Myths of the road tubeless (or Go back to clinchers)
 

Issue: a small hole (less than 0.5 mm) on the rolling area of a road tubeless tire.
The result of 5-6 hours of repairing work: The hole is still there, the tire is down the floor and around 50 g sealant is spread on the room.

1. First myth - sealant repair:
The sealant did not make the repair. The high pressure (85-95 PSI in the road tire) made the sealant to continuously “spray” very slowly over the frame and rear brake. I tried 2 times, with 2 types of sealant, one of them from a high reputation brand (I removed and cleaned the tire before using the second type of sealant).

2. Second myth - Internal patch repair:
I took the tire off the rim, cleaned the tire and put an internal tubeless patch. It lasted for around 3 weeks, then the patch gradually detached. I assume that the normal flex of the tire during riding gradually broken the bond, although it was done with a special tubeless glue with higher elasticity.

3. Third myth - Plug repair:
I took the tire off the rim, cleaned up the patch zone, then I put it back on the rim and I used a rubber plug with its special glue. I put 50 g sealant and then other 20 g in the process. The plug was slowly “spit” out at a pressure around 90-100 PSI, while attempting the third time to seat the tire back (using a Schwalbe tire booster). The sealant spread on the ground, instead of sealing.

Sure, other might encounter different experience, but for me it looks that there are only 2 solutions to fix a small hole in a road tubeless tire: either a new tubeless or go back to comfortable clinchers.

Why are you starting a new thread? You've been told how to remedy the situation and you've seemingly ignored it - https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...ir-advice.html

Also, you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

I’m sorry you’ve not had a good experience. In your case it seems tubeless tires might be of no benefit.

What you call myths are really not myths at all, as they generally hold true. So your experience was an exception, but that does not mean the benefits of tubeless tires are not realized for most people.

Not sure what you’re hoping to bring about with this thread. Just venting your frustrations? Fair enough. But don’t expect to win everyone over, like convincing the masses that road tubeless tires suck. Maybe just one of them sucked, on one wheel, with a particular puncture, for one person (you).

You summed it up in your last paragraph. That’s probably true in your individual case.

Maybe try lower pressure? 95 seems really high for tubeless

Dude ...

You are making it up.
You did it all wrong.
You are a luddite.
You are a troll.
You were unlucky.
Your tyres are the exception.
Your sealant is the wrong make.
Your pressure is wrong.
Your tape ...

:rolleyes:

That’s a myth. Myth!

What a weird thread! 0.5 mm hole that won’t seal? Seriously? Whatever sealant you are using is NFG.

80-85 PSI. 95 was short time for seating the tire.

One of them was schwalbe doc blue.

You probably should take it to a shop.

Out of curiosity, which tire? Very thin tires can have some issues sealing.

I apologize if I created discomfort, it was not my intention. Just discard the word “myth” and read it as a true story.
My conclusion (last sentence) also highlights the good experience heard from others (which was a strong reason that made me switch to tubeless), but maybe the bad stories should also be heard - they might help others to make an informed decision
And yes, frustration is normal if you waste time, money and occasions to ride due to a poorly designed system. I never had issues with tubes patches, even those from non branded producers worked fast and perfect.

But it was still NFG. Why such high pressures anyway?

I use Muc-off sealant which has dealt with a 4 mm cut at around 70 psi. That was about the limit and needed a Dynaplug to make sure it stayed sealed. But it would seal a 0.5 mm hole easily.

Maybe the hole is a lot bigger than you think?

You keep saying how highly regarded it is, yet you're the first person I've come across that's mentioned using it.

It's just such a weird logical disconnect to have something so comprehensively fail and, instead of listening to simple solutions, to then conclude that that must be the way it's supposed to be... as if everybody with tubeless is wrestling over ways to address 0.5mm punctures.

Vittoria Corsa speed.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2d63570268.jpg

My tubeless is rated as 87-130 PSI. I rode it at around 85. I use higher pressure for short time for seating the tire. There is no chance to seat it at 85. Dynaplug is not available here, I should pay 10-15 EUR only for transport from abroad. Schwalbe doc blue is a well known name. It comes from "Stan's no tube", I think. If the system is ok, then all well known branded sealants should work ok, no matter if it is stan's, orange, doc blue, muc-off, etc. With tubes patches there is no need to make experiments: all of them work, including those that are not known brands...

What size tire are you running at 80-85? Still seems exceptionally high. When I run 28's, I am running at 70 psi

As an illustration, here is a hole that is about .5mm [EDIT].. actually on my laptop, the below might be a little bigger than .5mm

I dunno then. But I can safely say this is not a typical issue with tubeless. For whatever reason, you appear to have a combination that simply doesn’t work.

Stans will not work properly at road pressures. If the Schwalbe stuff is the same as Stans, it will not work. Stans works fine in MTBs. It is crap in road bikes...

If you read BF enough, you start getting the impression that whoever Stan is, he's doing more to try to kill off road tubeless than any number of forum posts can hope to.

This is beyond silly. The second post in OP's first thread about this suggested he try a different sealant. Just do it.:wtf:

Road tubeless sucks if:
1) you aren't using at least a 32c tire, or
2) Stans sealant

And who the hell wants to use any tire bigger than 25c, unless they're just.... tourists.

Meanwhile, fast group A guys are on clinchers with thin butyle tubes or latex tubes. Do you want to go fast or go like a tourist? If tourist, then yeah, stick to road tubeless bs.

I assume by your comments you are a fast group A guy!

Remember this?


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2edd0edb99.jpg
That is a very worn out 700CX32 GP5000 on my tandem and it held 90 PSI after I ran that #8 X 1.25" backer board screw into it. With a screw gun... That hole is at least 4mm. I use Orange Seal Subzero which does not plug big holes as well as their other sealants, but works in Fargo winters and takes longer to dry out.

On my road bike I have run 700CX25 either Pro Ones or GP50000s tubeless for three years, and all of the flats I have had were large sidewall cuts like this one

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e375dc61aa.jpg
and I would not have ridden those tires with a tube in them. All four went in the bin. My current tires are GP5000. The rear has several gouges that expose the casing, and it holds 100 PSI which I check before every ride with a digital gauge that is within 1% of a calibrated digital gauge. Rolling resistance? Take a look at https://www.bicyclerollingresistance...beless-sealant

Yes, you do need to replenish the sealant periodically. Use a syringe that fits in the valve and it is no big deal. I can accept that tubeless are sometimes hard to install. I have started using a tire mounting lubricant and I use a compressor to seat them, so that is not an issue for me. And I sort of get the folks who are afraid to get their hands dirty or don't want to get orange goo that will wash out in the laundry on their jersey, But can't patch a 0.5 mm hole in the tread? I call BULL SHIRT.