# Can this tire be saved?



## Ernbar (May 29, 2021)

Can this original Chain tire be patched up? It’s in very good condition with lots of life left except for that tear.


----------



## Arnold Ziffel (May 29, 2021)

You are joking,  right??

I do get that you delight in having ancient original equipment or ancient period correct replacements that are nearly as old as the bicycle.       I   AM  TELLING YOU THAT A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM  VISIT BECAUSE YOU HAD TO BE AN IDIOT AND CONTINUE RIDING  A  TOO OLD, CRACKED TIRE THAT IS NO LONGER WISE OR SAFE TO ATTEMPT TO RIDE  AND YOU'LL DESERVE  THE BODINE BONEHEAD  OF THE YEAR AWARD.     WHAT IS GONNA BE EVEN WORSE IS THE $@#% HOSPITAL BILL  AND  THE LOSS OF MOBILITY ,  AND  PAIN  FOR  ONLY A PERIOD OF TIME,  IF YOU'RE LUCKY!!!
You are smarter than Jethro Bodine!

Perhaps you can attempt to save that ancient garbage US ROYAL tire for  BICYCLE DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY!!
Exhibit Display of the Bicycle,  and  NOT FOR RIDING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!
For that (DISPLAY USE ONLY),  you could try  a  combination  of  both  SHOE GOO   -and-  FLEX SEAL  LIQUID RUBBER.
You can probably find both products at most Wal-mart stores.     
Flex Seal is that stuff that you've seen undoubtably being hawked on television for the past five or six years with the same pitchman doing all the commercials........screen boat....and underwater patching with the Flex Seal line of products.     I wouldn't even guess if that stuff would securely patch it to ride, but you'd be a D. A.  if you were to try to ride that tire again  under any circumstances!!( D. A. doesn't stand for District Attorney..._) 
Shoe Goo  has been around since the SEVENTIES and it was at one time extremely popular with Marathon runners and long distance joggers-runners in building back up the worn sole areas of their running shoes in order to save money on costly running shoe replacement.    It  made the soles serviceable for  many more miles.      Shoe Goo  is  relatively inexpensive at approximate $5 or so in the shoe dept at Wal-mart.    It comes in a  large   tube  bigger than a large toothpaste tube.     It has very nasty fumes  like  the best contact rubber cement,  but  perhaps more so, so you want to be outside or with open windows and ventillation. The  stuff  is really useable to McGyver  many things,  such as weather sealing  something or for running shoe or tennis shoe sole buildup or crack repair by spreading a glob of Shoe Goo.         Though the tube is quite large,  you won't get multiple uses from the tube due to the nature of the stuff.      Plan a large enough work area and try to think how you'll proceed because if you don't,  that stuff can get sticky and it dries faster than you'd think........be careful with the fumes or you could get higher than a kite if you don't have adequate ventillation.
My guess is that a  build up of some Shoe Goo  both  inside  tire crack and the exterior crack of tire  would be the first start followed by some version of BLACK color  FLEX SEAL LIQUID RUBBER on top of the Shoe Goo.      You might find that doesn't work or you need to do something else,  but that might get you where it is passable for Visual DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY-----Not For Any Riding...        Heck,  they should pay you and put you on the dang tv commercials for FLEX SEAL if you do get a repair  on that tire.......     I can see the pitchman:  "Hey we got this crazy kay-ber with this 1939 bicycle and its original made in usa  US ROYAL tire that looks beyond repair......who the heck would dare ride this 82 year old tire repaired with FLEX SEAL down this steep hill.......look it is Crazy Stan the Looney Ancient bike man who is trusting his life to FLEX SEAL holding the 82 year old tire together.......the paramedics and Life Flight Helicopter Ambulance are standing by in case something goes wrong but  hey look  Flex Seal did it and  Crazy Stan  rode the 82 year old tire down the steep hill successfully with out any problems....we don't suggest that you trust your life to 82 year old tires repaired with Flex Seal  but if anything can help repair them,  you can count on Flex Seal...."   

Seriously,  don't attempt to ride on such cracked trash tires!!!   So much is riding on those tires--------YOU!!     
 Just like aged food that is no longer fit for human consumption,  so to are consumables like tires that are so old and cracked, even if the overall tread wear that is exhibited is minimal given the age of said tire!


----------



## Boris (May 29, 2021)

Short answer, no.


