thought I'll have a go at it.

And you know how it is. Now that I've thought about it I'd jinx myself bad if I didn't do anything about it. So it's either make a boot, or suffer a bad sidewall tear first thing next ride.

rubic

The $1.00 bill solution has always worked nicely. Not only does it only cost $1.00, the cost is recyclable.

pmt

Though a $5 bill works better. If you have any high-end racing tires then you have to use a $50 or $100 bill.

rubic

$5 bill, haha. Did you see the newest $5 bill? They did away with the statement, "In God We Trust". Now it says, "Good For One Gallon Of Gas".

Shimagnolo

A 2" square piece of an old inner tube got me home when I sliced the sidewall of a tire. It was visibly bulging thru the cut, but lasted the 25 miles home.

kh6idf

I carry a couple of these in my seat bag: https://www.parktool.com/product/emer...tire-boot-tb-2

ThermionicScott 

I just use duct tape: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...1#post14423939

AlbertaBeef

I made about 20 at home out of an old tire one day and left them sitting in a drawer in my garage/shop.

I always carry one with me, simply because we've actually used them on group rides out in the mountains 75km from the start of the ride... Helped get a young lady home once - she was very grateful and made me some snacks as a thank-you.

I've got a nice-size seatbag just for things like that, and it's not like it weighs me down...

shelbyfv

I once made some very nice looking tire boots from a plastic milk carton. Finally had the chance to help a friend and it lasted about 3 miles. Apparently the edges were sharp and cut the tube. I have, with more success, used bills of various denominations, Clif bar wrappers and Park Tool boots. Never tried a tire but it seems it should work. Trim off the bead.

fietsbob

I guess this is the un planned tire boot,
Being Prepared,
dead sew-up tires, sacrifice to be perfect boots.. .
placed in my [long distance ] touring tool kit.

davidad

I found that 1/32" reinforced pipe casket material makes a perfect boot.
I have used the old tire section with the bead cut off also.
It's like the spoke protector, rarely do you need it, but great to have when the problems arrise.

Retro Grouch 

I used to tell people that larger bills are better. You might get lazy and leave a $1.00 in your tire insted of fixing it.

FBinNY 

What's so bad about that. In this economy, putting cash under the mattress may be the safest way to save, and this is just about as safe.

kamtsa

I have a cheap Walmart bike. Should I use a quarter then?

Lawrence08648

I use duct tape and tyvek. Put a piece of duct tape over the hole or slit, then put the tyvek on top, then cover again with a piece of duct tape. Cheap, non expensive, works, lightweight.

Closed Office

I like that thought

Except I could hide all my spare cash in my bike tires, and still leave plenty of room for punctures.

FBinNY 

That's a good problem to have. If you use some of that extra cash to buy more bikes, eventually you'll come to an equilibrium.

HillRider

I've made tire boots from 1-1/2"x2" pieces of heavy coated nylon pack cloth and, ironically, one of them got me home today. I cut the side wall of a rear tire on what must have been a piece of glass. The cut wasn't that long, maybe 1/4", but would have been enough to let the tube bulge through. The boot saved me a long walk or a cell phone call.

FBinNY 

So you ride the streets of Pittsburgh without $1.00 in your pocket?

HillRider

Yeah, I spent my last dollar on the tires!