Bicycle Mechanics - Ready to surrender patching tubes

I hereby admit that I am incapabale of patching a tube so it wont leak. I think I am doing it right -- scuff surface, apply vulcanizing fluid, let dry, apply patch. the patches always look nice. But every time, the tube leaks. Not a lot. The tires hold air well enough to ride to work and home again at end of day without need to reinflate. But instead of losing a few pounds of air over 24 hrs, the tire with patched tube will lose maybe 20 or 30 lbs and invariably dunking inflated patch in water reveals oh so slight bubbling somewhere around edge of patch. Since I reinflate every ride, anyway, perhaps this isnt a big deal, but its irritating nontheless. Welcome any advice for patching tubes so they dont leak.

I air up the tube after patching.

Hang it up and check it after 24 hours.

If it has lost air I water test it, looking for very small slow air bubbles.

One of the most important steps is to "stitch" the patch down. You can't do this with gentle finger pressure, you need intense local pressure to work the patch into the tube and make a proper bond. They make tire stitchers (http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tire+stitcher&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=16489865048&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1337112792129641550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_z6378r271_e), which are basically wheels on a stick specifically for this job. You don't need to go out and buy one though. Anything that will let you massage the two together will work. I use the rounded end of a 6" adjustable wrench on a table top, using a rocking motion to do the job, you can improvise with anything, but take a minute and stitch the patch down, especially at the edges and you'll have better results.

BTW- if you use patches like Rema, you're also supposed to remove the cellophane on the outside after you've stitched the patch. The cellophane inhibits the curing process (according to Rema) and prevents good bonding.

BTW- there's also a bit of chemistry involved, and there are slightly different formulations of the butyl in tubes. IME- every once in a while you'll run into a mismatch that won't bond no matter how hard you try. In Germany, Rema offers patches of different material and glue for various types of tubes, but only one (the basic butyl) is sold here in the USA

I hereby admit that I am incapabale of patching a tube so it wont leak. I think I am doing it right -- scuff surface, apply vulcanizing fluid, let dry, apply patch.
I've found that the 'let dry' step can be important and therefore it's best to do the patching at home without any time concerns. So I carry a spare tube to change the flat on the road (and also a patch kit just in case there are multiple flats). Once I have a few tubes to fix I do the patching at home and let the glue sit for quite awhile to dry before applying the patch. This also allows the patch job to cure fully before it's put into use. And I agree with a previous post that it's best to remove the cellophane covering from the patch.

I've found that the 'let dry' step can be important and therefore it's best to do the patching at home without any time concerns. .

+1, I didn't mention this since the OP says he does that, but this isn't a place for impatience. No blowing on the glue to dry it faster, or any shortcuts. As noted, carry a spare, so you can do a proper job at home.

One of the most important steps is to "stitch" the patch down. You can't do this with gentle finger pressure, you need intense local pressure to work the patch into the tube and make a proper bond. They make tire stitchers (http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tire+stitcher&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=16489865048&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1337112792129641550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_z6378r271_e), which are basically wheels on a stick specifically for this job. You don't need to go out and buy one though. Anything that will let you massage the two together will work. I use the rounded end of a 6" adjustable wrench on a table top, using a rocking motion to do the job, you can improvise with anything, but take a minute and stitch the patch down, especially at the edges and you'll have better results.

BTW- if you use patches like Rema, you're also supposed to remove the cellophane on the outside after you've stitched the patch. The cellophane inhibits the curing process (according to Rema) and prevents good bonding.

BTW- there's also a bit of chemistry involved, and there are slightly different formulations of the butyl in tubes. IME- every once in a while you'll run into a mismatch that won't bond no matter how hard you try. In Germany, Rema offers patches of different material and glue for various types of tubes, but only one (the basic butyl) is sold here in the USA

I haven't been doing anything by way of stitching (just pressing edges down. I'll give it a shot.

Edited to add: Okay, gave the stitching a shot, using the back side of my handy hozan c-205 lockring wrench (http://www.hozan.co.jp/cycle_e/catalog/bb_pedal/C-205.htm) as my stiching tool. I let you know how it holds air.

