Tandem Cycling - Self-stick patches

No tandem content here, except that my wife and I ride tandems both on and off road. I suppose if we can discuss dropout protectors, we can talk about tire patches, and anyway, most of the other areas where I could ask this question in this forum are a bit, shall we say, gonzo :) No mercy at all for questions perceived as lame.

I like to carry a patch kit to avoid a long walk home (especially out of the woods, and even more so because my stoker is blind). I also carry spare tubes, but you just never know when you'll have one of those rare rides with multiple flats and will find a patch kit handy. What I really hate is going to patch a tube and finding that the rubber cement has dried up in its little tube.

Which brings me to self stick or "instant" patches. I tried some of these when they first appeared years ago and was underwhelmed. I'd assume that by now the technology has improved.

The question is: does anyone use these things; how well do they work; is there a preferred brand?

Thanks-

Rick

I don't like the stick on patches. Yes, they get you home, but when you deflate the inner tube at home, the patch wrinkles up like a prune and sometimes comes unstuck either immediately or after an indeterminate period. This is not something I would risk on the tandem. Also you have to clean the inner tube before they stick properly, and if you do that you may as well patch it with glue. I just don't really need them as I rarely get more than one puncture per ride.

I don't like patching tubes away from home, so only do it if absolutely necessary. IMO best to use 2 puncture kits - one in the saddle bag with unopened goo, and one at home in use. This way you don't end up trying to fix a tube with a mysteriously empty tube of goo (it evaporates slowly once opened).

Those are just to get you home incase your other two spare tubes flat too.
If you must patch a tube pemanently the old fashion way is the only sure way.
Personally I don't flat that often to worry about the cost so I just toss the flat ones rather than patch them.

Hell, know fellow that patched his leaky tube with the only thing he had available: a postage stamp!
Agree the self-stick kind are problematic. We do carry a patch kit along with spare tube on tandem toots, and 2 spare tubes on tours.
Whatever gets you home . . .

I suppose if we can discuss dropout protectors, we can talk about tire patches, Rick

hey hey hey. The whole problem resulted from 145mm spacing, making it tandem specific.:)

No tandem content here, except that my wife and I ride tandems both on and off road. I suppose if we can discuss dropout protectors, we can talk about tire patches,

Rick

I don't know how universal this is, but on relatively short trips, especially when I'm not alone, I don't carry any repair tools, tubes, etc., when we're on singles. Worst that can happen is she rides home and I walk/carry my bike, rest, walk some more, until she arrives with the car :D. Longer trips are a different matter. On a tandem, I wouldn't go anywhere (well, maybe around the block), without the ability to repair a flat.

So it is tandem content.:)

I have tried them didn't care for them. They did work but in the long run better to use glue type. They can move and do when they get hot as in hot weather and when you remove it to patch it again with glue its quite a mess to get the sticky residue off the tube. Take the extra 120 sec. and use glue to do it rightthe first time. I seem to just replace tubes with new ones on the road and patch later and give them away most times.

The one time I tried to rely on 'stickers', the hole ended up right next to the mold sprue (that rubber ridge from manufacture) on the tube. Tried to sand it smooth before applying the patch, but couldn't without feeling like I was getting rid of too much tube. The result was a channel that allowed a slow leak.

Easily wasted more time and effort stopping to top off air than using a conventional patch kit. Now, I always carry a tube (perhaps 2 on a long ride) and a 'real' kit for the hard luck times.

I will say this was an experience from years ago. Maybe they've improved them since. Have a buddy that swears by duct tape for mtb quick fixes, but I don't know how that'd stand up to road pressures.

Stickers are definitely only for get-you-home use. No point on a tour or if you intend to reuse the tube.

I have only used the glue-less patches once. It was on this year's Assault on Marion. About 6 miles into the ride my stoker jinxed us by not only noticing, but mentioning out loud all the people that had mechanical difficulty. We ended up having to patch a tube when we found out our spare had a hole in it! We also put a patch on the inside of the tire "just in case." We made the remaining 69 miles on the patch. When we got home we simply threw the tube out. Who really rides on patched tubes anyway?

Have tried the glueless several times because they were clean and easy. They got us home but eventually leaked...will not use again. We just carry two tubes and a conventional patch kit on longer rides.

Bill J

Who really rides on patched tubes anyway?

I hope a lot of people do. Patching tubes isn't my favourite job, but it's not that bad, and gives you a nice feeling that you're not throwing away something that could easily be repaired. Also my favoured 50g inner tubes are too expensive to throw away without patching a few times (and still lighter and faster than a cheap inner tube even with 5 patches). My parents are both Scottish, which may be a factor.

