Is this tire safe to ride?

[Stuntmann]

Is this tire safe to ride?


This is michelin pro2 race. I love this tire. Fast, and thus far 0 flats. Only two cuts. Well maybe 1 cut is a flat, but still a cut. They get easily cut on the glass. Once on broken beer bottle after labor day. Then today on something, I'm assuming glass. Because I decided to avoid traffic and ride over some abandoned parking lot.


You might have to safe picture and zoom in. It's a cut that goes all the way through. Big part of the cut is on the outside. From the inside it's a tiny thing. But none the less, wires that are inside the tire a cut. If you look into the cut you can see them. Tube does not bubble out.


I've ridden two miles on this so far. But I'm curious. I don't to go flat riding 25 miles per hour amids traffic.


My old tires, 60 TPI wire bead were slow, and I'd get flats, and more often. But never cuts that will make tire useless, or make inner tube useless because the whole is so big.

 

[Road Demon]

Some considerations:

I agree the michelin pro 2 race is great tire at 220grams 700x23. Unfortunately, its really a race tire or special day tire with best case you get around 1500 miles per tire. The thread compund is very tacky, yet has good rolling resistance characteristics. A great tire, but pricy for training. Try biketiresdriect.com or probikekit.com (UK), to get them at near wholesale prices ~30.

I have the same issues, I like tire that handles well, as I often hit 40+ mph on the downhills in North NJ. It hard to find a compromise for decent training tire that is reasonabley grippy but also hold up well.

The rule of thumb is that anything larger then 3 mm cut, you replace the tire. I personally would replace the tire, but you can 'boot' the tire with some duct tape, a dollar bill, or even an old mylar powerbar wrapper.

 

[Stuntmann]

Cut is 2.2 mm on the outside. Smaller on the side.


I asked Sheldon Brown and he says it's a deader.


It's my 2nd pro2 cutting in under a month. It hate this. I think I know how I did it this time. I was taking a really sharp corner, going practically flat, and I went over something, like a rock. I don't know about this, I don't want to replace it, because it's starting to cost money, and I don't want to be unsafe.

How you duck tape it? From the inside? I have some old rubber of my old cut pro2, if I stick that between tube and tire?


I need more opinions. One here say it might work, I hunches tell me it might work, and Sheldon Brown says it's deader, yet his guide says it should be alright. I'm confused!

 

[Road Demon]

On the rear wheel, I would consider training on it. On the Front, No way.

I know its a 50 buck MSRP tire. Its high preformance race tire.

If you ride mostly flat, ie no screaming descents where a huge failure is possible, then consider booting it. But if you have alot of terrain changes and hard corner, replace. Fyi: can run a heavier tire on the back, say a heaver michelin lithion, while running the pro2 race on the front for great grip and better bike control.

To boot just apply a 1x1 square of duct tape (or instant glueless patch like a ' slime skab') squarely over the cut in the tire casing, like you suggest in between the tire and the tube that will prevent the tube from peaking through. I know park tire makes a tire boot kit for about 4 bucks, which is self-adhesive patch. Don't use a whole tire section from the other dead pro2 race, it will be far too thick and it will ride lumpy.


park tire boot
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=22697&subcategory_ID=5412

How riding a cheaper tire like with a 120 tpi dual compound panaracer stradius pro, for like 25 retail (MSRP 50), less a 20% web coupon making it 20bucks. I tend to don early season races on these, I like them alot equal to 50-60 race tire. cut a 20 tire, then you just replace it and don't fret.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20151&subcategory_ID=5420

A heavier 240-260 gram tire will be more durable (like a michelin meganium 2 @ 270 grams) but does not grip as well.

always a trade off.

j

 

[Stuntmann]

The culprit is the new lycer store they opened. I ride through there. Brocken beer bottles, glass all over. The other day drunk mommy with kids inside almost ran over me twice. Sometimes I buy there too. Man, what an evil alcohol is.


I'll see what my options are. At nearly $70 shipped for two tires is somewhat expensive, especially if they don't last even a month.


This sux!

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Cut is 2.2 mm on the outside. Smaller on the side.


I asked Sheldon Brown and he says it's a deader.


It's my 2nd pro2 cutting in under a month. It hate this. I think I know how I did it this time. I was taking a really sharp corner, going practically flat, and I went over something, like a rock. I don't know about this, I don't want to replace it, because it's starting to cost money, and I don't want to be unsafe.

How you duck tape it? From the inside? I have some old rubber of my old cut pro2, if I stick that between tube and tire?


I need more opinions. One here say it might work, I hunches tell me it might work, and Sheldon Brown says it's deader, yet his guide says it should be alright. I'm confused!

Personally, I'd stay away from the high performance (high priced), name brand race tires when riding in the city. Not worth the hassle or worry for the huge price.

I've been using these for city runs for the last 2-3 years and ride over 5000 miles on them easy them without punctures or cuts. Plus the many smaller LBS sell them for under $20 each.

http://www.serfas.com/tires/STK-RS-23.shtml

Oh yeah, check out the weight and the TPI.