How to repair a tubeless road bike tire?

When you own a bike, you always wonder how to fix your bike. But, as a cyclist, we always have lots of questions. What can I do myself? What should I have a bike mechanic do? Today, we tell you how to repair a tubeless road bike tire.

What are the benefits of a tubeless road bike tire?

While tubeless tires have been widely used in mountain biking for many years, there has been an increase in its use in road biking for some time.
The advantage of a tubeless tire is that it is used without an inner tube. It therefore saves weight compared to a traditional tire with an inner tube. But, in return, it requires the use of a waterproof rim and a specific valve in order to guarantee the tire's watertightness.
On the road, there are two types of tubeless tires: classic tubeless tires (which are waterproof without a preventive liquid) and tubeless ready tires (which require the use of a preventive liquid to guarantee watertightness). This preventive fluid, in addition to the seal it provides, also acts as a puncture prevention.

The main advantage of using a tubeless tire is that it significantly reduces the risk of a puncture. This is because there is no longer a risk of pinching the inner tube since there is none. In addition, tubeless tires are also more resistant than a conventional tire. And the preventive fluid instantly seals punctures that, on a conventional tire, would cause a flat.

How to repair a flat on a tubeless road bike tire.

Even if the risk of a puncture is minimal with a tubeless tire, in the case of a large cut or a hole larger than 5mm, the preventive fluid will not be enough to seal the leak and you will then have to repair the tire as with a conventional tire.
Depending on the size and nature of the puncture, several solutions exist to repair a puncture on tubeless tires. But to do this, you need to remember to always have some tools with you, including an inner tube or a special tubeless repair kit.

During your ride, if you notice a loss of pressure and a loss of preventative fluid where a small hole has formed, you're looking at a flat tire. While preventative fluid - aptly named - should be used before the ride, it's always helpful to have some on hand in case of a small puncture. You'll need a syringe to inject it into your tire. Then, all you have to do is spin the wheel so that the product settles on the walls of the tire and seals the hole.
To avoid this, remember to reapply the preventive fluid every two to three months in your tires.

The most traditional method, when the puncture-prevention fluid is not enough to plug the hole, is to simply put an inner tube in the tire. To do this, you need to remove the tubeless tire from the bike wheel (like a tubetype tire using tire levers), remove the tubeless valve and insert an inner tube into the tire before reassembling it on the wheel and reinflating it. Before inserting the tube into the tire, remember to check that there is no sharp object (such as a piece of glass, for example) inside the tire that would immediately cause a new puncture.

The next two methods are to simply repair the tire. While these methods can be complicated to perform at the roadside (unlike the inner tube technique), you will be able to apply them quietly once you get home.
The first repair method involves applying special rubber or neoprene glue to the area of the hole in order to seal it. Beforehand, care should be taken to clean the tire thoroughly so that it is clean where the glue is applied. Once the glue is dry, don't forget to put some preventive fluid back into the tire.
The final - and most effective - method of properly repairing a tubeless tire is to apply a special tubeless patch, similar to a repair on an inner tube. Locate the hole inside the tire, clean the area where the patch is to be applied, then sand it down. Then apply glue, let it dry for a minute and place the patch. Wait for it to dry and then reposition your tire on your wheel.
If there is a large hole, you will need to apply a bolt (there are specific kits for tubeless tires) or simply change the tire.

Now that you're able to fix a tubeless road bike tire, how about finding out about other things you can fix yourself. Do you know how to change the wheel on your bike? How to fix a bike flat? How to put a patch on? How to fix a bike chain? How to fix a mountain bike disc brake?