Tube vs tubeless tyres: how the repair differs

A puncture is fixed differently depending on the tyre type. The wrong method wrecks a tube quickly, or leaves a tubeless tyre with an unreliable plug.

• Identify the type first: a tubeless tyre has Tubeless marked on the sidewall, while a tube tyre has the valve on the tube, not on the rim. If unsure, check the owner's manual.
• Tubeless: find the object that caused the puncture, but leave it in until you're ready to repair. A small tread puncture can be closed with a plug as a temporary fix.
• Tube tyre: remove the wheel, break the bead and take out the tube. Patch it or fit a new one, but only after inspecting the tyre from inside.
• Run your hand over the inner tyre surface and the rim: a nail, wire or sharp spoke end often stays behind and punctures the new tube.
• After any repair, inflate to the pressure in the owner's manual and recheck after a few hours to see whether it drops.
• A cut or puncture in the sidewall or near the tread edge is never repaired: replace the tyre. This applies to both types.