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Did a long ride on Sunday, and I'm not sure if it was an old puncture reopening or a new one (suspect the former), but it kept re-opening then sealing during the ride. As in, it leaked, I stopped and put it at the bottom of the tyre then it stopped, then started up again later. This went on for miles, compounded by the fact my valves don't fit properly making re-inflation difficult. Then I remembered 20km from home that I had anchovies in my toolkit.
This fixed it nicely, but now I'm wondering how good the tyre is now? It's a Schwalbe Pro One and the hole was originally small but now it's about the same size as the small anchovy.
Who leaves them in long term?
I'm a born fettled so I would either:-
A. Replace it with a plug patch fitted from the inside in the comfort of your own home.
Or failing that,
B. Replace the anchovy with a fresh one while the tyre is off. But here's the trick. Cut it in half and push half in as normal. Before pulling back out, loop the other half through the loop you've created, then withdrawal your tool.
Just gives it a little something extra to resist the higher pressures.
I’m wondering how good the tyre is now? It’s a Schwalbe Pro One
If it's an oldish one, they're too flimsy to hold an anchovy dependably IME. They beefed up the carcass a few years ago apparently and I guess that may have changed things for the better
I get the feeling that they are beginning to realise that the tech is still not there for workable road tubeless. The pressure required is too high for the sealant to cope with. Upto 40 psi works ok i.e. MTB and gravel, but over that it's too much.
Before pulling back out, loop the other half through the loop you’ve created
Doesn't the insertion tool cut the loop as you pull it out ?
DOesn’t the insertion tool cut hte loop as you pull it out ?
Nope. Any time I've used an anchovy, it's folded on the tyre side and stuck to itself. I think that's what helps stop it from blowing out.
I've had an anchovy in a Schwalbe One for the last six months. 80 psi.
If it’s an oldish one
Nah only 6 months. Which is why I'm reluctant to bin it 🙂
I guess I'll just keep going. I was more concerned about the torn fibres in side it, but maybe not that much of an issue. There's a slight pimple in it.
Two of the kits I bought had a neat and tiny little knife for trimming the string. But one didn't - is it really feasible to ride on with the string hanging out? Yesterday I happened to pull over in someone's driveway to do it and the chap came out and lent me a knife so it worked out ok.
Also realised that I didn't use the 'glue' as recommended in the instructions. Hope this isn't an issue.
I didn't like pro ones at all and found them prone to cuts etc. Wasn't too upset when the side wall got a pretty bad cut. The other tyre I got a warranty claim on due to it cracking badly despite being quite young.
What did you replace them with?
I must admit these have had at least two punctures in 6 months which is way more than I'd have got with tubes. They are wider tho so they run over about 50% more things 🙂
I got conti gp5000. I was a big fan of gp4000, but conti were late to bring out any tubeless road tyres, so I went with the schwalbes. I have gp5000 on two bikes now and much prefer them.
Any other reason than cut resistance?
I didn’t like pro ones at all and found them prone to cuts etc. Wasn’t too upset when the side wall got a pretty bad cut.
Ditto. And poor wet weather grip. I believe that the newer ones are better, though.
Hutchinson Sectors and Fusion 5s have both been good.
I have the new Pro Ones on my best bike…… all personal opinion but I’m just not convinced with them.
Only two rides with them, but I feel every single little bump, every tiny road imperfection, that’s at 80psi for a 25mm tyre and I’m 70kgs.
My Challenge Strada tubeless tyres were lovely but just didn’t last. Maybe 2000kms. Got a flat, anchovie wouldn’t seal it, more a slash than a thorn type hole. Put a tube in and pretty much every ride I was getting a flat….I didn’t clean out all of the sealant so when pumping up it would show me where all of the cut and nicks where, pretty much all over the tyre.
Anyway, back to latex tubes and find myself some nice tyres.
that’s at 80psi for a 25mm tyre and I’m 70kgs.
I run 80psi with tubes and I'm 85kg! No wonder you feel every bump 😉
Yeah 80psi is far too high for tubeless. No wonder you have problems. I run 65 and I'm 87kg, and I was 92 when I chose that pressure.
I get the feeling that they are beginning to realise that the tech is still not there for workable road tubeless. The pressure required is too high for the sealant to cope with. Upto 40 psi works ok i.e. MTB and gravel, but over that it’s too much.
I've gone back to tubes on my road bike as I feel the same tbh. I am not much of a bike mechanic though so generally do opt for the "simpler" even if not necessarily "better" options.
I’ve gone back to tubes on my road bike as I feel the same tbh. I am not much of a bike mechanic though so generally do opt for the “simpler” even if not necessarily “better” options.
Probably going to abandon tubeless on the road bike. Neither the original supplier, me, nor a usually 100% reliable LBS can get my front tyre to consitently hold air, and it's becoming more trouble than its worth
My summer bike has a pair of GP5000s just coming up to their TWIs wearing out, so nearly 5000 km. One puncture so far. I get the same puncture rate in winter as well, 1 or 2 a year. Tubeless just doesn't seem necessary.
We have tubeless GP5000s on 3 bikes in this family. One picture on a well worn rear started to become a problem at around 85psi (2x20 mile commuter bike so it has panniers with clothes and laptop and lunch so needs the pressure) but a dynaplug sorted that in a minute or so.
With tubes I used to puncture a few times a year on the commute and heading in with meetings to get to it was not good.
Tubeless has been essentially issue free. The GP5000 tyres do seem better / easier to work with than the Specialized or Schwable ones I’ve run previously though.
I get the feeling that they are beginning to realise that the tech is still not there for workable road tubeless. The pressure required is too high for the sealant to cope with. Upto 40 psi works ok i.e. MTB and gravel, but over that it’s too much.
Not for me.
When I took my Hutchinson fusion off I counted 32 cuts and thorns in it. That's 32 times I didnt have to sit at the roadside swapping and patching tubes.
Anchovies seem to work, just make sure they're the small skinny ones seem to work. Leaving the string hanging out works to get you home, but results in a thwack-thwack-thwack noise as it hits your brake/frame and might mark the paint if left.
Carry nail clippers if you want to trim the plug / anchovy.
Hopefully I don't jinx it... but I've done about 12000 miles so far on tubeless road wheels, with only 1 puncture which didn't self seal (so fixed with Dynaplug). Almost exclusively on various Hutchinson Fusion tyres.
Tempted to try some GP5000 at some point, but I still have a spare pair of Hutchinsons to get through first.
Carry nail clippers if you want to trim the plug / anchovy.
This is a great idea and possibly a better one than relying on the mini knife.