I gotta question for my TX & NY bff's:

Do you.all.really use the supplied grater and/or the sandpaper?

I don't, I have an old paint mixer stick (the wooden kind they used to give away free) with glue-on sandpaper on it.

I don't even let the glue dry. I give it a minute or two to let the glue get a skin, then I slap the patch on it and press with my thumb and massage it until glue oozes out all the way around. If I don't have enough glue all the way around the edge, I add more from the tube. I then smear the glue around the edge of the patch and cover the orange in glue, wait 5 minutes and inflate with a couple of psi to hold form to re-install.

Yes, it's a messy way to do it, but it works every time for me and it's fast.

RK

Don't just scuff the surface; you need to remove all of the original surface of the rubber tube as it is contaminated with mold release compound which will interfere with the vulcanization process. It is not merely glue sticking to the rubber but a chemical reaction which occurs that fuses the rubber surfaces together.

I'm so bad at patching that I don't even bother anymore.

Depends on the patches and the glue you are using. I dont even buy patches anymore, i use old tubes and glue for tubulars, that thing fuse the piece of rubber big time.

Patch at home as others have said. Wise and respected posters have mentioned stitching, you should listen to them.

I, however, am feckless and lazy - so I use a small one of these to clamp the patch tight while it dries, sprinkle talc or ground chalk before clamping so the patch doesn't stick to the clamp.

http://www.rapidtoolsdirect.co.uk/images/uploaded/irwin%20quick%20clamp.jpg

Incidentally the little clamp is also v useful for holding v-brake arms together while you do up cable fittings etc.

I usually patch at home after a ride. I use acetone to remove the mold release and give it a light sanding with emory cloth. I apply a thin layer of vulcanizing compound and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before applying the patch. I work mine in with an old socket.

I don't even let the glue dry. I give it a minute or two to let the glue get a skin, then I slap the patch on it and press with my thumb and massage it until glue oozes out all the way around. If I don't have enough glue all the way around the edge, I add more from the tube. I then smear the glue around the edge of the patch and cover the orange in glue, wait 5 minutes and inflate with a couple of psi to hold form to re-install.

Yes, it's a messy way to do it, but it works every time for me and it's fast.

RK

I almost guarandamntee that we'll be hearing from RK in the future:rolleyes:

RK, you are waiting 5 minutes anyway. Why not just apply a thin layer of vulcanizing fluid (it's not 'glue'), allow it to dry for those 5 minutes and press the patch in place. Permanent fix and you haven't wasted a whole bunch of vulcanizing fluid you don't need to waste in addition to not making a mess.

I hereby admit that I am incapabale of patching a tube so it wont leak. I think I am doing it right -- scuff surface, apply vulcanizing fluid, let dry, apply patch. the patches always look nice. But every time, the tube leaks. Not a lot. The tires hold air well enough to ride to work and home again at end of day without need to reinflate. But instead of losing a few pounds of air over 24 hrs, the tire with patched tube will lose maybe 20 or 30 lbs and invariably dunking inflated patch in water reveals oh so slight bubbling somewhere around edge of patch. Since I reinflate every ride, anyway, perhaps this isnt a big deal, but its irritating nontheless. Welcome any advice for patching tubes so they dont leak.

Wait. Wait. Wait. Then wait some more. You can't wait too long for the fluid to dry.

Patch the tube flat, i.e. without air in it. Air tends to pucker the patch and, if you have pockets that don't make a good bond...it happens...you'll form channels for leaks.

The quality of the patch kit is important too. Cheap patches aren't worth the box they come in. Buy good Rem Tip Top patches and follow the instruction.

And, finally, wait.

I gently clamp my patch jobs in a vise between two blocks of leather for about an hour, then I hang it up with my other patched tubes to be used in the future.

I haven't been doing anything by way of stitching (just pressing edges down. I'll give it a shot.

The surface you set the tube on to roll the patch has to be solid, I like vices that are rounded,, and roll it hard, get all the air out from under the patch and mush the patch on.

Yes anything will do but use the correct tool, a roller, it's what makes life fun.

