ROAD bike tubeless puncture repair best options

[cathmtb]

Looking for some advice on how best to repair punctures when out on my own on my tubeless road bike. I have heard dynaplugs are the best to use for road bikes, happy to pay for it just a bit worried one day I won’t be able to find refill stock after spending quite a bit on the applicator. Putting a tube in when on my own isn’t an option as I am not strong enough to get the tyre back on myself with my wide rims. The bike shops keep telling me I need to replace my tyres which I can’t afford every time I get a puncture. Normal plugs don’t hold for long with the tyre pressure it seems. I have a mushroom plug but that needs to be put in when you are at home to try save the tyre after your ride, I haven’t tried this yet. Any suggestions please on how I can fix a puncture on my own when out on the road that will hold TIA 

[Jbr]

What you need is the same box we had 20years ago with 2 levers, some glue, sand paper and lots of patches. Good old patches will always save your tyres as long as they’re not sliced on the sidewalls. You can carry cheaper plug applicators/plugs with you and a couple Co2 cartridges. Plugs should take you home, but patch when you get home to be 100% sure.

can’t remember the last time I plugged a road tyre although I had to uber not so long ago after a stone made a 1cm cut on my sidewall. I’ve been swapping around tyres recently and realised most of the tyres I had kept in my garage had one or two patches in them. Put them back on and had 0 issue even though they’ve been collecting dust for months

[Andreas_187]

Dyna plugs work well. I've used about 8 over the past 2 years and they work perfectly and stay in the tyre until it is worn out. Lots of shops stock it now

[openmind]

Dynaplug FTW

[Thomo]

On the road repairs are often just to get you back home.

Most slug applicators work well enough for this but Dynaplug is apparently the gold standard while some will say it's the Stans Dart.

If using slugs, complete a more permanent repair (mushroom plug etc) when home.

[love2fly]

1 hour ago, Jbr said:

What you need is the same box we had 20years ago with 2 levers, some glue, sand paper and lots of patches. Good old patches will always save your tyres as long as they’re not sliced on the sidewalls. You can carry cheaper plug applicators/plugs with you and a couple Co2 cartridges. Plugs should take you home, but patch when you get home to be 100% sure.

can’t remember the last time I plugged a road tyre although I had to uber not so long ago after a stone made a 1cm cut on my sidewall. I’ve been swapping around tyres recently and realised most of the tyres I had kept in my garage had one or two patches in them. Put them back on and had 0 issue even though they’ve been collecting dust for months

How would OP patch the tyre? Do the patches go on the outside?

[Jbr]

19 minutes ago, love2fly said:

How would OP patch the tyre? Do the patches go on the outside?

On the inside, just take the one side of the tyre off of the rim for 20/30cm, dry the area where you’ll patch, sand paper it, clean it, apply the glue, put the patch, let it dry a few mins, pop the tyre back in and inflate it again. Don’t even need to take the wheel off.

i’ve actually once used one of there self adhesive patches on the road after flatting and realising my sealant was all gone, took me home, and I was far from home when it happened !

I bought dynaplugs for SA gravel champs last year. Haven’t plugged a tyre since so never used it !

[Mamil]

28 minutes ago, love2fly said:

How would OP patch the tyre? Do the patches go on the outside?

Inside

[Eugene]

12 hours ago, cathmtb said:

Looking for some advice on how best to repair punctures when out on my own on my tubeless road bike. I have heard dynaplugs are the best to use for road bikes, happy to pay for it just a bit worried one day I won’t be able to find refill stock after spending quite a bit on the applicator. Putting a tube in when on my own isn’t an option as I am not strong enough to get the tyre back on myself with my wide rims. The bike shops keep telling me I need to replace my tyres which I can’t afford every time I get a puncture. Normal plugs don’t hold for long with the tyre pressure it seems. I have a mushroom plug but that needs to be put in when you are at home to try save the tyre after your ride, I haven’t tried this yet. Any suggestions please on how I can fix a puncture on my own when out on the road that will hold TIA 

Just reading your post it seems as if you get punctures quite regularly. 

I cannot even recall the last time I got a puncture on my road bike. 

If punctures are a problem, you need to look at what is causing them. A good place to start is your tyre pressures. Far too often, I see people complaining of numerous road bike punctures and normally it's because their pressures are too low. 

 

[RossTopher]

Ive had success with the simple ryder plug kit, using thin road plugs. Ive doubled them over for bigger cuts. Never used my lezyne one.

A little tube of shoe glue will also help give you peace of mind on the cut/puncture.

Your tyre and sealant combos will plag a role in solving the greater issue of frequency and inability to pop the tyre on.

Enduroseal road sealant stops most punctures with just a bit of thumb pressure and patience.

