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Originally Posted by RCMoeur
(Post 23604727)
I tried to find my earlier post on the process I use when I patch hundreds of tubes per year with a 95+% success rate. But BikeForum's search function is as useless as usual. But I do have the photo of the battery-powered dremel with the sanding drum attachment that makes the most important step so much easier. Used it tonight, in fact.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cbe16d3cc5.jpg (pulls out soapbox) Proper and thorough tube surface preparation is by far the most important step - much more important than patch or fluid brand, post-application rolling, etc. There must be clean dark black exposed virgin rubber for the entire patch surface and a bit extra around the edges to be sure. Skimping or skipping this step, as I've seen so many others do, is almost a guarantee of failure and muttering of "all patch kits suck" or "this kit or brand isn't any good". The dremel admittedly makes it very easy to complete in seconds. But if you have to do it by hand, it's all too easy for people to get tired of all the repetitions and pressure needed to get a large enough and clean enough surface - and so they say "good enough", apply the fluid and the patch, and then find out they wasted all that time and effort due to a faulty bond due to insufficient prep. (puts away soapbox) |
Forget about tubes.
Go tubeless. |
baking soda is for cyanoacrylic glues (super glue)
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Rema, FTW. As others have noted, don't skimp on surface prep. That includes allowing the vulcanizing fluid to completely dry before applying the patch. And use a patch roller or burnishing stick to force out any air bubbles under the patch.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...AC_SL1500_.jpg Bike shops don't typically patch tubes simply because it's not cost-effective for them. Most of the shop's cost in patching or replacing a tube is labor, and avoiding the labor cost of surface prep and patch application makes a new tube more cost-effective than patching. But if you're doing your own work, it makes sense to patch. |
after the patching, the exploding tube is from a pinch, no?
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Originally Posted by Reynolds
(Post 23604927)
I use a Dremel with sanding drum at low speed too, but wouldn't recommend it to everyone because it's too easy to ruin the tube if you're not very careful.
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Originally Posted by squirtdad
(Post 23604976)
baking soda is for cyanoacrylic glues (super glue)
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I've used the benchmark Rema glue and patches as well as Park, Slime, and totally generic bulk stuff from EBay. They all have worked equally well given proper prep and the location on the tube. Some locations, like near the stem, or sometimes the raised seam on some tubes, are just hard to patch. But given a clean, roughed surface and proper applicaiton of the patch, They all work fine. My latest strategy is to buy a whole bunch of tiny (like the size in Rema patch kits) genaric patch glue tubes from EBay because they tend to dry out before they're used up. They aren't exactly one use tubes, but I don't mind if they turn out to be.
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I will note that Slime sells a larger jar of fluid that is labeled as "rubber cement" but has an ingredients list matching vulcanizing fluid. The smell is also consistent with that of vulcanizing fluid. I've used it with Rema patches with results identical to the Rema fluid so far. Note that the only reason I bought the Slime brand was because a friend was selling a bunch of cans at the bike swap and I just couldn't turn down the price.
Here in hot Arizona, an opened 3g, 5g, or 7g tube of fluid will usually dry up in 6-12 months if left untouched in a covered place such as a patch kit box, even with the cap screwed on tight. Unopened sealed tubes also have a history of drying up and becoming unusable in 4-7 years. You'd think this was unlikely given their sealed status, but apparently the lighter aromatic fractions can gradually pass through even "sealed" seams in the tube given enough time. |
Originally Posted by tomato coupe
(Post 23604451)
If the smallest patch is too big, how can the largest patch be too small, since it is even larger than the smallest???
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Originally Posted by RCMoeur
(Post 23605799)
I will note that Slime sells a larger jar of fluid that is labeled as "rubber cement" but has an ingredients list matching vulcanizing fluid. The smell is also consistent with that of vulcanizing fluid. I've used it with Rema patches with results identical to the Rema fluid so far. Note that the only reason I bought the Slime brand was because a friend was selling a bunch of cans at the bike swap and I just couldn't turn down the price.
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I gave up on roadside glue-type patches years ago. I keep a spare tube and Park stick-on patches in my saddle bag. It's a couple years since I needed to use any of the instant patches. I USED TO patch tubes and reuse them, but then one failed after a couple months. It was on a wheel-on trainer, not the road, fortunately. But that put me off of patching tubes for reuse, because it could have happened while I was descending at > 30 mph.
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Originally Posted by cyccommute
(Post 23606363)
The Rema vulcanizing fluid lists N-ethylcyclohexylamine in addition to hexane and a heavy naphtha. Slime’s rubber cement lists only hydrocarbons. The N-ethylcyclohexylamine is a promoter for the vulcanizing process. I have an old post on the topic. The link to the Nocil article is dead but I found a copy of it if you want more details.
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