Tire patch or replace?

My front tire literally got screwed this weekend. A nice, shiny screw went in at almost exactly the mid-line, and the tire has lost all pressure.

So. What are my options? We have a great shop ~20 miles north that can probably patch it. That will require either getting the bike to them, or getting the tire off. I don't have a bike trailer, and I don't have a front wheel stand.

...and this assumes a patch is the best way to go. I've never been...screwed...like this. A patch would be less expensive, but is patching a "bad" idea?

I would provide a pic of the offending screw, but I'm at work and my bike is at home. Damn these Italian mistresses!

It really depends on whether the repair is done properly.

As long as there is no significant damage to the carcass, ie its a clean puncture rather than a rip. Then a proper patch of the SV variety applied from the inside of the tyre will be fine. While I know loads of people who will install a 'Cheater Plug' and just continue to ride I'm always a bit leery of this approach. If the tyre is in any way worn, certainly if its more than half gone, I just chuck 'em and get a new one. I love nothing more than a new set of tyres. My bike is up for a set now!

Pete

Tires are ~6 months old, 1600 or so miles on them. It looks like a clean puncture from the outside; if it were a rip I probably would have lost pressure during the ride, not over the past 24-36 hours.

So, ask if they can apply an SV patch. 10-4.

...anything special needed to remove the front tire and get it [as opposed to the entire bike] to the shop?

Nah, support bike on sump, make sure its stable. Remove brake calipers, undo spindle nut, make sure wheel is off ground, loosen pinch bolts, withdraw spindle, remove wheel.

Pete

I've done thousands of miles on plugged tires without issue.  You can pick up a plug kit from just about any auto parts store, hardware store (ACE, True Value, etc.) or Harbor Freight for less than $10.  Takes about 15 minutes to set the plug properly without ever removing the front wheel.  It's easy as pie.

To each his own.  Many folks don't trust the plugs, but I've never had a problem with one.

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The local O'Reilly's car part shop says that the ATV version is best for an MC tire; they have it in stock. They don't have the Slime car version in stock. Think this will work?

Yup, all the plug kits are essentially the same. Follow the instructions and its hard to go wrong.

Pete

Heh. RTFM [Read The Frickin' Manual] and I aren't usually mentioned in the same sentence. But, given that it is in the best interests of my financial and health situations, I'll give it a try.   

Just don't be afraid to use a little muscle, both with the rasp and when inserting the plug. Results will improve.

As Pete said, the kits are all the same, I've never actually used the Slime kit, it was just the first picture that popped up.

Here's a decent example of the plugging process. Even a squid can do it...

I assume the plug is only to be done to get you to a place to replace the tire. The only plugs I have trusted my life to were from the inside and are the umbrella patches....and when I have removed tires patched this way, even those patches were no set as they had been when installed. the only decent repair for mc tires is patch from the inside, and install a tube to back it. I have had to ride string and bullet plugs a long way to get a new tire in the past, and had as many fail as work. on a rear passable if you are a cruiser. these are the only ones I use but tires are cheap compared to any accident
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...goddamn screws and nails....grumble, grumble.

If I decide to replace [which "my" trusted wrench is trying to steer me towards], which front to buy? I have Avon [Storms?] on there now.

I like the Avon Storms. I have them on mine now. Storm 2 Ultra's.

I just ordered a pair of Pilot Road 3's yesterday.

Pete

Just about any thing will out grip the Avons (the only exception might be conti tours), on tires a more aggressive front is ok. but a gripper rear than front is pretty ugly. but too much grip is something you could never say about a storm. I have been really liking the s-20 bridgstone, the 023 is nice for more of a sport tour., and the angel st is pretty nice on the GRiSO.

That may be your experience re the Avon. It is certainly not mine. Oh, and for the record, they definitely outgrip a Metzler. Horrid tyres. As always, YMMV.


  

On my 1100 I used Metzlers a few times and they were fine. On the 1200 they are awful! No idea why?

I've always found that a dual compound with a pretty stiff sidewall works better than a really soft 'Sports' tyre. The GRiSO is so heavy when compared with the true sports bikes these tyres are designed for that their soft side walls make them feel vague when really going for it. Just what I've found. Other people's opinions may differ.

Pete

The "which tyre" discussion will usually bring as many different opinions as there are posts in the thread.   



  

Grippy is nice, especially if you are on the back roads. I'm on slab 90% of the time, so perhaps Storms would be the best because their relative hardness should make them last longer.

I'm running the angel st's - don't have too many miles on them yet, but like them a lot.

Correction: now that I'm looking at my bike [installed the patch] and my paperwork, I find that I have Angel GTs.

The patch seems to have gone in fine; trimmed it so everything is flush. I'll wait to see how the pressure is in the morning.

I'm a fan of the Pirelli Rosso Corsa II.

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I took to carrying the pocket one - after some c**t decided his hobby was banging screws into my tyres... that was about 10 years back.... I've riden tens of thousands of miles on these without issues - very secure, but the above normal  type is what all the Dispatch Couriers in London used... (although one guy said his prefered method was to ride fast, so the centrifugal force keep the rim off the ground....   )