ABOUT THE CRANKBROTHERS PLUG MATE
It is not often that we get a cheap solution to a common problem. At just $9.99, the new Crankbrothers Plug Mate addresses an issue we all hope to avoid – bacon strips falling out. I have wasted many tire plugs in my time, with them often pulling out when removing the fork from the tire. Maybe I just suck at using them, but I am very happy to have this slick product in my pack to improve my chances of success moving forward.
The Plug Mate kit includes what Crankbrothers are calling the “anchors”. These small anchor pieces slide onto your typical tire plug fork (I tried all 4 that I have, with no issues), and the bacon or plug strip slides through a moulded hole on the anchor. Once inserted in the tire, the anchor rotates and locks the plug in place. It does this so well that the instructions advise pulling on the plug to better seat the anchor. And so far, it has proved to work great! With the anchor locking the plug in place, it creates a more durable long-term solution to fix your damaged tire. That means less hopes and prayers required to get back to the parking lot, and the ability to resume riding as normal on the securely plugged tire.
Included in the modest $9.99 price are two different anchor sizes: yellow being the smaller of the two, and orange being the larger. Both anchors work the same way, but are aimed at different puncture sizes. You also get 10 small and 5 large tire plugs included.
One of the big bonus points is that the Plug Mate anchors are reusable. While I think the product is well worth its price, the fact that you can reuse the anchors is a major bonus, further improving the value proposition.
THE DIRT
Using the Crankbrothers Plug Mate is straightforward, with little to no fuss. The instructions show placing the plug into the anchor first, then sliding the fork onto the anchor. I found that it was easier to install the anchor onto the fork first, and then slide in the plug. With how sticky the tire plugs can be, it helped to limit some of the fuss. Pulling the fork out at an angle does make a difference in how the anchor seats on the inside of the tire. Pulling straight out will cause the anchor to stay in a more vertical position. This can be fixed by pulling and twisting on the portion of the plug sticking out of the tire – you want the anchor to sit as flat as possible, though it’s difficult to verify when it’s inside the tire.
Once the Crankbrothers Plug Mate and a bacon strip are installed, I found that I could pull on the plug as hard as I wanted and it would not come out. The anchor really does lock it in place! Depending on your puncture size, you may need to make the hole a bit larger to fit the anchor in. But with how well the system works, this does not bother me at all.
While I only tested the system on a tread area puncture, I feel very confident that it will make repairing a puncture around the bead easier too. If needed, you can also stuff two of the smaller strips into the yellow anchor. There is not enough room with the larger plug and anchor combo to get two large strips in there. If your puncture is larger than the big anchor can fix, it might be time to pillage a tube from a friend and a piece of plastic to finish out your ride – no plug is going to save you here!
The Wolf’s Last Word
While this innovation for fixing a flat tire is cheap, its effectiveness is high. The Crankbrothers Plug Mate is one of those products that will be mentioned in every conversation I have about fixing a trailside flat! 
Price: $9.99 / €9.99
Website: Crankbrothers.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
Cole’s den is in Spokane WA, where he relocated a few years back. Growing up in the lush, loamy playgrounds of the PNW, his soul is forever tied to steep, rooty descents and that unmistakable squish of perfect dirt. After 19 years of shredding, Cole’s been on every kind of rig out there. Once a die-hard fan of big travel bikes, he’s now on a quest for the mythical short-travel do-it-all machine. And yes, skids may be for kids, but this middle-aged manchild is here to prove they’re also for anyone who loves having a damn good time.
Rank: Professional Amateur
Size: 6’1” / 185cm | 170lbs / 77kg
Social: @adventuresbycole
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