Originally Posted by
garage sale GT
I use the patch kits from the hardware aisle of the grocery store unless it's for a bike with narrow tubes. They work great.
The most important things are to scrape all the mold release off the tube using the supplied scraper or some concrete, and to wait long enough for the glue to dry. I don't think it's possible to wait too long. Clean the tube, put the glue on the tube and patch, and leave it overnight just to see.
For me, when i mess up is always due to impatience and not waiting long enough for the glue to dry. A buddy once told me he actually would use a cigarette lighter to flash the glue before installing the patch. Dunno if that works or not, never tried it.