Who makes the best patches?

[MajorMantra]

I'm after a couple of puncture repair kits and I thought I might as well consult the CC oracle first. A quick search turned up a recommendation for Rema Tip Top kits - is there anything better out there?

Cheers,
Matthew

 

[AlanW]

I'm after a couple of puncture repair kits and I thought I might as well consult the CC oracle first. A quick search turned up a recommendation for Rema Tip Top kits - is there anything better out there?

Cheers,
Matthew

In a word.....no!

 

[Scoosh]

I needed some patches in a hurry a week or so ago and it was a choice of a repair kit (glue, paper, 4x round, 2x small oval) for £2.50 or the Park Tools self adhesives - 6 for £3.50. I went for the self adhesives to try them and must admit that I'm pretty impressed. They are square, seem to work well and come in an extremely small, light package, small enough that you could (just about) loose them in your back pocket

 

[MajorMantra]

In a word.....no!

Guess I'll buy some then.

The self sticky park patches are good for emergencies though.

I needed some patches in a hurry a week or so ago and it was a choice of a repair kit (glue, paper, 4x round, 2x small oval) for £2.50 or the Park Tools self adhesives - 6 for £3.50. I went for the self adhesives to try them and must admit that I'm pretty impressed. They are square, seem to work well and come in an extremely small, light package, small enough that you could (just about) loose them in your back pocket

I have some of the Park ones kicking around somewhere, probably in Luxembourg actually. I once lent them to someone and he utterly failed to mend his tube with it but I'm not sure if that was incompetence or what. What really puts me off using them is the likely need to replace them with a proper patch down the line. Better to get it done properly first time IMO.

Matthew

 

[AlanW]

The self sticky park patches are good for emergencies though.

I agree, and I always have a pack with me, as well as two spares tubes. "If" all else fails then I would use them, but never had yet.

Never the less, if nothing else they are good for sticking on the inside of your tyres in the event of the tyre being split due to glass/flint etc

As mentioned somewhere else in this thread, I would avoid using them on my tubes unless it was really necessary.

 

[soulful dog]

I thought I was rubbish at repairing punctures after a couple of failed attempts with those self adhesive park patches, but a cheap halfords puncture repair kit (with glue & patches) has done the job those park patches failed miserably at.

 

[Scoosh]

In their defence, the Park patches do say that the surface needs to be clean, dry and lightly roughed with sandpaper. This is not always easy to achieve and I think it is easier to get away with incomplete preparation with regular glue-and-patch repairs than with the self adhesives.

 

[Flying Dodo]

I always use the Park patches, as they're more convenient and so much easier to use. Especially this time of year when it's wet and you'd have problems waiting for the glue for traditional patches to set.

About the only downside is that I've found when they've been on a tube for about 4 years, they start to wrinkle. Fortunately (or is that unfortunately) I don't have many inner tubes getting to that advanced age.

 

[Steve Austin]

if fixing at home you can't beat the rema patches and good old fashioned glue. glue needs to be fresh, as it goes off.
on the road the park super patches are really good. these ones
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=7206

 

[Hilldodger]

Err, most puncture kits are made by the same company and branded.

The old oblong metal tin type were all made by Britannia Rubber in Leicester.

 

[MajorMantra]

Err, most puncture kits are made by the same company and branded.

There may not be many companies making them but I'm sure there's more than one. For one thing doesn't Weldtite still make them in the UK whilst many patches come from Asia?

Matthew

 

[Tynan]

if fixing at home you can't beat the rema patches and good old fashioned glue. glue needs to be fresh, as it goes off.
on the road the park super patches are really good. these ones
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=7206

wha?

after years of whizzy patching I had a mare last month using a tired old kit

tsk