rog

Waiting for a ride. How on earth did I get two flats, on the same ride?

Oh well, at least it's a nice day...

jbhowat

Carry patches? Carry superglue at least? Otherwise I'd be heading home after the first flat. I've had triple flats, broken spokes, broken cables, gaping tire wounds, gaping flesh wounds, etc.... Only stranded once - with a broken chain. Now I carry a chain tool.

MrTuner1970

You don't carry an extra tube AND a small patch kit?

Well, I guess the answer is pretty obviously no ... but you probably will from now on.

rog

I almost always have some form of backup. And I haven't had more than one flat in I don't even know how long. Of course, the one time I do...

Starting to get chilly...hope the ride gets here soon...

mzeffex 

I got two flats today. Riding cyclocross. Hit a sharp rock, pinched both tubes, and then flipped over into a creek.

Uni-Vibe

Uni-Vibe's seatpack contents:

Tire levers
2 CO2 cartridges
CO2 inflator
Tube
Patch kit
Multi-tool
Rag
Money

TMonk

This is what I carry, -rag and +chain tool. I suggest that you buy a small chaintool and don't wait to learn the hard way the breaking a chain miles from home sucks.

It also looks like you would be screwed in the case of multiple flats. I carry a very small pump mounted on the frame in case I get more flats then c02s. I suggest that you do the same.

And rog i hope you learned your lesson. Patch kit!!!

rog

Learned. And home. Finally.

aggarcia

For most rides I carry two tubes and a patch kit. I also use a mini pump that allows me to get tire pressure to the 100 psi range. Murphy's Law will bite you if unprepared.

AG

Sardian

I don't carry a patch kit but I'll most likely pick one up. Are the "pre-glued" patches ok or should I get one of the kits that has the glue and patches separate?

urbanknight

The preglued patches are just fine for getting home, but when you get home you need to either toss the tube or remove, clean, and repatch with the real patch.

Sardian

Thanks,

Sounds like I should go ahead and get a real patch kit to start with and do it right the first time. I have been lucky, I have been cycling about 6 months and ridden about 2k miles and haven't had a flat away from home yet. I have had two that were flat when I went to get the bike to start my ride from the house but so far not away from home........Now I'm sure after typing this I'll have one on my next ride when I'm farthest from home.

zeo_max

No.......get glueless patches, they get you going in 5 minutes (including the time to remove the tire). Then when you get home toss the tube. C'mon, you're a cyclist, you're made of money

Velo Dog

This point has been adequately made, but if two lousy flats makes you call for help, you've either just started riding, been blessed by the flat gods or refuse to accept reality. I'd be embarrassed to phone for that.

Velo Dog

FWIW, I'm going to say DON'T get glueless patches. My failure rate with those on road tires is at least 50 percent (they seem to do a little better on the mountain bike, but I don't use them there, either). The only time they save is the minute or so it takes for the glue on conventional patches to dry--you still have to remove, replace and inflate, which is the bulk of the time. With a frame-fit Zefal, I can patch and reinflate a simple puncture in less than four minutes, and it's permanent. I've had only two patch failures in 40 years of riding, certainly hundreds of flats, and one of those was my fault.

Sardian

Can a properly patched tube continue to be used for future rides or is it still best to trash it when I get home?

sstorkel

+1

Not sure if I got a bad batch or what, but I've had a bunch of pre-glued patches fail recently. They seem especially prone to problems on really hot days. Pre-glued doesn't save you any time if the patch fails and you have to stop a second time to put on another patch! I've thrown all of my pre-glued patches away and now I only carry standard patches...

GP

It'll be fine. When I change a tube at home I usually used patched tubes.

I carry glueless patches on rides because the box is smaller.

AngryScientist 

i've been riding on a tube that i fixed with a park tools glueless patch for a few months, no unusually quick loss of air. i think those park tools glueless kits (the ones that come in a small 1" x 1" case) work exceptionally well. proper prep is key i find though, the tube must be thoroughly dry and roughed up with the supplied sandpaper. as i mentioned i've been running a tube fixed with one on my commuter for months.

Edonis13

ive had really good luck with these:



ive had a few tubes that have had multiple patches that ive used for a few months, no failures, no problems.

RT

I think we've found one thing a Blackberry or iPhone cannot do - repair flats. Sorry 'bout your luck, but cool that you posted remotely to BF :-D

banerjek

I'm looking forward to the post about being stranded somewhere out of cell range...

AngryScientist 

i'm pretty sure there isnt anyplace in NJ that doesnt have cell service.

urbanknight

fwiw I carry the glueless patches on rides because they are smaller and faster. Then when I get home, I pull that patch off and clean any residue off (easier than you think) before patching with a glued patch. As long as the glued patch is done right, you can use it until the tube loss its elasticity or you would have to put a patch on top of a patch... or when you decide the tube has more patches than you are ok with having on one tube.

sstorkel

If I'd known you liked them, I would have sent you the 4-5 boxes I (literally) just tossed in the trash...