Proper way to patch tubeless?

[Xteife]

I guess it's common to put a tube in your tubeless tires when you get a flat on the trail, but what is the recommended method of patching tubeless flats? I KNOW yinz aren't going out and buying a new $40-50 tire every time. I used a regular tube patch which worked well on my first one. Just wondering what the masses do. Thanks.

[angelo_caduto86]

Can it be patched like a car tire. They take a piece of rubber cord, dipped in glue or a rubber compound and thread it through the puncture (hole). After it dries they snip the cord flat with the tire, on the outside.

??

I bet Sheldon Brown would know

[Xteife]

Good question. I suppose a plug would do the trick, but who sells a plug kit that small?

[angelo_caduto86]

Napa?

I don't think the auto tire plugs are that big. It seems when I watched a tire being pluged the cord was about the size of two spokes put together.

[pmweller]

I recently got my very first flat on the trail using tubeless tires (after a whole year of riding). (Not a well traveled trail and got a good thorn.)

I took it to the bike shop. They fixed it and so far it's still holding air.

I asked them what they used. They said they used a regular tube patch. They said it took a lot of effort, they had to clean everything with alcohol or something.

I've also heard that some people just use Crazy Glue.

I use Hutchinson Scorpions. I was using Hutchinson Pythons. In case anyone was wondering.

[angelo_caduto86]

Who would have thunk it...a tire patch

hey Xteife

do you have a flat, or are you just wondering, for the future

[Xteife]

mville, Why a "Park Tool Super" patch as opposed to a regular tube patch?

angelo, I successfully fixed the only one I've had, but at the time, I had no idea what the "right way" was. Just thought I'd ask for future reference. Looks like what I did was right anyway. Regardless, it worked, so that's all I care about...

[pmweller]

Just a small reply to angelo_caduto86 from above: I believe the bike shop used a
*tube* patch, not a tire patch.

[angelo_caduto86]

That's what I meant....opppse...think twice cut once spoken is my motto from now on.

I bet if you wanted to be rich, you would come up with an easy tubeless TIRE patch that works on the trail.

[jetta01]

This is off of Mavic's site:

If perforated (thorn...), the puncture is often slow and not instantaneous, which often allows you the possibility of continuing your ride. The repair can be made simply with a repair patch inside the tire, an anti-puncture spray or even by inserting a traditional tube.

Anybody heard of the anti-puncture spray??

[JerseyDevil]

If the puncture is small, Stan's sealant, Slime, or Tufo tubular patch (www.cyclocrossworld.com) works well to permently seal the tire. Super-glue works , but in most cases it's only temporary and should just be used to get you home. If you go to an auto parts store, they sell a patch kit for auto tires. Don't use the plugs! They can split your tire. Use a patch kit that looks like a regular bike tube patch. You can cut them down if they're too big. Scruff up the inside of the tire with the supplied sandpaper or metal scraper, apply the vulcanizing compound (glue), let it set for a minute, then apply the patch and roll over it with a roller or put a lot of pressure on it to get the air bubbles out. The glue dries better with less air in it.