Originally Posted by
KD5NRH
If you want a bandaid to get you home, they're OK. I've had a few last for weeks, and others last for hours. Trouble is, once it leaks, you may or may not be able to peel it off to allow a proper patch without trashing the tube.
Really, though, will all the other steps involved in roadside patching, is it really worth anything to save the extra minute of gluing on a regular patch?
Temporary patches are cleaner and easier and a lot more convenient.
I count on having to sand off the patch residue once it fails.
I think ti breaks down like this: If I am going to put a permanent patch on a tire, i want to do a really good job. That means I want to really scuff the rubber, I want the patch to be the right size, I want to trim the patch if need be .... and depending on conditions, i might rather just slap a fast patch on the thing and ride home instead of messing with all that.
This is particularly a pain because I bought a bunch of precut patches which are a few millimeters wider than the uninflated tube, which means the edges, no matter how well scraped or glued, want to peel up while the glue is drying. it is not a big deal at home but on the side of a road, it is more than I want to mess with.
With a Slime scab or a Park Tools bandaid all i care about is getting through the one ride. I will fix the tube properly later.
As a rule I carry two tubes anyway, so I haven't used the temp patches much anyway.
The biggest benefit of the temp patches is that they can get stuffed in the saddle bag and forgotten. No tube of glue to leak or harden, no extra bits or pieces ... . basically a couple 1/2" circles a little thicker than paper.
Nothing like a backup lifesaver.