Do I need to replace my tyre?

[punkypossum]

Changed my front tyre today as I had somehow shredded it in various places. Was inspecting the back one for damage at the same time, and there is a spot of about a couple of millimetres in one of the ridges in the tread pattern where I must have gone over something sharp and literally cut off the rubber of the surface, so the yellow puncture protection belt is showing (they are Schwalbe Marathons). As I said, this is in a ridge, so not on the ride surface and fairly small, but I'm just a bit concerned how vulnerable it will make the tyre. Do I need a new one? Or is there anything I can put on it to cover it, like some form of rubber solution?

Any bright ideas appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Mr Pig]

Something similar happened to me years ago. What I did was stick a thick inner tube patch cut to shape over the damage. Like your tyre, it was between the tread blocks, so I wasn't riding on the patch. it was just protecting a damaged part of the surface of the tyre. It worked fine.

 

[Steve Austin]

You'll need to replace the tyre i'm afraid.

 

[RedBike]

It is probably still ridable but considering how much a new tyre costs it's just not worth the risk. Get it changed.

 

[Maz]

I thought the Schwalbe Marathons (or is it just the Marathon Pluses?) were virtually bomb-proof?

 

[punkypossum]

Must be just the M plus...or maybe I have just challenged them too much!

 

[andrew_s]

Anything you put on the outside won't last long, so I wouldn't bother trying.

Generally, a tyre is OK so long as it's the right shape, with no bulges.

So long as there is no damage to the main fabric body of the tyre underneath the anti-puncture layer, you don't have anything to worry about. If there's a small cut that goes right through, you have to keep an eye on it for bulges.
You can put a section of old tyre (tyre boot) in between the inner tube and the inside of the tyre, which will go a long way to preventing bulges forming. This section of old tyre should be relatively thin, such as from a racing tyre. If it's too thick, you can get the edges of it wearing holes in the tube. It doesn't actually have to be a piece of tyre - anything fairly thin and non-stretchy will do. Park sell special patches to use.

 

[punkypossum]

Well, showed it to the lbs while I was there and they are saying it should be ok, so will see how it goes...no bulges or anything.