Patch repair kit recommendation
 

What do you all prefer for patch kits? I use the preglued SKABS, but I read where they are not permenent.

Rema
http://www.rematiptop.com/part.php?pid=55&cid=5&sid=4

Whichever one you get, do your self a favor and go to the nearest O'Reilly Auto Parts store and pick up a larger amount of Xtra Seal Self-vulcanizing cement. It's the same glue that the Rema and other better patch kits use, but those kits come with tiny 5 gram tubes that are too small to make more than 2-3 patches, and they dry out over time. O'Reilly carries Xtra Seal Self-vulcanizing cement in various sizes ranging from a 1 ounce tube (28 grams, for 3 bucks) to 16 ounce tins for $12.

They don't "dry out" nearly as fast if you squeeze the air out before replacing the cap.

Chi sta chiedendo? Tip Top for me.

Rema Tip Top. They work reliably even at high pressures, they only take a few minutes to apply, they're available everywhere, and they're cheap.

Save up your flated tubes and repair all at once.

+1 for REMA glue patch kits.

I've had 2 never opened tubes of the REMA cement dry out despite being factory sealed - admittedly, that was during a more than a decade long hiatus in my cycling. So I had like 10-12 perfectly good patches and no glue to use them. The $3 Xtra Seal 1 ounce tube at O'Reilly solved the problem.

The tubes are much better than they used to be. They used to be metal (lead, at one point, aluminum later), and just crimped shut at the bottom. The crimps could fail, and the tubes would dry out, or the neck seal could be bad. Modern tubes are much better. I'm not up on what they're doing, but there are coatings for tubes that allow the ends to be welded shut, which makes them better sealed. It's been a long time since I've had a little tube dry out, opened or not. I still carry an unopened tube, because, well, they're light. It's been years since I've patched a tube on the road, too. (I carry a spare tube, and fix the tube at home or the office.)

Best way to go is vulcanizing patch kits. Get a bunch of them at less than $2.00 a piece. I always carry an unopened kit with a brand new tube of glue in my tool bag. Once I open the tube on the road then that kit stays home in the refrigerator with all the other patch kit left overs that I use for fixing flats at home. I also add to my patch kits a razor blade, tooth pick, valve remover cap, and a coupula of alchohol pads for cleaning the tube. Oh, and I am also one of those guys that put the glue on the patch and the tube, then lets them dry before bonding them...

I have not had any luck using scabs, but I have known a few that swear by them...

Tried to get some REMA patches yesterday, no luck. Tried a local Performance, a LBS, O'Reilly, Walmart and Academy. I'm about to look at Amazon but prefer a local source.

Anybody know of a big box store that sells these?

+1 for Rema.

Tell your LBS that you would buy them if they stocked them, and then buy some of these: http://www.amazon.com/Rema-Touring-P...rema+patch+kit

Pre Glued patches are just to get you Home .. Id Bring a Spare Tube to Put in , instead , do a Proper scuffing and Volatile Fluid.. Proper Patch at Home.

then That can Be The spare tube , Next trip.

MY LBS carries Park's Patch kits they work Too, , if you do the Proper Preparation And technique Down. ...

Yep, planning on buying a few of those, one for each bike. I bought a few generic kits at spring sale at a LBS last year and just recently got around to trying them out. Not very good, patches seem are very stiff, lift at the corners. Planning to use new tubes on the road and fix them when I'm home from now on.

Just prefer buying local if possible.

Me too. I've had good luck with the Park Tool patch kits as well -- just make sure they don't give you the "glueless" ones. :thumb:

On the road:
Find the puncture, unseat a few inches of bead, pull out that part of tube, apply self-stick patch.
Only if the damage is too large to use a patch, do I remove wheel and change tube.

Once I'm home:
If I used a self-stick patch, change tube, then use Rema fluid and permanent patch on punctured tube.
If I changed the tube on the road, then I apply permanent patch to the punctured tube.

NOTE: In my experience, the self-stick patches don't work in freezing temperatures.

Freezing temperatures are not a frequent problem in Texas. The heat on the other hand....

Another comment on patch kits and heat. I had one that included a crayon for marking where the hole is on the tube. It seemed like a good idea until I actually needed to use the patch kit. The crayon had melted and made all of the patches useless. I had to flag down a cyclist and ask for a patch. I even bored the poor guy with my crayon story so that he didn't think I didn't bother to pack a patch. Possibly a problem unique to the hot states but something to think about.

Rema!

I bought an 8oz can of fluid .., http://www.amazon.com/Rema-Tip-Top-V.../dp/B006P3C92S, and a 100 count pack of sunlite patches probably 3 yrs ago. The can seals tight so the fluid hasn't dried out, and I have many patches left. It will be a long time yet before I need to restock.

Edited to add: This, of course, is for home use. I carry spare tubes on the road and patch when I get home.

i rarely need another container, or piece of sandpaper, or those extra large patches, but i do need more small patches and a larger tube of glue, as previously mentioned. so i've found an Oldschool bike shop that sells me about 20 of the smaller patches and an extra large tube of glue (that doesn't dry out, if you take care to remove the air before screwing on the cap, as mentioned) for the price of one of those kits. :thumb:

it's usually a couple of years between visits (no, there're not getting rich off of me :lol:) and i'm always fearful that they won't sell them anymore.

Another +1 for Rema.

Zandoval only uses a tube of glue once on the road then puts it away? How crazy is that? Those tubes will last months and months. Last summer I had a tube with me that had lasted for over a year. After getting a flat I scuffed up the hole on the inner tube, opened the tube and squeezed out...nothing. It was empty. They do last for months. Sometimes for months and months. Over the years I was able to save up to $2.00 by just keeping my old glue tubes forever. It only cost me about 3 hours of hassle when there was no glue after months and months and months. Keep your little glue tube new. What an idea. Thanks :). How crazy? Crazy smart.