[Mike1jw]

Hi All! Long time no post! A gotta holla about these tires! I'm using the Continental Gator Hard Shell 700X25 on my road bike. About 2 months age I noticed a small cut in my front tire. It was about 3/32" long across the top of the tread. I’ve been keeping an eye on it and it didn’t seem to be getting bigger. After about 450 mi., I decided to poke around in there with an awl. To my surprise there was a piece of glass way down in there. I started to dig it out and, of course, it broke into pieces and I didn’t get it all out. What I’m amazed at is I am sticking this awl in at least 1/8" and still feel a sizeable piece of glass in there yet, and this after A LOT OF DIGGING. All the while, this thing is not losing a bit of air (checked with soapy water). I’m not sure whether to keep digging and risk puncturing the tire, or just riding it until it goes on it’s own since there is about 1/8" of rubber over the piece of glass. I sure don’t want this thing to blow 25 mi away from home. WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

 

[ksr5]

Get a new tire. I would not want it blowing out and risking injury over money for a new tire.

 

[Tude]

Oh my goodness, chuck that thing. I went through a few tubes on my commuter till I finally got disgusted with it and turned the thing inside out and found a stainless steel "staple" embedded it it with the tiniest little tip that was exposed to the tube. I still run that tire because it is a 1.5" wide commuter tire with a deep tread.

I enjoy my long distance on my .23's and they need to be in perfect shape for long distance. I'm a girl and they are a beeotch to pull off and replace; therefore I make sure I have great tires and in great shape before I take off for long distance - and while I've been behind on miles this year - I do century solos - and I want good tires to start with ... and end with.

 

[wild]

You could let the air out and pinch the tire between your fingers to opean the cut and remove the glass, then I put some Shoe goo in the cut to stop things from getting in there. I would use something smaller than a awl, I like a sharpend steel pop rivet end.
¢¢

 

[photosbymark]

Its a weak spot and always will be now. I would do two things. First of all say thank you to someone that let that tire get you back home. More often than not a cut like that ends up with you beside of the road either changing a tire, trying to get home with a tire boot or walking. The second thing I would do is see how far I could throw the thing and still hit the trash can.

 

[Poolie]

Mark me down in the 'Throw it in the trash' category.

 

[Mike1jw]

Wild is a man after my heart! at $58 a pop I'd like to get as much mileage as possible. I'm still amazed that I did two half centuries plus before i realized there was a big piece of glass in there.

 

[Kieshawn]

I would recommend planning on replacing the tire. I recently had a continental blow up on me while in descent. If you have the frame of mind to replace the tire you have nothing to lose with trying to extract the glass. If you ruin the tire in the process no big deal since you were going to replace it anyhow. If you successfully extract the glass with out puncturing the tire you've lost nothing. If you continue to ride with the glass in the tire you're putting yourself at risk of a safety hazard or having to call the SAG wagon to pick you up.

 

[Mike1jw]

Yes sir, I think it"s time for a new tire. Thanks All!

 

[froze]

Yes sir, I think it"s time for a new tire. Thanks All!

How much tread life is left? Depending on that I personally wouldn't chuck the tire. All you have to do to get the glass out is dismount the tire, fold the tire where the cut is so it opens up and try washing it out with high pressure water or pick it out either a tooth pick or a pair of tweezers. Then put a Park tire boot (cut about a 1/2 inch larger then the cut) on the underside of the cut, then fill the cut on the outside of the tire with Gorilla Glue (I use to use Super Glue but they must have changed the ingredients because it doesn't work any more, nor does it hold well anymore), the Gorilla glue will dry with a weird dry crusty foam look to it, just scrap it off with knife. You can fill the cut with Shoe Goo. As you ride too the Gorilla Glue crust will wear off; I've found the Shoe Goo to be too soft and doesn't last.

 

[froze]

You could let the air out and pinch the tire between your fingers to opean the cut and remove the glass, then I put some Shoe goo in the cut to stop things from getting in there. I would use something smaller than a awl, I like a sharpend steel pop rivet end.
¢¢

Exactly correct, plus I always put a boot patch on the back side of the cut to reinforce it, just get a Park boot patch kit, cut the patch to a size larger then the cut about twice as large as the cut. There's no need to junk the tire with a cut that small, I ridden many tires with cuts larger then that and rode them for thousand or more miles and never had a problem.