This morning I picked up a small piece of glass that caused a flat.
The glass split the tyre across the tyre (rather than along it) all the way through to the tube (quite obviously) leaving a split approx 5mm across.
My question is - do people throw these tyres away? or persist with them and live with the increased likelihood of more dirt, small stones, more glass getting in and having another flat?
Other than this - the tyre is only weeks old with no other slits etc.
It is a Carbon Pro from Michelin and I have previously had no dramas with these tyres.
I throw them away, or at least use them for something other than riding on (i.e. one great use for old tires -- but them up, layering three or four incrementally longer strips, and put them under the hood drops of Shimano shifters for a more level, Campy-like feel! 🙂 ). That big of a gash isn't going to do very well with a patch and will result in a lot of flats, not fun. Hopefully they don't occur very often.
Fix it! How? Clean the cut well as it will be dirty. Make a boot from an old tire casing, trimming the tread and casing rubber off the outside. Trim the boot to fit the inside of the tire, about 2" long. Glue with contact cement, following the instructions on the cement. Let dry for a day. Next day, mount the tire on a rim with a rimstrip and tube.
Repair the cut tread with Shoe Goo or Goop. Work it into the cut with a toothpick, leaving only a small bit on the outside. Inflate to fill out the tube but not to any measurable pressure.
If this is a smooth tread tire, wrapping before the Shoe Goo dries will make a much better repair. Using fiberglass strapping tape, carefully wrap the tire in the cut area with 2 layers of tape. The first layer is wrapped around the tire and tube, the second layer is about 6" long along the center of the tire. Inflate to riding pressure and let cure for another 24 hours. The tire will be as good as new.
This morning I picked up a small piece of glass that caused a flat.
The glass split the tyre across the tyre (rather than along it) all the way through to the tube (quite obviously) leaving a split approx 5mm across.
My question is - do people throw these tyres away? or persist with them and live with the increased likelihood of more dirt, small stones, more glass getting in and having another flat?
Other than this - the tyre is only weeks old with no other slits etc.
It is a Carbon Pro from Michelin and I have previously had no dramas with these tyres.
I have : junk it .
sorry , into each life some [censored] must fall . 🙁
Even the strongest tires can get cut if you hit road debris with a sharp edge. Had an expensive Vittoria Open Corsa CX do the same thing. I booted the rip from the inside, but ended up tossing the tire. Just not worth the potential trouble.
You might be off the bike for a week, getting a replacement. Crack up on a fast downhill, and you could be off the bike for months. Or permanently.