As it's contact cement, the longer it dries before joining, the better the bond

Clean both surfaces with an alchol swipe before applying glue

I hate to tell you guys, but you are using an antique way of patching tubes. I use Park glueless patches. I have NEVER had one fail. I am riding right now on tubes that have had the glueless patches on then for more than 2 or 3 years. All I do is scuff the leak area well, place the patch on and remount and inflate.

In addition to the suggestions above, I will inflate the tube just a little so that it gets to the shape it might take inflated inside the tire. That way, especially on large volume tires, there is less stretch of the tube and patch after inflation.

This doesn't always work - especially if it is a large hole - then the air escapes and ruins the patch. YMMV.

I hate to tell you guys, but you are using an antique way of patching tubes. I use Park glueless patches. I have NEVER had one fail. I am riding right now on tubes that have had the glueless patches on then for more than 2 or 3 years. All I do is scuff the leak area well, place the patch on and remount and inflate.

I've had bad luck with these and won't use them anymore.

FB, fair enough.

Listen to FBinNY; he knows what to do. There is no substitute for real Rema patches, or in the case of Road Tubeless, the larger car tire patches and the can of blue fluid.

One of the most important steps is to "stitch" the patch down. You can't do this with gentle finger pressure, you need intense local pressure to work the patch into the tube and make a proper bond. They make tire stitchers (http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tire+stitcher&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=16489865048&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1337112792129641550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_z6378r271_e), which are basically wheels on a stick specifically for this job. You don't need to go out and buy one though. Anything that will let you massage the two together will work. I use the rounded end of a 6" adjustable wrench on a table top, using a rocking motion to do the job, you can improvise with anything, but take a minute and stitch the patch down, especially at the edges and you'll have better results.


BTW- if you use patches like Rema, you're also supposed to remove the cellophane on the outside after you've stitched the patch. The cellophane inhibits the curing process (according to Rema) and prevents good bonding.

BTW- there's also a bit of chemistry involved, and there are slightly different formulations of the butyl in tubes. IME- every once in a while you'll run into a mismatch that won't bond no matter how hard you try. In Germany, Rema offers patches of different material and glue for various types of tubes, but only one (the basic butyl) is sold here in the USA

This is really good advice. I have used a wooden roller intended for sealing wallpaper seams. And the comment about Rema is right on too, execpt it is a catch-22. Sure you should use Rema, but getting the cellophane off causes me to spoil more patch applications than I can count. Pulling off the cellophane too early or too roughly is a prime cause of a poor seal; it undoes all you hard work.

Having said all that about technique, I am going to go out on a limb and risk some ridicule. It is wasteful I know and not very bike-macho, but if you can afford to toss the tube, just do it. The is no glory in always worrying about your tubes leaking or failing on a ride due to a bad patch. For $4-6 on sale, after riding road bikes for over 30 years, I just don't need the aggravation any more. If you can't afford it, I certainly do understand. Been there too. In that case all this other advice is right on, but you will be happier if you can just blow it off. What I do is carry the glueless patches for an emergency just to get me home in case I really screw up and go through my couple of spare tubes (like not checking for sharp objects in the tire casing). When I get the patched tube home, it goes into the wastebasket. Done and done.

Robert

Use patches with a feathered edge like rema.
Clean, sand, apply THIN smear of cement over area greater than patch, centred on the hole.
My LBS advised 2 very thin coats.

wait
Apply patch to exclude air. I bend the patch, contact with the centre and let it roll out. With smaller patches, you can roll them on from one side. Apply thumb radially from centre to edge, quite hard.
Remove paper/cellophane by cracking the material in the centre and peeling from centre-outwards.
Any force from the centre inwards will act to raise the edge.

There are several brands of glueless patches. As I posted I have never had even one failure with Park glueless patches. BTW I do baby powder the inside of my tires, this lets the tube slide and seat with no sticking and stresses. Also when I inflate the tube again I pump to half pressure, release the air down and then pump to full pressur.

There are several brands of glueless patches. As I posted I have never had even one failure with Park glueless patches. BTW I do baby powder the inside of my tires, this lets the tube slide and seat with no sticking and stresses. Also when I inflate the tube again I pump to half pressure, release the air down and then pump to full pressur.

I tried glueless patch once when they first came out. I still have the package of Park patches in my tool box somewhere. They didn't work. I went back to Remas.

I use a heat gun. Get the tube hot before applying glue, heat up the patch before "stitching" it. Seems to help a lot.

Don in Austin

As I have posted, the Park glueless patches worked great for me. The problem with the old fashioned glue and patch kits is that after the tube has been opened once the glue turns hard and useless.

As I have posted, the Park glueless patches worked great for me. The problem with the old fashioned glue and patch kits is that after the tube has been opened once the glue turns hard and useless.
I haven't had that problem unless either the tube or the cap has a small crack in it. To make the cap have a more air tight seal I let a bit of the glue get on the threads of the tube before resealing it. Usually there's still plenty of glue left after the patches are used up so I put the old tube in the next patch kit for redundancy.

Ok, here are results from my latest efforts with two tubes -- one of which was a recent puncture, one was long ago patched and had been in saddlebag fro some time to serve as spare for road repair. Water test revealed both had small leaks around edges of patches.


Effort 1; done after I read FBinNY stitching advise but before some other posts.

-- Tube 1: NonRema patch, REMA vulc fluid; waited until fluid was no longer shiney but certainly not to the degree that cycocommute suggested; stitched the bejesus out of it like FBinNY suggested. FAIL

-- Tube 2: Rema Tiptop patch, otherwise same as above. FAIL

Efforts 2: Rema Tiptop patches on both; wait wait wait wait wait; stitch stitch stitch stitch....VICTORY.

One note. I was very surprised that tube 2 actually worked, because it turned out I had two holes. In testing the previous patch, I discovered that not only was there a leak around the patch itself but there was a second very slight nick about 1/2cm off the edge of the patch. It was so slight that once old patch was removed and air escaped main hole, I coudn't even tell it was there since most of the air was escaping through the bigger hole (I suspect that the glass that caused the puncture also created the nick as the tire deflated after original flat and tube shifted position slightly in relation to the tire). But with patch on, bubbles were escaping from the edge of one side of patch and through this little nick on the other. Rather than using two round patches, I used one of the long rectangualr ones; expecting, frankly, that, given my incompetance with samll patches, I would be utterly incapable of getting the larger patch to stick. But the wait alot/stitch alot method worked.

So thanks all for the advise, particulalrly cycocommute and FBinNY

(by the way, glueless patches have worked great in a pinch for me but always eventually come unstuck for me; and dont even bother of its wet outside).

I don't know why, I had recently started having major problems patching tubes myself but have no recollection of such problems years ago. Always was able to get it right the first time.

I searched through the old threads here (plenty to go through) and found one, http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/819953-found-a-good-source-for-patch-glue-rubber-cement, in which Slime Rubber Cement, found at Auto Zone among other places, was recommended.

I gave this a try and found that it worked better with the Rema patches than the glue that came with the patches.

Can there be something different about the tire tubes being manufactured today compared to those of years past?

Maybe the mold release is now embedded deeper into the surface of the tubes than in the past?

I can't figure it out.

I reckon you should get someone to show you how they apply patches. You must be doing something wrong.

I just use the cheap $3.50 repair kits and they are perfectly reliable. Unlike every glueless patch I've ever tried... (I do like them for emergency "good enough to get me home" fixes).

I thought that i might add my 2 pence, as others have said ,if you can carry a spare and patch when y'all get home. When i run in to this i usually just scuff like crazy, then apply fluid and then set thw fluid afire( i know that many will be agast at this, but it works for me) then the patch, stich like mad, then call it a night

If you properly clean the tube, and use a Rema patch kit, the patch isn't ever going to come off or leak.

I use a can of Rema BL-8 for Road Tubeless patching but it's also good for tubes.

273292

Here's a tube I patched; bottom patch is a standard Rema patch from the bike patch kit. Top patch is a Park patch put on with the blue Rema BL-8 vulcanizing fluid. You can see that both of them are practically welded to the tube, never to come off.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JrPuXAxKAcU/UFbzqssnKOI/AAAAAAAAA6M/zVp96Hms7s0/s1152/20120917_055453.jpg

I thought that i might add my 2 pence, as others have said ,if you can carry a spare and patch when y'all get home. When i run in to this i usually just scuff like crazy, then apply fluid and then set thw fluid afire( i know that many will be agast at this, but it works for me) then the patch, stich like mad, then call it a night

I dont carry patch kit on rides. I carry one spare tube and the emergency peel and stick and patches just incase I get more than one flat -- which has so fare necver happen. I only patch at home.

If you properly clean the tube, and use a Rema patch kit, the patch isn't ever going to come off or leak.

I use a can of Rema BL-8 for Road Tubeless patching but it's also good for tubes.

273292

Here's a tube I patched; bottom patch is a standard Rema patch from the bike patch kit. Top patch is a Park patch put on with the blue Rema BL-8 vulcanizing fluid. You can see that both of them are practically welded to the tube, never to come off.


My patches always look like that yet leak; the advice on this thred and my most recent experience demonstrates that more than the right glue/patch combo is at play; there is something to the technique advocated by FBinNY and cycocommute (wait/stitch).

As I have posted, the Park glueless patches worked great for me. The problem with the old fashioned glue and patch kits is that after the tube has been opened once the glue turns hard and useless.


I haven't had that problem unless either the tube or the cap has a small crack in it. To make the cap have a more air tight seal I let a bit of the glue get on the threads of the tube before resealing it. Usually there's still plenty of glue left after the patches are used up so I put the old tube in the next patch kit for redundancy.

What prathman says. I seldom have patch kits that last long enough for the glue to dry out but if it happens, it usually takes years of sitting, forgotten, in the bottom of a bag. Seal the glue tube properly and it won't dry out. Or, alternatively, get new tubes of glue periodically. They are cheap and better than walking.

But patching a tube well, having it hold up, that's part of the fun, man.

A wall paper seam roller and a little muscle does a great job "stitching" the patch on. The rollers are cheap at your hardware store. bk

This is really good advice. I have used a wooden roller intended for sealing wallpaper seams. And the comment about Rema is right on too, execpt it is a catch-22. Sure you should use Rema, but getting the cellophane off causes me to spoil more patch applications than I can count. Pulling off the cellophane too early or too roughly is a prime cause of a poor seal; it undoes all you hard work.

Having said all that about technique, I am going to go out on a limb and risk some ridicule. It is wasteful I know and not very bike-macho, but if you can afford to toss the tube, just do it. The is no glory in always worrying about your tubes leaking or failing on a ride due to a bad patch. For $4-6 on sale, after riding road bikes for over 30 years, I just don't need the aggravation any more. If you can't afford it, I certainly do understand. Been there too. In that case all this other advice is right on, but you will be happier if you can just blow it off. What I do is carry the glueless patches for an emergency just to get me home in case I really screw up and go through my couple of spare tubes (like not checking for sharp objects in the tire casing). When I get the patched tube home, it goes into the wastebasket. Done and done.

Robert

I couldn't agree more! Tubes are cheap now days!

I couldn't agree more! Tubes are cheap now days!

Tubes may be cheap but they aren't free. I live where goatheads are everywhere...it's harvest season right now...so I get a lot of flats. There is a limit to where I won't patch any more but it's usually above 20 and less then 50 punctures. I usually find the 'this is stupid point' somewhere around 30 patches. Now do the math. That between $120 and $180 dollars for tubes if I were to replace them with $4-$6 tubes.

But I have three different wheel sizes in my garage and each one has several tubes that I use...patch at home/replace on the road. For each wheel size I have at least 6 tubes stashed in various places and with various numbers of patches. Let's say I average 15 patches per tube. If I replaced on every puncture, I have between $1080 and $1620 invested in tubes:eek::eek: That's a chuck of change! And, to be honest, I have to carry a patch kit on every ride anyway. All it take is one more puncture than you have tubes to be stuck. I've been on rides where the aggregate number of punctures exceeded 100...I stopped counting my own when I hit 63 and that was only after carrying the bike out of a canyon after I got home.

stitching sounds interesting. my first choice is always to replace with a new tube. I always feel lucky when I successfully patch a tube in the field. I always chuck it though when I get home, and pop in a new one.

