fixing flat with superglue
#2
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From: Oklahoma
Bikes: Trek 5500, Colnago C-50
Originally Posted by key
will it hold if its just a small pin hole ?
If tire then yes. If tube I doubt it but haven't tried it.
Al
#3
Assuing you're talking about an inntertube for a clincher system (by far the most common). Probably won't work. Because tubes are flexible rubber, and super glue dries hard and stiff.
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"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
#5
Do you have a bike shop near you? Buy a new tube - they're less than $5. If not, hardware stores sometimes have patch kits. Or rubber cement and strips of rubber (which is what patch kits basically are anyway).
#6
On the Tufo North America web site there are posts that say it can be done with tubular clinchers, but I've never had any success. I've had limited success with Shoe Goo on tubular clinchers, especially if no sealant has been placed into the tire.
For a regular clincher, with butyl or latex inner tubes, a patch is the most practical other than complete replacement of the inner tube.
For a regular clincher, with butyl or latex inner tubes, a patch is the most practical other than complete replacement of the inner tube.
#10
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Glue does not work as a "filler" material... this goes for rubber cement and superglue as well. You can't just fill up a hole with glue and expect it to hold. I've tried to patch TIRE casing by filling the hole with a bunch of rubber cement, but it doesn't work well at all. To patch a tube, you need a piece of rubber to cover the hole. Also, you should use Rubber Cement rather than Superglue to join the patch to the tube, since Rubber Cement is designed specifically for this kind of repair and forms a very strong airtight bond.
A new tube is only $5 at most LBSes, and a patch kit with 5-8 patches is usually only $3 or so. Do the job right! There's nothing more frustrating than trying to patch a tube with some improvised method, then having it fail and leak a few hours later. Trust me, I speak from experience
A new tube is only $5 at most LBSes, and a patch kit with 5-8 patches is usually only $3 or so. Do the job right! There's nothing more frustrating than trying to patch a tube with some improvised method, then having it fail and leak a few hours later. Trust me, I speak from experience
#11
And I've had bad experiences even with the "stick-on" patches that you can get at bike shops. I have never had one of these patches hold (on high-pressure road tires) for more than a day. Get a real (traditional) patch kit, or just a new tube.
#12
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Originally Posted by Ray Dockrey
I have a friend who takes old tubes and cuts them into small pieces and uses them with super glue to make his own patches. I haven't tried this so I don't know how well they will hold up.
#13
Roadkill
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: East Tennessee
Bikes: 2002 Lightspeed Classic; 2010 Pedalforce RS
In a pinch I've patched several tubes with contact cement and patches made from an old tube. It's not real easy to get a good seal, but when you do it holds well.
#14
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From: DC / Maryland suburbs
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Originally Posted by timcupery
And I've had bad experiences even with the "stick-on" patches that you can get at bike shops. I have never had one of these patches hold (on high-pressure road tires) for more than a day. Get a real (traditional) patch kit, or just a new tube.
#15
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Pinholes have a habit of quadrupling in size or more when inflated. As has been pointed out, superglue is not a filler and is non-flexible and the rubber will pull away from the blob of it sooner or later leaving you back where you are. You could get away for a while with supergluing a rubber patch over it... but you're out of patches.
Just go to Wal-Mart, some other big box store, service station or hardware shop (surely you *can* walk to one of those in your town) and buy a repair kit. And let this be a lesson -- always restock your patch kit when you fix punctures.
At least no-one suggested using duct tape...
Just go to Wal-Mart, some other big box store, service station or hardware shop (surely you *can* walk to one of those in your town) and buy a repair kit. And let this be a lesson -- always restock your patch kit when you fix punctures.
At least no-one suggested using duct tape...
#16
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From: DC / Maryland suburbs
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Originally Posted by Rowan
At least no-one suggested using duct tape...
#17
I fixed a friend's UST tubeless tire with super glue once. I put a drop or two of glue on the outside of the tire, on and around the puncture, and it held fine (and believe me, this particular friend would have let me know about it if it had leaked later). We were in a hurry to get to the trailhead, and I figured the super glue was worth a try.........But this tire was usually run at 30-35 psi, and it was a tire, not a tube. I agree with everyone else, for repairing a tube, it's not a good idea and it probably wouldn't work.........And FWIW, for tubeless tires, Stan's sealant or something similar (which my friend was not using) is the way to go; I've never had a flat when using the stuff-
#18
cab horn

Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Toronto
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Originally Posted by timcupery
And I've had bad experiences even with the "stick-on" patches that you can get at bike shops. I have never had one of these patches hold (on high-pressure road tires) for more than a day. Get a real (traditional) patch kit,
Agreed. Some people apparently have the "magic touch" to make stick-on patches work, but I sure as heck don't.
The advantages of these patches are awesome once you can use them effectively. You don't have to wait for glue to dry and you don't have to mess with anything and it's fast.
#19
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Are those glueless patches called Skabs or something like that? I see some type of glueless patch offered here called that, but I have no clue if its any good or not.
