# Vittoria Pit Stop



## yetidude

I've being hearing a lot of good stuff about how this product repairs flats.

What do you think about putting it before a ride or long race (112 miles)? I use clinchers. I'm not a fast racer, so having an extra 15 grams in my wheels is not an issue. Would that be better than carring a couple of cans of it? 

How does it compares with Slime tube sealant?

Thank you.


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## MIN in PDX

I've only heard of using this in the context of tubulars... hopefully others can chime in. I'm curious on this as well.


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## Dave Hickey

MIN in PDX said:


> I've only heard of using this in the context of tubulars...



+1...me too


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## JamesLondon

Pit Stop works well either as a preventative or when you get a puncture with both clinchers or tubulars. It's not so useful on a cut over about 2mm (it will help the inner tube or tub hold air better but may not completely seal it).

It's less beneficial with clinchers as you can change an inner tube in 5 minutes so it doesn't really save any time to use Pit Stop as you need to wait 5-10 minutes after putting it in the tyre for it to seal.

I'd suggest carrying a can or two (as well as tubes) and using it as required rather than using as a preventative.

After use you can ride a Pit Stopped tube/tub for months without problems if you want to...


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## cotocalicyclist

Anyone tried using this with valve extenders? Specifically, Zipp valve extenders with the core of the valve still on. Seems like it would be a mess.


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## yetidude

You are right about the 5 minutes tire change, but I heard that once you inflate the tire with Vittoria PS, you can start riding right away, and the tube will seal as the tire rotates. So the whole experiance takes less than a minute.

Good question about the valve extenders, I'll be using those too.

Thanks


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## JamesLondon

yetidude said:


> You are right about the 5 minutes tire change, but I heard that once you inflate the tire with Vittoria PS, you can start riding right away, and the tube will seal as the tire rotates. So the whole experiance takes less than a minute.
> 
> Good question about the valve extenders, I'll be using those too.
> 
> Thanks


The can says in a somewhat cryptic manner to wait 11 minutes, but you can start riding straight away. With larger cuts you can lose a fair bit of air whilst it's sealing though so you can end up stopping again to top up the pressure which is irritating.

Works fine with extenders - either the Mavic/Zipp sort where you don't move the core and other designs where you do. Not tried it with Topeak extenders, so can't comment on that...


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## yetidude

Thank you James, very good info.

Would the Slime tube sealant work better for prevention?


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## Forrest Root

yetidude said:


> Thank you James, very good info.
> 
> Would the Slime tube sealant work better for prevention?


There is no evidence that Slime performs better. It is messier and more of a pain to use.


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## ru1-2cycle

*Sealant.*



yetidude said:


> I've being hearing a lot of good stuff about how this product repairs flats.
> 
> What do you think about putting it before a ride or long race (112 miles)? I use clinchers. I'm not a fast racer, so having an extra 15 grams in my wheels is not an issue. Would that be better than carring a couple of cans of it?
> 
> How does it compares with Slime tube sealant?
> 
> Thank you.


The Vittoria pit stop is like magic:
you inflate and seal the tire with propane gas
and a sealant, and I did not wait zip, I just
got on my bike 30 seconds later and the
tire (Vittoria Rubino Pro with Michelin Air Comp
tube) held just fine! You have to inflate the
tire with "real air" within a couple of hours,
since the propane gas does not hold like air
(keep a CO2 inflator handy!).
Man, I was very happy and grateful for
such "magic", he-he... :thumbsup: ru1-2cycle


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## profkrispy

MIN in PDX said:


> I've only heard of using this in the context of tubulars... hopefully others can chime in. I'm curious on this as well.


I used it once. Apparently the hole was too big because the stuff just sprayed out of the hole and all over the bike.


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## mikmik

My experiance was not as good as ru1-2cycle. 

