On the road puncture repair?

lalababa · 10-07-2019 11:09pm #1

Which is better, plugs, slime or foam?? And which brand of which?

two wheels good · 11-07-2019 12:41am

Tubeless I assume.
Sticky strings or Stop 'n' Go mushroom plugs. Foam is a waste of time (IMO)
Sticky strings - replenished from the agri shop when my Stop n Go kit ran out. Along with bicycle repair glue.

Slime: I could be tempted to put it in a tube but never in a tubeless. Though the demos are impressive. (Interested to hear other views)

Avoid Rema Tip-Top kits - if they're still available. But, jeez it did get me out of trouble a couple of times.
I never leave home without a punc repair kit now due to my frequency of punctures being back on Irish roads.

Emmersonn · 11-07-2019 7:04am

I use sticky strings from the autofactors. Never had a problem using them. About 3 months ago when I was about 50 kms from home I found a lovely R clip in the rear tyre of my fjr and it was not a small clip . It was probably 7cms long Both legs had entered the tyre. So two punctures. Oh goody said I:D . I had to use two strings in one of the holes. I carry a small 12v compressor as well. Pumped up and headed home. No loss of air on the way home and 4 or 5 days later when getting a new tyre pressure was still the same. As I said never had a problem.

Wonda-Boy · 11-07-2019 12:50pm

I use the sticky string also never had a problem, I would plug a rear tyre multiple times and then get it patched on the inside when convenient but I would be very sceptical about plugging a front tyre for longer then going straight to get it patched after plugging it.

You will get away with a soft, deflating back tyre but a front tyre I would take zero chances.

LariToper · 12-07-2019 9:39am

Any recommendations for tubed tyres? I definitely would not be in a position to do a tube change at the side of the road, I find it hard enough at home with all the tools and preparation. If you use slime in the tube will it make a mess of the inside of the tyre if you get a puncture?

two wheels good · 12-07-2019 6:04pm

LariToper wrote: »

Any recommendations for tubed tyres? I definitely would not be in a position to do a tube change at the side of the road, I find it hard enough at home with all the tools and preparation. If you use slime in the tube will it make a mess of the inside of the tyre if you get a puncture?

Curious to know other rider's experience with slime in tubes. It's not supposed to mess the tyre. Only a small amount is supposed to escape and then set. No harm in trying it. Tempt fate and let us know the outcome!

Fitting good quality, heavy duty tubes would help. And a main stand!
When riding any distance on tubed I've always carried a spare rear tube, often front tube too, and the necessary tools.
Even if you're reluctant to get "stuck-in" on the road having the spare tube and tools will give you options. A workshop might not have a tube or the socket to remove the wheel.
And if you don't use them you may be the saviour for a mate in a jam.

macplaxton · 13-07-2019 1:28am

two wheels good wrote: »

Avoid Rema Tip-Top kits - if they're still available. But, jeez it did get me out of trouble a couple of times.

Yes, you can still get them. There is a knack to inserting the plugs. They're great if you can get past that.

two wheels good · 13-07-2019 10:33pm

macplaxton wrote: »

Yes, you can still get them. There is a knack to inserting the plugs. They're great if you can get past that.

Simple and foolproof is what I want at the roadside. I recall the plug material seemed to degrade with age and made it liable to split when inserting.
But so grateful to have it in my toolbag at the time.

two wheels good · 13-07-2019 10:39pm

Emmersonn wrote: »

I use sticky strings from the autofactors. Never had a problem using them. About 3 months ago when I was about 50 kms from home I found a lovely R clip in the rear tyre of my fjr and it was not a small clip . It was probably 7cms long Both legs had entered the tyre. So two punctures. Oh goody said I:D . I had to use two strings in one of the holes. I carry a small 12v compressor as well. Pumped up and headed home. No loss of air on the way home and 4 or 5 days later when getting a new tyre pressure was still the same. As I said never had a problem.

I had a similar experience. Far from home, late on a Sunday. Spotted a fencing staple in the rear tyre, both prongs embedded.
Confident in my trusty sticky strings I laughed in the face of adversity. Then I opened the repair kit and found it contained only one string. Yikes!

H_Lime · 19-07-2019 7:42am

On mt tubes machine i carry a tube of specific tube slime and a small compressor. On tubless i carry the sticky rubber string kit and compressor.

Interceptor · 19-07-2019 11:32am

Anyone recommend a good 12v compressor?