Here in Texas, especially in the over 100 degree (Farenheit, 40 degrees C for others) heat, a lot of glueless patch jobs just melt off, while the old glued with rubber cement patches stay on because of a stronger chemical bond.
Here in Texas, especially in the over 100 degree (Farenheit, 40 degrees C for others) heat, a lot of glueless patch jobs just melt off, while the old glued with rubber cement patches stay on because of a stronger chemical bond.
#20
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From: Iowa
Bikes: '95 Passage, 84 Fillipi Elmer, 72 PX-10
Originally Posted by moxfyre
Tried it! Makes a sticky non-airtight mess. I've also tried using a piece of electrical tape instead of a patch, with rubber cement. Makes an even stickier mess. Every time I place a Nashbar/PB order, I pad my order with patch kits up to however much I need to get the discount 

I also pad out my nashbar orders with patch kits. The glueless patches are worthless IMHO.
#21
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Originally Posted by operator
You really should try them again (park GP-2 once again), on a busted tube. The key to those instant patches it hat the tube MUST be inflated a small amount and like "real" patches the surface needs to be clean.
The advantages of these patches are awesome once you can use them effectively. You don't have to wait for glue to dry and you don't have to mess with anything and it's fast.
The advantages of these patches are awesome once you can use them effectively. You don't have to wait for glue to dry and you don't have to mess with anything and it's fast.
The thing is, for me the main aggravation of a flat is not patching the tube, which is the easy part. It's removing the wheel, getting the tire off, finding the flat, replacing the tire, pumping it up, putting the wheel back on, and cleaning off my hands
If using rubber cement makes my patches fail even 10% less, I consider that to be well worth it. Plus, what I do now is carry a spare tube and just bring punctured tubes home to patch later, so convenience of the patch isn't a major issue...
#22
Originally Posted by operator
They work perfectly fine (the park GP-2's that is). I've been riding on a patched tube with one of these for the last thousand km's and it's as solid as a "real" patch. These are 23c tires inflated to 110-130psi.
You really should try them again (park GP-2 once again), on a busted tube. The key to those instant patches it hat the tube MUST be inflated a small amount and like "real" patches the surface needs to be clean.
The advantages of these patches are awesome once you can use them effectively. You don't have to wait for glue to dry and you don't have to mess with anything and it's fast.
You really should try them again (park GP-2 once again), on a busted tube. The key to those instant patches it hat the tube MUST be inflated a small amount and like "real" patches the surface needs to be clean.
The advantages of these patches are awesome once you can use them effectively. You don't have to wait for glue to dry and you don't have to mess with anything and it's fast.
Btw, my estimation of the value is similar to how moxfyre calculates it. Even if some glueless patches will last for thousands of miles (basically permanently), others won't, at least in my experience. I've actually only had a tire puncture on me once while riding my good bike. Partly b/c I usually run kevlar-belted tires.
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"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
#23
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From: DC / Maryland suburbs
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Originally Posted by timcupery
Partly b/c I usually run kevlar-belted tires.
I started using lightweight 28 mm IRO Duro kevlar tires on my touring bike, and got even MORE flats than before. The weird thing is that on my "good" road bike I use cheap Performance 25 mm tires (no kevlar) and have NEVER had a flat.I have now switched to 32 mm Panaracer Urban Max tires which have a noticeably THICKER rubber layer than the IRO Duro tires... Only 50 miles on them so far, but they seem very good. Semi-slick tread, quiet, and not squirmy at all despite being a bit wide for my rims.
#24
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Originally Posted by Sporkinum
I have patched with electrical tape before, without glue. Worked OK on a low pressure mountain bike tire as long as the hole in on the outside and the tire can hold the tape in place.
The trick with electric tape is to clean the tube WELL before taping. Use rubbing alcohol if you have some. And burnish the tape really well. I use the smooth rounded end of a screwdriver handle. Clean that with the alcohol PRIOR to burnishing as well. Gets any grease off that might compromise the tape. And use a couple of pieces of tape crisscrossed.
#25
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From: DC / Maryland suburbs
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Originally Posted by Dr.Deltron
+1!
The trick with electric tape is to clean the tube WELL before taping. Use rubbing alcohol if you have some. And burnish the tape really well. I use the smooth rounded end of a screwdriver handle. Clean that with the alcohol PRIOR to burnishing as well. Gets any grease off that might compromise the tape. And use a couple of pieces of tape crisscrossed.
The trick with electric tape is to clean the tube WELL before taping. Use rubbing alcohol if you have some. And burnish the tape really well. I use the smooth rounded end of a screwdriver handle. Clean that with the alcohol PRIOR to burnishing as well. Gets any grease off that might compromise the tape. And use a couple of pieces of tape crisscrossed.
Honestly, why try such a trick when the proper solution is so cheap and effective? I can see using a bit of electrical tape on the trail in a pinch, but then I'd be in a hurry to replace it soon as I got home...





