Holes in relatively new Schwalbe tyres

[rwandanadventures]

Hi Everyone

I have a touring bicycle (Hardo-Wagner with Shimano gears) that has relatively new (less than 6 months and less than 1500km) tyres.

However, a few holes (2-4 mm diameter) have started appearing in the tyres, especially where contact is made with the road. These holes seem to be getting larger! Ahhhh!

Living in Rwanda, we do not have access to buy new ones and have very limited access to materials.

Does anyone have an idea how I could repair them?

Thanks in advance

Tom

[Bill]

(05-26-2010, 06:29 AM)rwandanadventures Wrote:  Hi Everyone

I have a touring bicycle (Hardo-Wagner with Shimano gears) that has relatively new (less than 6 months and less than 1500km) tyres.

However, a few holes (2-4 mm diameter) have started appearing in the tyres, especially where contact is made with the road. These holes seem to be getting larger! Ahhhh!

Living in Rwanda, we do not have access to buy new ones and have very limited access to materials.

Does anyone have an idea how I could repair them?

Thanks in advance

Tom

Very sorry to say this, but if the holes are getting bigger then more then likely the material it is made of is breaking down and I do not know of anyway to fix those. Maybe someone else here has an idea but in my own opinion when tyres get to that point all one can do is replace them.

Bill

[DaveM]

For the holes themselves, you try to plug them with any sort of glue/filler you can get that stays soft like silicone. But I don't know what would be available there. The other problem is that the tube could eventually push its way out through the holes and pop. To prevent that, put a liner inside the tire made of tough fabric, rubber strips or something similar. In a "resource limited" environment like that, usually locals will know the best solutions. I'd try to find a local bike/car mechanic and ask what they do to deal with old tires.

Note that rubber is damaged by UV light. I'd try to keep the bike out of the sun when it's sitting.

[Bill]

(05-26-2010, 01:16 PM)DaveM Wrote:  For the holes themselves, you try to plug them with any sort of glue/filler you can get that stays soft like silicone. But I don't know what would be available there. The other problem is that the tube could eventually push its way out through the holes and pop. To prevent that, put a liner inside the tire made of tough fabric, rubber strips or something similar. In a "resource limited" environment like that, usually locals will know the best solutions. I'd try to find a local bike/car mechanic and ask what they do to deal with old tires.

Note that rubber is damaged by UV light. I'd try to keep the bike out of the sun when it's sitting.

Not to sure of this idea Dave but couldn't he take an old inner tube and line it by trimming the shape?