I got a cut of 7-8mm on my Vittoria evo kx tubulars and after using the Vittoria pit stop....1.the white sealent went everywhere (my clumsiness), 2.the cut was too big for the sealent to seal and consequently the tire deflated completely, 3.had to call the loveley to come pick me up (I waited in the rain), 4.after the tire deflated immediately, I left it with the 'cut down' so all the sealent would gather in the general area. Then waited about 2 weeks and after using a pair of pliers to unscrew the presta-bit (as the sealent glued it) to inflate the tire it got to about 60psi and started leaking out of the cut again.

All-in-all it cost me (in Aussie $$$) $20 for the Vittoria pit stop, $135 for a new tire and $20 to re-glue the tubular. Now I am a weekend wanna-be and $175 for 'just a flat' is a bit how's-your-muma. Probably going back to clinchers, there is stuff all weight diff now days in clincher+tube verses tubulars.


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## JamesLondon

mikmik said:


> My experiance was not as good as ru1-2cycle.
> 
> I got a cut of 7-8mm on my Vittoria evo kx tubulars and after using the Vittoria pit stop....1.the white sealent went everywhere (my clumsiness), 2.the cut was too big for the sealent to seal and consequently the tire deflated completely, 3.had to call the loveley to come pick me up (I waited in the rain), 4.after the tire deflated immediately, I left it with the 'cut down' so all the sealent would gather in the general area. Then waited about 2 weeks and after using a pair of pliers to unscrew the presta-bit (as the sealent glued it) to inflate the tire it got to about 60psi and started leaking out of the cut again.
> 
> All-in-all it cost me (in Aussie $$$) $20 for the Vittoria pit stop, $135 for a new tire and $20 to re-glue the tubular. Now I am a weekend wanna-be and $175 for 'just a flat' is a bit how's-your-muma. Probably going back to clinchers, there is stuff all weight diff now days in clincher+tube verses tubulars.


Yep - anything more than a 5mm cut and you're in trouble! Unless you unstitch the tubular and repair it properly (or send it off for someone else to) you'll need a new tub. Thankfully, 7-8mm cuts are relatively rare (in my neck of the woods, anyway). If you're riding somewhere there's lots of debris on the road and big cuts are common, I'd be riding clinchers and taking plenty of tubes and Park tyre boots to repair cuts! Or riding Continental Gatorskin tubs - the CXs are fairly fragile.

Afterthought on my previous post: To prevent the Pit Stop fouling the valve, blow in some CO2 or give it a few brisk pump strokes after putting the PitStop in to help clear it. Especially important if you're using deep rims with a Zipp type extender and can't get to the valve core to remove it!


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## yetidude

Is there a good preventive sealant out there, or is just better to carry tubes and CO2?


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## JamesLondon

yetidude said:


> Is there a good preventive sealant out there, or is just better to carry tubes and CO2?


Personal preference really but if you have tubes with removable valve cores you can remove the valve core and squeeze in some Tufo Sealant as a preventative. It stays liquid for a few months apparently and will quickly seal small punctures without you knowing you had them. Adds a few grams where you don't need it but fine for training (and not a substitute for a tube as, like Pit Stop, it won't seal a big cut).

You can also try Panaracer FlatAway - 25g Kevlar strips you put inside the clincher to protect the inner tube - if you're on bad roads or paranoid. I had no punctures for about 5,000km using FlatAway and Continental Force/Attack which was nice...


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## Forrest Root

yetidude said:


> Is there a good preventive sealant out there, or is just better to carry tubes and CO2?


You can use PitStop as a preventative sealant. I do. Zero problems with that use.


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## mikmik

Forrest Root said:


> You can use PitStop as a preventative sealant. I do. Zero problems with that use.



I think that a 7-8mm cut would be too much for any sealent to handle. And when you are out there, you have obviously no control what type of piercing or cut you can receive. Take a spare (or 2) with ya and you'll get home.


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## paskyhawk

*Weight*

How much does a can weigh?

