New tubes or "make do and mend"?

[Holdsworth]

I am just wondering what others do when they have a visit from the PF. After yesterday having to bin three tubes in succession ending up with no spare tubes, I am thinking whether I should invest in a puncture repair as well as a couple of tubes?

The first one of the day was caused by a pinch, I think, and was located on a seam so there wasn't really any hope of repair. The second was a pinch between the rim and tyre (my fault

) and the third was a shard of glass that caused a small nick that could've been repaired.

I have never had much luck with repair kits in the past, usually due to the patch not sealing properly and not plugging the leak at all. It has kind of made me a bit wary of them as an effective form of repair since they never seem to work out for me.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[fossyant]

Use Tip top patches.

Let glue dry, then apply patch.

I patch 2-3 times then bin.

 

[Holdsworth]

You mean these?

 

[som3blok3]

I always use a new tube every time, although since I bought 'Armadillos' back in October last year I've not had visit from the PF (that was after I had 3 visits in 4 days!!). With a decent pair of tyres, and tubes being the price of a thimble full of petrol these days just plod on. Three in a row means your bad luck is done with so don't worry, no more visits for a while.

If I was to patch these days though, those 'Tip Tops' look the business.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm a new tube every time person. But only because I can't be arsed to patch.

 

[HLaB]

Touch wood 90% of my patches are effective (I usually pump the tube up and leave it over night to check) and touch wood again I don't have to rely on them too much; so up to a limit I'll usually mend. I find that its better to repair a few tubes in one go; it perhaps means the glue/ patches are better.

 

[ohnovino]

Same here. I have a terrible record with patches, and prefer the peace of mind of sticking in a new tube and knowing it'll stay inflated.

 

[Holdsworth]

Hopefully I have fulfilled my PF quota for a few months that series of events

I suppose I should splash out on some decent tyres such as the ones mentioned in the "£10 tyres" thread, the Bontrager Race Lites look like they might do the trick. I would get a set of Schwalbe Marathon+ but they don't go down to 23c unfortunately. My bike is tight on clearance where tyre height is concerned, would I have problems with fitting the Race Lites in place of Schwalbe Blizzards?

 

[som3blok3]

Hopefully I have fulfilled my PF quota for a few months that series of events

I suppose I should splash out on some decent tyres such as the ones mentioned in the "£10 tyres" thread, the Bontrager Race Lites look like they might do the trick. I would get a set of Schwalbe Marathon+ but they don't go down to 23c unfortunately. My bike is tight on clearance where tyre height is concerned, would I have problems with fitting the Race Lites in place of Schwalbe Blizzards?

Can't help on the Race Lites or Blizzards but I had Marathons for a while. Damm good puncture resistance, just too wide and heavy. I'd go Armadillo all condition evreytime now. 23c and 25c, 120 psi and tread on the edges for wet fast corners. Should be able to get a set for around £40 and you'll save yourself £40 in tubes within a few weeks.

 

[Skyfoil]

I carry two spare tubes and a repair kit.
In the event of a puncture, I put a new tube in and repair the old one at home in the warm when I get back.
The repaired tube then goes back in my pack as the spare.
I just keep rotating until I get a tube with about 2 or 3 repairs before I replace it.

It works for me. It saves time on the road, especially as i'm not going to win any awards for speedy repairs anytime soon.

 

[mickle]

I never get punctures.

 

[Holdsworth]

I never get punctures.

And why is that? Do you never go out on yer bike?

 

[Holdsworth]

I carry two spare tubes and a repair kit.
In the event of a puncture, I put a new tube in and repair the old one at home in the warm when I get back.
The repaired tube then goes back in my pack as the spare.
I just keep rotating until I get a tube with about 2 or 3 repairs before I replace it.

It works for me. It saves time on the road, especially as i'm not going to win any awards for speedy repairs anytime soon.

I am liking that idea, I might adopt that as my approach to p'ture repair as soon as I actually get some tubes to hold air!!!

 

[guitarpete247]

I tend to change the tube on the road and repair when I get home but not having that many visits from the fairy I find that the glue has gone off when I came to repair my next tube. You used to be able to buy the glue on it's own but haven't seen that for ages. I've got plenty of spare patches but only 1 tube of glue from my unopened kit. I'm now carrying "Slime Skabs" as they're glueless and take up very little room in my under saddle tool pouch .

 

[potsy]

I tend to stick a new one in and put a 'glueless' patch on the old one and use it as a spare, they get a mixed reaction on here but I have a repaired tube in my front tyre currently that has done over 1000 miles now and has held up well.
The ones I bought were the Park ones, great as they take up very little room and shouldn't dry up like the glue does.
That said I usually carry a new tube and a repaired one as my 2 spares.

Shwalbe Durano+ in 23mm are my tyre of choice btw.