Self adhesive patches.

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Trevrev

Trevrev

Veteran
Location
Southampton
With commuting comes the joys of roadside tube changes.
I always carry spares, and repair the punctured one when i get home, or during my lunch if i can be arsed.
I like my trusty glue on patches, but i keep hearing how good self adhesive patches are.
Anyone on here use them??? Are they really that good??
 
B

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
I don't like 'em, I'm with you Trev. Give me old school glue and patches anyday. Maybe it's something to do with the fact that it took me so long to learn how to patch properly when I was a yoof (I can be a bit slow).
 
HobbesChoice

HobbesChoice

New Member
Location
Essex
I'm a big fan of self adhesive patches myself. They're so easy to use, don't take any time "drying", need no powder, make no mess etc and work instantly. They're very reasonably priced too and the only issue I have with roadside repairs is making sure no car drivers see me (as I'm generally SO smug about skimming past them all while they're stuck in traffic that I know it'd serve me right if they saw me sitting in the rain struggling to lever off the tyre!!!)

For the few pounds they cost you may as well give them a try and see if they become your own personal preference. You have nothing to lose really!
 
T

Theseus

.
Location
Edinburgh
I tried Park ones, but threw them out as I was finding that they came away from the tube after a little while. Not sure if it was a compatibility problem with the tube or if I was somehow messing up the procedure of taking off the backing and pressing onto the tube.

Happy to use a combination of spare tube as first change followed by patching in a bus shelter (if wet & I can find one).
 
jonny jeez

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Location
Chislehurst, Kent, UK
Mixed opinions myself.

I used to use these all the time in my MTB days (they were referred to as "Leeches" back then, not sure what the current definition is)

I have just replaced my new stock of "leeches" (for glue and patch) as the only two punctures I have had in the last 2 years (one since commuting) simply would not seal with them.

First was a sizeable hole that just inflated the leech and blew out again 20 seconds later (after re-fitting the rear wheel and moving on...GRRRR)

Second was in pouring rain on the Chelsea embankment about a month ago. It took me 30 minutes of fixing, inflating, and searching for a secondary puncture to realise that the "instant" repair was...well..."not"

Turns out, leeches are useless at fixing punctures on seams (as they cannot get a good seal where the two heights of surface meet) and as most tubes have a seam running on the outer circumference (right where the tyre hits the road), it is prone to punctures in that spot.

Glue patches sealed the "seam" puncture in about 30 seconds. I've now gone "old skool" and chucked out all my leeches.
 
T

Theseus

.
Location
Edinburgh
jonny jeez said:
Turns out, leeches are useless at fixing punctures on seams (as they cannot get a good seal where the two heights of surface meet) and as most tubes have a seam running on the outer circumference (right where the tyre hits the road), it is prone to punctures in that spot.
Click to expand...

Ah! that will probably explain my failure to get the blighters to stick.
 
potsy

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
jonny jeez said:
Mixed opinions myself.

I used to use these all the time in my MTB days (they were referred to as "Leeches" back then, not sure what the current definition is)

I have just replaced my new stock of "leeches" (for glue and patch) as the only two punctures I have had in the last 2 years (one since commuting) simply would not seal with them.

First was a sizeable hole that just inflated the leech and blew out again 20 seconds later (after re-fitting the rear wheel and moving on...GRRRR)

Second was in pouring rain on the Chelsea embankment about a month ago. It took me 30 minutes of fixing, inflating, and searching for a secondary puncture to realise that the "instant" repair was...well..."not"

Turns out, leeches are useless at fixing punctures on seams (as they cannot get a good seal where the two heights of surface meet) and as most tubes have a seam running on the outer circumference (right where the tyre hits the road), it is prone to punctures in that spot.

Glue patches sealed the "seam" puncture in about 30 seconds. I've now gone "old skool" and chucked out all my leeches.
Click to expand...
That's what the sandpapers for mate,to sand the seam down to the same level as the rest of the tube.
 
P

PK99

Legendary Member
Location
SW19
potsy said:
That's what the sandpapers for mate,to sand the seam down to the same level as the rest of the tube.
Click to expand...

that and to remove the releasing agent on the surface of the rubber from the manufacturing process - I was told that removal was even more important with the glueless variety
 
jonny jeez

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Location
Chislehurst, Kent, UK
PK99 said:
that and to remove the releasing agent on the surface of the rubber from the manufacturing process - I was told that removal was even more important with the glueless variety
Click to expand...


I do get that...but I guess the point I'm making is, why bother with endless sanding and trial fixing (only to suffer a fail seconds later) when a old fashioned glue and patch does the job in half the time (first time).

seems that this type of labour saving patch...often isnt at all.

That said, I had loads of punctures in the old days and leeches seemed to do the trick, so maybe I've been unlucky.
 
simongrant

simongrant

Active Member
Tried the bell glueless patches a few years ago,absolute crap,then i rediscovered tip top repair kit,bloody brilliant,rediscovered because i used to used my dads as a child,takes 5 mins and you cant even tell theres a patch on there,no bumps no nothing just a perfect repair,anyone else for tip top???

regards

Simon
 
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