Flat with Avon AM26's Tubeless on Snow Flake rims

[mrclubike]

This weekend on our fall trip to Arkansas I had a flat tire on the rear tire
I run Avon AM26's front and rear with NO tubes
Some how picked up a piece of 10mm wide  by 25mm long 2mm thick steel banding
It went all the way thru so it made a cut not just a hole like a nail
The tire did not go immediately flat but was very low
I start feeling the rear getting squirmy like on grooved pavement
So i pulled over to check it out and sure enough it was very low
We put a Stop & GO mushroom plug in it
But it was still leaking so we needed  to get a proper patch
We found an auto parts store 10 miles away and headed there
Once there we were able to get a proper patch to install inside the tire
all went just fine
We were able to demount the tire
Patch   and remount it
The tire reseated  easily using a CyclePump
We pumped  it up to about 50 psi and just let it sit until it seated
Was able to ride 450 miles back home
And yes a new tire is on order no reason to press my luck
I will start carrying proper patches and   plugs and maybe inner tubes 

[mrclubike]

Here is the plugs we used to temporary  repair until we got proper patches

[mrclubike]

Even though I carry the hand pump that BMW supplied with the bike we also carry this
The hand pump could get you back on the road with tubes
but I am not sure if it would  work   to reseat tubeless tires   

[mrclubike]

This is all they had but they got me home
I got some good 60 grit sand paper to buff out the tire because that little rasp that comes with the patches doesn't work very well
I also got some brake cleaner to help seat the tire but it wasn't needed
I only used it to check for leaks and clean up 

[Justin B.]

That's the same plug kit I carry but I've never had to use it.  I carry a little Coleman compressor that I have had to use a couple of times.

[Tony Smith]

Sorry about your flat.

Full marks for self-sufficiency to get the wheel out and dismount it in the carpark, you don't see that much anymore.

I would have pulled the front wheel, used my tie downs to anchor the centrestand to the re-inserted front axle and then rocked th bike forward and taken the rear out downwards. I realize that time wise it's six of one and a half dozen of the other, but I reckon pulling the LHS pannier mount off is more fiddly.

You may have spotted a few weeks back when I announced I was going tubeless on the rear snowflake (the front K100 rim is already designed to be tubeless).

Well my grand plans unravelled when I could not get an airtight bead seal on the perfectly clean rim.

I blame the Shinko 712s which were an experimental purchase I now wish I had not made. They are gone as soon as I can lay my hands on a 100/90-18 front  and 110/90-18 rear from a brand of decent provenance. without a doubt the very worst tyres since the OEM Cheng Sings that came with (I think) the 400/4 I bought new in the 70s. (although that might have been the XS750). They are truly awful tyres.

[DonC]

Tony, tell us what you really think! … 

[wilcom]

Tony, tell us what you really think! … 

Yep, when Shinko starts looking for a "poster boy" they better not knock on Tony's door

[Tony Smith]

Tony, tell us what you really think! … 

Yep, when Shinko starts looking for a "poster boy" they better not knock on Tony's door

I have ridden full on "knobby" off-road tyres that have more grip than those horrid 712s.  When I went for a ride last weekend I was a little tentative at first, new front end, new wheel, new tyres and all that, but after 150km I had confidence that my wrenching was sound and that nothing was going to fall off. There is a long sweeping corner on the Palmerston highway that tends to sort out the men from the boys, it is tight enough to require a decent lean angle and downhill and off camber into the bargain - I usually do not back off and take it at around 100~110kph, after all I know the road and know that the section following the corner is open and easy. As soon as I pitched in to the corner the Shinkos started lettign me know they were unhappy by doing a "slip/grip/slip routine  at a very slight lean angle. Tyre pressure might improve this a little, having no experience with them I simply set them mid-range 34/36psi, but like most tyres the "perfect" pressure will make only incremental improvements. I am going to give them to the local bike museum owner as that is about the only safe use I can think of for them.

[mrclubike]

That's the same plug kit I carry but I've never had to use it.  I carry a little Coleman compressor that I have had to use a couple of times.

I am very confident the stop and go plugs would have plugged a normal nail or screw hole just fine
When i pulled out the piece of metal strap instead of the  normal nail or screw I thought I was in for a long afternoon but they sealed good enough to get us back to town to get some good patches

I was happily surprised  the Avon held up to the heat of running near flat

[mrclubike]

I would have pulled the front wheel, used my tie downs to anchor the centrestand to the re-inserted front axle and then rocked th bike forward and taken the rear out downwards. I realize that time wise it's six of one and a half dozen of the other, but I reckon pulling the LHS pannier mount off is more fiddly.

When installing the new tire I tried it your way Tony
I think your way is easier and quicker and  hopefully I will not rip the mud flap again when I get a new one

[mrclubike]

Just to show how  big the puncture was here are pictures of the damage
The tire is definitely done