Tire Balancing Weights vs. Dyna Bead vs. Ride-on

[Fourtyniner]

Hello Folks, Please commit on this topic. I am changing both front and rear tire myself, looking for opinions or views on the best balancing method. I go by the K.I.S.S. rule in general. I look forward for commits.

[hubcapsc]

I've tried all three.

Balancing with weights works great. You can't get good results from just
spinning the tire on the axle, though, the wheel bearings aren't sensitive
enough. Among all the ways that probably work well, I got a Marc Parnes
static balancer for about $100. Any heavy place moves to the bottom
by itself...



I used beads once, it seemed to work, I disliked messing with the beads.

I use RideOn now, in the hopes that I might avoid an on-the-road flat...
I've used RideOn for several tires, I think it is doing the job, balance-wise...

-Mike

[old2soon]

Dyna Beads. When I bought my I/S it had the lead weights for the E-3s that came on it. Been with the Dyna beads after replacing the E-3s. Approx 47000 miles or so. RIDE SAFE.

[glenh]

Always had good luck with dyna beads, get lots of miles, tried a different brand of beads in my last tire change, bought them from a vender at the Davis Ralley that was pushing them, time will tell.

[whitestroke]

Happy with dyna beads, but then I've never tried not using anything either.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I've done weights, ride on ,& counteract beads. All worked fine. But I think I like the beads the best.

[Punisher]

I've tried all three as well so here is my take on them:

Weights:   Works just fine, time proven method.   Only dislike is sometimes a clip-on can detach and I really don't like the look of the stick-on weights.   The sticky part can be really be hard to get off your wheel as well.

Beads:  Work well.  I like the fact that they dynamically balance as the tires wear instead of a static balance with the weights.   I seemed to get a little more mileage (not enough to make a big deal about though) but the ride was smooth all the way to the wear bars.   My only dislike is if you have a puncture and have to use an oiled up mushroom plug or ESPECIALLY a sticky string plug to fix the leak then the beads are going to stick to it causing a out of balance condition.   Depending on how far you are from home or some place to properly repair or replace the tire that might be a pain.

Ride On:   This is what I use on my main Touring bike.  I like the fact that it dynamically balances but also the potential of on-the-fly stop leak as long as the puncture is in the main ride zone of the tire, about 1-1.5 inches from either side of center, and isn't larger than .25 inch.    If the puncture is more to the outside of the tread then the Ride On won't help but you could mushroom/sticky plug it and make it home.    It doesn't appear to make a huge mess on the wheel when I've had tires changed, mostly stays within the tire, but I always let my tire changer know it's in there as a courtesy.    I only run it on my main Touring bike because it would be right expensive to run it on all my bikes but I do carry a single bottle in the saddle bags on the others in case I need it.

[JC]

I let the shop balance the tire when it is mounted with lead weights, and I still add the recommended amount of Ride-on when I get it on the bike. Very smooth!!!

[1500Rider]

Use weights and Ride-On in my Gold Wing. Works very well. Going to try just the Ride-On when I mount new tires on my Valkyrie next week. Polishing up the wheels and don't want ugly weights on there. Hoping it works as well as other riders have told me it should.

[Jess from VA]

Something else to throw into the mix.

Three of my Goodyear triple treads each balanced with less weight than any rear bike tire ever did (all under a half ounce).  But my tire guy does not stick with putting the tire dot on the valve stem, he starts there, but will move the dot to get better initial balance, if possible.   

[John Schmidt]

commit or commits

COMMENT or COMMENTS  

[Firefighter]

Been using ride-on for years, no problems, and balances the tires great, don't know why I would use anything else.

[Jim500]

Any difference in ride-on formulas? (atv-motorcycle?)

[hubcapsc]

Any difference in ride-on formulas? (atv-motorcycle?)

Depends on who you ask 

-Mike "RideOn says they are different..."

[Chiefy]

I thought my bike rode smoothly.  Then I replaced the wheel weights with Ride on.  It made the ride go from good to great.  And it claims to stop some punctures.  Ride on over weights for me.  Haven't tried beads.

[salty1]

Like beads! 

[Highbinder]

I've been using Ride-On for about 10 years now, never had a problem with it as far a balancing or stopping a air leak as long as it was in the contact area of the tire...I don't use the motorcycle formula, I use the High Speed Formula...cheaper and seems to work just fine...

[wiggydotcom]

I don't like weights for all the reasons already given. But I do balance my rim by itself, mark the heavy spot, mount the tire, and turn the tire to find the best combination of tire to rim. I figure the less out of balance it is, the less help with weights/beads is needed.

I tried Ride On once...when I took the tire off, everything was dried up. No way would it have sealed a leak.

Now I use Dynabeads and I'm very happy with the results. The ride is smooth as glass.

[hubcapsc]

I tried Ride On once...when I took the tire off, everything was dried up.

About how long was it in there?

-Mike

[LadyDraco]

I have  been using Ride-On since 2002.
Never had that problem....

[wiggydotcom]

I tried Ride On once...when I took the tire off, everything was dried up.

About how long was it in there?

-Mike

It was my first Interstate, Mike, many years ago. I'm thinking it was in a couple years which at that time was probably the life of the tire-probably about 8-9 thousand miles.

[hubcapsc]

I tried Ride On once...when I took the tire off, everything was dried up.

