I was thinking, if you put a plug in a tubed tire and pump it up how long does it take for the air to leak through the spokes? Is it an instant thing or could you get a few miles down the road?

How about if you took some thick sealant like tool dip or some of the bed liner material and evenly coated the inside of the rim around the spokes would that basically seal it up to where you could plug the tire and make it to a tire shop if you ever caught a nail?

 

Can't be done with a tube

 

Will not pump up, leaks out as you fill.

 

try it and let us know..

The new 12 bikes now have a sealed spoke rim. So it'd work on the new ones..

I'd also think a plug could cut up the tube.

 

You can get away with it indefinately with a tubeless but it's not going to happen with a spoked rim. You can put a plug in the outter tire but the tube will have to be replaced.

 

if you have the tire off you could permanently patch the tube.. use a bicycle tube patch kit..its all the same thing.. would also work on a car,truck intertube..only reason shops say you shouldn't is they want to sell you a new tire when all you need is a new $10 tube..if you have access to a new tube, don't repair the old one.. that's just cheap and goofy

 

You could plug the tire but the tube will still leak. If the new tubeless spoke rims work as advertised they'll hold the air (assuming the bead seals as well) but if that's the case why would you have a tube in the first place? And if you've got the tire off to seal the spoke nipples why not just patch the tube(works ok sometimes) or replace it(works always)?

 

I know I cant plug the actual tube. I meant put a plug in the tire and pump it up and see if it will hold air with the hole in the tube long enough to get to a shop. I dont know how bad the spokes leak. I have to replace my tire shortly so when I take it off I may poke a hole in it, plug it and see how long it last.


Its always a concern to me since I have gotten nails in tubeless tires before.

 

If your only looking for a very temporary fix, just long enough to get you to a repair shop then I would suggest that flat tire fix in a can. It's the goowie stuff you inject into the tube or tubeless tire that seals punctures. I've got a few friends that carry the stuff in their saddlebags. I think this is still available at wallyworld in the automotive section. It works pretty good. Only time it failed me, I got home and found my tube was torn not punctured.

BTW the spoke wheels they build for custom cars (lowriders) have a sealant over the spoke nipples so you can run them with tubeless tires.

 

Never pluged a tube type tire before but I have pluged and patched tubeless tire then put a tube in it. Brend new set of Avon Venom's. Picked up a nail in the rear. Dont trust plugs alone on a bike tire so thats what I did and got the entire lifespan out of the tire.