New tubes or "make do and mend"?

[slowmotion]

I am so old that I really get a bang out of repairing a tube on the kitchen table when I get home. Three patches and it goes in the bin however. I carry two new tubes when out, and a patch kit plus the rest. I sometimes ask for people to rescue me.

 

[Mad at urage]

Glue on its own - ask for it at your LBS!

I patch the tube in the street if it's dry, not too cold, not an insalubrious area (and time permitting), otherwise replace the tube and patch later as Skyfoil does.

Some people are wary of patching the tube, so:
Patching tubes - first add a piece of decent sandpaper (glasspaper preferred - the waterproof green stuff from DIY stores) to your patch repair kit. The sandpaper or 'scratching tool' supplied with most kits is inadequate. Make sure you thoroughly roughen the tube in an area larger than the patch.

Seam punctures can easily be repaired too, just ensure that this roughening process removes all sign of the seam from where you are patching.

Having roughened the area check where the puncture is again, apply a smear of glue so that the puncture is central to the glued area (actually it is vulcanising solution - simply put it chemically changes the rubber of the tube locally to allow the patch to stick). Allow this to become touch-dry (don't keep touching it, just allow the surface to dry - on a cold night you can blow gently on it to help).

Now you know where the puncture is, right (it is central to the glued area)? Carefully peal the cover off a patch and place it so its centre is the centre of the glued area. Do not touch the glued side of the patch. Press the patch in place against a hard surface (e.g. the cleaned bottom bracket of your upturned bike - or if you are hard, between finger and thumb ) using your finger-nail or similar to apply pressure moving from the centre of the patch to the edge. Don't move the patch whilst doing this (the idea is to push any air-bubbles out from under the patch, that is all).

After a few minutes, the vulcanising action will have completed (i.e. the glue will have taken ). I then add a further smear of 'glue' around the edge of the patch to prevent any loosness here resulting in a lifted patch. Blow this dry again, then scrape some of that white block in the repair kit with your fingernail to produce a talc-like dust and spread it over the patch (this is important to stop the patch sticking to the inside of the tyre, and tearing off when you pump it up).

Double check you've removed the cause of the p'ture then ease the tube back into the tyre and replace the tyre bead (preferably without using a lever). Pump up hard (this presses the patch into place of course).

This takes a long time to type, but I find that (in the right conditions) it is quicker than changing the tube, for the rear wheel - 'cos you don't need to remove the wheel to do it (tools required = 1 tyre lever for removal + glasspaper + patch + vulcanising solution + dust-block).

 

[tyred]

Glue on its own - ask for it at your LBS!

I patch the tube in the street if it's dry, not too cold, not an insalubrious area (and time permitting), otherwise replace the tube and patch later as Skyfoil does.

Some people are wary of patching the tube, so:
Patching tubes - first add a piece of decent sandpaper (glasspaper preferred - the waterproof green stuff from DIY stores) to your patch repair kit. The sandpaper or 'scratching tool' supplied with most kits is inadequate. Make sure you thoroughly roughen the tube in an area larger than the patch.

Seam punctures can easily be repaired too, just ensure that this roughening process removes all sign of the seam from where you are patching.

Having roughened the area check where the puncture is again, apply a smear of glue so that the puncture is central to the glued area (actually it is vulcanising solution - simply put it chemically changes the rubber of the tube locally to allow the patch to stick). Allow this to become touch-dry (don't keep touching it, just allow the surface to dry - on a cold night you can blow gently on it to help).

Now you know where the puncture is, right (it is central to the glued area)? Carefully peal the cover off a patch and place it so its centre is the centre of the glued area. Do not touch the glued side of the patch. Press the patch in place against a hard surface (e.g. the cleaned bottom bracket of your upturned bike - or if you are hard, between finger and thumb ) using your finger-nail or similar to apply pressure moving from the centre of the patch to the edge. Don't move the patch whilst doing this (the idea is to push any air-bubbles out from under the patch, that is all).

After a few minutes, the vulcanising action will have completed (i.e. the glue will have taken ). I then add a further smear of 'glue' around the edge of the patch to prevent any loosness here resulting in a lifted patch. Blow this dry again, then scrape some of that white block in the repair kit with your fingernail to produce a talc-like dust and spread it over the patch (this is important to stop the patch sticking to the inside of the tyre, and tearing off when you pump it up).

Double check you've removed the cause of the p'ture then ease the tube back into the tyre and replace the tyre bead (preferably without using a lever). Pump up hard (this presses the patch into place of course).

This takes a long time to type, but I find that (in the right conditions) it is quicker than changing the tube, for the rear wheel - 'cos you don't need to remove the wheel to do it (tools required = 1 tyre lever for removal + glasspaper + patch + vulcanising solution + dust-block).

