Folding tires

[driftlessregion]

A lot depends on how long the tour is and where it is.  I wouldn't haul a spare  if my tour was less than 2000 miles and there were any cities nearing that 2000 miles where I can buy a new tire.  I always start with new or almost new tires. Small price to pay for less aggravation later and not needing to carry a spare.

[John Nelson]

I don't consider carrying a spare tire as insurance against wearing out a tire. You should be able to predict when your tire is going to be worn out in plenty of time to buy a new one or have one mailed to you.

Rather, I consider a spare tire as insurance against some kind of irreparable damage. Such damage might occur running over a large piece of glass or sharp metal which puts a large gash in the tire. Such damage might also occur if you have separation of the bead from the tire, perhaps due to a manufacturing defect or maybe due to poorly mounting or unmounting the tire. Either of these might not be bootable. Most smaller damages would be bootable.

Having said all that, I don't carry a spare tire. In the last 50,000 miles of riding, I've never had a tire so badly damaged that I could not get home by booting it. That's not to say it could not happen, but it is pretty low down on the list of things that could go wrong. A rim failure is probably more likely, but hardly anybody carries a spare wheel.

[whittierider]

All of the catastrophic or near-catastrophic tire problems I and my family have had were on tires that were new or nearly new, meaning there was a manufacturing defect.  For this reason, I'm not as confident in a tire until it gets through the first 250 miles without a problem.  I would want to have that many miles on a tire before starting a tour on it.  I've bought and maintained somewhere around 200 tires for myself and my family though, and we've never had a problem that could not be fixed with a boot.  That even includes a full blow-out where there was a big rip down the middle of the tread.  That one did go in the trash after that ride was over; but for smaller cuts (like ones you could stick a pencil all the way through), we've ridden tens of thousands of miles on booted tires, with no problem, and with full confidence to go 55mph on a downhill.  One of the boots we all carry is a 3" piece cut out of a worn-out but otherwise undamaged racing tire, with the beads cut off.  That's the extreme, the big one, and we've never used that one so far although I sure could have used it on the blowout I mentioned above if I had had such a boot back then.  The smaller boots are cut from Mr. Tuffy or similar tire liners.  Patching the inside of a tire is definitely not adequate, as the patch is stretchy and is intended to seal leaks, not give strength.  We just use the pressure in the tube to hold the boot in place, and we never use glue or adhesive.  It stays in place.

[paddleboy17]

Wow. 

I have only been in one situation that merited a boot, and I did not have one.  I have heard that you can use paper money as a boot, but I don't know anyone that has actually done that.

[Joe B]

I have never tried the dollar bill fix , or needed to. I do carry a rolled up piece of tyvek ( cut from a 8x10 envelope) as part of my emergency repair kit.

[mcparsons]

I've used the dollar bill trick on 2 inch blowout.  It got me 12 miles to the next town and made feel all McGuyver-like.   

[DaveB]

I've used the dollar bill trick on 2 inch blowout.  It got me 12 miles to the next town and made feel all McGuyver-like.   

Would a $10 bill last 120 miles?

[RussSeaton]

I always carry a spare folding tire on tours.  Always.  I've used it on two different tours.  Once the sidewall gave out.  But I was extra fortunate that time because I flatted in front of a house along the road.  The guy came out and hauled me a few miles to the local bike shop to buy a new tire.  Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, I forget which.  Another time the bead would not stay hooked on the rim.  Blew off twice before I figured out it was not holding.  No idea why the tire bead would not stay hooked, but I put on the spare and no more problem.  Tire worked OK for 1000+ miles but would not work the final 50 miles.  Last day of the trip so no need to buy a new tire.  My spare touring tire is kevlar bead.  Michelin HiLite Tour 700x35.  Bought two decades ago.

The touring bike always has wire bead tires on it.  They are easier to find in wide sizes.  Cheaper.  And usually come in thick tread models.  Kevlar beads seem to be reserved for thinner, lighter tread tires.  Look at the tires on hybride type bikes.  Thick and wide tires.  And wire beads.  Good for touring.

[indyfabz]

I've used the dollar bill trick on 2 inch blowout.  It got me 12 miles to the next town and made feel all McGuyver-like.   

Would a $10 bill last 120 miles?

I have booted tires for myself and for others using bills. It has worked well. Once all I had was a $20.  That's why I always try to carry at last one $1 bill on rides.  PowerBar wrappers supposedly work well, too.

[RussSeaton]

PowerBar wrappers supposedly work well, too.

I've heard that too.  I suspect Gu packets would work also.  Just eat the Gu first.  Then use the empty packet.  Be cautious of the sharp packet edges.  They will eventually cut the inner tube.  Takes awhile.  I ride with Gu packets usually, not PowerBar type bars.

[Old Guy New Hobby]

I usually carry a small roll of duct tape. It's versatile, small, and light. Could this be another use? Maybe one could fold it over on itself, sticky sides together, and use that as a boot.

[RussSeaton]

I usually carry a small roll of duct tape. It's versatile, small, and light. Could this be another use? Maybe one could fold it over on itself, sticky sides together, and use that as a boot.

Yes it could work as a tire boot.  But maybe not its best use.  Duct tape has fibers in it that form a grain.  The high tire pressure could separate these grains if used as a boot.  PowerBar wrappers, Tyvek envelopes, dollar bills, don't have any grain to get separated by the air pressure.  Duct tape may work OK at 30-40 psi.  60-70 psi, maybe fail.  So....

[Old Guy New Hobby]

Russ -- that's a really great point. Thanks.

[johnsondasw]

I've used the dollar bill trick on 2 inch blowout.  It got me 12 miles to the next town and made feel all McGuyver-like.   

Would a $10 bill last 120 miles?

Good one! that's one of my favorite posts here ever!

[pacneil]

I no longer use anything but folding tires. True they are more expensive. So what? The set of Schwalbe Marathon Supremes I have are now on their third year, with something like 6-8,000 miles on them. I don't need tools to change a folding tire. I don't have to fight that #@*& wire bead when I have to fix a flat, I can easily change them with my bare hands. They are lighter than the equivalent non-folding tire. They are more supple than the equivalent non-folding tire, which means less rolling resistance. I'll never go back to you non-folding tires.

YMMV