Dynaplug Dynaplugger bicycle tubeless repair tool

The Dynaplug Dynaplugger is a brilliant solution that should be in the pocket or toolroll of every tubeless cyclist. It will get you rolling again in far less time than it takes to fix an inner tube, and the repairs should last the life of the tyre.

Dynaplug is a US automotive accessory company with two decades of experience creating fast patch kits for vehicle tyres. Its premise is simple: got a hole in your tyre? Jam a rubberised plug in it to stop the air falling out.

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There are other solutions on the market such as the £5.99 Genuine Innovations Tubeless Tyre Repair kit that follow the same thinking, but it's how Dynaplug approaches the practicalities that makes its solution a winner.

The Genuine Innovations kit is a fork onto which you thread a strip of rubberised string, then insert in your tyre. The fork's handle (were the Two Ronnies cyclists?) is small, and it can be tricky to stab into a thick tyre, and the process of preparation means it's quite likely your tyre is flat by the time you insert the strip.

Dynaplug offers a range of variations on the same theme: a handle with a metal pipe protruding, into which a rubberised plug with a metal tip is inserted. The mountain bike world has loved the Dynaplug Pill and Megapill products for years, each carrying multiple plugs in different sizes to effect multiple trailside repairs.

The Dynaplugger comes with two swappable insertion tubes – one standard, one 'mega' for the three-times-fatter Megaplug – so you can have two plugs ready, depending on the size of cut needing fixing (though you only get four standard plugs here, no Megaplug – they are available separately at £10 for three).

Swapping the tubes over is quick and easy, with one stored under the small 'business end' cap, the other inside the handle.

The three included spare plugs are held in a small clear plastic tray that's part of the packaging, so you'll need to store them elsewhere, and there's no way to store them inside the Dynaplugger handle. The Pill and Megapill win in this regard, as they come with multiple insertion tubes and machined cavities to hold them inside the tool.

If you're concerned about having a metal tip inside your tyre, don't worry – you and your tyre won't notice a thing. The only caveat is that if you suffer a sidewall cut so bad it needs a tyre boot and inner tube, be sure to pull the heads off any plugs you might have used in the past. That's to avoid the tip then puncturing your inner tube.

Size-wise, the 12.5cm Dynaplugger fits easily into a seatpack; mine lives inside the rather excellent Silca Seat Roll Grande Americano.

Unscripted emergency

Over the review period I managed one actual unscripted tubeless emergency – a decent cut in the sidewall of the Maxxis Re-Fuse 650B tyre. As it was a sidewall cut, the flexing of the tyre was fighting the sealant, meaning only a plug would do the job.

Having the Dynaplugger only seconds away in the seatroll meant minimal loss of air, and the stabbing into the tyre was easy with the large handle. After a few bubbles and a bit of a shake, face downwards, to get sealant into the gaps, the air held and only a few pumps were needed to get back to normal operation.

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I also had to trim the end short to avoid a constant tick-tick-tick on the chainstay (the sharp blade on the Topeak PT-30 mini made short work of it).

Now, about 200 miles and a month on, the repair is still holding and I've no reason to suspect it won't hold indefinitely. I have other Dynaplug repairs on my mountain bike tyres that are a year old, and have had many harsh, rocky miles put on them.

Value and conclusion

It's the speed and ease of use that makes Dynaplugs in general a winner. You can spend nearly twice as much on the Pill or Megapill, but if they are overkill then the Dynaplugger is a great solution, and it's lighter too.

As mentioned, the only alternative is the fork-and-anchovy paradigm, which can be much lighter and cheaper, but compromises speed and effectiveness – and a faff in the cold/wet. You need good eyesight and a steady hand to thread them up, whereas the Dynaplugger could almost be used blind, if you could hear/feel where the cut was.

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Dave really liked what is basically the alloy version of the Dynaplugger – the £38 Racer. The critical difference here is that you get two Megaplugs included, and you don't have to swap the insertion tubes over if you need to use a different size in a hurry.

Are the two Megaplugs worth the extra £13 when you can buy three for £10? The Racer weighs about the same and is smaller, so would be a close contender for your money.

Whichever Dynaplug system you choose, you'll likely not be disappointed. At £25, it's a great system for getting you rolling quickly.

Verdict

Simple and fast way to fix a leaking tubeless tyre