----------



## rustjunkie (May 29, 2021)

Ernbar said:


> Can this original Chain tire be patched up? It’s in very good condition with lots of life left except for that tear.View attachment 1420468
> View attachment 1420469
> 
> View attachment 1420470
> ...




boot it
should be fine 












						TB-2 Emergency Tire Boots
					

This temporary ride saver can patch most small-to-medium sized tears and cuts that typically occur on bicycle tire casings.




					www.parktool.com


----------



## Ernbar (May 29, 2021)

Arnold, settle down man. I appreciate your enthusiasm but I would never ride on that. Just wanted to verify before tossing it in the trash.


----------



## Boris (May 29, 2021)

Ernbar said:


> Arnold, settle down man. I appreciate your enthusiasm but I would never ride on that. Just wanted to verify before tossing it in the trash.



Got it! You want to hide the tear so you can stick the tire on a bike that you're going to sell. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me.


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (May 29, 2021)

If I really liked that tire for whatever reason on a 50 pound vintage bicycle with caged ball bearings throughout and 40 PSI tires I'd patch the inside, put it on the back and ride past Arnold's house and ring my bell loudly every time I took it out of the garage.


----------



## Ernbar (May 29, 2021)

Boris said:


> Got it! You want to hide the tear so you can stick the tire on a bike that you're going to sell. Don't worry, you're secret's safe with me.



You guys crack me up!


----------



## Freqman1 (May 29, 2021)

Arnold Ziffel said:


> You are joking,  right??
> 
> I do get that you delight in having ancient original equipment or ancient period correct replacements that are nearly as old as the bicycle.       I   AM  TELLING YOU THAT A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM  VISIT BECAUSE YOU HAD TO BE AN IDIOT AND CONTINUE RIDING  A  TOO OLD, CRACKED TIRE THAT IS NO LONGER WISE OR SAFE TO ATTEMPT TO RIDE  AND YOU'LL DESERVE  THE BODINE BONEHEAD  OF THE YEAR AWARD.     WHAT IS GONNA BE EVEN WORSE IS THE $@#% HOSPITAL BILL  AND  THE LOSS OF MOBILITY ,  AND  PAIN  FOR  ONLY A PERIOD OF TIME,  IF YOU'RE LUCKY!!!
> You are smarter than Jethro Bodine!
> ...



In literature does this qualify as a short story?


----------



## friendofthedevil (May 29, 2021)

Arnold Ziffel said:


> You are joking,  right??
> 
> I do get that you delight in having ancient original equipment or ancient period correct replacements that are nearly as old as the bicycle.       I   AM  TELLING YOU THAT A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM  VISIT BECAUSE YOU HAD TO BE AN IDIOT AND CONTINUE RIDING  A  TOO OLD, CRACKED TIRE THAT IS NO LONGER WISE OR SAFE TO ATTEMPT TO RIDE  AND YOU'LL DESERVE  THE BODINE BONEHEAD  OF THE YEAR AWARD.     WHAT IS GONNA BE EVEN WORSE IS THE $@#% HOSPITAL BILL  AND  THE LOSS OF MOBILITY ,  AND  PAIN  FOR  ONLY A PERIOD OF TIME,  IF YOU'RE LUCKY!!!
> You are smarter than Jethro Bodine!
> ...



Okay, so we'll just mark you down as '_undecided'.    _


----------



## Boris (May 30, 2021)

Arnold Ziffel said:


> like aged food that is no longer fit for human consumption,  so to are consumables like tires that are so old and cracked.



......and lest we not forget, "_Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."_


----------



## Archie Sturmer (May 30, 2021)

Might try franken-sewing a nylon tire with nylon thread with the right diameter (so the thread does not break), and holes spacing and landing (so the thread does not tear through at the seam), and sealing on both sides with (plastisol?) maybe two coats of Flex-Seal as suggested?
Maybe an old time shoe or leather boot repairman might have the right sewing machine or hand tool (needle)?

I have also seen examples of heavy-duty tape wrapped around tires and rims.

Perhaps also bring the same sewing thread and needle in your bicycle tool kit, for other emergency sewing, or sutures?


