Tyre Repair in S.London

LearnerLEGAL · Derestricted Danger Joined: 19 Nov 2018 Karma :

Thought my bike was heavier than usual wheeling it out this morning, only to find a screw planted nicely through the centre of the tyre and it deflating.

Any advice on a good repair/plug call out service in S.London?
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Will do this later...at some point...maybe

- · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Oct 2013 Karma :

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

Much cheaper to plug it yourself. The Rema Tip Top kit never fails for me. https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOTORCYCLE-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-TUBELESS-SELLER/dp/B001AXK9QQ And I've done track days with plugged tyres. They're perfectly safe if you do a decent job.

LearnerLEGAL · Derestricted Danger Joined: 19 Nov 2018 Karma :

Thanks @Undinist and @mpd72.
This time I may have to fork out a little extra for someone else to do it. I'm still fairly new to biking and don't have the kit/know how to take a tyre and put it back in confidence that it's safe. Or repair it for that matter.
I'm sure it's straight forward, but as I ride every day want to make sure the wheel isn't going to keep going when I stop.
Something to learn going forward though.
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Will do this later...at some point...maybe

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

I'm in Brixton, I'll show you if you like. No need to take the wheel off or anything. It's a 10 minute job and really not hard. If I can do it, anyone can.

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

Another option is the RAC. They will plug it with a Rema kit. Or they did last time I called them out, which was a good few years back. I asked the guy whether the plug is really just a temporary repair. He said that the only reason they say that is for liability reasons. He said he saw a test where a Subaru Impreza had all its tyres punctured, then plugged, then the tyres were destroyed with ridiculous burnouts and drifts etc. The plugs stayed in throughout the test. After that I would leave the plugs in even for track days and high speed motorway runs.

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

Anyway, I can pop over later today if you like. I'll PM you my number in case you want to text me.

Kris · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

So we're going to plug the tyre at the weekend.

All this has served to remind me that the kit I keep on my bike is so old that the glue has probably petrified. I'm about to start blood biking so I need to get organised and Ready For Anything. So I bought a new kit at J&S, having politely declined the Oxford Products alternative offered by Infinity. Fucking Oxford Bollocks. It looked like something you'd get in a cracker. If I'm going to monkey around reaming a big hole in my precious tyre I want TÜV certified quality, danke schon. You get a Rema kit in your tool kit when you buy a BM. Or you did the last time I bought a new BM. Must have been when Eden was Prime Minister and Princess Margaret was hot stuff.

LearnerLEGAL · Derestricted Danger Joined: 19 Nov 2018 Karma :

Undinist very kindly and very graciously came round to show me how to plug a tyre over the weekend. He even picked up a kit for me on the way. A true gent.

However, the biking gods were not smiling on us that day. Having brushed up on the instructions we tried the first plug.
It ripped.
It must have been a dud in the pack. Unlucky.
That's ok though, we have 2 more.
In goes the 2nd one.
Another rip.
Huh..stumped..Undinist had never come across this before.
The conclusion was the hole must be too small. The instructions say nothing about a minimum width, only a maximum. But ok, it's being forced through a hole too small.
We filed away at the hole to make it bigger and in goes the final plug. Hurray, it doesn't rip. So we pump the tyre up and, yep, we made the hole too big and the plug doesn't have a tight seal.
We messed around with it for another hour easily but to no avail.

So earlier in the week I ordered a tyre to my local shop and was able the stuff the hole with enough push-bike rubber so there only a slow puncture which I then plastered over. Image attached.

It was an experience. The only thing we could conclude was that there was some of the metal wire visible on the sides of the hole inside the tyre, and it must be snagging the plug. However, even when we tried to turn the plug to avoid the wire as it went in they still ripped.
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Will do this later...at some point...maybe

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

Anyone know what the procedure is when the tyre reinforcement wire is on the edge of the hole? I've never come across this problem. I doubt you can file the wire without weakening the structure of the tyre. And I think the wire destroyed all three plugs we used. If I was stuck in the middle of nowhere I think I'd soak a piece of rag in glue, stuff it in the hole, let it dry, then inflate.

Easy-X · Super Spammer Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :

LearnerLEGAL · Derestricted Danger Joined: 19 Nov 2018 Karma :

Polarbear · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Karma :

I've been perfectly happy with the string type jobbies.

I've used them with both car and bike and they have been good. I don't remember ever having one fail.

There again I've used the mushroom ones with no issues as well but I've never tried the Rema ones.

They can't be bad if the RAC use them though.
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Easy-X · Super Spammer Joined: 08 Mar 2019 Karma :

The first time I saw a puncture repair kit in action was funnily enough on my Mod 2 training. Instructor's bike had a flat and I got to see how it was done. He used the sticky string type (which seemed to work well enough) and I wonder if that type is less bothered about stray steel wires than the rubber ones.
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Riejufixing · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jun 2018 Karma :

Undinist · Nearly there... Joined: 08 Oct 2013 Karma :

We used the reamer and very gradually increased the size of the hole. But I think the wire was nicking the edge of the plug every time. Plus there was no sideways 'give' in the wire when we pushed the plug in. So I think the plugs were a lost cause. I wonder what the RAC would do?

colink98 · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 27 Jun 2016 Karma :

maybe try the string as opposed to the plugs ?
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doggone · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

The strings don't need the cement stuff, I find it has usually gone off or you only get one go and ruin the tube or it sets in the nozzle.
If it's a really big hole you can reasonably put two in but I wouldn't trust that longer term.
Have used them many times in various vehicles and trailers.