Interesting. I've used the Park GP-2 (glue-less) patch kit with zero adverse effects. My goal is to always make sure that I never put the patch over a seam in the tube; it leaks that way. Once I apply it to the tube, I massage it for a minute or so to make sure it sticks really well. I think I had a tube with 3 or 4 of these patches on it at one point.

Cyccommute, Have you tried tubeless for your mt biking? Something worth looking into. They work great for thorns here in the Northeast. I know goatheads are nastier.

Cyccommute, Have you tried tubeless for your mt biking? Something worth looking into. They work great for thorns here in the Northeast. I know goatheads are nastier.

I've been on rides with people who have tubeless. They didn't fair any better and I've seen tires delaminate with surprising frequency. On one particularly tack burr (aka goatheads) infested ride, we had around 40 punctures between 4 riders. One had 27 by herself and her boyfriend with the tubeless had 10. My wife had 3 and I had none. I used tire liners and forgot to put one in my wife's front tire:o I'm also good at spotting fields of goatheads and steering around them. I used to tease the goathead collector until I did the ride the next year and the goathead gods smited me mightily. That's the ride where I stopped counting at 63. I was humbled.

I apologize that I couldn't be arsed to read the whole thread - it may be that someone already advised the following: to avoid leaks during patching, a good vulcanizing is a must. And for a good vulcanizing, the surface must be clean. And that doesn't mean "it looks clean to me". As a matter of fact, I carry a little bottle (really tiny, 2 ml vial) of isopropanol. Ethanol will work just as well. With that isopropanol or ethanol I clean the surface of the tube after the buffing, and then apply the patch. Apply pressure for 30 seconds, and that's it.

Since I've followed this exact procedure from the very beginning of my tube patching days, the number of leaky patches that I've created is close to zero. 1, to be precise - that was on an extremely dirty 12" stroller (pram for you Brits) tire.

One of the most important steps is to "stitch" the patch down. You can't do this with gentle finger pressure, you need intense local pressure to work the patch into the tube and make a proper bond. They make tire stitchers (http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tire+stitcher&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=16489865048&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1337112792129641550&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&ref=pd_sl_z6378r271_e), which are basically wheels on a stick specifically for this job. You don't need to go out and buy one though. Anything that will let you massage the two together will work. I use the rounded end of a 6" adjustable wrench on a table top, using a rocking motion to do the job, you can improvise with anything, but take a minute and stitch the patch down, especially at the edges and you'll have better results.

BTW- if you use patches like Rema, you're also supposed to remove the cellophane on the outside after you've stitched the patch. The cellophane inhibits the curing process (according to Rema) and prevents good bonding.

BTW- there's also a bit of chemistry involved, and there are slightly different formulations of the butyl in tubes. IME- every once in a while you'll run into a mismatch that won't bond no matter how hard you try. In Germany, Rema offers patches of different material and glue for various types of tubes, but only one (the basic butyl) is sold here in the USA

I used to tease the goathead collector until I did the ride the next year and the goathead gods smited me mightily. That's the ride where I stopped counting at 63. I was humbled.

Wait a second... you had 63 punctures on one ride? Srsly?

Wait a second... you had 63 punctures on one ride? Srsly?
That certainly has me beat. I once pulled 24 goatheads out of the rear tire of our tandem but I had picked them up all at the same time so there was only one flat. But I sure wasn't going to start patching that tube.

I also remember one club ride where we used a short portion of the local MUP right when they were mowing the side of it and blowing the debris onto the trail. There were about 20 of us on the ride and we averaged a little over one flat/rider (a few escaped unscathed but even more had punctures in both tires).

That certainly has me beat. I once pulled 24 goatheads out of the rear tire of our tandem but I had picked them up all at the same time so there was only one flat. But I sure wasn't going to start patching that tube.

I also remember one club ride where we used a short portion of the local MUP right when they were mowing the side of it and blowing the debris onto the trail. There were about 20 of us on the ride and we averaged a little over one flat/rider (a few escaped unscathed but even more had punctures in both tires).
Sheesh! Ya guys never heard of puncture-protected tires? I thank the Flying Spaghetti Monster for creating Schwalbe Maraton Plust tires.