----------



## Jeff54 (May 31, 2021)

Archie Sturmer said:


> Might try franken-sewing a nylon tire with nylon thread with the right diameter (so the thread does not break), and holes spacing and landing (so the thread does not tear through at the seam), and sealing on both sides with (plastisol?) maybe two coats of Flex-Seal as suggested?
> Maybe an old time shoe or leather boot repairman might have the right sewing machine or hand tool (needle)?
> 
> I have also seen examples of heavy-duty tape wrapped around tires and rims.
> ...



Yeah, Thinking the same thing,  at best, ya gonna need to sew it up but not nylon B/C it's ultra violet sensitive. 
However there's Vulcanizing done on Big farm tractor and  truck tires. All ya gotta do if follow this Utube example but miniaturize it fer a bike tire:


----------



## vincev (May 31, 2021)

As a display bike it can be used.Ace has a glue called Shoe Goo that would cover that but dont ride it.


----------



## Ernbar (May 31, 2021)

vincev said:


> As a display bike it can be used.Ace has a glue called Shoe Goo that would cover that but dont ride it.



That was my initial thought to use it on my 46 Rollfast as display next to my buddy’s 46 pickup he enters at car shows which would make a unique display. Thought about it but it’s a hassle to undo the tires off my bike so it was tossed in the trash.


----------



## Boris (May 31, 2021)

Ernbar said:


> That was my initial thought to use it on my 46 Rollfast as display next to my buddy’s 46 pickup he enters at car shows which would make a unique display. Thought about it but it’s a hassle to undo the tires off my bike so it was tossed in the trash.



The world will not miss that tire.


----------



## Nashman (Jun 5, 2021)

Freqman1 said:


> In literature does this qualify as a short story?



Sounds like one of my replies!!  Ha!


----------



## mrg (Jun 5, 2021)

Ok, years ago in my 4X4 with 40 in tires hit a 6 pack of bottles ( in a brown paper bag ) and made a 3 in crescent moon cut all the way thru so put something called a Baja boot inside and filled the outside gap Shoe Goo, used it for a spare but that tire got many miles over the years but the patch/shoegoo still held!


----------



## tacochris (Jun 7, 2021)

Ok can I offer a more positive response backed by my experiences?
Almost every one of my bikes is on period tires and most are dried to some degree with some cracking and crazing and I ride my bikes to the store, 15-20 miles down and back on the trails and ALL around the neighborhood and let me tell ya something, get a nice strong tube, glue the tire from the inside and rock it.  I hop curbs, jumps cracks in the sidewalk, bounce off the driveway edge on my way out.....zero issue. 
Hell send it to me and I will fix it and hit the road. 
...and before anyone says anything, I am 220lbs so that has played no factor and I do fine. 

Someone will say it cant be done, but I am actively proving it can be done and done comfortably. 

Each bike below has had 30+ hard miles put on each with zero issue.  Look closely too, these are far from perfect tires as well.


----------



## Oldbikeguy1960 (Feb 21, 2022)

Arnold Ziffel said:


> You are joking,  right??
> 
> I do get that you delight in having ancient original equipment or ancient period correct replacements that are nearly as old as the bicycle.       I   AM  TELLING YOU THAT A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM  VISIT BECAUSE YOU HAD TO BE AN IDIOT AND CONTINUE RIDING  A  TOO OLD, CRACKED TIRE THAT IS NO LONGER WISE OR SAFE TO ATTEMPT TO RIDE  AND YOU'LL DESERVE  THE BODINE BONEHEAD  OF THE YEAR AWARD.     WHAT IS GONNA BE EVEN WORSE IS THE $@#% HOSPITAL BILL  AND  THE LOSS OF MOBILITY ,  AND  PAIN  FOR  ONLY A PERIOD OF TIME,  IF YOU'RE LUCKY!!!
> You are smarter than Jethro Bodine!
> ...



A trip to the Emergency Room because someone rode a bike 5-10 miles an hour down the street because the tire blew?

You cannot be serious!

At 14 years old I decided to jump a 5 foot tall well seasoned dirt mound next door where a new house was being built. I started a block away on my Stik Shift Stingray and pedaled as fast as possible down the street and through the lot. I will never know how fast I was going when I hit the top of that mound but my friends watching said all they could see was the bottom of my bike.

When I left the mound I pulled up on my bike hard to get more distance. Instead I ended up inverted with my wheels up and head down when I hit the ground about 25 feet from the mound right in the gravel at the edge of our street.

