Fixing a slow leak

[er-minio]

Had a bimble on the HP2 today. Got back home, brought the HP2 back to the lock up and, as usual, I have to move the GS in/out to arrange the bikes.

Haven't used the GS for about a week. It felt a bit heavy this morning when taking out the HP2... this evening I checked again and it has a flat front tyre.
Great. I'm going to Spain with it in a couple of days.

Inspected the front tyre and wasn't able to find the nail... after rotating it multiple times I found a very very thin metal wire (way smaller in diameter than a paperclip) that somehow managed to get through the tyre and causes an incredibly slow leak. If you spit on it you can see a minuscule bubble forming.

I guess it will take the tyre a few days to deflate.


Now: I fixed a million holes in tyres and traveled on those without issue. I just have no idea how to fix something this small without making a mess of it
Shall the hole be drilled and enlarged?

I might probably end up replacing the set of tyres on Monday at this stage (work-permitting)... but I'm still curious if there is way to fix something like this.

 

[Smiffypr]

I would drill it out until it was large enough to get the puncture repair kit reamer in it.

 

[JJH]

If it’s in a position where it can be fixed not too near the edge I’d be inclined to patch the inside. JJH

 

[JJH]

Of course you could pump some flat fix aerosol into it. JJH

 

[TLSgazza]

Drill it out and put a stop and go plug in it.
What could possibly go wrong
I've used stop and go for similar and left in until the tyres worn out.

 

[er-minio]

I’ve done many miles with bacon strips on tyres, both car an motorbikes.

What’s keeping me is that the front tyre is relatively cupped.
I would have been happy to travel on it and bring it (and the rear) to end of life l, but I fear a patch on the side would “add a bump” to an already not pristine tyre.

I’ll try to fix it tomorrow morning anyway.

 

[Kritou]

If it’s in a position where it can be fixed not too near the edge I’d be inclined to patch the inside. JJH

A simple bicycle inner tube patch should do it

 

[Robbi]

A can of tyre weld... Good to go.

 

[timeandtide]

Drill it out and put a stop and go plug in it.
What could possibly go wrong
I've used stop and go for similar and left in until the tyres worn out.

Plus one - including 12 laps of the Nurburgring.

 

[JJH]

Drill it out and put a stop and go plug in it.
What could possibly go wrong
I've used stop and go for similar and left in until the tyres worn out.

I’m not a fan of drilling. A sharp object penetrating the tyre usually pushes its way trough the reinforcing bands pushing them aside rather than cutting them. A drill will cut trough any that are in the way. If you feel like enlarging the hole I’d just use the reamer. JJH

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Try a Dynaplug
They’re good for small and very small items in your tyres

 

[er-minio]

So this is a first (for me).

I checked the tyre over Sunday, it seemed like it was keeping pressure. Slow leak, I figured.
The minuscule hole cause by the hair-thin wire of metal I found lodged in the tyre wasn't leaving any signs/bubbles when inspected with spit/water. Oh well.

This morning I popped at the tyre place. They checked, did the soapy water 'treatment'. Overinflated and: valve doesn't leak, rim/bead doesn't leak, tyre doesn't leak.
They didn't have any of the tyres I'd replace with and decided to keep these ones on, I can check/top up the front tyre in the morning, if it's a very slow leak it shouldn't be an issue.

Parked back the bike this morning coming back from the tyre place, checked the pressure (took a picture of the gauge to be sure).
Went back right now and checked pressure again. The exact same*.
I'll check again tomorrow morning.

No idea. Never had something like this before.

*gauge is not the issue, I checked it on the other bikes to be sure...

 

[Mzokk]

I'd scrap it and put a new tyre on if its nearly finished anyway. I wouldn't want to be thinking about it if I was on holiday. Then again I've three or four part worn tyres in the garage taken off and replaced so I'd know I'd have enough tyre for a trip

 

[er-minio]

I've taken the executive decision to keep them on (I've done much worse traveling ). There is more than enough thread on them.
I'll check again tomorrow first thing.

Worse case scenario, I can change tyres over there if needed. That wouldn't be a first.

 

[littleade]

Might just be a sealing issue between the rim and tyre that's been solved by over inflating the tyre which has then moved the tyre slightly on the rim, therefore re sealing it

 

[Pukmeister]

Carry an airman pump and fit a fused aux DIN socket to the bike wired direct to the battery to avoid all that 5 amp canbus bollocks. Problem sorted, plus you can optimate through it and also use heated clothing.

 

[JJH]

Tyers are deceptive when it comes to punctures. It might only leak when warm or cold or parked facing down. How do you know all of the offending wire is out? I’d ride on it but it would always be on my mind. For about 4 years 80-84 I worked in a small garage/petrol station. I often mended 8-10 punctures in a morning. I’m a great believer in taking off the tyre and having a look on the inside. JJH

 

[er-minio]

fit a fused aux DIN socket to the bike wired direct to the battery to avoid all that 5 amp canbus bollocks

I have that already, I use it to connect the bike to the optimate solar everytime I park it in the lock-up.

I have a xiaomi electric/battery pump. Not as powerful, but works a treat. Sorted me out quite a few times both on the bike and on two cars (with massive wheels too).

 

[er-minio]

Still same pressure as of this morning. Let's see what happens in motion.
I'll keep you updated about this riveting tale in the coming days

 

[L2RKE]

Run it until it's worn out. You sound like you are a regular checker. It isn't going to go bang is it. I noticed a screw in my rear tyre while on Tour in Scotland with some mates. I was happy to leave and do regular checks until it was convient to get it fixed. I was overruled and a mushroom was inserted. Next day, in the middle of nowhere I had a rapid deflation, as the mushroom had popped out. After much more fixing and re-inflating with cannisters, I got to a tyreshop who wouldn't repair it because it had had a roadside repair. Wasn't happy as the tyre had only done 500 miles.