What do you carry with you?

On patch kits, the vulcanizing glue dries up so fast that once it has been used, you have a whole bunch of patches that can't be used because the tube is all dried up. Unless you buy a whole bunch of new tubes of vulcanizing glue.

I have a garage full of patched tubes but I don't have a lot of confidence taking them out as spares because too often I still hear leaks after patching them up.

So I have a stock of brand new tubes too.

I carry a new tube, and a patch kit with glue. I have extra glue at home to replenish the tube that, as you say, will dry up once opened.
Amazon.com : Wulidasheng Bicycle Tire Repair Glue, Bike Maintenance & Tools,5Pcs Bike Bicycle Tire Inner Tube Patches Glue Rubber Puncture Repair Tools : Sports & Outdoors
I've tried the 'stick on' patches, but had zero luck with them. I've ridden on glue patched tubes for hundreds of miles, being too lazy to put a new tube in.

I carry a patch kit and spare tubes (2), either new tubes or patched tubes. As of now I have new tubes, but as I patch a tube, it will become a spare tube in my kit. I do have an old rim and tire, so that after patching a tube I install it on the old wheel and allow it to sit over night -- I don't like blowing up tubes outside of a wheel (rim and tire).

BTW, I also no longer buy patch kits from the bike shop, they're actually cheaper in auto stores, and are basically the same thing. The only time I had real problems with patch kits is when I tried out the glue-less patches....they just didn't work for me.


P.S. Although I carry a patch kit, I never plan to use it, only if I have no choice. I replace the tube with the spare tube and patch the hole when I get home.



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I didn't answer the poll because I always carry two tubes and a patch kit. I care little whether the tubes are patched but two is important. I've saved rides from being epic adventures (in the not fun category several times using both tube and patches. A solo century once on high end tires that turned out to be a disaster. Major tire casing cuts. Simple bad days, sometimes commuting.

Edit: well done patches are as good as the rest of the tube. Yes, I've botched a few but I've also tossed many tubes because I draw the line (rather arbitrarily) at 5 or 6 patches. And glue tubes drying up? Not if you roll them up as you go and cap them immediately, squeezing slightly as you do to push out all the air. It's simple evaporation. Don't give the glue air and it lasts near forever.

[QUOTE=79pmooney;22482776]I didn't answer the poll because I always carry two tubes and a patch kit. I care little whether the tubes are patched but two is important. I've saved rides from being epic adventures (in the not fun category several times using both tube and patches. A solo century once on high end tires that turned out to be a disaster. Major tire casing cuts. Simple bad days, sometimes commuting.

Edit: well done patches are as good as the rest of the tube. Yes, I've botched a few but I've also tossed many tubes because I draw the line (rather arbitrarily) at 5 or 6 patches. And glue tubes drying up? Not if you roll them up as you go and cap them immediately, squeezing slightly as you do to push out all the air. It's simple evaporation. Don't give the glue air and it lasts near forever.[/QU

my arbitrary line is 200 patches in a tube. I've never actually gotten there, but if I did, I would retire the tube. Almost all my tubes have five or six patches in them, because tubes last longer than tires, and when tires are nearly worn out, they start getting flats.

The litte tubes go dry for two reasons. One is evaporation of the solvent, which putting the top on prevents with modern plastic glue tubes. The other is that the glue vulcanizes in the tube. That's usually bad storage, allowing the tube to get too hot, which kicks off the ultra-accelerator in the cement, but it can be hard to prevent that.

[MENTION=392125]79pmooney[/MENTION] makes a good point about having two tubes. I might start doing that.

I carry one tube and a patch kit. Of course, I carry a pump and tire levers, too, plus some other tools.

I'm good at patching tubes, so I consider them fairly reliable. My tricks are to use more glue than you might think, spread it wider than you might think, and let it dry longer than you might think. To partially mitigate the drying-glue problem, I toss my punctured tubes in a bin and then patch them all at once every so often. I also use a big can of glue at home. I try not to use the little bitty tubes of glue. I now have a new routine of checking my tool kit every so often, and if my glue has been opened, I make sure it's still wet.

I prefer to carry 2 new tubes & more than 1 patch kit. also a pump plus at least 2 co catridges

One new tube, one patch kit, pump & levers. Helps greatly that I have puncture resistant tires.

We have 4 regularly-ridden bikes equipped with spare tubes and patch kits. I'm not sure without re-checking them which ones are currently carrying patched tubes versus brand-new ones, but I hold them in equal regard, so I voted for patched tubes.

My policy is to only carry fresh, unopened tubes of glue on the bikes, and will sometimes check them by giving a little squeeze. I almost never need to patch tubes while out on a ride -- usually the spare tube suffices. But if I do, I will immediately use that tube of glue to patch any other punctured tubes I have when I get home. If that doesn't trigger it, I'll go ahead and open a tube of glue once I've collected at least a half-dozen punctured tubes, or start to run low on a particular size...

[MENTION=152773]noglider[/MENTION] Tom has some great tips for patching. I recommend keeping up your practice, and using a spare wheel to do more realistic testing of your patches. If the tire doesn't go soft again for at least a couple of days, that tube is probably good to go.

