Hi All,
I'm sure this has been asked and answered 1,000x but I couldn't refine the search enough to find it.
Got a puncture last night. As a result there's a small slice in the tire near the edge of the contact patch, like maybe 1mm long at most?
New tube in and finished the ride no issue but... Should I replace the tire? I'd ask at the bike shop but I already KNOW what their answer is... what do you all think?

Prolly not.

Prolly.

The photo you helpfully posted shows sealant bubbling out of your sidewall cut.

How old is said tire?

Front or rear?

What kinda 'biking' you engage in? MTB has more risk factors than road, but crashes anywhere hurt.

If'n it's fairly new (like this year's) I might put a patch inside the tire to reinforce any cuts to the fabric that gives it strength. If it's a front tire I'd chuck it; sudden blow-outs at speed will cost you more than a new tire's worth of pain & suffering.

(P. O'B., what pic?)

Why the "I already KNOW what their answer is"? Seems like you are yelling that which is not needed. Bike shops aren't out to get you. and if you feel that you should look inward and figure out why you, personally, would get that feeling.

I would post pictures and show the cut but if it is significant I would probably swap out to a new tire. If it is really small you might be fine but hard to tell without seeing it.

Please state if you run tubes or are tubeless. If you have tubes, you may be able to ‘boot’ the inside of the tire with a dollar bill or piece of Tyvek like from a mailing envelope so you don’t have to worry about the tube popping through in the future. A dab of super glue or rubber specific glue should do. If tubeless, keep your sealant topped off and keep some plugs handy in case you develop a leak. Tubeless tires can be booted as well from the inside, and the internet can tell you the methods.

A 1mm cut? On a tubed tire? It should be ok but keep a close eye on it.

I don't do tubeless so I have no idea if this would work there, but - with tubed tires you can often repair large cuts with a boot of material as strong and stretch-proof as the tire itself. I have repaired many tires, sometimes with slices clear through the casing as long as 3/4" with sailcloth. (NOT the "sailcloth" at a fabric store but the real Dacron sailcloth used to make sailboat sails.) Glued in with contractor grade contact cement (the stuff countertops are glued down with), the patch is part of the tire and will outlast the rest of the tire. Make the patch much bigger than the cut.

On the road, dollar bills are impressive for the wide variety of cuts they can deal with and get you home. I make it a point of riding with at least 5 of them (any denomination - they survive just fine but might have to go through the wash before further use). For cuts close to the bead, I've started the bills under the bead so they are anchored securely when you inflate the tire.

I bet if you went to a sailmaker and asked nicely, he'd give you a scrap of cloth appropriate for an old-school racing dinghy that would keep you in boots for many years.

When you inflate the tire to the pressure you ride at. If the cut pooches out like a grandma wanting a smooch from her grandkid, then sure, you probably ought to replace it. Especially if the tube can be seen bulging out as well. Assuming you are tubed.

Otherwise, it it rolls then ride it till it wears out or gives you repeated trouble from that same cut.

You got a flat when that tire was in good condition. Whose to say you won't get a flat with another new tire?

One millimeter slice in a tubed tire shouldn't be a worry, especially if you don't run at high pressures. Keep an eye on it. If it looks like it's getting worse, replace.

Based on the damage you described, I would keep riding and not do anything other than a new tube.

The bike shop isn't wrong, however. They would also look at other information we don't have here on the forum, such as the overall condition of the rider, bike, and tires before offering suggestions. They aim to make customers happy, and if you come in sounding concerned about a tire, they will obviously offer to replace it.

To put it more clearly, if the tire bulges when inflated, then the casing is damaged. Some would boot it at that point, and others would throw it away. If there is no bulge, then there is no reason to not use the tire.

In the grand scheme of all things bike related -

Tires are cheap. If I have any doubts, I replace them.

My 5k medical deductible, 2k dental deductible + the cost of any broken bike parts - this makes an easy choice for me to replace the main contact point of the bike.

There is much to be said in favor of this position as well.

Thanks for chiming in everyone! I clearly didn't give nearly enough information for folks to be able to help me out properly... sorry about that!
However I think I have a pretty good feeling for how to assess the situation now so your responses were helpful!
So, road bike, front tire, old skool 25mm with tubes, so lots of pressure, got some miles on it. My conclusion 'replace'.
Then, I looked again and realized the 1mm slice I was remembering was from the tube... the tire has a huge gash! So even less question in my mind now...
Thoughts?


PS. For the guy that thought I was yelling at the bike shop I was just trying to add emphasis and didn't see the italic option.

New tire time.

The gash seems to be in the tread, but not in the cords. As others have said, the cords are what hold the tire together and retain the pressure, not the tread. I've ridden tires with cuts this size for thousands of miles afterward - IF there is no cord damage evidenced by casing bulges, wiggles, etc. I've used Shoe Goo / Goop to fill in such small cuts on some tires, but this is optional.

Boot. There was a time when you could say 'tires are cheap' but at this point in time they are like $60 (GP5000). Try a boot first.

If that tire is inflated to your normal riding pressure, then it doesn't look like the cut even goes through the threads of the tire casing. A cut that long through the threads should be bulged out pretty well. This cut doesn't appear to be bulged out in that picture. So it is mostly just a cut in the rubber. Which is not structural for the tire. It just protects the casing and provides a grip for the road surface.

It's your decision. Do what makes you feel good. If I was doing competition type riding I'd replace it. But since I don't do competitions, I have time to let it fail. And that might be never or the next ride. It's generally not a safety issue for most riding. IMO.

Looks like 7mm to me.

Still, I think it is fine and I would ride that without worry. A new front tire is in your future anyway (this one looks worn, but you could probably move it to the rear). There might be a tendency for debris to get into the little cut, but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Thinking more about this, if your rear tire is even more worn than the front, get two new tires. Don't put a worn tire on the front, or leave a cut tire on the front. Failure of the front tire is more problematic.

Yes and no. You can replace parts of stuff every single time you get a little cut or whatever. It won't hurt.

That size,on the front,and with the wear in the tread,I'd replace it. But then I'm a shop mech.

I like to replace tyres before I have to. I feel like it's saved me a lot of headaches over the years. Save a set of old ones as emergency spares, or to throw on to a used set of wheels you acquire, or give to a friend when they need a set. If you decide to run these for a while longer, keep an eye out for sales, you can often find Vittoria Corsa Graphene Pros or Goodyear Eagles for under €30 each.

Looks like a tire to me

Normally, I would say "If you have to ask..." But that "cut" looks pretty insignificant, I could probably find a few on my tires.