Puncture kit warning

[Slipperyeel]

This morning on the way into work, amidst the mayhem of a tube strike so every Tom, Dick &Harry was on the roads, I noticed the bike handling starting to go. Rear tyre is the suspect. Once at work I check to find a nail deep in the tyre. Not a big deal I thought, I'll pop up to infinity motorcycles and pick up a repair kit to get me home (sods law meant my tool kit was in the 'other' seat i'd swapped last weekend!). At lunch time I did just that. Only choice are these screw-in thingies. I don't like the look of them but according to the instructions, my puncture is a text book case made for just this kit, so I part with a whopping 35.99 quid!

My message to anyone packing to go on a trip and looking for a puncture kit, and you don't know already, is DO NOT BUY THIS KIT. They might just work if a little panel pin had made the hole. What struck me most is they're is absolutely no adhesive on the plastic 'screws'. They have a cap on each screw which suggests they are there to keep the shank clean and preserve the adhesive. I now see they are just to err...stop people stabbing themselves or something equally daft.

Frankly I wish I had left the nail in there until I got home.

Here's the remains of the kit. It comes with 4 CO2 canisters, needless to say they vanished quickly. Thankfully they're was a track pump at the office.


These are the screws. If you discover they haven't made a seal and you want to remove them it is a real PIA. I pushed one inside the tyre.


Tomorrow I go back for a refund.

I am very familiar with the TipTop repair kits with many successful repairs over the years. But does anyone else have any other recommendations. Can't believe there's anyone recommending this rubbish from Gryyp.

Oh, here's the offending nail. Small by my standards.

(this is probably in the wrong section. Apologies)

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[Jamieboy]

Stop and go tyre plugger is great bit of kit. Insterts little mushroom in the hole. I've used many times successfully.

 

[Slipperyeel]

I've not seen that one. Looks good! So good I'm mighty tempted to buy a kit. Thanks for that

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[Fanum]

But does anyone else have any other recommendations. Can't believe there's anyone recommending this rubbish from Gryyp.

Anything based around the rat-tail strings.

Many threads about them already.

Cheap as you want to expensive in nice packaging.......forget the trendy big brand named 'kits', they're all bollocks based on marketing hype.

Just get what works

 

[Slipperyeel]

Thank you Fanum. Very useful. I've seen the rat tail type but no experience using them (though the idea is not dissimilar to the TipTop kits). What's inside the'tail'? Is it cord or completely rubber covered in a sticky glue?

Is lookinglike a combination of both S&G and rat tails is the answer.

Oh, I did bump into the dynaplug kits but very pricey. They just look like a mod of the rat tails?




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[buellzebub]

Anything based around the rat-tail strings.

Many threads about them already.

Cheap as you want to expensive in nice packaging.......forget the trendy big brand named 'kits', they're all bollocks based on marketing hype.

Just get what works

+1 for rat tails. They appear to be a strong rubber 'string' and they are covered in the stickiest sticky stuff imaginable

 

[Slipperyeel]

Thanks for the feedback. All very useful. On Saturday I'll get it repaired properly. But in the meantime I'll invest in one kit of each I think. Looks like between them they'll cover most situations. Noted that the S&G kits probably suit neater, round holes better.

Cheers


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[JohnnyBoxer]

I have all 3 now in my 'kit' - rat's tails/TopTip ones and Stop & Go mushrooms - all bases covered and you buy spares of all types from Ebay etc

 

[Trullion]

Stop and go tyre plugger is great bit of kit. Insterts little mushroom in the hole. I've used many times successfully.

I have one of those. The only time I used it on a "perfect" puncture ie small, narrow hole in centre of tread the repair lasted until I got home on the other side of town, the tyre deflating just as I arrived home. IMHO the plug needs gluing in, not just relying on air pressure. I have previously used mushrooms, glued in, in repair kits similar to those you used to get with new Beemers. These have always been successful, to the extent that the tyre fitter had a hell of a job to remove the "temporary" repair to insert a mushroom from the inside. Just my experience; I know others rate the stop n go, which is why I bought mine.

 

[mspenz]

Good info, I'll see about some Rat Tails.

Be careful about getting the tyre properly repaired Slippery, depending on tyre and type it may have to be returned to the manufacturer as often their repair is the only one acceptable and rated high enough to please insurance companies!

 

[Roadrash Rider]

Stop and go tyre plugger is great bit of kit. Insterts little mushroom in the hole. I've used many times successfully.

+1 for stop and go, they are supposed to plug holes upto 6 to 8mm last Saturday fixed an associates rear with a 12mm slit bloody thing still sealed it, rode it back to be repaired 50miles, when they got the tyre off they couldn't get the plug out, had to grind it out from the inside.


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[Farmer Palmer]

+2 for Stop N Go................I've used it on the farm for years especially on my quadbike!!

 

[stever1]

Another vote for stop n go. I have a front tyre on the car which has a stop n go in it. Its been in over a year now, so will have done about 10 000 miles since repaired and it never needs more air in it.

 

[Slipperyeel]

Good info, I'll see about some Rat Tails.

Be careful about getting the tyre properly repaired Slippery, depending on tyre and type it may have to be returned to the manufacturer as often their repair is the only one acceptable and rated high enough to please insurance companies!

Mille. Thanks for the comments. This morning (if I can seal the hole sufficiently) I'm heading to Protyre to get it fixed. Well, they said they don't abusi repair tyres, only replace . But they will take a look, so they say. So I may end up walking out with a new flippin tyre.

But you mention tyres being returned to the manufacturer for repair. I've not heard of this. But I'd be very interested because this tyre is in good nick with loaf's of tread and good shape. Maddening.

If they won't repair, could I return it to Michelin myself for repair?

Some of this is a nonsense as I repaired tyres in the past with the TipTop kits that lasted the life of the tyre. But of course some holes are just badly placed.

Interested to learn more about returning to the manufacturer. Anyone done this?


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[Slipperyeel]

Mike! Not Mille (Italian dictionary still on!)


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[Slipperyeel]

Right. Off to get this tyre sorted. Fixed the hole with one rat tail, first try. Bit of an indictment on the other kit that failed with 4 attempts!


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[Slipperyeel]

New tyre . But then they are in the business of selling them...

They say hole is too far to the side? What do you think? I was more concerned the hole was between the tread, meaning there's less rubber to support a permanent repair?


So, should I keep the old tyre and get it fixed? I've just not heard of sending them to the manufactures for repair?


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[buellzebub]

My opinion only, based purely on the photo, but if it was my tyre I'd probably keep it. I've repaired similar, with a rat tail, with the repair lasting the life of the tyre with no problem at all. As you say they are in the business of selling tyres.
It's one of those situations where you have to make your own assessment.

 

[seahorse]

I like the rats tails. However a self tapping screw will do in an emergency. Its surprising what you can find lying around in the street when you need it! A handful in the toolkit along with the puncture repair kit is a good idea.

 

[Slipperyeel]

My opinion only, based purely on the photo, but if it was my tyre I'd probably keep it. I've repaired similar, with a rat tail, with the repair lasting the life of the tyre with no problem at all. As you say they are in the business of selling tyres.
It's one of those situations where you have to make your own assessment.

I kept it! It's got so much tread left on it. And as you say, like me, you've had repairs that have lasted the life of the tyre. Now the tyre is off, i can repair it 'properly'. With any luck i'll never need it, but it can live in the shed until then!

Seahorse. I used to carry around 3-4 large diameter screws for just this. Then i found the TipTop kits and thought that might be better so stopped keeping them. They're back in the tool kit!

cheers