Just got a flat from a monster thorn today in my road tires. I have a mini pump on order and have extra tubes, but I'd like to invest in a quality patch kit as well. I've heard of some glueless patch kits, but how are they? My current clenchers go up to 110psi, but I might get higher ones in the future. What patch kits can hold up to this and are quickest for a patch job that I'd need to do while I'm out on the street? Thanks.

Those old Tip-Top ones in the lil' green box with the glue and sandpaper, etc. Accept nothing less!

If you want a quality enduring patch use the best, use Rema.

Yeah I think they're called Rema now, same thing, that little green plastic box.

Awesome. Thanks for posting back. I appreciate it.

Oh. One more thing. I know that it is most desirable to allow these glued patches to dry on the tube for a few days before using the tube again, but is it possible to use these Rema glued patch kits while out on a ride? Do they hold well enough that you would be able to ride on that tube after patching it right then? If not, and you had to use glueless (pre-glued) patches, what brand would you recommend just to get you home? Thanks.

Patches are evil. I have so many new tubes I will never run out......but I do carry some of those damn patches with me.....just in case.

I tried using glueless patches about 7 years ago. My success rate with them was pretty low (like 60%?) Most of the time they'd slow down the leak rate and get me home, but would not be a permanent fix. Seem to recall the Performance brand glueless patches work better than the Park brand. Again, this was 7 years ago though.

Ironically, I was getting the best results with those generic non-feathered patch kits one can get at Longs Drug, Orchard Supply, Walmart, etc. They were coming in square or rectangular shapes one could cut to size. The rubber was usually a little thicker. My success rate with these was very near 100%, and I had patched at least 30 holes with them. 15 years ago, as a teenager, I remember having 5-7 of these patches on a tube and the tube would still hold air! (so I was getting a lot of flats due to cheap tires) Those patch kits went a long ways.

In recent years I just use new tubes (less risky) though more recently been more consciencious about being wasteful etc. so have tried to patch some. Started using the Performance brand patch kits (with glue and feathered patches) and they seem to work all right.

I can't remember ever seeing a properly glued patch job that failed. I can't say the same for the glueless ones. If you're a real man, you probably haven't read the directions. They say to clean the tube, apply the glue and wait 5 minutes for applying the patch. 5 minutes waiting for the glue to set can seem like a real long time when you're sitting along the side of the road. Other than that, you're good to go. There's no need to wait a few days.

There are some kinds of flats that can't be repaired with a patch. You can have a valve stem tear or a tear at the base of the valve stem or even a valve failure. Those are all good reasons to carry a spare tube and save the patching for a rainy Saturday at home.

... The last thing I wanna do is to have to take out the tube for a second time, and patch it properly, even if it is in the comfort of my own home, thats why I'll stick to glued patches.

Also, I have rubber cement. Do you apply this, leave it to dry for 5 minutes, and only then apply the patch? Would it not stick to the patch if it has already dried, or does it stick better?

Glued patches, and glued patches only.Always,always scuff the tube with sandpaper or something abrasive at the spot where the patch will go or you waste your time.Reason being, there is a waxy mold release substance on the tube which will keep the solvent in the glue from dissolving the tube,and the patch wont stick.Yes,doing it on the road in a hurry works just fine, I did that 23 times in 2004 over the course of about 16.5k miles.How long you wait for the glue to start working on the tube is temperature dependent, if its warm out, 30 seconds-1 minute is fine, if its below freezing, lighting the glue on fire briefly and blowing it out does wonders. (while on the tube,and no im not kidding,it works).

Most of the tme,you dont even have to remove the wheel, just a handful of tube where the hole is, add air and rotate tire with your lips inches from it, they will feel the leak even if its noisy and you cant hear it or actually see the hole or object in the tread.Yes patched tubes will last a long long time, no need to replace if the patch job is done right.

when in doubt, read the tiny little direction booklet in the patch kit.........if that doesnt work, check the operator

16,500 miles in a year! If you averaged 20mph that's over 2 hours per day every single day.

