Debate: Tube patches vs. tire boot patches for sidewall gashes

I was reading on BikeRadar last week that tire boot patches (the kind you stick on the inside of a sidewall tear) can actually fail after about 50 miles because of flexing. But I've also heard guys swear by them for getting home from a trail ride. So which is better for a serious gash on a mountain bike trail like the one at Blue Mountain - a standard tube patch on the tube itself or a boot patch on the tire? I'm torn lol. Anybody had one fail on them?

3 comments

3 Comments

wade25025d ago

Dude I had a boot patch blow out on me maybe 30 miles in. Was on a rocky descent at Blue Mountain actually. Tube was fine but the tire started bulging and then just popped. Never again. Just use a heavy tube patch on the tube itself and limp it home. Way more reliable.

aaron_perry25d ago

Man, that's rough... I actually just read a thing about how tire pressure can cause those boot patches to shift on rocky stuff. @wade250 probably got unlucky with the angle on that descent too. I've heard some guys swear by using a heavy tube patch on the tire wall itself instead of those cheap boot kits, seems like it holds better against bulging. Still, 30 miles in is rough... at least you made it down without a full blowout.

fiona_kim25d ago

Blue Mountain giveth and Blue Mountain taketh away I guess. At least you got a good story out of it and didn't have to hoof it out.