Gashed the sidewall on a relatively new conti Raceking protection tonight. Worth a repair? If so… How’s best to do this? I run tubeless…. Or should i write it off?

Depends how big and where the gash is, I’ve successfully repaired sidewall slices up to about 30mm by stitching together carcass with dental floss and then using a big bad-ass patch/boot on the inside and run tubless again with no bother, doesn’t look pretty but works…

Normally OK if its ‘up’ the sidewall so to speak, and ‘along’ as well to some degree, but slits/tears/gashes right near the bead are an arse to fix though and it depends on the casing and direction of threads etc.

It’s about 2cm and not near the bead. Am wondering whether to try a patch or whether a stitch and patch.

if it’s only 2cm you might get away with just a heavy duty patch on the inside, not familiar with the ‘protection’ sidewalls on conti tyres, are they still pretty thin or quite meaty?

They’re meatier than the racesport. Although not anywhere near the UST – and not meaty enough it would seem!!

I have an “external repair” kit….although I think this is just for smaller holes. Anone any experience with these?

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They’re for holes, not cuts.

Patch it from the inside using a tyre patch. I’ve done this recently, and it’s holding very well.

Tyre patch as in the Tiptop ones specifically for tyres? Or have a go with a standard puncture kit?

I’ve had joy in the past with standard kits but more for small holes. not tears.

I normally use the tougher tyre boot style patches or in a pinch use normal inner tube stuff, but only if you have a sheet of if and can cut a BIG patch, rather than the standard small ones you get in a 1.99 pucture repair kit.

The aim of the big patch on the inside is so that the load is spread/taken over a wide area so the bit that is torn is not stressed to the point of ripping any futher.

update….

MBR gave away some really big patches this month. Put one on the inside and one on the outside, just to protect the cut from the elements.

Successful at first.

2 hours later. Did it hold? Did it fu…