Yesterday I did my first ride on a brand new set of Gatorskins. 12 miles in, I got a puncture from a 1" drywall screw that embedded itself in the tread of the tire right up to the screw head. I carefully extracted it by "unscrewing" it, replaced the tube with a spare I had with me, and finished the last 2 miles of my commute to work. I'm not super fast at changing flats, so I was delayed by about 30 minutes.

After removing the screw, it appeared that the rubber at the puncture sort of closed back up, but I was wondering if it will always be a bit of a weak spot for future rides? It would suck to replace a brand new tire, but maybe it's worth it for peace of mind. I commute to work quite a bit on some gnarly Brooklyn streets, and I'd like to avoid making myself more susceptible to flats than necessary. I'd rather buy a new tire if it gives me a better chance avoid future delays on my way to work, because my time is more valuable to me, but then again, maybe I'm just being silly and I won't experience more flats than would normally be expected.

Obviously I should learn to change flats faster, but the point is that I'd like to try to avoid them as much as possible by eliminating variables that I have control over. Any Input?

I added this to my commuter bike w/Gatorskins.

https://www.amazon.com/RhinoDillos-Ti.../dp/B008IXHOPA

There is always construction garbage in my complex.

Edit: If I say I haven't gotten a flat yet, I will get one today...lol...so let's just say I haven't had to change my inner tube yet.

Boot the tire with a dollar or park tool but definitely replace it when you have the chance.

Like you said, the money spent on the new tire is worth the peace of mind and reduction of time spent on the side of the road. I replace tires even if there is a tiny puncture all the way through the tire from a tiny piece of glass.

Don't do this. The tire is fine. It was a nail puncture, not a gaping sidewall.

Ride the tire, forget about it. Sure, it will be weaker, if you happen to hit another nail at the EXACT same spot that this one hit.
Check out those RhinoDillo tire liners that were posted above me. They work.

Yeah, do that.

I had one from a pretty small piece of glass (less than a couple mm's wide). Booted and replaced tube, and the next day after riding home on it, the spot was bulging and the puncture was stretched. Yeah, it was Zafirro and you have a Gatorskin, but the tire is now structurally weaker.

But sure, test the waters and find yourself stranded after the tire eventually (and it will) fails on you.

From a goddam pin puncture.
My god.

Money to burn.

There is literally NO REASON to replace the tire.

He said 1" fastener. That's hardly a "pin".

Unless it went in sideways, it isn't a problem.

I'd be replacing tires monthly... wtf? Might as well take up skidding.

If you had to unscrew nails from your tires by hand on a monthly basis, I would si j'etais vous.

Actual size:

Thanks for this. I'll try these out. Sounds like others have had good luck with them too.

Gif of the day.

OP, can you post a pic of the place in the tire the nail went through? That's the only way we're going to really be able to help you.

It's hard to comment without seeing the severity of the puncture, but if it closed if the hole closed up when you inflated the new tube, it probably won't be a big deal. Hardcase tires get chewed up, but fend off alot of flats. It is the first of many likely scars. If you're that concerned, you can always patch over the whole from the inside and then fill the hole in the tread with epoxy. I had a hole in a tire, from a drywall screw, where the sidewall meets the tread and a patch worked like a champ. If it was rubber tire, it might be a bigger problem, since the tube could stretch through the hole like a zit. Which was the case with the tire that I patched on the inside, since that tire only had like 20 miles on it I wasn't ready to flush $35.


I also agree with everything Nagrom has said.

I should post a pic of what my Armadillo looked like after 4000 miles of commuting. There were spots wear I could stick my fingers through and touch the protective strip. Didn't get a single flat on that tire and I rode on some streets that glittered in the sun light due to the amount of glass on it. And in my opinion, Conti's are superior tires to Specialized.


Also Gatorskins are a bear to mount, so they can take a little longer until you get used to it.

Pump the tire to your normal riding pressure. Inspect the area the screw went through.
If it's bulging open any, replace. Otherwise, ride your bike.

I'll see if I can post one when I get home, but in the meantime I can tell you that the hole was practically dead center in the tread.

Assuming I decide to keep it and ride it, do most of you agree that I should boot the tire, or is this not necessary?

+1

Necessity is a tough call. I'd say it couldn't hurt. Just stick a dollar in there.

It's not necessary, but if it helps you sleep at night.
Don't use a dollar. That's stupid and meant for emergencies.

Use a normal tube patch, just glue it to the inside of the tire, and fill the hole with rubber cement from the outside.

Or park tool TB-2.

If the tube is visible, it wouldn't hurt. If it closed back up, it's not really necessary. It's actually not a bad thing that it's dead center on the tread. If it was closer to either sidewall, the puncture would be more prone to opening due to tire flex.

They don't stick very well.

I remove worse **** than that on a damn near constant basis and i dont boot it unless my tire has a giant gaping slash

its not a big deal, last year i rode tires literally from 1987, had punctures and didnt need to replace them till about 500 miles later when the threads started separating on me

You're lucky you don't get more flats then. I am damn close to being OCD about tire condition and still get a bunch of flats, mostly from excess tire wear and the debris/condition of the roads. I've found that replacing them ahead of time saves yourself the headache of having to walk a few miles in clipless shoes.