Recommendations for small folding tire

[Becky]

What about carrying a tire boot instead, if you're using clinchers? I've used everything from a dollar bill to duct tape to Tyvek from a FedEx mailer with great success. They're not pretty or permanent, but each one has gotten me home safely. Park Tool also makes their own version.

[Tri Girl]

Carrying a boot is a great idea. I do that myself- usually an old gu packet and some dollar bills. They work fantastic in a pinch and will be much smaller/lighter than carrying a spare tire.

Of course, that won't help for every instance. Last year I had a blowout that blew a hole in the tire at the bead and bent the rim- so there was no fixing that. I *might* have been able to fix the rim if I'd had a screwdriver, but the tire was beyond repair since it blew out at the bead. Had to wait 3 hours on the side of a country road for my DH to get off work and come get me 40 miles from home. Whoopsie.
Lesson: find someone else to call in an emergency...ergo: I need to make more friends.

[Sky King]

Another boot idea is to cut up an old water bottle, The Bike Hermit carries a piece in his tool bag. Of course we ride on touring tires so this solution may be too wide if you ride a narrower tire. We stock Schwalbe Marathon folding tires - dureme and supreme but again in touring tire widths.

[Seajay]

The newest Michelin Pro 4 road tires fold up pretty darn small. But, I agree with the Park Tire Boot suggestion. Works great