Fixing flats, tubes, inserts, C02

So I tore a small hole in my tubeless rear tire yesterday. A plug would have solved it. Instead I had to remove the Huck Norris I was trying in back, dumped sealant all over the trail and my hands and put a tube in. Now I'm thinking that I'll carry 2 CO2 cartridges with a little top-up pump and a plug kit as my daily driver kit. Save the full size pump or tube for particularly big days.

What other solutions are people trying? Have you been carrying just plugs and got stranded or have they been sufficient?

Walking a bike back sucks. I never go without a pump - period. I know it's tempting but that all goes out the window after you realize you forgot to replace the co2 after you used it last ride or get a second flat. I have the one up pump that carries my tool and a patch kit all inside. It straps on my frame and I forget about it. Tube and co2 is under my seat. I was tempted to put the one up edc in my head tube but I figured it can go in the pump and then I have s pump.

Lo g story short. Buy an edc

pump, tube AND a patch kit

All fits inside the pump on the frame! Love it!

tubeless tire? isn't that for like automobiles?

Posted by: XXX_er

pump, tube AND a patch kit

Clearly plugs too. Obviously it's preferable to plug a leak if you can and save having to unmount the tire.

Posted by: RAHrider

All fits inside the pump on the frame! Love it!

That's hard to beat. Is anyone foregoing a spare tube on short rides?

Posted by: craw

Posted by: XXX_er

pump, tube AND a patch kit

Clearly plugs too. Obviously it's preferable to plug a leak if you can and save having to unmount the tire.

plugs haven't yet come on my radar as a viable solution

which is not to say they are not

29er tube, 2 CO2 cartridges  (I've got add the plugs now) these all get strapped behind my saddle with those backCountry research straps - I never have to bother remembering to pack them, they're always on the bike.

This covers me for most bad news tire issues for most rides.

Posted by: XXX_er

Posted by: craw

Posted by: XXX_er

pump, tube AND a patch kit

Clearly plugs too. Obviously it's preferable to plug a leak if you can and save having to unmount the tire.

plugs haven't yet come on my radar as a viable solution

which is not to say they are not

I punched a perfect plug-sized hole in my sidewall yesterday. Unmounting the tire, removing the insert, dumping the sealant and inserting a tube seemed unnecessary. Though I'm not sure that plugs are the solution to all issues - bigger tears or snake bites. It definitely seems like a tidy and portable solution for the right issues.

Are you saying you plugged a sidewall hole or you think it seems like a good idea?

It would be nice if its that easy but I kinda doubt a bike tire sidewall hole would plug well because the sidewall is SO thin ... so somebody change my mind?

When I used to plug car tires we didn't ever plug sidewalls and I don't think that practise has changed, we used to just air up the tire, plunge a glue soaked rubber plug into the tread which stuck to the thick rubber/belts of the tread to hold the plug

I don't think plugs will work everywhere or everytime so even carrying plugs I would expect on a torn sidewall to remove the tire, thro in my tube and try to put a boot on the inside of that tire at home, I've heard of people fixing sidewalls by gluing in a boot and sealing it up with aqua seal or seam sealer

Kal told me nowdays they plug car tires with a plug that they insert/glue from the inside so now the tire comes off for inspection and to be plugged

So this company seems to have the slickest system for plugs. The Mega pill pictured below has mega plugs and regular plugs for different sized holes. I have a tube permanently fixed to my saddle and haven't used it in months. I never think, "god, i'd make it up this climb so much faster without that tube. So I leave it there. I also put one under my wife's seat although she hasn't had a flat in two years but she is too fast on the climbs.

Not sure why you are trying to ditch the tube so hard. I also don't see why people carry so much junk in their bag or pockets that can lock down nicely on the bike. I think if you had a CO2 and some plugs you'd be good for 95% of my flats. You are the only one who can judge the types of flats you get. These guys also carry a race kit that plugs and inflates in one poke. See below.

Posted by: RAHrider

So this company seems to have the slickest system for plugs. The Mega pill pictured below has mega plugs and regular plugs for different sized holes. I have a tube permanently fixed to my saddle and haven't used it in months. I never think, "god, i'd make it up this climb so much faster without that tube. So I leave it there. I also put one under my wife's seat although she hasn't had a flat in two years but she is too fast on the climbs.

Not sure why you are trying to ditch the tube so hard. I also don't see why people carry so much junk in their bag or pockets that can lock down nicely on the bike. I think if you had a CO2 and some plugs you'd be good for 95% of my flats. You are the only one who can judge the types of flats you get. These guys also carry a race kit that plugs and inflates in one poke. See below.

Interesting for sure. I'm not that intent on getting rid of my spare tube as much as I want better alternatives for certain types of punctures. A spare tube is not a good option if you have an insert in your tire and you get a puncture - this is the perfect use case for a plug. The tube is good if you get a big tear. In theory a tubeless snakebite is two holes so theoretically solvable with two plugs (?).