What if i get a flat with tubeless tyre?

[apac]

Ive just bought a turbo levo and my lbs offered a free tubless upgrade... Sounded good so i went for it. Always previously using tubes and happy to change in the field, What happens now if i get a flat? Can i still put an innertube in the tyre? If so, what do i need to do that might might be different?

 

[118]

Did they not offer to sell you a tyre plug kit? Pretty poor sales if they didn't..

Mine offered a tubeless upgrade also - I only took it, once they'd agreed to an additional, free plug kit, as part of the 'upgrade'..

Should you wish to fit a tube, you'll need to remove the tubeless valve first..or carry a 'plug kit'.. which would be more compact, than a spare tube.

Hope this helps..

118.

 

[JetSetDemo]

I have been running tubeless for 3 years now, only had 1 puncture and the sealant worked as designed. I used a CO2 canister and it inflated the tyre no issues and the hole was sealed. I think pinch flats maybe another issue and I would have had to put a tube in. Luckily for me the hole was not large enough to need a plug (metal staple punctured my minion DHR2 2.8)

 

[paquo]

carry a spare tube same as before so if the pump/co2 doesn't help it seal up. I used to get flats not infrequently on my xcountry bike because of the thin tires but not on the levo with burlier rubber. Sidewall tears are hard to seal. Also disposable nitrile gloves and a bit of paper towel doesn't hurt

 

[apac]

carry a spare tube same as before so if the pump/co2 doesn't help it seal up. I used to get flats not infrequently on my xcountry bike because of the thin tires but not on the levo with burlier rubber. Sidewall tears are hard to seal. Also disposable nitrile gloves and a bit of paper towel doesn't hurt

Thanks.

 

[steve_sordy]

Been riding tubeless for ten years, had hundreds of punctures, but no flats.

Expect that is for the two faulty tyres that failed at the bead and left a 4" gap! Nothing could save them. I always carry a spare tube, tyre wall patch, mini-pump, tyre levers, and tube patches just in case the tube gets a puncture! The nitrile gloves are a good idea. They weigh next to nothing, take up no room and will stop you getting your hands covered in sticky latex, sand, grit, flies, dead grass.........

I would not bother trying to fix the tyre and trying to inflate it with your mini-pump! Just remove the tubeless valve and stick in the spare inner tube, inflate with your mini-pump and away you go. Five mins, job done! Sort it all out when you get home.

 

[apac]

Been riding tubeless for ten years, had hundreds of punctures, but no flats.

Expect that is for the two faulty tyres that failed at the bead and left a 4" gap! Nothing could save them. I always carry a spare tube, tyre wall patch, mini-pump, tyre levers, and tube patches just in case the tube gets a puncture! The nitrile gloves are a good idea. They weigh next to nothing, take up no room and will stop you getting your hands covered in sticky latex, sand, grit, flies, dead grass.........

I would not bother trying to fix the tyre and trying to inflate it with your mini-pump! Just remove the tubeless valve and stick in the spare inner tube, inflate with your mini-pump and away you go. Five mins, job done! Sort it all out when you get home.

Cheers, that’s the answer I was hoping to hear.

 

[ggx]

Also have in the bag a tubless repair kit (with rubber Plug) and a Murphy law amulet

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Tubeless for 10 years plus now and only one burp that had me pushing cause I was 1/2 mile from home and feeling too lazy to fix it !
Seriously though carry a plug kit, about £8, if you shop around pannaracer do a good one. A spare tube and a canister. Depending on where you are riding and if really remote then I would add a bit more kit plus puncture kit incase you have to fit the tube and that punctures. Sounds a nightmare I know but unless very unlucky punctures are rare with tubeless.

 

[steve_sordy]

............... but unless very unlucky punctures are rare with tubeless.

Sorry to be pedantic, but punctures are NOT rare with tubeless. However flat tyres are!

As long as you use sealant in your tyres.

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Sorry to be pedantic, but punctures are NOT rare with tubeless. However flat tyres are!

As long as you use sealant in your tyres.

if it don't go down then I don't count it as a puncture

 

[steve_sordy]

My record is over two dozen punctures in each tyre (witnessed by damp marks left overnight from the sealant leaking out), but no flats.

 

[KennyB]

Blackburn plugger is my choice, straps to the frame, imediately to hand so you lose as little air as possible. Last time I had to use it I only lost a couple of PSI.

 

[Pukmeister]

Try this......

 

[JetSetDemo]

2xLevos, 2 years and 6 months, 1849 miles, 1 puncture, guess I must be lucky (Not normally a trait for me) . Now I have said that no doubt I will end up with two dead tyres at the Sherwood pines ride on the 22nd.

