Old jeans as tire boot
 

I had a piece of fake leather that made a great tire boot. My bike is on it's way to San Francisco, I can't remember if I packed it (it is not on my packing list for the bike box) or if I misplaced it. All I can find right now is an old piece of jeans materiel. Would that make a pretty good tire boot? I have read a dollar bill will do (or a $100 if you are rich :) ) so I guess a piece of jeans would do?

Yeah, it would probably work. I've heard that things like Powerbar wrappers also work.

Sorry I know nothing on this subject but what is a tire boot?

Something to cover or block a hole in a tire. You can use them for motorized vehicle tires too ... it's not just a cycling thing.

You stick something in between the tube and the inside of the tire at the hole, The idea is to prevent the tube from working its way through the hole in the tire. You can use almost anything, I used a piece of cardboard I found on the road and it worked fine.

glad I asked...that's good info

Tire Boot
 

I always seem to wind up using a dollar bill. Kind of expensive, but usually available. I'm still running a threadbare Conti with a Five inside. Hope I don't forget it's there.

Here in Canada a $5 would be the lowest denomination I could patch a tire with. Maybe I should see about carrying around a US $1 ... just in case. :D

I used a couple of $20s to boot a tire on my first UK tour. It made for a good story when I got back to the US and spent the bills!

I have a couple tyvek strips (cut from a mailer envelope) in my seat bag.
Cheap (it was a used mailer), strong, lightweight, and nearly indestructible.

This gives a whole new meaning to the term "bankroll".

I've used fiberglass strand tape, or filement tape. The Light tan coloured stuff. I include a few wraps with my gear.

Anything thing with fiber strength should work, including jeans. I have booted a blown tire using a few layers of the original tube that blew. Not the best choice but got me the 15 miles home.

Aaron:)

What about a rubber patc (for tubes)? Also think I heard you can buy them especially made for patching tyres. Am I wrong?

I always pack a few of the special purpose tire boots made by Park.

+1 - and you get to have a snack while you fix your tire...:thumb:

Use a piece of old toothpaste tube (the plastic type) cheap, it's formed into a tube already, can be glued into position

I always carry some duct tape with me on tour and a couple of pieces of that layered work very well. Tried bailing wire once but that seemed to make things worse.

I read a CGOAB journal a while back a cyclist in Mexico had a shoe repair place sew up the damaged sidewall of a tire and then used it for many hundreds of kms without issue. That idea freaks me out a bit, but I guess as long as the repair is on the rear and you have no other choice it's an option.

The time I used the filament tape there was a small hole like a cigarette burn. The patch was applied in hoop, and in circumference. When the tire was inflated, there was a barely noticeable dent where the hoop tape was holding. That configuration lasted for years. I never fixed the tire and it lasted until I got a new bike.