Sticky String failure

[Foxhuntr]

Had my new tire put on last week - all is well. Never will I mix sticky strings and slime again! :angry2:

 

[BulletBrad]

Technique is all important!
Sticky strings are self vulcanizing, BUT the hole needs to be clean and even. (and they are all the same kind of string, just packaged differently.) If it's just a nice clean nail hole on a dry day, the string alone usually works fine. If its ragged, dirty, wet or anything but a smooth clean puncture, the string needs the glue for best results. Best bet, always use the glue. I've done it both ways and now always keep some glue in my kit.

You should ALWAYS ream the hole before using a sticky string. This is not to make it to size, but to CLEAN it. Added advantage of reaming is that it makes the hole more uniform. Then glue the hell out of the sticky string and insert per directions.

If your kit didn't come with a reamer, go to the local auto parts store and get one, and some fresh glue. Seems like the glue only lasts about a year under my seat whether I use it or not. I try to remember to replace the glue every season.

Like the others said, Slime + anything else = bad things.

The Rhinotire stuff looks interesting, but for the extra price they want for the treatment, you can buy a lot of sticky strings!

Yup, extra cost is a thought BUT, I'm looking forward to riding over some of them boards durring a bike night here at work just to see the look on a few folks faces.

 

[T/a Pierre]

On my R1 I had a puncture after the first day with my new Pilot Road 2. Went to the dealer who phoned the Michelin factory. They said I can plug it, but I must be aware that the speed rating of the tyre will come down by more than 70% of which it is good for.

I then bought a new tyre rather.

Also here, you can talk to any biker, nobody will plug a tyre. Only to get home yes, but once home the tyre says bye bye and a new one comes on.....

 

[user 213]

On my R1 I had a puncture after the first day with my new Pilot Road 2. Went to the dealer who phoned the Michelin factory. They said I can plug it, but I must be aware that the speed rating of the tyre will come down by more than 70% of which it is good for.
I then bought a new tyre rather.

Also here, you can talk to any biker, nobody will plug a tyre. Only to get home yes, but once home the tyre says bye bye and a new one comes on.....

Allow me to translate -

Dealerspeak - "The speed rating of the tyre will come down by more than 70% of which it is good for."

Translation - If you plug that brand new tire, you won't be paying us your hard earned money for a new one.

Mate, you've been had. Big time. Unless the puncture is in the side wall of the tire, the self vulcanizing sticky string plug will not change the tire's ability to handle speed. Even the Moto police here plug tires up to three times, depending on how close they are to each other, before tossing them. No tyre manufacturer or retailer will plug a tyre or tell you a plugged tyre is acceptable for liability reasons. It has nothing to do with how safe the tyre is. They just don't want to be on the hook in case you do it wrong and have a problem.

Many here, including myself have thousands of miles on plugged tyres. With no negative results.

Just in case someone missed it; self-vulcanizing - An adhesive that achieves vulcanization without application of heat.

Vulcanization - Vulcanization is generally considered to be an irreversible process similar to other thermosets and must be contrasted strongly with thermoplastic processes (the melt-freeze process) which characterize the behavior of most modern polymers.

Note the use of the term "irreversible process". Plug the tire correctly, the plug becomes part of the tire, forever.

Next time save your self some coin and learn to plug the tire yourself. Of course, if you have so much money that dropping the bundle of cash for a dealer to sell and install you a tyre is nothing to think a moment on, disregard this advice completely!!

 

[LDRydr]

Ok, I guess I mis-read the post title. I was figuring you'd get a good ass-woopin' for calling Warchild "Slime".

I thought you were talking about this: