How many plugs (bacon strips) does it take? alternatives?

**Tech Tonics** · 08-06-2018, 03:10 PM

I punched a hole in an almost new Aggressor (ok it's a few months old but pretty low mileage still). On the ride that i gacked it, a single bacon strip and the Stan's and some CO2 pretty much caught it and I rode out patting myself on the back and feeling good.

Since then (maybe 6 rides ago) it's been up and down. Sometimes I'll do a ride and it's no problem. Other rides, the plugs are pushing out (At this point I've shoved more than 5-7 of them in there). Sometimes it's just spewing Stan's. It's lame.

So what to do? Im not wanting to put a tube in it, as this tire should last me the rest of the season. I was thinking about a patch from the inside? I was going to put a tube in it yesterday while riding (blasted a couple CO2's and a couple of bacon strips and almost ended up walking out) but I couldn't get the damn bead to come off the rim (Enve M60). I was trailside and annoyed. On the plus side, there were a bunch of trail runners out there and a super hotty in a sports bra and tiny running shorts had an "aid station" set up for the runners that consisted of just tequila shots (with salt and lime). So...it wasn't ALL bad.

I'm gonna get a 6er of some heady AF IPA on my way home and make this bitch sing. Anyone have any tips? Or do I just keep shoving more bacon plugs and more stans until the problem resolves itself? (I thought I was there until yesterday, as the previous 2 rides were short and held air fine. yesterday while climbing I went through a little baby-head segment and tore the damn plugs out. BULLSHIT.)

help, yo

**smmokan** · 08-06-2018, 03:12 PM

I've personally never seen one of those plug strips work while out on a ride when it actually needs to work.

As for your situation, just buy a new tire already.

**Peruvian** · 08-06-2018, 03:15 PM

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tue...Tire-2012.html

**SJG** · 08-06-2018, 03:33 PM

I use the Bacon strips out on rides and have had a lot of success with them. But I have had almost no success with Stans, and prefer and use Orange Seal. I've seen problems with the Bontrager sealants also, too thin IMO.

**XXX-er** · 08-06-2018, 03:39 PM

I haven't used the plugs in question but I would try a patch from the inside

I plugged a lot of car tires back in the day which were just a 2" long chunk of rubber glopped with patch cement I poked into the hole from the outside much the same idea as those "bacon strips"

Now days they use a combo patch & plug from the inside on car tires

edit: you are cutting off the excess strip from the outside of the tire right ??

**californiagrown** · 08-06-2018, 04:49 PM

Just buy a new tire. It will cost you $50 and its amazing how much better a new tire with sharp knobs does EVERYTHING.

Or, just throw a tub in there. glue some flexible plastic (like from Maxxis tire packaging) on the inside of the tire to plug the hole and prevent the tube form herniating out, and then slap a tube in there.

**alewi11** · 08-06-2018, 05:19 PM

I'd patch it from the inside. I do it all the time. No sense in wasting a perfectly good tire. FWIW I've had horrible luck with Aggressors. I like how they ride, but even in double down casing I get lots of holes.

**evdog** · 08-06-2018, 05:28 PM

I've used the bacon a couple times during a ride and had good results - able to use the tire through the remainder of its life with no issues. Never heard of the bacon getting pushed out. How big was the hole? I've never done it but know people who have sewn the tire up to get it to seal. This would apply more to sidewall tears than punctures through the tread but who knows, maybe it will work. I know they do use rubber cement on larger cuts to help seal them (on outside of tire). That might help hold the bacon in at least. If you continue to have problems I'd put a solid patch on the inside, and if that doesn't work throw in a tube. I am cheap so tires only get thrown away as a last resort.

**evdog** · 08-06-2018, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Tech Tonics

there were a bunch of trail runners out there and a super hotty in a sports bra and tiny running shorts had an "aid station" set up for the runners that consisted of just tequila shots (with salt and lime).

Oh, and we're gonna need some pics of that. If there ever was a time to have your go pro running this was it...

