Originally Posted by
unterhausen
"Bacon" is a term for a plug. There are a number of plugging systems now. Since I use Stan's sealant, I am thinking about getting their Dart system. I have yet to have a puncture bad enough to need them though.
I have had Darts for a few years.
I “successfully” plugged a sidewall cut on my MTB once. It wasn’t a good repair and the tire had to get replaced but the dart plugged it enough to get me home.
More recently, I went through several of them trail side and ended up limping the bike back back. Basically, the tire was thick enough that the dart couldn’t open up inside. Traditional bacon would have been much better.
Once home, I opted for dyna plugs and have completely replaced the darts. That’s two sets so I don’t have to switch back and forth between my MTB and gravel bike repair bags.
A Dart may work on a thinner section of tire, but after that experience, I don’t trust them at all.
For the gravel bike, I carry a single tire lever, one CO2, the dynaplug, and a tube. For longer or more isolated rides, I also bring a small frame pump and hope I never need it. It sucks.
Ive considered a Tubolito or similar but they just seem so flimsy. I figure if I’m putting in a tube, I’m barely making it home anyway, and with whatever damage I have on my tire to necessitate this, might be more than such a thin tube can handle. Maybe I’m paranoid.
Ive had to put a new tube in on a gravel ride twice. This was early in my learning process. Both occasions were from the valve failing to stay sealed. I’ve moved past this by using better quality stems, pushing super hard on the back while screwing as hard as I can, and dabbing some rubber cement around the inside before mounting. When inflating, I squeeze the valve stem before unscrewing the valve, to keep it from twisting and breaking the seal. I have strong hands and no arthritis yet, so I can barehand it, but a cheap mini tool with a plier is probably a good idea.