Fixing a Tyre Damage (and a mysterious puncture..) 700x28 C

[ersakus]

Is it possible to mend a Schwalbe marathon (700X28C) tyre which was cut approximately 4mm wide recently? The tyre has only done 800km.

The culprit was, as usual, a piece of glass on the road. The tyre is otherwise in excellent condition. I'm worried this will become the weak point of the tyre and will cause further punctures on my audax rides. Well, this has actually happened once. The thick rubber patch was punctured just under the damaged part of the tyre, again on the same spot! I could not find the culprit for this second puncture. Very mysterious to me..

- Would the vulcanising inner tube glue work with filling in the gap in the tyre? (I suspect not)
- Is there an industrial strength rubber glue available for the job?
- More fundamentally, can a rubber tyre really be fixed?

Thanks in advance

[Tonyf33]

You could fix the tyre with something more heavy duty, say for instance a car tyre repair patch but how much this might impair the balance of the tyre is anyones guess. I cut up a Vittoria Pro some while back & as the pressure was like 110 in the front no matter what i put on it the tube bulged through. For safety i'd say bite the bullet & buy another tyre.

[Deckie]

Have you checked that there isn't still a small bit of glass in the cut that caused the second p******e? I'd be amazed if two different objects found the same hole...

[ersakus]

I think the tube wouldn't bulge out as such. I inflate only up to 90psi(ish). The cut is not that bad. I'm just worried that the hole will start collecting rubbish/water etc. and cause further punctures than anything else really. Besides, the marathon tyres are supposed to be tough with kevlar layer.
After some googling I actually found quite a few products that would glue rubber and leave a flexy/rubbery filling (like wetsuit repair glues).
I'm just not sure if anyone actually have used wetsuit repair glue to do the job.

.. and yes I might have left a small piece of glass in the tyre when i was trying to fix it at minus temperatures although I'm sure I checked as much as I could in the dark (I could see through the hole!)

[Hemipode]

I don't think that a wetsuit repair glue (such as Aquasure) would be suitable for this purpose.
It is very flexible & soft even when cured so would probably attract even more sharp objects to the already damaged area.

[ersakus]

I thought may be I can sandwich a piece of rim tape between the tyre and the tube. Hopefully rim tape is more robust than the tube..

[thirdcrank]

I'm with Deckie over the second puncture being caused by the same object as the first. If you delve right down into the bottom of the cut you will probably find a tiny - even microscopic sliver or chip of glass. This sort of thing can be virtually undetectable but once the tyre is pumped up it is forced against the tube. Then it just cuts away at the tube. The process may take a few days but eventually it's another puncture - and repeated indefinitely until you find it.

I think the ideas of putting something in between the tyre and the tube to prevent the expansion of damage - nowadays known as a 'boot' pace Park Tool is OK as a get-you-home but if the damage to the tyre is bad enough to need something like that you will probably be worring all the time that it might let you down.

[ersakus]

The thing is if we are to scrap our tyres every 800k that would be crazy. Shame to bin £20 after 800k ride really. This will cut a hole in my pocket and it is probably not environmentally friendly/ethical either.

In my opinion there must be a solution to small cuts which happens sooner or later with any tyre. So I think I will try to find that piece of glass and use the tyre as much as I can.

[NUKe]

Is it possible to mend a Schwalbe marathon (700X28C) tyre which was cut approximately 4mm wide recently? The tyre has only done 800km.



- Would the vulcanising inner tube glue work with filling in the gap in the tyre? (I suspect not)
- Is there an industrial strength rubber glue available for the job?
- More fundamentally, can a rubber tyre really be fixed?

Thanks in advance

Super glue Rubber is one of the things it sticks quite successfully. Have used it on numerous occasions to repair smallish cuts in tyres. newer the cut the better it works. however if the cut is too big the break in the ply will put too much pressure on the wound and it will split again. You can try a patch on the tyre as well.

PLaces like ATS repair car tyres with a rubber mushroom. a sort of a rubber plug. Might be worth a try.

[ersakus]

Is it possible to mend a Schwalbe marathon (700X28C) tyre which was cut approximately 4mm wide recently? The tyre has only done 800km.



- Would the vulcanising inner tube glue work with filling in the gap in the tyre? (I suspect not)
- Is there an industrial strength rubber glue available for the job?
- More fundamentally, can a rubber tyre really be fixed?

Thanks in advance

Super glue Rubber is one of the things it sticks quite successfully. Have used it on numerous occasions to repair smallish cuts in tyres. newer the cut the better it works. however if the cut is too big the break in the ply will put too much pressure on the wound and it will split again. You can try a patch on the tyre as well.

PLaces like ATS repair car tyres with a rubber mushroom. a sort of a rubber plug. Might be worth a try.

Thanks for the advice NUKe. I'll keep in mind. "Rubber mushroom" solution looks interesting.

[ersakus]

Is it possible to mend a Schwalbe marathon (700X28C) tyre which was cut approximately 4mm wide recently? The tyre has only done 800km.


- Would the vulcanising inner tube glue work with filling in the gap in the tyre? (I suspect not)
- Is there an industrial strength rubber glue available for the job?
- More fundamentally, can a rubber tyre really be fixed?

Thanks in advance

Super glue Rubber is one of the things it sticks quite successfully. Have used it on numerous occasions to repair smallish cuts in tyres. newer the cut the better it works. however if the cut is too big the break in the ply will put too much pressure on the wound and it will split again. You can try a patch on the tyre as well.

PLaces like ATS repair car tyres with a rubber mushroom. a sort of a rubber plug. Might be worth a try.

But I think I'll give the the super glue rubber a try first.
Nuke, Is this what it is?

[Khornight]

+1 for superglue

and maybe one of those inner tube protectors, strips you fit between the tube and tyre, as long as the cut is on the crown of the tyre and the protector doesn't squeeze through the gap...

[ersakus]

+1 for superglue

and maybe one of those inner tube protectors, strips you fit between the tube and tyre, as long as the cut is on the crown of the tyre and the protector doesn't squeeze through the gap...

No, the gap is really small. I have similar tiny cuts on my summer tyre as well (kenda 700x26C). I might fix the cuts on that tyre as well, if I buy the rubber super glue.

How strange is it to be able to puncture the Schwalbe marathon tyre in a few months and ride on ordinary Kendas for 3000miles (on similar roads) and have only one puncture... beyond me!

[NUKe]

But I think I'll give the the super glue rubber a try first.
Nuke, Is this what it is?

I just use locktight Superglue. but I notice that what ever this stuff on ebay is it is Cyanoacrylate which is super glue.

[ersakus]

But I think I'll give the the super glue rubber a try first.
Nuke, Is this what it is?

I just use locktight Superglue. but I notice that what ever this stuff on ebay is it is Cyanoacrylate which is super glue.

Yes I thought so (after some wikipediaing). On their product description, they claim this one is flexy and very strong and good for mending rubber. I've ordered one, let's see if it is as good as the propaganda claims on their web site.