A few days ago someone started a thread about gluing tape which prompted me to have a few questions. Since I tried to ask these questions to one of the posters via reply and PM and have received no response, I thought I would ask you guys for some answers. Thanks in advance
How would you suggest using either Pit Stop or TUFO sealant on a ZIPP disc? I would think it wouldn’t work well through the “crack pipe”, but I may be wrong. If not, do you simply try to bend the valve out of the cutout?
Is TUFO sealant really so realiable that you don’t need to carry a spare in an IM and can be reasonably sure to finish the leg or should you carry some Pit Stop with you just in case? Which gives rise to another question. If you have used the sealant and somehow you flat, can you use the Pit Stop or would the fact that the puncture is severe enough to breach the integrity of the sealant render the Pit Stop useless?
I’ve used a disc w/ tubulars, and I would ALWAYS carry a spare. I don’t understand the logic behind doing all that training, preparation and spending all that money on all that gear, entry fee, etc. and ruining your day because you were too stupid to carry a spare that weighs a few grams. Also, learn to change the tire before the race.
As for sealant, someone may correct me on this, but I believe you can put the sealant in BEFORE mounting. Problem solved. If you want to put some in after you’ve gotten a flat, you may be screwed. So see answer #1
I’ve used the TUFO sealant with their clincher-tubulars; first as a preventative measure and then later to fix a flat. Applying the sealant into a flat tube is a very messy operation, have a rag or wet-wipe handy. This may have prevented a few flats, I’m not sure. I’ve also used it to repair a flat; this is not an instantaneous event, it takes some time for the sealant to cure and be mindful not to add air too quickly as you will likely disrupt the sealing properties and waste a CO2 cartridge. Now the pit stop looks interesting because it seems to work much quicker. I’ve also heard good things about the Slime stuff but I have no first hand experience.
Yep, you can put the sealant in before mounting the tire. After this year (flats at IMCdA, IMWI) I started doing that and it worked. I plan to continue that going forward.
My understanding is that the sealan is used as a preventative measure, not as a repair when you flat since it has no inflating properties and takes time to cure as you say. That’s what the pitstop is for. At the end of the day, I dont’ know that i would race an IM w/o a spare since it would too great on the risk/reward scale. That said, Demerly, who didn’t repsond to my repeated questions to him, said he has raced IM w/o a spare after installing the sealant in the tires which is what prompted my questions.
Sorry, I reread my OP and wasn’t clear. My question was how do you put the Pit Stop in on a disc if you flat? I was aware that the sealant goes in prior to mounting.
You say you used sealant after your flats. Does that mean that you no longer carry a spare? Is this stuff that reliable?
Is TUFO sealant really so realiable that you don’t need to carry a spare in an IM and can be reasonably sure to finish the leg or should you carry some Pit Stop with you just in case?
I always carry a spare in any thing longer then a sprint race.
I was shocked when the TUFO sealent worked on a training ride(TUFO tire)
I am still riding on the same tire
It went in and was not a problem or mess
I once put the TUFO sealant in before a race
Months later the sealant was on the presta valve and a mess
I think if you preload the tire It could dry up in time.
how much time I don’t know.
I guess I would preload the disk tire because of the crack pipe .
I would use the best tire RR wise .
TUFO tires are tough and not as fast as others
not a good race tire, well for me they are
Good question. I know it’s supposed to work with crack pipes, but I don’t recall anyone saying definitively that they’d done it themselves. I do know that with HED 3s it looks like should be able to angle out the valve stem enough to get those to work with the Pitstop…
