Plug a tubeless tire without removing the wheel
Ten minutes at the roadside and you ride away. This is why a plug kit is the highest-value item on any tubeless bike.
What you need
- — Plug kit: rasp, insertion tool, plugs or vulcanising strips
- — Pliers to pull the object out
- — Compressor or 3–4 CO2 cartridges
- — Pressure gauge
Steps
- 01Find the leak — spin the wheel and look for the nail, or spray soapy water and watch for bubbles.
- 02Mark the hole, then pull the object out with pliers.
- 03Ream the hole with the rasp: several firm strokes to clean and roughen it so the plug bonds.
- 04Coat the plug or strip in vulcanising cement, load the insertion tool and push it in until only 10–15 mm stands proud.
- 05Twist and withdraw the tool so the plug stays, then trim the tail nearly flush.
- 06Inflate to spec, check for bubbles with soapy water, and ride gently for the first few kilometres before rechecking pressure.
Watch out
- — A plug is a get-home repair. Have the tire inspected or replaced, especially near the sidewall or shoulder.
- — Sidewall damage cannot be plugged safely — that is a recovery, not a repair.
- — Cheap sticky strings can weep at highway speed; vulcanising strips or mushroom plugs hold far better.