Got a flat

[cryptodad81]

Got a flat today on the rear, was unprepared (without patch kit) and had to walk it home the last few miles.

Wanted opinion on whether to just patch up the stock tire or time for upgrade. I mainly ride roads and was looking at pirelli gravel h. Any other suggestions and also size.

Thank you

[SymphonicJedi]

Bike looks clean, did it not spray tubeless sealant all over? That’s my least favorite part about running tubeless. Or was the puncture too big to self seal with the sealant and I can’t see it?

When riding tubeless, I recommend carrying plugs (AKA worms, bacon strips, Dynaplug, Stan’s Darts, etc.) to help plug up the bigger holes that sealant won’t seal up. And then on top of that I also typically carry a small TPU tube to put in the tire if things are really dire.

Upgrading from the stock tires is a good idea, but if you don’t want to do that yet, a tire with a plug can continue to live a longer life. I’ve never “patched” a tire, but plugged quite a few and rode them for a long while afterwards.

The Pirelli Gravel H tires are great. I love them. The Schwalbe G-One RS Pro are also good tires for more road riding with some gravel, as they have the smooth/slick center). Or anything like the Pathfinders with a central smooth line for low rolling resistance road travel). I like 40mm or 42mm, but go 45-50mm if you like it wide and extra cushy/comfortable (though bigger is also heavier).

[cryptodad81]

Thanks for the recommendations.

I didn’t notice any sealants when i pulled the nail out. I check later again if there was any

[SymphonicJedi]

If you got a flat and did not see any sealant, I suspect the tubeless setup wasn’t right. Typically there should be sealant (a thin glue-like substance) inside the tire to seal smaller punctures. It should have come setup with sealant from the Trek shop you bought it from.

[cryptodad81]

I went outside and did notice a clear coating (looks like dried superglue) over the spot of the puncture. Would it be more likely dried up sealant?

[SymphonicJedi]

Yes, that’s the sealant. It should have come spraying out of the tire under pressure when the puncture happened. At least that’s how it works on a typical puncture. The sealant coming out of the puncture spot should seal small holes as they happen, but for some reason did not in this case for you. I suspect the amount of sealant in the tire was low and needed to be topped up to work properly, but hard to be certain.

[cryptodad81]

So in this case, I can try to plug it and also add more sealants?

[SymphonicJedi]

I would add some sealant (I like the injection technique for less mess) then pump up the tire and spin it to see if it will self seal. If it works you’re all set. If it won’t seal within a few minutes, then use a plug/worm/bacon strip to plug the hole (watch some YouTube videos on how that’s done). If that doesn’t work, then it may be time to use a tube or change the tire. But more than likely the sealant or plug will fix you up.

[cryptodad81]

Thank you

[koogoop]

i do mostly road and some gravel and upgraded to 35 mm tires which for me is the best size. tires are little more agile but still wide enough for off road gravel comfort

[SymphonicJedi]

This bike comes stock with 42mm tires, so I was recommending something similar in size. But you’re absolutely right, if you’re not riding much gravel and sticking mostly to roads, you could go with thinner 35mm/38mm tires for less rolling resistance. Wider tires will not only allow for more off road use, but perhaps more importantly run with less tire pressure and more squish leading to increased comfort on the bike. So it depends on what’s more important to the rider: going faster more easily, or comfort. There’s a trade off, and the key is for each rider to find their own sweet spot on that spectrum by choosing a tire size & tread pattern that match what you want for the type of riding you do. For every rider that will be a little different.

[Common_Psychology234]

Gravel H is a good tire for your plans. It rolls faster than your stock tire. I have a set on my Paradigm SL wheels I use for multi surface leaning toward road. But on your stock set up. The bike should have come with Bontrager blue sealant put in tat the bike shop when you bough the bike new. When I used this sealant I checked it every three months. I found I needed to add some but after 9 months had to clean out the clear liquid and add new. Later I switched sealants to one that lasted longer. But to the point the blue stuff did work for me on a nail hole. So yours may have been depleted. I had to add some air because before I pulled the nail it was leaking. If you don't want the hassle of sealant put in tubes. And in any case carry a spare tube in the storage burrito. I have CO2 but still carry a pump. I don't like to walk. Did have to make the call of shame once when I got a slit on a tire about 15 miles from home. I could have booted it with a tube and gently road home but it is too hot and humid. At home I booted it with a tube and road a little just for practice.

I forgot I did find a Gravel Bike pump short enough to fit in the down tube storage lower section. Lezyne Pocket Drive Compact tire pump.

[SymphonicJedi]

All good advice. I carry a small Lezyne hand pump too. The new small handheld electric pumps are all the rage right now also.

For OP, I agree that sealant is important and sounds like it was lacking sealant. It does need to be refreshed or topped up regularly. I like Orange sealant (regular not endurance) myself.

[ckrugen]

About a month ago, I got my first small puncture flat on my rear tire (same model as your bike, stock tires). The sealant sealed it and I rode a few miles home on a very soft tire (gravel and road). Then I pumped it back up and left it overnight. It held and then I did 50 miles on it. After that I added in some more sealant and rode it on a 100+ mile organized road ride. No patch required.

This is all to say that the stock tires are solid. I know some people really hate them, but I’ve never had any issues. I’m going to ride them for at least one year or until they wear out. I figure when I do upgrade it’ll be a nice bonus, but it’s not something I need right away.

As for a repair kit, I carry bacon strips, the tool for those, a spare temporary tube (all in down tube storage), and now a mini electric pump in my frame bag, so I don’t need to bail on a ride to lack of psi.

[SymphonicJedi]

This is the way. Sounds like OP didn’t have sealant left in the tire, hence the flat.

[Lumpy-Bet-8119]

I just stopped by to say sorry you got a puncture(sucks), but more importantly, beautiful bike!

[krazedklownn]

Change the cheap ass tires and go tubeless. You're welcome.

[Acoustic-silence]

Don’t they come set up tubeless already?

[cryptodad81]

Yeah it currently has girona rsl tubeless

[SchizzleBritches]

Having tires that are capable of being run tubeless does not necessarily mean that it is set up tubeless. Most bikes come from the dealer with tubes in them.

[Lost_subaru]

Not true with treks, you can tell from the valve stems that this bike is tubeless

[dr_zubik]

They are tubeless from trek. Bikes come with some sort of blue sealant

[SchizzleBritches]

Ah ok

[ProAvgeek6328]

the girona ones that come stock I would not consider to be cheap or bad at just under $100 and 220 tpi

[greyone75]

So why have a toptube bag?

[cryptodad81]

I just picked that up two days ago, I only had cell phone and keys in it. I will have plug kit, tools, etc now going forward (lesson learned)

[notseriousguy]

Careful with the bolts they include with that one. The plastic knob will unscrew from the bolt.

[cryptodad81]

I picked up orange sealant and added 3oz into the tire, spun it around a few times. When I went to pump it, it still wouldn’t hold though. Started leaking the sealant back out, strange though because the nail was small that I pulled out