Originally Posted by froze

I understand you patch when you get home, but I patch first before going to the spare tube mostly because I can patch as fast as I can change a tube. How do I do that you scream...by simply finding where the leak is on the tire (usually easy) then remove about 1/2 of the bead on one side with the leak in the center; then pull down about 1/4th of the tube, again with the leak in the middle; check the inside and outside of the tire for the offending object; then repair the tube and put it all back together. This method works easy with folding tires but stiff beaded tires like Armadillos it doesn't work at all but then again with an Armadillo the chances for a flat is slim to none.

Obviously if it's raining out then fixing a flat in wet conditions is impossible, then I go to the spare tube. I use Patched Tubes up to Nine Patches.

When I carry a spare tube it's either brand new in the box or I have tightly rolled the tube to get all the air out of the tube and placed in the box. If the tube is patched and in the box then I have yet to have a patch come off.

Like I mentioned in a earlier post, I tried to remove a glueless patch this last weekend and I ripped the tube instead. The patch had been on the tube for about 2 years though.

If you lightly sand the tube then wipe with an alcohol wipe pad the glueless patch will stick like glue...pardon the pun.