antmeeks

^^Yes, logic in the world of BF and logic in the real world is mutually exclusive.

Pedaleur

Chuckle.

"I hate those people who use their cell phones. I mean, I only use mine when I want to."

kraftwerk 

"Had a strange experience on a group ride this morning. One of the guys got a flat and forgot a tube (had c02 and tools, forgot the tube). I offered him one of mine and he was grateful until he saw that it had been patched. He started lecturing me on how patching tubes was bad and was actually angry that I would offer him one. Two other guys had tubes, but both had patches as well. He ended up calling his wife to give him a ride and we rode on."

Don't ever ride with that guy again.

Niloc

Hey I was going to start a new thread, but this one answered it, so I'm not wasting your time with a new thread, revival post to a zombie thread!

I was wondering about whether I should trouble myself with patching inner tubes. I've done it before and one time had some bad luck with it leaking again - I think my patch kit was so old that the glue wasn't good, also I tried to remove that bit of cellophane and peeled up an edge of the patch. I since read that you're meant to leave the cellophane on.

So I'm going to try patching tubes. I'll do the batch process at home. On road I just throw in a spare tube - quicker and easier. Plus you should always care a spare tube in case you get a valve failure or other unrepairable damage right?

WhyFi

Yes. I usually carry one tube (for a quick change) and a patch kit just in case **** happens twice in one ride.

cderalow

correct. patch in batches using one kit cause the glue dries out.

keep new fresh spare with you on bike.

shelbyfv

Remember, you are supposed to wave at the other riders who use patched tubes. Or is the ones who don't? Sorry, I can never get it right.

Astrozombie

I would have put on my best French hipster accent and said "I'm sorry Monsieur.........."

floridamtb

With tubes costing $6-$8 I see no need to patch, my time is more valuable than that

Dunbar

Same here.

And patching tubes in batches...you might want to look into buying a tire with more puncture protection.

Al Criner

This type of thread makes me glad I ride alone most of the time. I routinely ride on tubes with 3 or 4 patches (and Rema patches are awesome).

Of course, I also ride a bike that most people wouldn't even want to own.

rekmeyata

I always patch my tubes, patches are far cheaper than tubes. I'm the odd duck here but I usually patch on the road about 85 to 90 percent of the time because I can patch a tube using glueless patches just as fast as I can replace a tube and in fact the total time spent by the time you replace a tube, roll the old tube up, go home unroll it and find the leak and patch is actually greater than even if you used glue on patches! About 50% of my flats I can find where the leak is before I even take the wheel off the bike, then all I do is dismount about 1/2 of the bead on one side of the tire with the hole or penetrating object in the middle of the half, pull out about 1/4th of the tube, again with the hole in the middle and patch. This method means you never have to fully remove one side of the tire or fully remove the tube saving a bunch of time.

Just because I patch first doesn't mean I don't carry a spare tube so that just in case a valve goes bad or the tube is too badly damaged, or I can't find the hole to patch fast enough.

I also do something else that I don't think anyone else does here but because I use to use tubulars a long time ago I still have the habit of carrying a spare tire in the seat bag as well which has saved my bacon twice and another rider's bacon. Even though I do carry a tire boot patch sometimes a tire can get destroyed and if you're far from home it could save either a long walk or a long and needless trip by your wife.

MikeyBoyAz

I like saving money by patching tubes... on road tubes. I once tried to patch a MTB tube... I quit at 11 in an 8" segment. Joshua Tree stubs are nasty things to clean up after when you run them over.

rpeterson

Funny this thread popped up again. I got ridden off the road recently and into a patch of goatheads, my front tube now has 18 patches on it and is still running fine. Those little round patches can be cut up into like 5 pieces each and still work fine apparently (I just wanted to see if it could be done, it can, and the tube has another 300 miles on it).

WhyFi

I have my butler patch tubes with some of his spare time - I'm paying him regardless, right?

Team Sarcasm

I have had tubes with 6 or 7 patches in them. As long as you use glued and take your time doing it, they seal up fine.

Personally, I would have told the guy to shove it and move along. You can't fit stupid, and you can only help the lazy so much.

I see this alot with the people who think they are pro, or on uber expensive bikes, and that allows them to be better than a patched tube

ConGrUenCy

My tubes too have 4-5 patches and they work great. I use those little round patches, and I cut them in halves, so I can patch 2 tubes with one patch.

Falchoon

I'm not a patcher, basically can't be bothered when I can buy new tubes for around $3 if I shop around and a patch costs $1. Plus I have had bad experiences with patched tubes in the past. Saying that, I would never knock back a loan of a patched tube if someone offered it to me - it could have 100 patches for all I care, as long as it holds air and gets me home!

I can understand that some people might think it's a waste to throw out tubes that can still be repaired so I often save up a few and then offer them (for free) to my cycling friends. Very hard to get rid of them (the tubes, not my friends...). One guy was turning his nose up at them because they weren't a "brand" name (like Conti or Michelin) and someone else had no intention of fixing them but instead wanted to cut them up to use them for various things around the house and garden (tying young trees to stakes was one use I think). Other cycling friends weren't interested in my tubes even though they patch their own tubes.

Rowan

When we moved from Victoria to Tasmania late last year, I did a sort of the tubes we had collected. I think there were 30 of them. I got some patches and did the easier ones, then packed them away in storage. The others were devalved and saved for those "various things" that you mention. But when I can order bulk lots from Torpedo7 for a couple of bucks each, replacing a punctured one with a new one seems to be the easiest way to go.

cderalow

There's 5 people in my family, all of whom own bikes, three of them under the age of 7.

It's hard to find kid sized tires with puncture protection.

Also, By batches I mean enough to justify buying a patch kit. I've got 4 waiting now.

BoSoxYacht

Everything that grows in Phoenix has a thorn, and nothing prevents all flats.

I'm saving mine for a rainy day project, but we haven't had one of those since December.

danmc

I patched a tire for practice after I got home from a 47-mile ride on Monday. Luckily it was a slow leak and didn't flat until I had taken the bike out of the car. Unfortunately I did a crappy patch job and by the next morning it was flat again. Looks like I didn't center the patch and didn't use enough glue. I usually just replace the tube with a new one, but carry a patch kit in case I have multiple flats, or need to help someone out.

Al Criner

Interesting point. I have patched a lot of goathead punctures. It could be expensive to replace all those tubes.

On the other hand, sometimes the goatheads run in packs. I throw in the towel when I pull a tube and it has 5 or 6 punctures all at once.

pavemen

I am with this guy. i will patch the tube and while it cures i will swap in my spare new tube. Then if I get another flat, the patch should be ready to go. Replace it when I can.