Hob-Nailed Tyre

[fatjohn]

Sorry to bother you all with a non-GS question, but I'd appreciate any advice you could give:

Basically, when I got to work this morning I found a nail rammed in at an angle on my 1,500 mile rear Tourance.

Booo!

It went in to the side of one of the tread blocks, out the side and angled down slightly to enter again at the base of another block. Now, the tyre is a radial tubeless type, but the bike's a Transalp so I'm running with inner tubes and it seems to be holding pressure ok, so I assume the inner tube is undamaged. So the question is: do I need to be concerned? Does it need repaired/replaced, or is a case of keep an eye on it, but if there's no evidence of a slow puncture then the tyre is still sound? In other words, can the structure (and therefore safety) of a radial be compomised by a nail through it, if the wheel is running an inner tube?

Sorry to ask you all to put your long distance virtual diagnosis hats on, but if anyone knows anything about this and has some advice, I'd be really gratefull!

 

[mpriestley]

So long as you have an inner tube fitted the answer is straightforward.

Pull the nail out. If the tyre remains inflated you can assume the inner tube is sound (You could easily check this by lifting the tyre off the rim and making a visual check)

If there is a lot of hissing you need to patch/replace the tube but the structural integrity of the outer casing will not be adversely affected.

Riding round with a nail in the tyre is not recommended.

 

[fatjohn]

That's great news - thanks for your reply. The inner tube seems fine, not knowing anything about tyre construction I was just concerned that the carcass would be structurally unsound and therefore dangerous.

The nail's out. I feel like sticking it to a tyre of the white van that ferries the workmen here at the minute: they shed nails and screws like a dog sheds hair. I've lost count of the number I've had to pick up just around the entrance to work.