 

[steve_sordy]

2xLevos, 2 years and 6 months, 1849 miles, 1 puncture, guess I must be lucky (Not normally a trait for me) . Now I have said that no doubt I will end up with two dead tyres at the Sherwood pines ride on the 22nd.

There are a lot of brambles where we're going, very few rocks, no flints, just lots of brambles.
I recommend that your legs are covered, there's nettles as well!

As long as you have sealant in the tyres, they'll be fine. Not sure about you though!

 

[Mikerb]

I know this probably varies with terrain and also with the tyre pressures people run but I experience no problems with punctures running with tubes and I think that has more to do with the strength/construction of the tyre than whether you run tubed or tubeless. As a bonus I don't have to keep topping up my tyres with sealant, can change tyres without sealant getting everywhere, and only have to carry a tube and 2 Co2 cannisters to cover the eventuality of a flat. So I am happy to run tubes!

 

[njn]

don't leave home without the bacon.

 

[JetSetDemo]

There are a lot of brambles where we're going, very few rocks, no flints, just lots of brambles.
I recommend that your legs are covered, there's nettles as well!

As long as you have sealant in the tyres, they'll be fine. Not sure about you though!

I've done the last few rides in my Fox Attack trousers specifically to avoid looking like I am in to self harm, I guess your goin to recommend long sleeves also. I've not come off for a bit now so am due for a good stack.

 

[apac]

I just hope I can get through this month without needing a repair kit. Spent all my money on the Levo and shinny upgrades. ?

 

[Russell]

If you get a flat with tubeless you get in a bloody mess. That gunk makes your gloves go stiff as well.

 

[steve_sordy]

I've done the last few rides in my Fox Attack trousers specifically to avoid looking like I am in to self harm, I guess your goin to recommend long sleeves also. I've not come off for a bit now so am due for a good stack.

Long sleeves not required unless you are in to serious sweating! There will be the occasional brambles at chest height but I have cleared most of those. They keep coming back though!

 

[steve_sordy]

If you get a flat with tubeless you get in a bloody mess. That gunk makes your gloves go stiff as well.

I took my gloves off because I could see it was going to be messy. I thought that because there was plenty of wet grass about I'd be fine. Nope!

 

[SiDobsFig]

I was amazed the difference when I changed my Specialized Enduro from Tubes to Tubeless. Lots of riding the UK Ridgeway (Blackthorn Galore) and Forest of Dean (Downhill Routes). Fast Burps and loads of Rocks. I have been riding MTB and EMTB now for 4 years Tubeless and never had to take a Tyre off since against at least 1 a month beforehand. Just take spare tube, hole repair kit and Co2 spare just in case . Thanks Steve for the reminder, I will pop some more Goo in before the winter sets in as I haven't for a while.

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

I took my gloves off because I could see it was going to be messy. I thought that because there was plenty of wet grass about I'd be fine. Nope!

wouldn't you just use the rubber plug for the hole much quicker than with tubes and never any need to remove the tyre?

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

If you get a flat with tubeless you get in a bloody mess. That gunk makes your gloves go stiff as well.

get one of these and never get messy again, simples

Panaracer Ust Tubeless Tyre Repair Kit £9.00

 

[steve_sordy]

wouldn't you just use the rubber plug for the hole much quicker than with tubes and never any need to remove the tyre?

The tyre wall had a 4" split at the bead. Not a chance of fixing that!

And I then had another one, the replacement failed too in almost exactly the same place after a similar mileage. Both were successful warranty claims. Conti said it was a batch problem. So I bought the third one from a different country!

 

[Russell]

I had exactly the same with a 2.8 minion

 

[miPbiP]

OP you can put a tube in - you'll need to take out the tubeless valve to make space for the tube's valve. make sure you run your fingers around the inside of the tyre (with your gloves on) to try and find what caused the flat, if it's not obvious.

if your tyre is slashed you might want to put a "boot" (a bit of material, a section of toothpaste tube works well) between the tube and the slash to stop the tube squeezing out the slash.

personally I find tubeless flats so rare I don't bother to carry a tube on my local Surrey Hills rides nowadays.

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

The tyre wall had a 4" split at the bead. Not a chance of fixing that!
View attachment 18582

And I then had another one, the replacement failed too in almost exactly the same place after a similar mileage. Both were successful warranty claims. Conti said it was a batch problem. So I bought the third one from a different country!
View attachment 18583

Thats pretty awful. I must admit never had anything like that happen. I have always used Maxxis tyres for tubeless with little if no problems other than they wear fairly quick and are not cheap. As you say looks like a bad production batch and I certainly wouldn't ever buy from them again. Hope you have more luck with tubeless in the future.