Rich


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## JimP

I had a small hole, less than .25mm in a Conti GP4000 tubular last Sunday. I used the Pit Stop and watched the liquid foam out of the hole. I waited for several minutes and the leak didn't stop. I decided not to change the tire and called my wife for a ride home. The hole was still leaking and sputtering out liquid after an hour. I am not sure why my results are different than others..


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## catskillclimber

JimP said:


> I had a small hole, less than .25mm in a Conti GP4000 tubular last Sunday. I used the Pit Stop and watched the liquid foam out of the hole. I waited for several minutes and the leak didn't stop. I decided not to change the tire and called my wife for a ride home. The hole was still leaking and sputtering out liquid after an hour. I am not sure why my results are different than others..


Conti uses butyl tubes while most utilize latex tubes in tubulars. Pitstop is latex based and it sounds like it doesn't work well with butyl tubes.


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## eugkim

My issue with using Pit Stop is having to carry it. With clinchers, it's easier to carry a tube, patch kit, CO2 and irons. They fit in a small pouch. I'm using tubulars now, so I'll carry a spare in my back pocket. By the look of the Pit Stop, seems too big to carry. However, I'm going by pics only. I had my LBS order some, but have never seen it in person.


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## JimP

The can is smaller than a folded up tubular tire. 
Last Saturday a fellow with a Conti Sprinter used a can of PitStop after removing a thorn from his tire. The PitStop worked for him and he was very pleased.


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## ru1-2cycle

*Light and compact.*



eugkim said:


> My issue with using Pit Stop is having to carry it. With clinchers, it's easier to carry a tube, patch kit, CO2 and irons. They fit in a small pouch. I'm using tubulars now, so I'll carry a spare in my back pocket. By the look of the Pit Stop, seems too big to carry. However, I'm going by pics only. I had my LBS order some, but have never seen it in person.


The Vittoria Pit Stop sealant is a feathery light (lighter/as light than a light clincher tube) and it is a compact cylinder shaped can that fits perfectly in my rear jersey pocket.
Does it work...for me it has worked wonderfully either as preventive or as fixer in both clincher and tubular tires, cheap or pricy! Get it, you will feel more secure afterwards.
I still carry a spare tube or tubular with the CO2 cartrdges, for just in case...: thumbsup: ru1-2cycle


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## eortiz

My first time to do a training ride on my tubulars, I flated and used Vittoria PS. Apparently the cut was too big and had to call the wife to pick me up. What luck, huh? Haven't been racing anymore so I figured I might as well use my racing wheels anywhere I ride. So I flatted after several months of riding on tubulars. I used my Vittoria PS again and this time I was pedaling again after a couple of minutes without any problem. I will still ride tubulars as long as I have Vittoria PS and a CO2 with me (plus a cell phone).


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## terrain

Second the comments about the small size of Vitoria - when I ride Tubular's I carry two in my jersey pocket. I have not had to use them yet but the general consensus is that you should also carry a spare tubular since having Vitoria successfully seal the leak is far from a sure thing. I just picked up another set of Bora 2's and now plan to ride the Tubular's a bit more since I have a backup set to use when PitStop does not work and I need to replace the tire.


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## magic

I have used Pit Stop and Tufo, plus I have a couple cans of Hutchinson's offering waiting for that next flat to try out.

I like Tufo extreme sealant better than Pit Stop. I run Conti Sprinter Gatorskin Tubulars on my road bike as every day tires, the Tufo sealant has been great. I do pop the valve core out, hold the tire up (don't want any pressure on it while putting the sealant in), put about 1/3 of the little bottle in, put the core back on, give it a spin, hit with CO2, if there is a larger hole put your thumb over it while the sealant sets up. Two weeks ago I got about a 5 inch section of the tire with little holes in it. The sealant bubbled out a little bit and then held air. Been on the tire ever since. I plan on doing the Seattle to Portland bike ride and will use that tire as a carry along spare. 

