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Crankbrothers Plug MateRepair aid (also) for large holes in tubeless tyres

Stefan Frey

 · 19.02.2026

Crankbrothers presents The Plug Mate, a new tool designed to prevent tubeless patches from tearing out of the tyre.
Photo: Crankbrothers
With the Plug Mate, Crankbrothers has developed a tool designed to prevent tubeless patches from tearing out. It uses a laterally rotating anchor system to fix tyre plugs in the event of tubeless punctures. The set contains three small and three large anchors as well as 10 thin and five thick rubber strips. The reusable plastic system is compatible with most tubeless tools and costs 9.99 euros.
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The problem is well known: If the hole in the tubeless tyre is too big, the tubeless patches can tear out again during the ride. Pffffffffftttt ... and you're out in the sticks with no air in your tyres. The Crankbrothers The Plug Mate Kit is aimed at all types of cyclists who want to repair large tubeless punctures and snakebites on the road. The anchor system is designed to anchor itself to the side of the tyre during installation and remain in place even during hard impacts, landings or braking manoeuvres.

The Plug Mate is inserted into the hole in the tyre together with the tubeless patch and is designed to prevent the plug from tearing out.Photo: CrankbrothersThe Plug Mate is inserted into the hole in the tyre together with the tubeless patch and is designed to prevent the plug from tearing out.

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Anchor system and rubber strips

The set consists of six anchors in two sizes: three small yellow and three large orange anchors. There are also 15 rubber strips, divided into 10 thin brown and five thick black variants. The choice of size depends on the hole size in the tyre. The plug is inserted through the anchor and the set is placed on the piercing tool. The plug mates are compatible with most common tools.

The right anchor is selected depending on the size of the hole. These are compatible with most common tubeless tools.Photo: CrankbrothersThe right anchor is selected depending on the size of the hole. These are compatible with most common tubeless tools.

Installation and material

The fork is inserted directly into the hole and the anchor and plug are pushed in. When the fork is pulled out at an angle, the anchor and plug remain in the tyre and seal the hole. By massaging the tyre and pulling on the ends of the plug, the anchor is positioned laterally against the inside of the tyre. The plastic material is designed to protect the rim and tyre from damage. According to Crankbrothers, the special design requires less force during installation than alternative systems. If the worn tyre is replaced, the plug mates can be reused.

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Practical test of the Plug Mate

A sturdy tool is recommended for inserting the anchor. Once in the tyre, the Plug Mate wedges itself reliably and holds the tubeless plug securely in place.Photo: Stefan FreyA sturdy tool is recommended for inserting the anchor. Once in the tyre, the Plug Mate wedges itself reliably and holds the tubeless plug securely in place.

It is best to prepare a Plug Mate in each of the two sizes before the tour, as the small plastic anchors can quickly get lost in the terrain in the heat of the moment. Due to the significantly larger diameter of the anchors compared to the rubber sausages alone, it is correspondingly more difficult to insert them and only works with really large cracks in the tyre.

However, once the anchor has been inserted, it wedges reliably on the inside of the tyre when it is removed. Thanks to its special shape, the anchor is positioned crosswise when the tool is removed, effectively preventing the tubeless plugs from coming loose from the wound in the tyre. In our opinion, this is a recommended addition to the current tubeless repair systems. However, a tool that sits comfortably and securely in the hand is definitely recommended!

Crankbrothers Plug Mate - advantages & disadvantages

+ reliably secures the tubeless plug
+ reusable

- Difficult to pierce
- Tubeless anchor can easily get lost in the terrain
- not compatible with all tubeless tools

Stefan Frey

Stefan Frey is from Lower Bavaria and loves the mossy, loamy trails of the Bavarian Forest as much as the rugged rock of the Dolomites. For technical descents, he is prepared to tackle almost any ascent - under his own steam. As an accessories specialist, he is the first port of call for questions about equipment and add-on parts, while as head of copywriting he sweeps the language crumbs from the pages of the BIKE print editions.

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