Wonda-Boy · 19-07-2019 11:58am

This is the one I have and its very good, nice and compact and while it might take 5 mins to inflate a tyre its perfect for on the bike.

https://www.ie.screwfix.com/rac-compact-air-compressor-12v.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3MGtrenA4wIVArTtCh3MBgceEAQYASABEgJY_PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Green_Martian · 19-07-2019 1:56pm

Wonda-Boy wrote: »

This is the one I have and its very good, nice and compact and while it might take 5 mins to inflate a tyre its perfect for on the bike.

https://www.ie.screwfix.com/rac-compact-air-compressor-12v.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3MGtrenA4wIVArTtCh3MBgceEAQYASABEgJY_PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

That looks like good value, and it looks like it comes with connections for the battery in case you don't have a 12v socket

H_Lime · 19-07-2019 10:15pm

Green_Martian wrote: »

That looks like good value, and it looks like it comes with connections for the battery in case you don't have a 12v socket

Thats the one i have under my battery on the bike. Only diff is it's branded AA.

macplaxton · 20-07-2019 8:51am

I've got an Airman Tour.

It has a dual cig light / Hella plug on the end of the wire and the shed has a Hella socket on the dash.

If you need croc clips, plenty on Ebay:

H_Lime · 20-07-2019 9:37am

macplaxton wrote: »

I've got an Airman Tour.

It has a dual cig light / Hella plug on the end of the wire and the shed has a Hella socket on the dash.

If you need croc clips, plenty on Ebay:

I'd say that probably a better job than the one I'm using. Have you had cause to use it by the road? If you have it with you you probably won't ha!:rolleyes:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AA-Inflator-Compact-Lightweight-Travel/dp/B00HWMPK6S/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?adgrpid=55906792711&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI383BvIfD4wIVBbDtCh2frQfVEAAYASAAEgLsWfD_BwE&hvadid=259107883191&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1007850&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=18112933800265092292&hvtargid=kwd-314482787418&hydadcr=96_1789579&keywords=aa+tyre+inflator&qid=1563610632&s=gateway&sr=8-3#immersive-view_1563610859417
Reason I went with thos one is it filled the gap underneath my new battery perfectly. I snippef off the ciggy lighter and just crimped on forked connectors to the bare wires.

Wouldn't mind spening coin on a proven quality unit as in using any of these chinesium units yer half relieved they don't release the smoke when you plugs em in lol. Anyone know of such a unit?

macplaxton · 21-07-2019 2:01pm

H_Lime wrote: »

Have you had cause to use it by the road? If you have it with you you probably won't ha!:rolleyes:

Not yet. I think I've used it at work before to get home (30 miles) because I had something in the tyre I couldn't be bothered pulling out at 2am and it wasn't leaking that bad.

All the puncture repair kits are good for plugging up holes, but do stop and consider that every time you'll need something to pull the nail/screw/whatever out with. A lot of the time it'll be easier to shove a load of air in the tyre to get home (or our of the rain under a filling station canopy). Then plug it up there with a brew and easier access to air.

I have used to the AirMan to do a couple of tyres out the back. The connector will get hot. It says something about the duty cycle on the box/instructions. Pay heed to it.

Grumpy Bike Wizard · 21-07-2019 3:32pm

I have an airman; it doesn't work in canbus bmw bikes because they don't give off enough power by default, so not great unless you're hanging another lead off the battery. Probably a grand pump otherwise but an expensive mistake for me :-)

Also bear in mind that a bicycle pump works fine once it's for schrader valves, motorbikes only take about half the pressure that bicycles do, so you'll be sweating but it's guaranteed to work. Plenty of great and tiny bike pumps out there.

H_Lime · 21-07-2019 4:28pm

Yep Max, been there with that ropey pliers from the factory tool kit trying in vain to pull stuff just poking out of the tyre. Must throw a decent leatherman pliers in the kit.
If I stop and think about it I've probably only ever used a puncture repair kit by the roadside about 6 or so times, but one of them was when heading for a ferry in Permbroke. The relief when I found I had remembered to pack the small kit in a side pannier was unreal. Nothing quite gives you the ****s like a mechanical abroad:)

Grumpy, a small bike pump aint a bad idea. Might take a while but you cant beat redundancy.
Bummer with the beemers can bus, it should be called much fuss;)
Carrying a tube of slime is worth it's weight on gold too.

macplaxton · 24-07-2019 2:48am

Grumpy Bike Wizard wrote: »

but an expensive mistake for me :-)

What? Buying a canbus BM? :pac:

A secondary 20A fused aux power socket direct from the battery would do the trick. Any air pump will suck a fair current. I seem to remember that the instructions say have the bike running to save the battery from taking a draining. I usually don't bother as the previous owner fitted a Odyssey PC680 in it and it doesn't complain.

A manual pump is a good idea. BMW used to have them SKS pumps on their 2v boxers. They did have it as a spare part as recently as June 2016.

(I have the pleasure* of having to use one of these when a London Met Police biker was writing me a ticket)

Probably a good contender for a manual pump is the Topeak Mountain Morph:

https://www.topeak.com/global/en/products/mini-pumps/245-mountain-morph-

On the road puncture repair?

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