I guess I'll log the minority vote here in support of the self adhesive patches. I've had more trouble with the rubber-cement type than the self adhesive ones. And yes, I ride on patched tubes all the time (at least on single bikes). I carry a spare tube, so the patches are for backup -- but I will often patch the leaky tube at home and put it back in the bag. Never had a problem.

Last time I fixed a flat I determined that the problem was old / bad rim tape, and the self adhesive patch worked great on the rim to block the hole that caused the flat in the first place for the remainder of the ride. That wouldn't have worked so well with rubber cement.

And yes, I ride on patched tubes all the time (at least on single bikes). I carry a spare tube, so the patches are for backup -- but I will often patch the leaky tube at home and put it back in the bag. Never had a problem.


All right, am I doing something wrong? Last time I patched a tube, I could feel the bump from the patch every revolution of the tire. Now this was on a single, at 100+ psi, but the response I'm quoting was referring to singles as well.

All right, am I doing something wrong? Last time I patched a tube, I could feel the bump from the patch every revolution of the tire. Now this was on a single, at 100+ psi, but the response I'm quoting was referring to singles as well.

My experience is on 23mm tires, usually at 115-120 PSI. I apply them as you would a normal patch -- rubbing for a bit to get good contact. The patches I've used are from Park Tool. They are transparent square shaped patches, about the size of a postage stamp, and significantly thinner than the rubber cement style patches I've used. [Not sure if you're complaining about the self-adhesive patches here, or any patched tube...]

I used the "self stick" patches to seal punctures for tubes on low pressure tires with no problem. The rubber cement tube had gotten punctured by a tool so I tried the instant patch and it is still working.

My experience is on 23mm tires, usually at 115-120 PSI. I apply them as you would a normal patch -- rubbing for a bit to get good contact. The patches I've used are from Park Tool. They are transparent square shaped patches, about the size of a postage stamp, and significantly thinner than the rubber cement style patches I've used. [Not sure if you're complaining about the self-adhesive patches here, or any patched tube...]
It was the cement style.

The self-adhesive patches, especially the Parks, are great for sticking over a glass slice in the tire that doesn't need a boot, but wants a little something to protect the next tube. Glue-on patches don't seem to stick to the insides of tires, but the instant patches do. And the instant patches are thinner than the Park self-stick boots, which will eventually wear through a tube.

But in my experience they're useless for patching tubes.

I combine touring and hiking (on a tandem and on a single), and I have found these stick on patches to be great for blister protection if you get a hot spot. They will also get you home if you have a flat. They weigh nothing, and so I carry them in addition to my spare tube(s).

I guess I'll log the minority vote here in support of the self adhesive patches. I've had more trouble with the rubber-cement type than the self adhesive ones. And yes, I ride on patched tubes all the time (at least on single bikes). I carry a spare tube, so the patches are for backup -- but I will often patch the leaky tube at home and put it back in the bag. Never had a problem.

I'm with you on this, except that in all my years and miles of riding I've never had problems with either type of patch. IMHO it comes down to lightly abrading the tube, allowing the adhesive to dry for 10-15 min before applying the patch in the case of rubber-cement type. As for the press-ons, roughen the tube and stick on the patch. (and no, they don't wrinkle when the tube is deflated).

The number of Punctures I get- The cement never has time to dry out.

But have carried the Self adhesive patches and used them with no Problem----Till last time out on the MTB. Don't use the mountain bike very often now and had just changed to the wheels with the mud tyres. Repaired the Puncture with conventional repair kit and pumped the tyre up. 1/2 mile further on and flat tyre again. It was a self adhesive patch that had been on the tube- and it must have been a couple of years old. It had lifted.

So no problems with self adhesive- But no longer trust them.

In the mid-90's the Park Tool self stick patches had the catalogue number of GP1, and I could see a frosted 3M logo on the patch when I peeled it off to put on the tube. These were better than the glue on patches and I loved them! They almost always worked and were very durable, they lasted for years!

Around 2000 Park changed the catalogue number to GP2 and the 3M logo disappeared. It appeared to me that they found a different formula for the adhesive and possibly a new supplier. That was when I soured on the self-stick patches. They failed more than they worked. I changed to the glue on patches because they were more reliable. I haven't bothered buying the GP2 patches since and the comments in this thread tell me that the reliability has not changed, even though Park Tool on their web site claims that 3M is making these (again?).

I would really welcome a return to the old formula, if that is indeed about to happen. I can only hope.