About how long was it in there?

-Mike

It was my first Interstate, Mike, many years ago. I'm thinking it was in a couple years which at that time was probably the life of the tire-probably about 8-9 thousand miles.

I just took off the tire I put on before last year's corbin ride, almost a year ago. The RideOn was
still gooey enough that (since I haven't ridden in a few  weeks?) it had all collected at
one place inside the tire.

I also beat the snot out of the second bead with a rubber mallet to slip it the rest of
the way off the rim, maybe that helped to jiggle the RideOn all to one place...

Since yours eventually dried out, perhaps RideOn "wears out" after a while...

-Mike

[Punisher]

I don't like weights for all the reasons already given. But I do balance my rim by itself, mark the heavy spot, mount the tire, and turn the tire to find the best combination of tire to rim. I figure the less out of balance it is, the less help with weights/beads is needed.

I tried Ride On once...when I took the tire off, everything was dried up. No way would it have sealed a leak.

Now I use Dynabeads and I'm very happy with the results. The ride is smooth as glass.

Perhaps the Ride-On was "old" when you installed it.   I believe they have a date code on the bottle and seems like I recall reading something about that somewhere.

[LadyDraco]

There is NO expiration date. As long as it's in a tightly sealed environment...
We have a demo  jar (plastic) with steel wool and Ride-On.. Since 2002!
It's still wet and the steel wool is NOT rusty!!

Here is what happens if you keep adding air due to a leaky rim seal or Valve stem  ..
YOU can dry Ride-On out.. As you keep adding dry air to the environment...

My rear tires go 35k-40K and still wet Ride-On inside......

I'm not trying to start an argument... 
 

[JimmyG]

Just put RideOn in the new tires this spring. very pleased with it as far as balancing goes. So far, no nails to comment on the stop leak aspect of it. 

[Punisher]

There is NO expiration date. As long as it's in a tightly sealed environment...
We have a demo  jar (plastic) with steel wool and Ride-On.. Since 2002!
It's still wet and the steel wool is NOT rusty!!

Here is what happens if you keep adding air due to a leaky rim seal or Valve stem  ..
YOU can dry Ride-On out.. As you keep adding dry air to the environment...

My rear tires go 35k-40K and still wet Ride-On inside......

I'm not trying to start an argument...  
 

Found what I remembered reading about, on Ride-On's site:

Q. How long do I have before I have to use the product?
 
A. All Ride-on products are designed with a 3 year shelf life (in a sealed un-opened container) and a 5 year use life. This 8 year cycle is optimal for two reasons. It gives the customers a perfectly useable product while also allowing the dealers ample time to move their inventory. We highly recommend not exceeding these time limits. Like everything else, our products age and degrade over time. Using an expired product might lead to unsatisfactory results, and even possibly corrosion in rare circumstances. If you order product from a dealer, please take the time to look at the batch stickers (on the 5-gallon pails and 55-gallon drums only) to ensure the sealants are within their expiration limits.

http://www.ride-on.com/installation.html

Longest I've ever had Ride-On in a tire was three years and it was still slimy.   Maybe it never dries out as long as not exposed to open air but the Company claims it will degrade and not work as well beyond a certain time.   About the way everything is....my body sure agrees with that  

Besides....I'd be more worried about the age of the tires at 5 or more years than dried up Ride On.

[alph]

my first set of tires had the lead weights, then one fell off and I didn't know it.  tire wore unevenly, although not terribly so, showed cords on opposite ends of the tire.  then I heard about Dyna-Beads on the VRCC, someone posted the youtube video of a guy and a pop bottle.  I tried 'em, and that's all I use now.  I've talked to many tire guys about the beads, they say they use 'em in truck tires all the time 'cause truck tires are so hard to balance, when I asked them why they don't use 'em in car tires they said for legal liability issues (I think it's 'cause they make the tires last longer)

so, I'm on my third set of cycle tires using dyna-beads.  when you look at the wear on the tires it's more even all the way around the tire.  the only thing I don't like about them is sometimes, you'll get one of those darn things in the valve when you're checking your tire pressure, and all your air comes out!!  then you've got to pull the valve, pick out that darn little bead, and start over!!

I love 'em!  a matter of fact, I bout a quart jar size container from a guy in Crystal Lake Ill. for about $65 three years ago.  I've used about four ounces of that jar which weighs about 5#!!  I'm thinking I've got a life time supply.....

[LadyDraco]

Back when Ride-On was only 6 yrs old...
There was no exp. date....
And they only had 4 products then....
And the 2 Brothers were still doing ALL the work and mixing..
NO sales people...
Up until the year before last  ..I was still using Ride-On from a 10 yr.old 5 Gal Bucket...
With NO problems.....

Things change over the years...I guess...
The product was so new back in 1995 .. When the Brother's introduced Ride-On..


We where Dealers  back in 2001... Haven't been a dealer since 2004...
But faithfully used the product ALL the time ...

SO now they have a shelf life... 

[BonS]

the only thing I don't like about them is sometimes, you'll get one of those darn things in the valve when you're checking your tire pressure, and all your air comes out!!  then you've got to pull the valve, pick out that darn little bead, and start over!!

I use beads and I only check my air pressure when I have an air supply handy.
If a bead gets stuck then a shot of air into the tire will push the bead out of the Shrader valve.
It's never failed me yet.