Have been riding on tubeless road bike tires for four months and they have really given me a false sense of new gained strength since they roll so easily. (Conti GranPrix 500TL). Thanks to another member here, he advised me to get tire bacons in case I had a puncture the sealant couldn’t handle and a spare tube, just in case.. The bacon arrived yesterday so I stuffed them into my saddle bag confident I was good to go.
On today’s ride, I was twelve miles out and spotted glass shards on the shoulder and quickly swerved to avoid. After about 45 seconds it became very apparent I didn’t successfully avoid one of them, after hearing a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh with each front tire rotation. The air was coming out so fast and loudly I knew the sealant didn’t have a chance, but I have bacon!
Got off the bike and saw sealant coming out of the boundary between the tread and sidewall. In other words a sidewall puncture. Drat! So off came the tire, with no more effort than a clincher, but what a sticky mess. Removed the tubeless valve stem which luckily came out very easily. Swept the tire for glass and it was clean but goopy. Placed a folded dollar bill at the cut, inserted the tube and then fought to get the tire reseated. I was warned it could be tough and it was. Got out my two CO2 tubes and inflator head and screwed the first tube to the head, and rather than waiting for me to pull back the activating lever, CO2 came spraying out. The trigger was stuck in the open position. So I quickly tried to get it on the valve stem but it wouldn’t seat. Hmmm. I had the other tube so placed the inflator head on the valve stem (which has previously worked flawlessly for 10 years) and then screwed on the tube and it put a little air in the tube but most sprayed most around the stem. The inflator’s rubber gasket had to be shot. I got barely enough air in the tube that it would not deform to the rim, so I knew it was rideable. Because I couldn’t get enough air into the tube the tire didn’t completely seat, so the ride home was rather wobbly. When I got home, I checked the air pressure I managed to get in, 20lbs. I was amazed it could roll on so little air with out riding on the rim or the tire unseating. Climbing hills on the way home felt like my first day out this season. The bike is a Bianchi Infinito CV endurance bike.
Now for the lessons:
1. Test and make sure any inflator is completely functional at the beginning of the season
2. Always carry a tube
3. CARRY A MINI-PUMP just in case you have issues with your inflator (Had one for my mountain bike, but it was at home)
4. Carry a patch kit for the tube in case you flat again
5. Have a ready supply of CO2 cartridges in case you blow through a couple
or carry a full sized frame pump.
6. Carry a mobile phone just in case.
what did I miss?
