In this article, we use so-called affiliate links. With every purchase through these links, we receive a commission from the merchant. All relevant referral links are marked with . Learn more.
Oh no, not that! Not now! Pulsating hissing and a gyrating fountain of milk leave no doubt about the diagnosis: a flat tyre. Flat tyres are the scourge of all mountain bikers and probably the most common defect of all. Tubeless MTB tyres can also be affected.
Tubeless tyres with latex milk, which immediately seal small holes while riding, replace riding with the sensitive inner tube. They increase puncture safety, but do not offer 100% protection. Modern patching methods allow you to continue riding within seconds, and the tyre usually does not even need to be removed from the rim for repair.
In our test, six repair kits for tubeless tyres had to prove themselves on holes of 1 to 6 mm as well as a 10 mm long cut in the tyre sidewall. Not all of them sealed the leaks. But if you combine the products skilfully, you no longer have to worry about punctures.
1st Vittoria Pitstop Super Magnum
In tubes and tubular tyres, the latex foam from the can closes small holes well. However, replacing the milk in tubeless tyres or even plugging larger holes was too much for the Pitstop mousse. It hardly spread in the tyre even after minutes of shaking, but sealed the small 1 mm hole.
98 gram - 11,90 Euro >> available here
IMPORTANCE 1 out of 6 points
HANDLING 4 out of 6 points
2nd Tip Top TT13 MTB
When arrival is everything: fitting the tip-top universal patches to the inner wall of the tyre takes a few minutes and the tyre has to be partially removed from the rim. Then the patch is the only patch in the test that completely seals even the 10 mm long cut in the sidewall. We recommend cleaning the repair area with a cloth beforehand.
37 grams - 8,50 Euro >> e.g. available here
IMPORTANCE 6 out of 6 points
HANDLING 4 out of 6 points
3rd Genuie Innovation Tubeless Tackle Tool
The plugs of the Genuie Innovation tool are 1.75 mm thick, 5 cm long and easy to fit. They sealed our 4 mm hole well, but not enough for more. Good: Safe transport box with valve spanner and two valve inserts. Not good: The awl broke out of its socket during use.
60 grams - from 16,20 Euro >> available here
IMPORTANCE 4 out of 6 points
HANDLING 3.5 out of 6 points
4th Sahmurai Sword
Ex-racer Stefan Sahm recognised the handlebars as the ideal place to store his plugs. The tools are immediately to hand there. They are easy to use and sit comfortably in the hand. The reamer prepares the hole, the 3.5 mm plugs seal holes up to 6 mm in diameter. They also fail on our 10 mm cut in the tyre sidewall.
29 grams - 29,90 Euro >> available here
IMPORTANCE 5 out of 6 points
HANDLING 4.5 out of 6 points
5. dynaplug air
The luxury patch and the solution when every second counts, but not every euro! The plugs are placed in just a few seconds using the arrowhead. If you want, you can insert the tool as far as it will go and top up with CO² from the cartridge. When pulling out, the tip with rubber plug remains in the tyre. With the Megaplug extension kit, holes up to 6 mm are no problem.
142 gram - 89,90 Euro
IMPORTANCE 5 out of 6 points
HANDLING 5.5 out of 6 points
6. maxalami basic tube
The "racing sausages" from marathon racer Max Friedrich come safely packed in a plastic tube. The tool itself is stable, but handling suffers minimally from the small handle. As with Sahmurai, they did not manage the 10 mm cut in the tyre sidewall. However, the 3.5 mm thick plugs reliably seal holes up to 6 mm.
27 grams - 12,90 Euro >> e.g. available here
IMPORTANCE 5 out of 6 points
HANDLING 4 out of 6 points
Sebastian Brust
Editor