That hurt was an understatement. I cut my head on the gravel, had multiple bruising and bleeding scrapes and small cuts over the upper part of my body. (Summer, no shirt.)
It took a minute but I stood up, wiped the blood out of my eyes and surveyed the damage. The bike lived!

My mom almost had a heart attack and rushed out to see if I lived thru that Pillar to Stupidity I had just unveiled.

Instead of doing the smart thing (not my strong suit) I wiped off my face and head with my T shirt I left on the fence and set off around the block to try again. 

This time I thought it wise to refrain from pulling up on the handlebars. I made it almost to the blood marked spot where I made my first unsuccessful attempt and skidded immediately to a stop.

Except for one minor glitch. When I locked up the rear wheel, it was the last time for that Slik. It blew with a bang like a rifle shot. I still kept it under control and skidded what was left of the tire across the road and into my neighbors drive. One last skid mark, I wanted my money's worth out of that tire.

Moral of the story? There isn't one, I just like that story! 

Seriously, I survived that jump and the subsequent jump/tire explosion and all ot took was a good clean and patch job in the Emergency Bathroom by Doctor Mom.

Please watch that knicker twisting, it can hurt more than a Stik Shift in the groin. Or so I've heard.


----------



## Rivnut (Feb 21, 2022)

Just make sure you wear a cup. Everything else is superficial and will heal.  Heck, even the Olympic cross country skier whose penis froze recovered, albeit painfully.


----------



## Oldbikeguy1960 (Feb 21, 2022)

He should've had a heated cup.


----------



## 1817cent (Feb 21, 2022)

No!  Not worth the risk.  Toss it!


----------



## Skiroule69 (Dec 22, 2022)

In the '90s I rode to hell and back on a '68 Huffy Cheater slick with the original and VERY weather cracked RWL tires! I kept the tire pressure a little lower and never had an issue. That being said I was 15 years old and threw caution to the wind in a LOT of situations. On the opposite side of things, went for a ride on my early '50s BF Goodrich with original WW tires that looked mint. Went over a small bump and BANG! Scared the living heck out of me...the side wall of the rear tire had a VERY large hole. My best advice would be to use your best judgement, just be prepared for the unexpected.


----------



## Ernbar (Dec 22, 2022)

Thank you skiroute69 but that tire was thrown away last year.


----------



## Robert Troub (Dec 22, 2022)

Ernbar said:


> Can this original Chain tire be patched up? It’s in very good condition with lots of life left except for that tear.View attachment 1420468
> View attachment 1420469
> 
> View attachment 1420470
> ...



No


----------



## BFGforme (Dec 22, 2022)

Yes it can


----------



## 49autocycledeluxe (Dec 22, 2022)

what I have done with old tires is put them on a rim with a good tube and fill them up to full pressure and wait for the loud *BANG* in the middle of the night.


----------



## vincev (Dec 30, 2022)

For show it can be used,For riding NO


----------



## Boris (Dec 31, 2022)

I changed my mind. You *CAN* save that tire. But you're going to have to dig it out of a years worth of garbage at the landfill. Who knows what other cool stuff you just might find. Win-win.


----------



## kostnerave (Dec 31, 2022)

It's new years eve and I'm reading an ancient thread about a cracked bicycle tire. That's pretty sad!


----------



## vincev (Dec 31, 2022)

kostnerave said:


> It's new years eve and I'm reading an ancient thread about a cracked bicycle tire. That's pretty sad!



Dont feel bad,I also am reading old threads on New Years Eve. To make it even worse I am drinking beer and 2 minutes to 2023.


----------



## GTs58 (Dec 31, 2022)

I’m looking for a safe place to hide, the Russians are bombing the town of Gilbert! Sounds like a war zone out there!


----------



## buickmike (Dec 31, 2022)

I have a pair of chains,and they still hold air but casings won't lock onto some of the rims once mounted. Must be stretched. At first I valued them but over time they were replaced with WW . Not going to toss them out . But slowly upgrading bike collection  to modern high pressure combos. Happy new year


----------



## piercer_99 (Jan 2, 2023)

hmm, maybe some shoe goo and flex seal on these Silvertowns and I can ride them...


----------



## Ernbar (Jan 2, 2023)

I can always put tar on the tire slash and spray the tire with the magical  Popeil hair in a can to hide the imperfection. I think a hairy tire is pretty unusual looking. 🚴


----------

