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Puncture of Tubeless tyre: What to do? – TUTORIALS

Punctures remain the most frequent inconvenience of a bike ride: at the moment there is no solid tire solution that solves all problems.

Rubber beading

The inserts inside the tire have brought safety but they are not to be seen as anti-puncture systems (read more about the topic).

Many beginners (and not only) get into a crisis in the event of punctures, yet you don't need special technical skills to solve a puncture. If the puncture is very slow and the tire goes flat within 2-3 days, top up the latex right away as there is probably none left inside the tyre.

Drilling in Mountain Bike

Tubeless is not infallible: if we have made a cut that is too large on the tyre, or in delicate points such as the shoulder of the tyre, the latex cannot plug and we end up stuck with the flat tire.

What to do? If we have a Tubeless tire with latex, here's what we need to do to fix a puncture. Premise: I say with latex because you often forget to top up and therefore, at the first problem, the latex doesn't do its job and you end up with a flat wheel. Remember that, every 2-3 months, the latex inside the rubber must be checked and topped up. This is why, in the case of users who don't use the bike much, it is not advisable to use Tubeless.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HAVING TUBELESS

There are 2 ways to fix a puncture with tubeless tyres: either use the so-called vermicelli, or insert an inner tube. Yes, you got it right, the inner tube always solves any kind of problem. To solve by inserting an inner tube, I'm posting the link to the relevant article (HOW TO CHANGE AN INNER TUBE ON A MTB). The only note I would like to tell you, since there is latex inside the tire (if it hasn't dried out), is the fact that the operation will be quite "smearing" due to the liquid that comes out: don't let it go on the clothes that will stain !

WHAT ARE VERMICELLI (PLUGS)?

The vermicelli (or plug) is a system that is also used in the automotive world. It is a matter of forcefully inserting a rubber strip which then recreates the structure on the tire itself, closing the hole with the help of the latex. The rubber sticks to the tyre, plugging the hole.

This repair is simple but requires a minimum of manual skill as you literally have to puncture the tire with a sharp object and then extract it. Harder said than done as there are so many kits on the market that make this easier. Once done, inflate normally with CO2 or a pump (being tubeless, better CO2 to avoid not being able to heel the tire during inflation).

sahmura-swordi-5-vermicelli-integrated-tubeless-repair-kit
One of the many Tubeless Repair Kits on the market: Sahmurai Sword

DOES IT ALWAYS WORK?

Like all systems, almost always, but if done well it will most likely take you home. The problem is that the vermicelli, even if cut, creates some thickness and therefore could compromise the rolling fluidity. Once at home it is better to remove the vermicelli and try to repair the rubber with a patch from the inside.

I leave you the link to other interesting TUTORIALS.



Written by

[email protected] I am a fan of everything that has 2 wheels: at a young age I practiced road and track cycling (Italian Allievi champion). At the age of 18 I passed into the cross country competing at national/international level as an Under23. Past Elite, I made the choice to take things more lightly from a training point of view, and my love for gravity disciplines was born, training me as an FCI MTB instructor and guide. Now I have made passion my profession by managing 2 MTB centers on the island of Elba (Bike Center Elba and Elba MTB), creating the FANTAmtb and telling in an ironic but professional way everything that revolves around MTB thanks to 365mountainbike and 365TV (YouTube'PULITI dentro BIKER fuori').

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