T'was a warm thursday afternoon when I met up with fellow riders for a nice group ride. Upon leaving another rider points out that my tire is a bit low.
Not having checked my air pressure in a while and with all the fluctuating weather lately, I presumed it was just due to my laziness and gave him a thumbs up for pointing it out.
It wasn't until we got to the curvy roads that I noticed it was a lot more than just 2 or 3 psi low. My bike's arse was swinging all over the place and I wasn't even pushing hard at all.
I pull into a gas station to have a look and I spot a nail instantly.
A bit frustrated because we finally managed to get a nice size group going and I had to withdraw my attendance, I told everyone to carry on and to have a safe ride.
I fill it with air from the gas station I was at (after making the gas bar attendant give me a 1$ for their air pump, since I am not paying that much for 2 minutes of compressed air) and I slowly and safely made my way to a Canadian Tire that was on the way to my house.
Picked up a do-it-yourself tubeless tire patch kit and a compact air pump with a cigarette lighter end on it, and then went home.
Total cost for my tire fix: under 40$ after taxes.
- 19.99 for a compact air compressor
- 14.99 for tire plug kit. They had a 9.99 one but seriously, I would just prefer to get the better plug for 5$ more.
Tools needed outside the kit:
- Plyers
- Knife
Put the bike on a stand, and the pictures will mostly provide the rest of the story.
**PRO TIP**
If you put the bike on a stand, leave the bike in gear to prevent the wheel from turning on you when you're working the tire. This can prevent wrist/hand injuries...
- In this pic you can see the nail in the tire (almost center of picture).
- Using plyers, remove the nail/screw/object that is causing the leak.
- This pic shows the rusty nail that forced me to abandon my group ride.
- Very simple instructions for a very simple task.
- With the first hand tool that looks like a file, work the tire to clean the opening and make it rough for the patch to adhere to.
- Now the hole is prepped for the plug.
- Put a plug in the eye of the second tool and jam it into the hole you just prepped. Be careful! Don't push it in all the way!
- Once you have the plug in, pull back really quick on the handle and the plug will stay in place like so.
- Cut the excess of the plug. Remember, always cut away from yourself.
- Once the tire is inflated, this is pretty much what it looks like. As you ride the bike and your tire goes through regular wear-and-tear, the plug will simply wear down with it as well and will be a circle on your tire.
Now there are a few things you need to know:
- Tire plugs are not 100%. It is possible for them to leak. Sometimes right away, sometimes much later. Always keep an eye on it when doing your regular inspection.
- Just like car tires, I believe only the main part of the tire can be plugged. The closer you are to the sidewall, the more dangerous it is (as in the plug will not do its job).
- If a plug can't fix it, a patch on the inside of the tire might do the job. If all methods fail, you need a new tire. Sorry about your luck.
Now to add another bright side to this story, I was able to get in and out of Canadian Tire, to my house and done with the job so quickly that I was able to meet up with my fellow riders in Smithville before they started their route back to Port Dalhousie.
Plugging and patching tires are things I have been doing for years and I have no problem relying on them as long as the hole in the tire is near the center. Other than having to leave my group ride for such a silly problem, I was never upset because I knew how easy it would be to fix, and cheap, and quick.
It is through this experience though that I have learned to keep a quick tire patch kit like this in my tankbag from now on, whether it's me that becomes a victim again or someone I am riding with. It consumes very little space and weighs nothing so it is not a nuisance.
Air shouldn't be a problem because most gas stations have a pump (even though they steal your money to use it) and if pushing the bike a couple blocks is not an option, any smart driver out there will have a pump in their car. You might have to flag down a few people and hope they're friendly enough to help out.
This guide isn't intended to be the mecha of tire repair, but perhaps a nice little read-me on how to perform such a simple task for people who have never had to do such a thing and are new at riding, or simply just want to be prepared should it ever happen to them.
The pictures posted are entirely mine and I have no problem at all with the idea of someone copying this guide/pictures and posting it on other forums to assist other people, as long as I get credit for it ("jeero from GTAM" is sufficient enough).