Pretty much what I do to.


And definitely buy quality patches like Rema Tip Top. Pound shop stuff is rubbish.

 

[Dan B]

+1 for swap the tube at the scene and repair the old one later

 

[661-Pete]

Patch if you can! Will save you £££££££ in the long run. If you choose (like me) not to patch at the roadside, take the punctured tube home and patch it when you get home. Promptly. Don't amass a tangled pile of "to-be-patched"s in the garage, as I do ....

I find that Halfords own-brand rubber solution works fine, as do their feather-edged patches. And they're cheap and easily obtainable - and Halfords open on Sundays.

I try to patch everything except:

• Snake-bites (2 holes close together) - unless I have a patch that will safely cover both holes. Don't try two patches overlapping.
• Tears longer than about 1mm. Bin the tube.
• Punctures near the valve.

Rub the area with clean glass paper but don't overdo it. You only need to take off the patina, not roughen the surface. A few seconds rubbing will suffice. Then wipe over the area with clean dry kitchen-paper to remove the dust.

Apply two coats of solution. Spread over an area slightly larger than the patch size, with clean fingertip. Allow first coat to dry before applying second. This usually takes about 1 minute at room temperature.

When second coat is dry, peel foil off patch and apply carefully to tube. Make sure you get it right first time, you won't get a second chance! Careful not to touch either tube or patch surface. Press down firmly. Remove backing paper or cellophane by squeezing the patch until backing cracks and peel off from the centre, not by peeling from the side.

I've been doing it this way for years, and it works fine! I would say, a tube can have any number of patches, so long as they're all intact and don't overlap. It's when you get a large tear or two patches overlapping, or the tube is over-stretched, that's the time to bin it.

 

[MacB]

if you get the right sandpaper, and roughen the tube enough, you can destroy it thus removing all feelings of guilt around just using a new one. You can also replace on the road and take the punctured tube home for attention, even quicker is to use an electric sander....just remember to say oops after you've done it.

 

[661-Pete]

if you get the right sandpaper, and roughen the tube enough, you can destroy it thus removing all feelings of guilt around just using a new one. You can also replace on the road and take the punctured tube home for attention, even quicker is to use an electric sander....just remember to say oops after you've done it.

Well, if you really want to make a thorough job of it....

 

[Mad at urage]

if you get the right sandpaper, and roughen the tube enough, you can destroy it thus removing all feelings of guilt around just using a new one. You can also replace on the road and take the punctured tube home for attention, even quicker is to use an electric sander....just remember to say oops after you've done it.

ROFL !!!!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I started a very similar thread, Are you too posh to patch? last week on Bike Radar. In the interests of rigorous scientific research I set up a poll with an extensive series of options: yes and no. It's currently running at 35% who don't patch and 64% who do. Some interesting approaches there.

 

[monkeypony]

I never patch, but then I'm lucky enough to be able to get hold of tubes for less than cost price. If I had to pay retail, I'd patch

 

[DrSquirrel]

On the road a new tube. I don't get many problems so I wouldn't really save much by patching them, but I will when I can using patches with glue at home. On the road, if im going any distance I will put a glue less patch on the old tyre before packing it away... if I am unlucky to get a second I can still just "swap tubes" as if it was new.

Patches work well if you do it properly - dry surface, rough it up a bit etc.

 

[goo_mason]

If I have the time and the weather & location are right, I patch. Otherwise I pop in a new tube and patch the punctured one when I get home. That then goes back in my saddlebag as a spare tube. (Always carry two plus a puncture repair kit, a CO2 inflator plus a couple of spare canisters, and the pump on the bike frame).

For a few quid you get a puncture repair kit that will repair something like 6 - 8 punctures; if I had to buy 6 - 8 tubes, it would be a heck of a lot more expensive!

Never had a problem with duff patches or the repairs not holding, even though I'm pretty cack-handed!

 

[mgarl10024]

I am so old that I really get a bang out of repairing a tube on the kitchen table when I get home.

Hopefully not.

 

[John the Monkey]

New tube out on the road, then patch old tube at home.

I agree with Fossy that Rema Tip Top patches are the way to go. Glueless are ok for a quick fix, but pace the poster further up, I know of a few that failed in short order, one on the same ride! I'd always go with an glue + patch if possible.

as for when to get rid, I patch until I can't fit a patch on - not reached that point on most of mine yet...

 

[goo_mason]

I've found that Edinburgh Bike Co-Op's patch kits have been really good, as - surprisingly - have the Tesco Value £1 jobs (albeit that they only contained about 3 small patches).

However, for sheer quality I have to agree with the recommendations given previously for Rema Tip Top patches. They may cost a little more, but they're bigger and far superior.