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[MichaelJohn]

A couple of weeks ago the rear tire on my Zero developed a very slight leak at the sticky string plug that I had put in several thousand miles ago to repair a nail hole. I pulled out the leaking plug and replaced it with a new one. I made sure to coat it with a generous amount of rubber cement like I always do. I also have Ride-on tire sealant in the tire just for some extra protection. The new plug held air and everything seemed fine just like with every other plug that I have used over the years. I'm a bit of a tightwad and don't like to replace tires when they have a lot of tread left on them. Today after about 50 miles of spirited riding I was pulling off the freeway on an exit ramp and something didn't feel right. When the light turned green at the off-ramp intersection I took off to jump ahead of traffic and immediately I knew something was wrong. I pulled over and my rear tire was completely flat by them. The sticky string plug was GONE. I have never had that happen before. This was a lesson learned for me. I don't think I could ever trust one of these kinds of plugs again. Thank goodness it didn't happen catastrophically on the freeway, but it was damn close.

[BeezrGeezr]

I don't believe you can use a plug in a tire after it has sealant inside it. The rubber must be clean and dry for the glue to adhere.

[MichaelJohn]

I don't believe you can use a plug in a tire after it has sealant inside it. The rubber must be clean and dry for the glue to adhere.

The Ride-on website says that it is OK to use tire plugs with Ride-on. The first plug was installed before I added Ride-on to the tire so the plug was good and set. This one that just failed was, however, inserted with Ride-on in the tire so you may have a point no matter what their website says. I have a friend with a tire machine and I'm going take the tire off, clean out the Ride-on and patch it from the inside which is what I should have done in the first place.

[Fivespeed302]

I have Ride On in the rear tire of my SR and my R1.  Both tires keep a constant PSI pretty well, and I didn't use plugs on either.  The SR actually has two punctures.  It does foam and seep out a tiny bit through the puncture, but over time the PSI remains much more constant than I would have suspected.  I will be putting Ride On in the front tires of both bikes eventually, just as a preventative.  I love the product.

I'm surprised you had a problem, my guess that had you never used the plug, you'd still be riding.

[MichaelJohn]

I'm surprised you had a problem, my guess that had you never used the plug, you'd still be riding.

You mean use Ride-on instead of a plug? I plugged it before adding Ride-on. I wouldn't use sealant after getting a puncture and depend on that alone.

I pulled the tire today and the Ride-on was in a nice neat strip on the inside crown of the tire just as advertised.



 I cleaned it all out and patched the hole from the inside so now I have more peace of mind. I don't think that I will use Ride-on anymore after losing a plug. I want to be able to plug a tire and not worry about it. And from now on, plugs will be temporary until I either use proper patches or replace the tire.

[Burton]

I have used this for the life of tires in the past
Stop & Go Pocket Tire Plugger Kit for Tubeless Tires

They have a mushroom style plug which works well. I have had punctures near the beginning of a tires life last the full life of the tire (8k for rear in this case)

[Fivespeed302]

I'm surprised you had a problem, my guess that had you never used the plug, you'd still be riding.

You mean use Ride-on instead of a plug? I plugged it before adding Ride-on. I wouldn't use sealant after getting a puncture and depend on that alone.

Yes, on both bikes I use Ride on only.  The SR has two punctures, the R1 has one puncture.  I've never plugged either tire, and both hold their psi amazingly well. 

After adding the Ride on, with the puncture nearly facing the ground, I fill the tire up to about 40 psi.  It leaks air pretty badly at first, so I immediately take off for a ride around the block to heat up the tire.  Then I go home, check the psi again and top off if necessary, then go for about a 5 mile ride to heat the tire again.  Then I go home and check the psi again and it is usually sealed by that point.  I've put almost 5,000 miles on the SR since the first puncture, and probably close to 5,000 on the R1, including some not so legal speed rides. 

[MrDude_1]

Yeah, ive never been a fan of having any sealants in the tire. You can try them... or you can carry a plug kit.  But trying both doesnt ever work out well.

I just carry a pack of plug strips, T-handle reamer and plug-installer, rubber cement and an air compressor.  Ive used it countless times over the years and the only time I ever had a plug come out is when the hole was huge and I had to use 2 plugs in it... and that was just to get me down the mountain and back to a shop to get a new tire.

[Fivespeed302]

Used on both my bikes, so far so good.  I'll be honest if they stop working.