Share the knowledge, no matter how big or small it may be!
Ride safe, and be prepared!
Not having checked my air pressure in a while and with all the fluctuating weather lately, I presumed it was just due to my laziness and gave him a thumbs up for pointing it out.
It wasn't until we got to the curvy roads that I noticed it was a lot more than just 2 or 3 psi low. My bike's arse was swinging all over the place and I wasn't even pushing hard at all.
I pull into a gas station to have a look and I spot a nail instantly.
A bit frustrated because we finally managed to get a nice size group going and I had to withdraw my attendance, I told everyone to carry on and to have a safe ride.
I fill it with air from the gas station I was at (after making the gas bar attendant give me a 1$ for their air pump, since I am not paying that much for 2 minutes of compressed air) and I slowly and safely made my way to a Canadian Tire that was on the way to my house.
Picked up a do-it-yourself tubeless tire patch kit and a compact air pump with a cigarette lighter end on it, and then went home.
Total cost for my tire fix: under 40$ after taxes.
- 19.99 for a compact air compressor
- 14.99 for tire plug kit. They had a 9.99 one but seriously, I would just prefer to get the better plug for 5$ more.
Tools needed outside the kit:
- Plyers
- Knife
Put the bike on a stand, and the pictures will mostly provide the rest of the story.
**PRO TIP**
If you put the bike on a stand, leave the bike in gear to prevent the wheel from turning on you when you're working the tire. This can prevent wrist/hand injuries...
- In this pic you can see the nail in the tire (almost center of picture).
- Using plyers, remove the nail/screw/object that is causing the leak.
- This pic shows the rusty nail that forced me to abandon my group ride.
- Very simple instructions for a very simple task.
- With the first hand tool that looks like a file, work the tire to clean the opening and make it rough for the patch to adhere to.
- Now the hole is prepped for the plug.
- Put a plug in the eye of the second tool and jam it into the hole you just prepped. Be careful! Don't push it in all the way!
- Once you have the plug in, pull back really quick on the handle and the plug will stay in place like so.
- Cut the excess of the plug. Remember, always cut away from yourself.
- Once the tire is inflated, this is pretty much what it looks like. As you ride the bike and your tire goes through regular wear-and-tear, the plug will simply wear down with it as well and will be a circle on your tire.
Now there are a few things you need to know:
- Tire plugs are not 100%. It is possible for them to leak. Sometimes right away, sometimes much later. Always keep an eye on it when doing your regular inspection.
- Just like car tires, I believe only the main part of the tire can be plugged. The closer you are to the sidewall, the more dangerous it is (as in the plug will not do its job).
- If a plug can't fix it, a patch on the inside of the tire might do the job. If all methods fail, you need a new tire. Sorry about your luck.
Now to add another bright side to this story, I was able to get in and out of Canadian Tire, to my house and done with the job so quickly that I was able to meet up with my fellow riders in Smithville before they started their route back to Port Dalhousie.
Plugging and patching tires are things I have been doing for years and I have no problem relying on them as long as the hole in the tire is near the center. Other than having to leave my group ride for such a silly problem, I was never upset because I knew how easy it would be to fix, and cheap, and quick.
It is through this experience though that I have learned to keep a quick tire patch kit like this in my tankbag from now on, whether it's me that becomes a victim again or someone I am riding with. It consumes very little space and weighs nothing so it is not a nuisance.
Air shouldn't be a problem because most gas stations have a pump (even though they steal your money to use it) and if pushing the bike a couple blocks is not an option, any smart driver out there will have a pump in their car. You might have to flag down a few people and hope they're friendly enough to help out.
This guide isn't intended to be the mecha of tire repair, but perhaps a nice little read-me on how to perform such a simple task for people who have never had to do such a thing and are new at riding, or simply just want to be prepared should it ever happen to them.
The pictures posted are entirely mine and I have no problem at all with the idea of someone copying this guide/pictures and posting it on other forums to assist other people, as long as I get credit for it ("jeero from GTAM" is sufficient enough).
Share the knowledge, no matter how big or small it may be!
Ride safe, and be prepared!
