Very small nail in rear tire, What's best to do?

[Gliderjohn]

I had four flats in the first 12K miles of owning my Norge. Replacing them all is expensive and two of them only had a a few hundred miles on them. I replaced two but then found a tire shop that will do the internal plugs and repaired the other two.
GliderJohn

[Lannis]

Of course, tube-type tires are different.  The tube needs to be removed and patched.  However, I use tire sealer in my tube-type tires and I have never been stranded on the road with a tube tire puncture.  I've had several nails in my tubes etc. over the years, but the sealer (Slime etc.) kept the tire up. 

Not sure why so many people don't like Slime in a tubed tire.   Tubeless, yes, it's a mess at tire-change time, but since I change my own, it doesn't matter.

But in a tube, the mess stays inside.   There's no downside, and I've never had a flat on a Slimed tube.

Lannis

[Texas Turnip]

I forgot to add that the new tires with the hard sidewalls will keep the tire from suddenly losing air causing you to be thrown over a cliff leaving your wife a widow.

Now in the old days when you changed a tire with two 4" tire spoons when the sidewalls were soft you had a more rapid lose of air. I've had rear tires come partially off the rim on the Ambo. If you ride enough you can tell when the tire is getting low on air.

Tex

[leafman60]

Not sure why so many people don't like Slime in a tubed tire.   Tubeless, yes, it's a mess at tire-change time, but since I change my own, it doesn't matter.

But in a tube, the mess stays inside.   There's no downside, and I've never had a flat on a Slimed tube.

Lannis

Ditto

I'm with you on that.

.

[Tom]

 :1: on tubes, Slime and plugged tires.  One of things that I have noticed is that when applying either patch on a tube or string plug or plug/patch combo.  Preparation is the key and liberal use of the cement. 

[Doppelgaenger]

I learned all about plugging tires when I moved to the seattle area, I pick up a lot more nails here than in California where I used to ride.

I'd be down a significantl amount of money if I replaced a tire every time I got a nail or screw in it. So long as the nail goes in more or less straight then you're fine plugging it with a sticky rope style plug. The glue they use with those welds the hole shut and I've never had one leak, either on a car or a bike. I no longer give it much thought that there is a plug in there. I've also had screws go in sideways and in those cases you're literally screwed. Use your best judgment since you're the one that has to live with the fix.

I do find it funny when people say to replace the tire no matter what, but then ride around in a squid uniform...

[Tom]