Originally Posted by
yukiinu
Also, patching a tube will take 15 minutes by using tire levers to remove just a foot long section of the tire bead from one side of the rim and gaining access to tube, patch the tube, (if large hole in tire also patch inside of tire) put tube and tire section back on rim. No need to remove wheel from bike, like I see riders on the side of the road who have completely removed wheel, tire and tube from bike.
It is quicker to swap the tube, and then one doesn't have to worry about cold, rain, etc. Also, tire manufacturers like to put lots of little ribs in the tubes, making patching more difficult (although, I can usually get a patch to work.
I have pulled a valve clean out of a tube once. Not much patching that, although if I didn't have a spare, I would have tried.