No matter what kind of bike you ride or where you take it, a cracked bike tire is something you have to endure every once in a while. It is also referred to as dry rot, and as the name suggests, it occurs when the bike tires begin to develop small cracks. A bike with cracked tires is of no good and needs to be treated as soon as possible. But why pay a mechanic to take care of your tire when you can do it with a little knowledge and some basic tools!
Be it a cool bike for your kids, or a mountain bike for adults, all you need to do is follow the proper procedure and the tires will be fresh as new in no time. Read on to know how to fix cracked tires so that your bike can hit the road again!
How to Fix Cracked Bike Tires
We have prepared a step by step guide to help you out. It’s remarkably straightforward and easier than you think. Let’s dive deeper into what needs to be done.
Identify the Cause
The first step to treating cracked tires is to identify the cause and take preventive measures from then onward. Tires may crack for many reasons. Among the most common causes are:
Assemble Equipment
Afterward, you need to assemble the equipment that you will need. We have prepared a list of things that will help you through the process:
Fixing the Tire
Your approach to fixing the tires will largely depend on what kind of crack you are dealing with. For smaller cracks, you can take an internal sealing approach. It is safe to expect great results by applying water-based sealants designed to fix small cracks accurately.
However, if the crack appears bigger, you will have to take a little more aggressive measure. To serve the cause, you can use a water-based protectant and degreaser on the bike tires.
Remove the Tires and Inspect the Damage
If you want to work on the tires efficiently, you need to separate them from the vehicle. This will not only provide you better convenience but also help you assess the tires accurately, both the inside and outside parts.
Once that is done, run a thorough inspection of the tires to have a better understanding of the extent of damage and the areas affected. Prepare a plan accordingly.
Apply Sealant on Small Cracks
For the next step, you can proceed to prepare a water-based sealant if the cracks seem relatively small. Many excellent products are available today; for best results, you must use water-based products on your tires. They usually come with specific instructions on how to prepare and apply. Proceed accordingly. Once your sealant is ready, you can go on to use it on the inside of the tires with a nozzle or injector.
While this should be enough to treat small cracks, you need to take more extensive measures for larger cracks.
Degrease the Tire Surface
The next step involves degreasing the surface of the tire. The degreaser will certainly include specific instructions of its own; make sure to read them thoroughly. Generally speaking, you will need to pour a generous amount of degreaser onto a clean sponge and rub the tire well, especially on the cracked part. Let it sit for a while.
Clean the Tire
After allowing the degreaser to serve its purpose, you will now have to clean the tire. Wipe the applied degreaser, and then thoroughly rinse the tire with a water hose. Make sure it is cleaned well. Wait on the tire to air dry now.
Apply Protectant on Tire
Next comes the most important step in the treatment! You now have to apply a water-based protectant on the surface of the tire. Make sure to cover the entire surface for the best result, with a focus on the cracks.
Depending on which protectant you are using, it will take some time to properly cure. Follow specific instructions that the product comes with, and let it sit for a few hours.
Reinflate
Once the curing process is done, you can run an inspection on the bikes. It is most likely that there will be visible changes in the tires, and if you are satisfied, you can proceed to the next step; that is to inflate. And if not, you can repeat the steps a few more times until you see significant results.
Now that your tire is revived, you need to take precaution measures. It is best if you use a pressure gauge during reinflation as it will help you to maintain the right amount of pressure on the tire- no more, no less!
Reinstall
Having done that, your tires are now ready to be installed again. Drive around, and you will immediately feel the improvement.
Conclusion
Wrapping up, to speak the truth of bike tires, they will surely and inevitably crack. It is only a part of the natural decaying process. However, there are a few things that you can do to prevent the crack or fix them to elongate the tire’s lifespan.
We hope that our step by step guide on how to fix cracked bike tires has helped you. To further enhance your biking experience, head over here and know more about bikes, scooters, and their parts. Happy biking!
