Puncture Reair Kits

I have nearly always carried the tip-top repair plugs with 3 CO2 canisters, small enough to fit under the seat. This is what it looks like.

Felt fairly comfortable knowing it was there for when the dreaded puncture strikes. A couple of months ago it happened, I wasn’t that far from home so decided to leave the flint in and hoped for the best. Turned out to be a very wise decision, got home OK – left the tyre till the next day to fix. By then it was fairly deflated. Got out the kit and set about plugging the hole. Well either I’m an idiot and don’t know to use it, or possibly it’s the lack of strength in my right shoulder but I couldn’t get the plug in. Broke the first side, tried the other, nope same thing, tried another plug and the same thing; just as well as I didn’t try it where I discovered the flint in the tyre. Trying to read the instructions was a disaster, in spite of the kit being in a plastic bag, water had got in and the folded pages stuck together.
I set about replacing the kit, hoping to find a better way of plugging. Whilst I was researching, I found out the CO2 canisters don’t hold as much as I was led to believe – I’d need 6 of them to get the right pressure in the rear – yet again another fail for this method.

Seems like the only way to go is use a 12v compressor, have seen (at least) one used very effectively on ride-outs.

RAC are selling a mini compressor, so I set about investigating.

Came across the Stop and Go Puncture Pilot; it’s a puncture repair kit and the compressor in a pouch.
I ordered one off :4:from a US seller, since then I have found Busters do them but are a bit more expensive. It arrived yesterday, having taken 2 weeks.

Initial thought was the pouch is too big, how on earth am I going get that on the bike? To my surprise it does fit under the seat – those that know me know there is quite a lot happening under my ‘Cats` saddle.

Inside the heavy duty pouch is a laminated pocket guide and an instruction sheet printed on water resistant paper. There is a warning note stating that the pump is not suitable for cars or trucks, just motorcycles. It is very compact, a short air hose and a long power lead which is stored in the back of the unit; apparently the gauge is fairly accurate. The tools feel fairly sturdy and there are 15 repair mushroom plugs.
Seems like a worthwhile investment, I just hope I don’t have to use it

Loving the euphemistically named "special cement" in the first kit.

...although given your review on its effectiveness, you'd probably be as well jizzing on the puncture for all the good it does.  

Looks pretty comprehensive that Steve, might be tempted myself, like you said though hope you never have to use it.

Good find that Steve! Even just having the compressor is worthwhile!

You right Alan, although it may not be practical doing a repair like that in public.  
I found the cement to get all over your fingers and make a right mess, another fail from me on that kit. I only went for it because the RAC used a similar system and BMW re-badged it and included it with some of their bikes.

I suppose the thing with any of the systems is to  test them out and make sure we know how to use it and see what pitfalls there are. I must admit having not done that and the first time the box is opened would be on the roadside with a flat tyre.

I'm going to see if the guys running the maint course have a worn tyre I can try my new kit on, can then report back on how easy it is to use.

The compressor from the RAC can be found by clicking RAC in the original post - a link to Amazon - it less than a tenner - no nice canvas bag to put it in though or the repair kit, but good as a standalone and can be used to top up the pressure easily at home

Wooster wrote:...although given your review on its effectiveness, you'd probably be as well jizzing on the puncture for all the good it does.  

Stevecat wrote:I found the cement to get all over your fingers and make a right mess

 

pmsl  

It was your twist and go recommendation that led me to the stop and go kit Fi, our friend Google led me to an Ozzie bloke who had a try at 3 types, the screw and snap, a stringy thing with 'magic boys own' cement and the stop and go. His first attempt at plugging the puncture with my kit wasn't a success, but highlights the need to know yer kit beforehand.
The rather lengthy video of what he tested.



I then found he tested some compressors, also with abysmal results, again, not using it properly - another lengthy video.

 

I don't do shopping channels, this being fairly close but kinda sold it for me

Excellent Steve, however, I couldn't fit a fart under my seat!

Now I have tyre insurance which I had call to use last week, but of course no good if you're miles away from a dealer.

I doubt I could either Ellie  
Yeah insurance and breakdown cover only as good as a phone signal or close enough to a main centre, for everything else this seems a good backup.

