Are patches worth it?
 

I got a flat in the front.. changed it in a hurry and because of the rush, pinched the tube between the rim and tire and it blew no less than a mile from my house. so that makes 2 tubes in 2 days.. are those patch kits really worth it or should i just shell out for a fresh tube?

Some holes are easily patchable and some are harder.

Independent of that, if you pinched the tube between the rim and tire, you're in the same boat whether you patched the initial problem or simply installed a new tube the first time. You're still out another tube or a patch job because of pinching the previous tube.

I only used patch kits unless the tire has lots of holes. Patch kits are usually $2-3 for 6-8 patches. Much cheaper than $5.00 tubes. If you can find the puncture from the outside, then you don' t even need to remove the wheel to repair the hole.

I patch my tubes until something happens where I can't patch it (a hole at a patch or at the stem). They work fine.

One word of caution: glueless patches are temprary. Glued patches are forever.

If you apply the patch properly, it shouldn't ever fail. Bike shops generally don't patch for customers because it's quicker to throw in a new tube, plus they can be sure there isn't a second, tiny hole somewhere that will have the customer returning later in a huff. Most of my own bikes have the original tubes in them, with about half a dozen patches on each. The only reason I'd replace a tube is if it has a really big slash in it, or a tear at the valve stem.

Geez, I just realized how how much extra rotational weight I'm carrying around in the form of glue and patches!
:)

Patches, if done right, are pretty much like welding: the patch becomes part of the tube. It's crazy not to patch.

And you guys are all of the opinion that glued patches work fine for high pressure ie. 120psi ?

I live on patches. Between my 3 bikes and my wife's 3 we rack up 17,000 miles a year in teh land of thorns and broken glass. Patches rock. I buy 100 patch boxes and use rubber cement.
Tubes are $6-8 each. That adds up to a lot very quickly.
If I could just stop getting my tires cut to ribbons I'd be home free.

I patch 'em till something else causes them to be unusable (valve stem or a hole/tear around the valve). They'll take full pressure after patching if you're doing it correctly. Just keep a spare tube with you and when you get a flat, find and remove the thorn/rock/glass and use the spare tube. Patch the broken one when you get home.

And I agree that the glueless patches are not very good.

Went to my LBS last weekend and they stopped carrying glue patch kits, said no one buys them anymore since the glue-less work so well. Any other thoughts on this one? Anyone have a recipe for home made patches?

Yes, when I patch a tube, I trust it as much as a new tube.

If you pinched the tube, you didn't put it in right. Don't use a tire iron. Use only your hands. Wiggle the tire left and right everywhere before inflating, which allows the tube to lift above the bead.

I have made patches from old inner tubes, just make sure you sand the powder off and rough up the surface before you glue it. Cut round or oval shapes for patches--they seem to hold better--no corners to lift up.

Makes sense. What kind of adhesive? Rubber cement or something else?

Rubber cement.

As it turns out, despite the name "vulcanizing patches" you do not create a chemical bond between the tube and the patch. The glue just holds it in place until you inflate the tire. When the tire is inflated, the pressure holds the patch in place.

Lately, I've been hot-patching my patches. I heat up a cast-iron skillet and iron the patch onto the tube. It's an old technique I saw illustrated in Glenn's Manual of Bicycle Repair, written in the early 70's.

No magic formula, but you can pick up glue patch kits at most auto parts stores. I just picked up a kit that seems to have everything in it that the bike kits had. It came with assorted sizes, some are probably too big for a bike tire unless they're trimmed.

Here is a good patch kit from Perfrormance, I always carry one w/ me:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

Never used them, I heard they don't hold very well, esp when wet, so I never tried them.

I've received pinch flats by running over potholes, logs, rocks, etc when my tires were underinflated.

I thought I was hip by using my patch kit, you ROCK :thumb:

I never patched tubes until very recently because of a few bad experiences with the glue-less kind. Those are terrible. The permanent ones are just that. Never had a problem yet and have saved probably $50 in just the past few months.

Have you considered to post in on youtube?

kam

Hmm, that's something to think about. I don't have a video camera. I have a regular camera that is able to take short clips. Would that be good enough?

There's such a thing as "cold vulcanizing fluid" that works to actually chemically bond the patch to the tube. Rema and Camel sells them. I just buy an 8oz can for $4.75 and a box of 100 1-inch patches for $12

Here's how you can tell the difference:

1. rubber cement is a glue and adheres to both sides of a joint. Typically sold in office-supply stores for light-bonding of paper together. TEST: apply to a piece of paper or rubber and let dry for 5-minutes. Come back and rub it off with your finger and it rolls up in little rubber balls and comes off completely. TEST2: use it to glue a patch on. A week later, remove the tube and peel the patch off. You'll notice that the patch will come off cleanly in one piece. A thin layer of glue will remain on the tube, or come partly off with the patch. This glue can be removed by rubbing it with your finger and it'll roll up in little balls.

2. cold vulcanizing fluid creates cross-links between the rubber molecules and the two parts are permanently fused together. TEST: apply to a piece of paper or rubber and let dry for 5-minutes. Come back and rub it off, nothing! It's more of a solvent than a glue. TEST2: use it to glue a patch on. A week later, remove the tube and try to peel the patch off. You'll most likely rip the patch to pieces trying to get it off (or the tube). You can't separate parts that have been fused together with cold vulcanizing fluid.

Don't confuse this:

http://www.plazaart.com/images/636/photo_E904.jpg

with this:

http://www.overland-solutions.com/sh...090-2000_s.jpg

The better patch kits come with tubes clearly labeled "vulcanizing fluid", such as Rema or Camel. The cheaper knock-offs use rubber-cement and the patches don't hold as well.

BTW - there are translation and marketing slip-ups that call vulcanizing-fluid "rubber cement" and you are getting the better product. But I don't have a comprehensive list of which no-name patch kits labeled "rubber cement" actually contain vulcanizing fluid, so YMMV, CYA and caveat emptor.

It is definitely worth it to patch tubes from an economic standpoint... Like others here I buy a box of 100 Rema patches and the little can of glue (I suppose it's 8 oz.) at BikeToolsEtc. (Great vendor, by the way).

I figure my cost per repair is something around 17 cents per puncture. I live in goathead country, so the cost of new tubes can add up! I've found Rema patches & glue to be extremely reliable. The only glueless patches I will even consider using is Park's GP2 - and I don't have perfect luck with them.

I can patch a tube 6 or 7 times with Rema's before I even consider tossing it. Even then, it's more of aesthetic thing; the repairs are probably as durable as the rest of the tube.

Remember Rema and BikeToolsEtc. - I don't get any commission on this. Just want to share my positive experience with everyone here.