**toast2266** · 08-06-2018, 05:43 PM

I think bacon strip's long term success depends a lot on the precise location of the hole. I've had luck with interior patches in the past, though.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

**Dee Hubbs** · 08-06-2018, 06:14 PM

I've also have had good success with internal patches.
I started a thread about it about a year ago:
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...light=patching

**bagtagley** · 08-06-2018, 06:28 PM

Not a fan of bacon strips. Panaracer plugs have never let me down, even over the long term.

**TahoeBC** · 08-06-2018, 08:14 PM

I have 2 plugs in an aggressor right now for a month now no issues one small hole in a sidewall and a bigger one in the middle of the tread.

Have had pretty good luck with the panaracer tire plugs.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Panaracer-Tubeless-Patch-Kit-To-RPR-Punctrs-Up-To-3MMWRKS-WAll-UST

**mmmm...pow!** · 08-06-2018, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by evdog

Oh, and we're gonna need some pics of that. If there ever was a time to have your go pro running this was it...

I just wanna know where this trail is.

**kevin267** · 08-06-2018, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

I've personally never seen one of those plug strips work while out on a ride when it actually needs to work.

As for your situation, just buy a new tire already.

If there's a good amount of sealant in there I've had success, but often there isn't.

I have a tire that I tried a couple options to get it to hold, patching inside, didn't really work so I've used a tube (omg the horror) for the remainder of this tires life, it's almost dead now though.

**Shredhead** · 08-07-2018, 05:05 AM

Dyna Plugs work much better than bacon strips.

**Eluder** · 08-07-2018, 08:56 PM

I use plugs on the trail but this when its bad or I need a more permanent repair. It works.

Name: PK2591.jpg
Views: 1142
Size: 20.9 KB

**D(C)** · 08-08-2018, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Peruvian

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tue...Tire-2012.html

This.

**Tech Tonics** · 08-08-2018, 10:12 PM

I ended up patching from the inside. Lasted about 6 miles, opened back up, shoved two more bacon strips and it got me home. Woke up the next morning and bought a new tire.

The larger plugs look cool. Maybe that woulda done it but I was over it.

And yeah new rubber is pretty fkn fun.

**powdork** · 08-08-2018, 11:56 PM

I don't understand. are you out of duct tape?

**bagtagley** · 04-24-2019, 09:38 AM

I've been playing around with a quick solution to pinch flats. I'm changing my stance on bacon strips. If used properly, they're fast, they work, and most of the time, they stay put. I'm now of the opinion that outside a sidewall tear or something really big, there's no reason to resort to a tube. However, a single, skinny bacon strip is rarely useful. I always start with two. It's easy to keep adding them as necessary. There are also some thicker options that work well.

Dynaplug is pretty nice, works well, but is way too expensive, IMO. An alternative I've been using is the Slug Plug kit. The strips are cheap, and you get a mix of skinny and fat. The applicator is really cheap, and can be preloaded and ziptied anywhere on the bike for quick access. I've been able to slow most pinch flats before the tire is completely deflated. I keep the fatties loaded up and ready, then add skinnies if I need them. You can plug bigger holes and tears with the bacon, but if it's really bad I pull out the trusty Panaracer plugs. They're still by far the best, they're just slow and cumbersome. As for longevity, they've been holding up well. I've had some bigger holes start to leak. In those cases, I just toss in a Panaracer plug when I get home. I've had very few of those fail over the remaining life of the tire. I don't bother with internal patches, except to protect a sewn tear. The plugs are easier and more reliable, IME.

Some others I've looked at are the Sahmurai Sword bar end kit, and the Plugger from Blackburn. Be interested to hear experiences with those.

**Dantheman** · 04-24-2019, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by Tech Tonics

I ended up patching from the inside. Lasted about 6 miles

What did you patch it with? I've never had a radial tire patch that didn't last the life of the tire. Bacon to finish the ride without having to mess with a tube, radial patch on the inside when you get home and forget about it after that.

**dfinn** · 04-24-2019, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Dantheman

What did you patch it with? I've never had a radial tire patch that didn't last the life of the tire. Bacon to finish the ride without having to mess with a tube, radial patch on the inside when you get home and forget about it after that.

^ yeah, that. bacon is a temporary fix to get you off the trail. get home, pull that tire off and stick a car tire patch inside. Never had that fail.