You need to tighten the cap better and/or don’t roll the tube. I have tubes of fluid that have been open for years that are still good. A loose cap will let the solvent evaporate and a rolled glue tube can crack. If you are patching at home, you can get a can of fluid that is easier to use and seal so that you don’t have to depend on the glue in the patch kit.

Learn how to patch properly and get a better patch kit. Rema TipTop is the only patch kit/patching system that is worth using. Unlike most other patch kits, it actually use chemistry to make new rubber bonds. Other patch kits use rubber cement which is only a contact adhesive.

Additionally, don’t reinflate the tube immediately after patching. The patch isn’t nearly as flexible as the tube and the adhesive (or vulcanizing fluid) will pull away from the patch when you inflate a freshly patched tube. Check the tire in a water bath before patching, mark all the holes you can find, and then fix them.

If you know how to patch and use Rema patches, you can ride a patched tube with confidence. I patch all the time and have tubes with multiple (up to 30) patches on them. I have no issues using them.

Always carry a patch kit and time is not an issue on my rides. My rides are also not more than 10-15 miles from my drive way so getting home is not an issue either. If I were going on farther or gnarly rides I would most likely carry a Patch Kit and a Patched Tube...

Yep... I have had this problem even in unopened tubes. I also put a small tube of Super Glue in my kit just in case. The super glue also has other uses if needed...

I never paid much mind to whether the tube I carried was patched or new until I pulled it out, stuck it in, and it leaked. I'm the first to admit that I'm not good at patching tubes. After a loooong walk home carrying the bike on my shoulder to prevent damaging the carcass I now only carry a new tube and a hand pump on the down tube.

[MENTION=21724]cyccommute[/MENTION] points out that the glue in the Rema patch kit is best. I agree, though I haven’t been able to find that cement in a can, so I use the car stuff from the auto parts store. It’s about 95% as good at holding the patches long-term. That’s just one person’s experience, and yours may differ.

I agree that Rema patches are best, and they really don’t cost much more than the no-names, so stock up on them. Buying them in bulk is extremely cheap.

This stuff? https://www.amazon.com/Rema-Tip-Top-.../dp/B006P3C92S Found it on Universal Cycles, too, if you don't want to give money to Bezos.

If I patched tubes by the hundreds, I'd probably invest in a can. But given how many tubes that can be patched at a time with just the little 3-gram tubes of glue, I haven't bothered. I've got one of those Rema "Touring" patch kits with the 5-gram tube and I have no idea what I'd do with all that once I opened it.

For the glue carried along, I carry small glass vials that get refilled with glue or solvent once in a blue moon. They last forever and dry out at barely noticeable pace. At my base I have tons of glue solvent that get other uses around rubber.

You can get it from Amazon or any number of other places. Your local bike shop can order it from QBP. Probably costs around $25. You can order tubes of cement from QBP as well.

Realistically, I have not had to patch a tire in about 5 years, since I went tubeless. I still get punctures, but dont' notice it until I get home. I have had to use a hand pump on the very rare occasion I get a pinch flat - those are a bit harder to seal (and may need some external air).

New tube. Takes up little space and when commuting every spare minute mattes. Save the old one and patch it later.

I don't see a difference between a well-patched tube and a new one. One spare [whatever] tube and a new-within-a-couple-years patch kit works for me.

I guess I average about a flat per month. It's rare I have problems the above combination can't handle. Occasionally I'll have to make a call of shame, normally because I didn't notice I'd worn out a tire. Caught heck last year on my second call of shame in a year; I'll have to do better checking the tires.

FWIW, last big can of Rema fluid I bought from Amazon arrived half dried out. I've been using a can of Slime from the auto parts store for the last 4-5 years and haven't seen any change in how well it holds the patches.

I carry a tube and patch kit on each bike. Whether the tube being new or patched doesn't matter, but if a patched tube, it must of been tested first.

Usually I keep patched tubes in the tires and non patched tubes in the saddle bag, even if this means changing the tube again when I get home.

I'm another commuter who has total confidence in a patched tube -- some with 5 patches. I usually pump it up firm and hang it till morning. If it is still firm, I put it in the saddle bag and off I go. I carry peel and stick Park Tool patches but only used em once on another commuter's bike. I think it got him home.

swapped my MTB tires for the summer. took a peak at the patches each tube has. losing track of how old they are. must be going on 3-4 years by now?

Continental Gatorskins plus tire liners...
Knock on wood, with this combo, no flats.

In the bag the usual stuff
two tubes, always one new one, sometimes 2 new ones
one patched, reliable tube

fat biker

Tubeless with a patched Tubolito tube that's been tested for commutes and fun rides. Tubeless with new Tubo for bikepacking/touring.

New Tube
Stick-On Patches

Patches cannot fix some flats. A hole at the stem can only be fixed with a new tube. Multiple flats can only feasibly be fixed with patches as I don't have the room for mutiple tubes.

Glue tubes glue themselves shut after being opened so I stopped using those. Previously patched tubes sometimes go bad in the bag so I don't use them as a backup either.

If I'm using my bike for transportation to a certain destination, and leave it locked up outside, I won't carry anything - rely on cell and uber/taxi to get home.