Wow, that is an amazing amount all right. That mileage also is almost 2X the mileage I put on my two cars each year... combined!

It will stick quite well even when it seems totally dry. When I patch, I always make the rubber cement a little bigger than the patch. On my tubes with multiple patches, those areas tend to stick to the tire, even after drying for months and repeatedly removing. Rubber cement is a pretty goofy thing. It doesn't behave like regular glue.

I ride for a living, dont on a car, so bike is my primary transportation as well.

I ride about 4hrs per day when working out of a 9 hr shift, plus errands and stuff on weekends.So far today has been pretty typical, did 8 delivery runs this morning, now its lunchtime, in about an hour my phone will start ringing again, about 3pm I round up my scheduled picks, and add another 15-20 runs to my day, and finish with around 50 miles total.

It sounds like alot of miles, its nothing really, actually if I was to just ride out in the country somewhere away from traffic and the city it would be quite easy tor rack up even more miles.Flat road,no wind, I usually ride about 24-26mph solo, you rack up miles quick that way vs the sprinting I do while working.I only avg maybe 12-14mph at work with all the stops and stuff, I dont ride that slow, it just averages out that way.

Holy hell. Sustained? Aero bars?

I don't think I could hold 26mph on the flat solo for more than a few minutes. Do you race?

Only races Ive done are alleycats, and if you cant do 30mph for a mile or two in those solo your not gonna make the top 5-10 places at the finish.Best ive done is 10th out of a race with 103 riders.One guy here got 2nd place at the worlds in seattle last year, and one gal got 2nd at the NATS in washDC last year(read im slow).Its flat here, and relatively wide streets and lots of the runs I do are 2miles or more each way, you get fast just from sheer repetition and riding constantly.

No aerobars, dont own any.I do have a set of drop bars I use at a local highschool track sometimes, I have this fascination with my hour time, best ive done so far is just over 26miles in an hour flat.Thats on a fixed gear,drop bars, and a 52/16 gear,no other special equipment, heck the bike cost me about $200.Ive been riding hauling stuff on my back for 5 years, you get quite strong riding a fixie that way all the time.

I was pacing traffic the other day at 30mph, but that was only about half a mile, although it was on a (very slight) incline as well. I don't know what my hour distance is, but I seriously doubt it's over 21 miles. I just got into cycling about 9 months ago, and I'm about a thousand times better than when I started, but you, sir (madam?) are an inspiration. I haven't gotten too caught up in roadie snob blingery yet, but it's always good to be reminded that it is the engine, not the bling, that makes you go.

Kind of makes me want to become a messenger.

Im a guy, im 39 years old, and work/live in columbus ohio, pleasure to meet you.

It takes time to get fast, and lots and lots of miles and effort, gallons of sweat, and gut wrenching dedication to ride thru the bad times and weather, it isnt unique,anyone can do it, but it does take some effort and willpower.Stay with it, the speed will come.I got back on a bike for the first time at age 34 after 20yrs off the bike, I went from zero to about 200 miles a week instantly, and trust me, the first year was tough, especially the first 6 weeks, there were days I had a really hard time dealing with it.I stuck with it, and it changed my life, now Im car free, and healthy again, I shed 38lbs and feel stronger than ever.Its all a matter of just wanting it bad enough.

I like the brand with my LBS's sticker on the front. Cheap, generic, and they work well.

I always carried a spare tube and put that in the tire, giving the patch time to really dry... Makes for instant success.

Thanks everyone. I just picked up a couple packages of the Rema Tip Top patch kits. Gonna try them out right now at home.

The Rema patches are wonderful. I was wondering, though. I picked up the TT02 Touring kits. The round patches are a little large. They tend to wrap half way around the tube. I'm running 700-23C. I looked online and saw that there was a TT04 Sport patch kit from Rema, which supposedly has smaller and thinner patches for road tubes. Which Rema kit do you guys use and what tire size? Thanks.

The wraparound shouldn't matter, but I think they do make a more race oriented patch kit. Of course, it comes with fewer patch options...

If that patch is too big . . . cut it in half; works fine. Been there, done that!