I’m looking into adding a tubeless patch/plug kit to carry for gravel events. I’ve heard positive things about the Dyna-Plug on the podcast, and it looks cool that you can both insert the plug and air up the tire through the puncture at the same time. Now Stan’s came out with their Dart tool, which looks more like a fabric-based patch that is activated by contact with the sealant. Worldwide Cyclery had an interesting write-up and video where they got the Stan’s to work on a slash that a bacon plug wouldn’t.
I have used both bacon, bad, and the Dyna Plug, good. Looks like the Stans may be better. I’m going to get the Stans and give it a go. I hate flats and dealing with tubes post sealant. I’ll use them both for my mountain and gravel bike. I want to have a good plan looking toward DK2021
MTB: I’ve used the Bacon strips and they don’t really work. Air still leaked and I was only able to limp home on a gravel road with about 8psi. I have since switch the Dyna-plug but haven’t had to use one yet. However, the way you insert them (Dyan-plug) seems to address the flaw of the bacon strips where the insertion/tool removal unseats the bacon strip.
The bacon seemed fine at first and then wormed its way out after 20 minutes of riding. That happened twice. Because I have a hard time giving up, I tried again and this time, while the tool was inserted, I wiggled it around real good to try to get the bacon to mushroom out inside the tire. That worked and it’s been in there for six months.
Dynaplugs worked perfectly. But when I used that tire on the trainer, it failed after several minutes. I contacted dynaplug and they confirmed that the extra heat from trainer use will cause the metal part of the plug to separate from the rubber tail.
I carry dynaplugs in my road bike kit and bacon for MTB now. Pretty confident in each, but aware of their limitations.
Have used bacon strip plug on my road tubeless with good success, just make sure its well in there before you pull the tool out. Its still in the tyre now and holding pressure fine 5-6 weeks (> 1000km) later.
Tyre is 28mm @ upto 75psi, usually only around 60psi though
For better or worse I got to use my Stan’s Dart tool. I must have run over a piece of glass, got a 3/8" cut in the tire. It took 2 attempts to get it sealed. I had to ride home with a pretty soft tire because I was out of CO2 and didn’t have a pump. Tire had very slow leak that has since closed after adding more sealant. I subsequently went on a thirty mile single track ride without and issue. Purchased the 5 pack of patches right away when I got home from the initial incedent and will try keep the inventory above 3 moving forward.
Through trial and error, I found that Dynaplug is the way to go for road tubeless.
Unlike MTB, road tubeless has a pretty narrow pressure range for holding traditional plugs like Bacon strips. Too much pressure and the plugs shoot out. Too little pressure and the tires burp very easily.
The brilliance of the Dynaplug is the barb, which not only makes installation easier, but prevents the plug from ejecting under normal road tire pressures.
The kits are pricey but worth the money. I think they’re the last piece of the puzzle when running road tubeless.
I saw a review of the Dyna plug recently and got one shortly before going out on my first tubeless ride on the road bike. Very good btw, a fan of the whole tubeless thing.
Am I right in thinking the slug stays sticking out the tyre a bit? Does that wear down so it’s then flush with the tyre?
Ah, different use completely to mine, I’m using them on standard road tyres, never had an issue. I suppose the dynaplug and the dart are designed with more complex things in mind than you’d normally find on the road.