When I race Tris (IM Distance) I carry both a used tub as a spare and sealant. In one race I got three flats, used the sealant on #s one and two, then just peeled that tire off and put the ready spare on there for the rest of the race.


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## branzzz

can the vittoria ps keep my unpunctured corsa evo cx inflated for at least a week? i understand they have latex tubes which normally leak everything out within two days.


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## Spunout

You wouldn't do this. Pump up your tubular tires every day, it the way it is done.


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## Kerry Irons

*Wrong concept*



branzzz said:


> can the vittoria ps keep my unpunctured corsa evo cx inflated for at least a week? i understand they have latex tubes which normally leak everything out within two days.


The sealants prevent air from leaking out of holes, but they don't prevent air from permeating a latex tube. Completely different physical phenomena.


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## jackattack

so is there latex in the vittoria evo cx tub? i just ordered some and I am a newby with tubular.
would the vittoria pit stop work best with vittoria tubulars?
can you buy some cheap online?
my lbs seem to charge twice the amount of what you can find online.

thanks


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## iherald

I have a flat on a tubular I have. I had to walk home from the ride, which sucked. Can I use Pit Stop as a permanent solution to the flat? Or is it just a short term, get home, solution?


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## jrz1

To the question of whether Vittoria Evo Corsa CX have latex tubes, the answer is "yes". I have used both Vittoria Crono CS tubular tires and Tufo Elite Jet 160 Hi-Tpi tubular tires. I have never had a flat with the Tufo's in over 2000 miles so never tried the Pit-Stop with those. I did have 3 flats over the course of 1500 miles with my Vittoria Crono's. The Pit-Stop worked on all three flats, but on one of them it didn't seal entirely, but it was enough to get home. The other two it sealed the puncture perfectly and held for a permanent solution. Because 99% of my rides are in cell phone coverage area, when I ride I bring Pit Stop and my cell phone and nothing else. I'm on Tufo's right now and they don't seem to get flats (don't ride as well or fast as the Crono's though) but if I did I would count on the Pit Stop or give my wife a call...


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## mkubota

*First use- it worked!*

Just arrived at work after getting a flat. My 70 mile old rear Conti Competition 22 had a pin hole sized leak near the center of the tire (what happened to Vectran?). I took out my can of Pit Stop, made sure the can was perpendicular to the wheel and jammed it in. I held the can until it was completely done. Nothing leaked out of the valve area- perfectly clean job. I didn't see foam come out of the hole in the tire, but it definitely sealed and I was able to ride the remaining few blocks to the office. So far the tire is holding although it's a bit soft. I'm gonna wait until this afternoon to top it off with CO2, but it seems to work great... MUCH better than I had thought. I will definitely carry one of these cans with me at all times as a first measure.


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## teapotter

Folks:

So I flatted in a race and failed miserably using pit stop. It basically broke, with the upper piece coming off and the crap spraying everywhere. I thought maybe it was my mistake because I left the wheel on the bike. But then I tried it again at home w/ it off the bike, and the same thing happened!! A few questions for folks who've used it:

1) I have continental valve extenders. Should I have removed the core?
2) If I do remove the core, I assume I can just remove it from the extender? With my deep dish rims, no way I can remove the extender.
3) What I not holding it straight while engaging it, thus causing the top to pop off?

Thanks,

Terence


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## mkubota

*teapotter-*

My guess is that you were not holding it (perfectly?) perpendicular. I would suggest leaving the wheel on the bike because in my case I was able to lean the bike against a tree so that I didn't have to worry so much about keeping the wheel in place laterally- just had to concentrate on pushing that can onto the valve. You do not have to remove the valve core- and it won't clog up your valve from my experience. Also, do it in one shot. Don't bother trying to use half a can or do it little by little. As for that top part popping off, mine did that when I was removing the Pit Stop from the valve at which point it didn't really matter. Oh- and make sure the tire area (tread) at the valve is not facing the ground or you aren't resting your palm in that area when you do the injection. That might block the valve and cause back pressure that might lead to what happened to you.

