These things.

I’ve heard people say they are a get you home quick fix and the tyre should be properly patched at the earliest opportunity.
I’ve used them a few times and left them in for months with no problem, although they do always leave me thinking that maybe I should take the tyre off and patch it from inside.

Has anyone ever had one work loose or start leaking again ?

Permanent. I’ve had a few in for the life of a tyre.

Permanent.

permanent, though in practice I tend to need look hard at the flimsiness of a tyre when I’ve had a puncture. Dumped a Storm Control off the bike the other day – how did I not notice the shit sidewalls when I fitted it?!

Not quite permanent – had a few pop out or work loose. Maybe putting a dab of glue on the hole first would help. Might also depend on how much and how soon you ride on it.

Had a puncture after 35 miles of Kielder 100, each time the fix lasted a further 30 miles, meaning that I had to fix it for a third time 5 miles from the end – just as the midges decided it was time for their evening meal.

Are these designed to be used with sealant too?

I use these on my Stans tubeless set up. In my experience if it takes as a puncture repair then it will hold and they last longer than the rest of the tyre does.

Although I’ve had a few not take (at all, from the start) and had to stitch/patch the tyre to repair. Never used glue, because they have a vulcanising goop you’re supposed to ream the puncture and coat the anchovy with. I reckon that probably wouldn’t play nice with glue.

one of mine worked its way loose and leaked, it bunged up with more sealant but a proper tyre off and patch repair was needed as it started to leak again during a ride. as for my other worms hanging out in my tyres if they’re not leaking i’m gambling they will hold fine

Any ‘ghetto tubelesss’ style sources for replacing the worms in those kits?

Don’t get through that many, but I am a tightwad 🙂

May be I’m unlucky but I’ve always had to remove the ‘worm’ and stick on a proper tubeless patch when I’ve got home. Patches also take some stress out of a small rip.

The last one I used lasted the whole life of the tyre (until it was pretty bald), as I split it the day I put it on (Ardent).

Rocky around here too.

Probably have 5 or 6 in each of my tyres after a year of fatty ghetto tubeless, always fitted with a slathering of rubber cement/vulcanising stuff (same as used for fitting patches).

Would also love a ghetto substitute as it seems wrong paying close to a fiver for five worms. Compared to walking home though… priceless.

Permanent, unless its the annoying just on the bead above the rim ones…. then its a patch…

I’m sure refills are available, rather than buying a whole kit, as I’ve got some.
Can’t remember where I got them though and a Google search shows none in stock anywhere.

ghetto substitute

Thin strips of inner tube, coat in glue, stuff in hole with your worm stuffer inner

Thinking about this a bit more…

It’s a bit strange that tubeless is almost universally used by proper mountain bikers, and repair plugs are pretty much essential if you’re running tubeless, yet only a couple of shops sell the repair kits and nobody’s got the refills in stock at the moment.

I’d have thought that Stan’s, or one of the other big names, would have caught on by now and started selling them through the big internet shops.

Why not just buy car ones? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-CAR-TYRE-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-STRINGS-WITH-FREE-TOOLS-/140643828230?_trksid=p2054897.l5663

What do you folks use for tubeless patches?

I have a slice in the sidewall of a Nobby Nic that I don’t think a worm would cure. Thinking patch inside and out might save it.

Thinking patch inside and out might save it.

Yep.

I’d have thought that Stan’s, or one of the other big names, would have caught on by now and started selling them through the big internet shops

Because if you watch the Stans video you can ride over anything and never ever get a puncture.

Good find, andyl, although they are 100mm x 6mm, probably a bit thick to force through a bike tyre without causing more damage.

Zippykona, yes, I’ve always thought the claims of sealing 5mm holes were a bit ambitious. It wouldn’t do to admit that anything over 2mm is going to need a plug.

Not as permanent as often as a Powerflex Superglue in hole + bit of inner tube patch glued on the inside fix ime. But quicker and easier to do trail-side. I don’t usually have worms (! the tablets work : ) ) but always have glue in my bag.
Of the superglued inner tube patch fix 9/10 have lasted the remainder of the tyre tread life, ie apply a small patch well and it’s fixed. Sidewalls as well as tread area. Dental floss stitched one that had a larger sidewall cut and then glued it, again that lasted the tyre life.

I have never had sucess with the string but never had a problem using ordinary tube patches when I get home, last for the life of the tyre unless a massive split

4mm ones any better? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/40-CAR-TYRE-PUNCTURE-REPAIR-STRINGS-WITH-FREE-TOOLS-100x4mm-/140848486934?pt=UK_Cars_Tyres_RL&hash=item20cb395a16

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