Pirelli tyres are super easy to get on/off rims in comparison to conti/vittoria/bontrager.

[Murrob]

13 hours ago, Thomo said:

On the road repairs are often just to get you back home.

Most slug applicators work well enough for this but Dynaplug is apparently the gold standard while some will say it's the Stans Dart.

If using slugs, complete a more permanent repair (mushroom plug etc) when home.

I found stans dart to be less than useless, with the applicator or dart breaking when trying to push it through the hole on a road tyre, so have been using Dynaplug. Also I find making sure your sealant is fresh and top upped or replaced on schedule makes a huge difference in its effectiveness. I’m currently running Mucoff on road. But be warned it is a bitch to get stains out of kit or marks off of high gloss finishes if it dries. So rinse off quickly after fitting a tyre and if you get a puncture and it winds up on your kit try rinse off asap. 

[Jbr]

9 hours ago, Eugene said:

Just reading your post it seems as if you get punctures quite regularly. 

I cannot even recall the last time I got a puncture on my road bike. 

If punctures are a problem, you need to look at what is causing them. A good place to start is your tyre pressures. Far too often, I see people complaining of numerous road bike punctures and normally it's because their pressures are too low. 

 

Or too high !

[cadenceblur]

7 hours ago, Murrob said:

I found stans dart to be less than useless, with the applicator or dart breaking when trying to push it through the hole on a road tyre, so have been using Dynaplug. Also I find making sure your sealant is fresh and top upped or replaced on schedule makes a huge difference in its effectiveness. I’m currently running Mucoff on road. But be warned it is a bitch to get stains out of kit or marks off of high gloss finishes if it dries. So rinse off quickly after fitting a tyre and if you get a puncture and it winds up on your kit try rinse off asap. 

Similar experience with the stans darts, had two fail when trying to insert, and promptly changed to the dynaplug which had proved to be brilliant 

[Paul Ruinaard]

21 hours ago, Thomo said:

On the road repairs are often just to get you back home.

Most slug applicators work well enough for this but Dynaplug is apparently the gold standard while some will say it's the Stans Dart.

If using slugs, complete a more permanent repair (mushroom plug etc) when home.

Having used most of them Stans Dart seems to be to me the best ever. Swear by them. But the real thing i found is ensure your tyres have fresh sealant in them - i have only found myslef plugging when i have neglected this. 

Edited February 2 by Paul Ruinaard

[mecheng89]

On 2/2/2025 at 6:49 AM, Eugene said:

Just reading your post it seems as if you get punctures quite regularly. 

😅🤣I cannot even recall the last time I got a puncture on my road bike. 

If punctures are a problem, you need to look at what is causing them. A good place to start is your tyre pressures. Far too often, I see people complaining of numerous road bike punctures and normally it's because their pressures are too low. 

 

You're flirting with Fate here, now you'll be riddled with punctures 

[Paul Ruinaard]

WRT Tire pressure and punctures and the like something to think about - my 2 cents worth - use it or lose it. 

I found this app BTW:

https://silca.cc/en-in/pages/pro-tire-pressure-calculator?srsltid=AfmBOop3BURojAdUumlLtjsRq0_94rSY3ipbUpY6CDQy3bagSwgep-Tj

TBH most people over pressure their tires - always an extra stroke or so of the pump for good luck.  I was always over pressuring but its a mixed bag with pressure in tires, and if you get it right you should also avoid punctures :

1.) Is your pump guage accurate - most arent and once they have been knocked about a bit with age and the like and they definitely arent. You need to know how much it under or over reads. But its likely its wrong. .2 bar on a 1,8 bar inflation is over 10%.

2.) Do you pump your tires just prior to the ride - most people do their tire pressures the night before and in the morning the tire has deflated a bit especially tubeless. Do it before you ride.

3.) How old are your tires - if you are getting repeated punctures then maybe you are in need of new tires. Normally one plug is okay but multples indicate the tire is toast. Tires also age and crack and certain products make them less pliable. they are expensive but they need to be replaced. If you are racing rather than riding a puncture screws up your race.

4.) As per the other thread what sealant are you using. Stans race is brilliant but double the price.

Finally I will say a set of gravel 42 mm tires runnnig tubeless and properly inflated are much plusher and softer on my body as they add a level of deflection which cushions the ride and also allows them to deform around sharp edges. Its crazy good when you get it right but a bit too much turns the ride in to bone jarring and rough. I have broken hubs from very high pressure when the shock just gets transmitted in to the wheel.

Use it or don't. Punctures are part of riding. Tubeless solved the smaller puncture dilemna very well but it has its own set of issues.

Finally as an old dog you must know how many rides I changed two tubes or more on in the past when you were unlucky. PLugs are so much easier and simpler to do.