I had worries about what happened to you after reading similar experiences. But after my use I bought another can feeling pretty confident. If you are worried about that happening again you can try Hutchinson Fast Air. The newer version (should be what's in most stores now) has tubing and a screw-on attachment that looks pretty goof proof. I bought a can myself but haven't used it yet.


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## AvantDale

How many different brands of sealant are there?


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## mkubota

I've only seen two with the propellant- Hutchinson and Vittoria. If you look around there seems like about a half dozen+ others that you use either as a preventative or at the time of puncture- one even has a syringe-like injector. Usually the pourable liquid ones require that you remove your valve core and of course provide your own air. Despite the Vittoria (and Hutchinson) having their own air, I carry two CO2s with me.


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## simplyhankk

AvantDale said:


> How many different brands of sealant are there?


Slime, Stan's Vittoria, and the one mentioned above. 
I used Slime when I had MTB but I don't have faith in it...never worked for me anyway.



Had Stan's in my GP4000 tubular. Flatted but Stan's went to work for a couple of minutes. It seemed to sealed up as I rode, but couple of minutes later it was leaking again and I had to phone one in. 

It was a big gash, probably longer than 5mm and I had no idea how I got a big cut like that. It probably damaged the casing of the tire so the $100 tire is probably toast as well :mad2: 

But I think with that deep/long of a cut no sealant would have sealed it. I was surprised Stan's actually worked for that set amount of time...I probably could have ridden home with the <50psi in the tire.

I have not used Vittoria PS, but I may be willing to give it a try.


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## mkubota

*Try Tufo Extreme Sealant...*

So my quick repair with Pit Stop turned out to be temporary at best. The puncture (really a tiny hole) started to leak again. I could see the liquid fizzle out of the hole each time I pumped the tire past 90-100 psi. I tried this for 3-4 days hoping it would eventually clot but it never did. So even though I knew it was not optimal to use two different types of sealant at the same time I figured I'd take the chance rather than toss an almost brand new Conti Competition into the garbage. I heard good things about Tufo Extreme Sealant so I gave it a try- removed the valve core, poured the stuff into the tire and then rotated the tire so the stuff would make its way to the puncture (180 deg opposite the valve). Well, I've been riding on it for the last 300+ miles and not a single leak.

The only downside I see to the Tufo is that perhaps because it works so well it may clog up your valve core. This is not too big a deal because it just means you will have a little harder time pumping up the tire with air- you won't suffer any premature leaks or anything like that. I will probably just remove the core and soak it in solvent to try and get the Tufo out of there, or at worst just replace the core with one from another tire. The Tufo is definitely something different than the Pit Stop. Pit Stop is white liquid (latex) and perhaps that's why it didn't work as well on the butyl tube of the Continental- which is also why I would not bother trying it on your GP4000. The Tufo is certainly worth trying to save that tire since you can't open it up and patch it. I'm not sure what Stan's is like, but I doubt Pit Stop will do much better... you'd just be adding more 'stuff' inside your tire that probably won't cure.

On a side note, I also ran the GP4000 for a bit while I was repairing (sewing) my Conti Competition, and though the tires seem similar in ride quality I thought the Competitions cornered a bit better. Have you noticed how the sides of the GP4000 are almost squared off? The Competition is pretty much round (or elliptical) which seems to make cornering more smoother and stable- or maybe it's just in my head. They both seem equally durable. Even though I managed to tear up my Competition in the first 70 miles it turns out that that was from one ride and subsequent rides over the exact same roads (my commute) showed no new cuts on the same tire. It was a combination of not really paying attention to the road surface and three distinct 'new' broken glass areas! I think given their performance, repair capability and durability (yes!) I will stick with the Competitions (though I thought about giving the Sprinter Gatorskins a try).


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## LouisVuitton

How do you use Vittoria PitStop as a preventative sealant?


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