How many patches on an inner tube before you bin it?

[Colin_P]

There is some top notch man-maths going on in this thread, I'll try and do some more...

The extra over time and cost of;

1, Finding the puncture (£0.00)
2, Roughing up the tube (£0.00)
3, Applying a blob of glue (£0.05, probably)
4, Waiting a few minutes for the glue to 'flash off' which is time you would use to check the tyre, remove the thorn et al and wipe the wheel over so it isn't wasted time (£0.00)
5, Pressing the patch on (£0.30, say)

Is not much more time than having to swap over to a new tube, given that you have to take the wheel and tyre off anyway.

Of course for practicality reasons, unless you are having some really bad luck on a ride, you would do this at home and use a pre-patched spare to effect repairs mid ride.

I don't understand the throwaway mindset especially when fixing a puncture is so quick and easy.

Having started this and admitting to throwing away a tube with what I know now as a lowly number of patches on it makes me feel even more disappointed with myself.

 

[martint235]

There is some top notch man-maths going on in this thread, I'll try and do some more...

The extra over time and cost of;

1, Finding the puncture (£0.00)
2, Roughing up the tube (£0.00)
3, Applying a blob of glue (£0.05, probably)
4, Waiting a few minutes for the glue to 'flash off' which is time you would use to check the tyre, remove the thorn et al and wipe the wheel over so it isn't wasted time (£0.00)
5, Pressing the patch on (£0.30, say)

6. Taxis to and from hospital for outpatients appointments following blow out of tyre at 35 mph going down Shooters Hill (£50.00)
7. Dental treatment to fix what's left of teeth (£240.00)


* see my previous post.

 

[Dogtrousers]

You have to factor in loss of brownie points when doing this. Empty tubes of rubber solution on the side in the kitchen. Talc moved from bathroom and not replaced. Tube left hanging from door handle. All of these can be costly errors.

 

[Colin_P]

I quite enjoy patching tubes. Its a nice ritual. Find the hole, sandpaper it, apply rubber, let it dry, apply patch, talc. All done while pottering around doing something else simultaneously.

I don't get many punctures. I quite look forward to it.

6. Taxis to and from hospital for outpatients appointments following blow out of tyre at 35 mph going down Shooters Hill (£50.00)
7. Dental treatment to fix what's left of teeth (£240.00)
* see my previous post.

8, Martin235, buy some drawing pins
9, Dogtrousers, go round to Martins house
10, Martin, use drawing pin to cause puncture
11, Dogtrousers will teach you how to fix one properly, he enjoys it!
12, Give money you save to me
13, Everybody wins and is happy.

 

[martint235]

8, Martin235, buy some drawing pins
9, Dogtrousers, go round to Martins house
10, Martin, use drawing pin to cause puncture
11, Dogtrousers will teach you how to fix one properly, he enjoys it!
12, Give money you save to me
13, Everybody wins and is happy.

Nope I don't think you're really grasping the limitless bounds of my cackhandedness. No amount of tutoring will result in me being able to patch a tube that would inspire the confidence required to get the bike out the front door.

 

[Colin_P]

Nope I don't think you're really grasping the limitless bounds of my cackhandedness. No amount of tutoring will result in me being able to patch a tube that would inspire the confidence required to get the bike out the front door.

Do you work in "IT" by chance ?

 

[martint235]

Do you work in "IT" by chance ?

Does IT show?

I have actually been a bricklayer (large outside dividing walls) and an upholsterer (pub furniture) but most of my working life is IT

 

[I like Skol]

Do you work in "IT" by chance ?

 

[Colin_P]

IT does, I somehow sensed it.

You should be able to add 'patcher' to your skills as you did have a life before IT.

 

[screenman]

It seems that people who patch get more punctures than those that do not.

 

[Colin_P]

Maybe we either cycle further or to more adventurous places.

But there again, maybe you are right !

 

[cd365]

There is some top notch man-maths going on in this thread, I'll try and do some more...

The extra over time and cost of;

1, Finding the puncture (£0.00)
2, Roughing up the tube (£0.00)
3, Applying a blob of glue (£0.05, probably)
4, Waiting a few minutes for the glue to 'flash off' which is time you would use to check the tyre, remove the thorn et al and wipe the wheel over so it isn't wasted time (£0.00)
5, Pressing the patch on (£0.30, say)

Is not much more time than having to swap over to a new tube, given that you have to take the wheel and tyre off anyway.

Of course for practicality reasons, unless you are having some really bad luck on a ride, you would do this at home and use a pre-patched spare to effect repairs mid ride.

I don't understand the throwaway mindset especially when fixing a puncture is so quick and easy.

Having started this and admitting to throwing away a tube with what I know now as a lowly number of patches on it makes me feel even more disappointed with myself.

My time isn't free!
My experience from many years ago was that some patches didn't hold, could have been bad patching by me or whoever patched it.

 

[I like Skol]

It seems that people who patch get more punctures than those that do not.

But, what is frequently and consistently repeated is the fact that nobody gets punctures in the same place as a previous repair. So the act of patching the tube does not induce further punctures. A bad repair will go down again but this is not a repeat puncture, merely a botched repair.

 

[screenman]

I feel that rubber deteriorates with age, I think there is some connections with the molecules and air. Cannot be sure and I am short of time to do the research.

 

[Colin_P]

Oh it does.

I got a brand new but very old 26" tube out of the box recently to swap [1] the tube on my sons [2] mountain bike and it had perished where it was folded over. Sadly it had to go in the bin.

[1] Valve was gone.... before the trow-away-ers start.
[2] Youngest son, he is twelve and it was just easier to do it myself.

CD365; As for time not being free, indeed, if anyone is lucky enough to have a job their time at work isn't free. At home though it is. Could be a different matter if you are a cycle courier or work 24 hours a day. The time is money thing is relating to fixing a puncture is inconsequential as it only adds five minutes to the process.

More man maths...

At 50k [3] a year gross, say 35k net with 5 weeks holiday, 47 weeks worked

47 weeks x 5 days x 8 hours a day = 1,880 hours per year
35k / 1,880 = £18.60 an hour
£18.60 / 60 = £0.31 per minute
£0.31 x 5 minutes = £1.55 !!
Less cost of patch and glue, say 25p
So you save 20p based on using a new £2 tube
x5 punctures a year = £1 saved
That has got to be worth it.

However the price of saving the children, the trees, the elephants and seals is priceless.

[3] I reckon that is a good average.