In my last set of tyre I had slime installed , stays in the wheel and plugs the hole before you even know you have a puncture, never failed , he'd my new tyres fitted but couldn't afford the slime unlucky for me I drove 3 miles and got a puncture

I'm not knocking the slime Steve, but I feel there are two problems with it. The liquid can unbalance the tyre, for this reason my fitment place won't sell it. The second is, as you said it'll fix the problem before you know you have a puncture - the downside is it could take a rider quite a long time to realise something is wrong with their tyre.
However I have seen slime save the day (or rather two weeks holiday)

My two week holiday in fact
I'm sticking with the slime. While it definitely works out more expensive it has saved the day on more than one occasion for me and saves a lot of faffing about. I take your point on the not knowing you had/have a problem with the tyre.
I suppose we should all be regularly inspecting our tyres anyway.
Easy with the help of a friend (and pulling your bike right up and over on the side stand)

Not sure if it would make me change the tyre though  if I saw one wee bit of slime.


Heck I've seen Eddie990 go threadbare and it didn't cause a problem.


_DSC0572 by RoscoB, on Flickr

His tyre didn't have much rubber on it either


_DSC0152 by RoscoB, on Flickr

Cheers
Rosco

I got a Tip-Top kit some years ago - this used to be the marque of choice when tyres had tubes - though I admit I've never tried to use it. I have recently heard of other people who had difficulty getting them to work satisfactorily.

Then a few years ago when I picked up a puncture in France a guy I was with insisted on repairing it with his Stop & Go kit. I was dead impressed by how easy it was compared to one that uses gooey stuff, so I bought one (from Busters - just the basic kit without a pump).

The first opportunity I've had to practice with it came a few weeks ago when I went out to get the MT03 out of the garage and found the rear tyre was low - only a very slow puncture, due to a thorn (yes, really) but not what you want to ride on. The only real problem I had was that there were two steel plies, one on either side of the hole, which made it difficult to ream out, and even harder to get the insertion tool in. The first plug was a failure, as I didn't screw the plunger in far enough (it's very hard to turn the screw the last few turns and I thought it had bottomed out but it hadn't - so it's a good idea to check before loading it how far it screws in). But the second one worked OK. It wasn't a perfect seal - the tyre lost a few psi overnight - but it would certainly get you to your destination, or even finish off a few days of a tour if you kept topping it up.

I've been carrying a small footpump (from Lidl, I think) but it's not very substantial and is very hard work, so I think I'll get one of those little compresssors. They do take an age to fully reinflate a tyre, though.

One advantage of the Stop & Go kit, because it doesn't use goo, is that the hole can subsequently be permanently plugged by a pro.

I het what you mean about the wheel becoming unbalanced but i gotta say I've never noticed , my tyre guy said the only time it pools at the bottom is when your below 5 mph as centrifugal force spreads it evenly around the tyre, I also know rac use the plugs, but AA use slime , the advantage is if the plugs cam make the hole bigger making it more likely you need to buy a new tyre rather than getting it plugged professionaly

That was the irony of the tip-top repair failure, apparently I hadn't made the hole big enough but when the tyre dealer came to plug it the 'cold' method didn't work because the hole was too big ! The 'hot' repair did work though.

When the RAC plugged my first puncture a few years ago there was no charge, but the AA charge for the slime, the latter is what I resorted to when the tip-top repair failed.

A number of tyre manufacturers do not endorse the use of products like Ultraseal, don't know their stance on Slime. It is also a bit difficult to gauge whether this objection is based on technical or monetary concerns. There could also be a hangover from older products which damaged the tyre and suppliers continuing tarring all solutions with the same brush.

SteveCat wrote: I just hope I don’t have to use it

Just as well as I didn't have to rely on it. Last weekend I was out on a ride and the bike was really handling badly, back-end snaking and even the slightest touch of rear brake and the bike tried to go sideways.
Checked the tyre pressure, it wasn't bad, but thought I'd put a few psi in. So on the side of the road get out the compressor, all ready to go, but it doesn't work - light comes on but no motor.

I contacted Stop n Go and they will be sending me a replacement unit, have been in contact with the owner of the company, pretty good service and plenty of apologies.

The handling, by the way wasn't the tyre, the axle nut had come loose, so much so I could turn the nut by hand   discovered that a few moments after finding the side stand switch doesn't work. Had inadvertently pulled off from a fuel stop with the side stand out, rode around a corner and heard the stand dig into the road. One screw had fallen off and the other was quite loose - think the vibration I live with isn't doing the bike any good  

Might have even broke the compressor  

i have slime in & have the plug kits too you never know