If money and tubes grew on trees . . . I wouldn't patch!

What is this? The Jr. High locker room?

keep those fingers crossed, but someday the valve stem gonna getcha, if you carry a bag or something I'd recommend dropping a tube in and forget it exists, and then keep your current method up, not a lot burns like a torn valve stem.

I've never torn a valve stem... I guess it's possible, I've heard of other people doing silly things like that.

We have a good transit system, and I usually have a good deal more than $1.50 on me... find a store and buy a new one.

With my tools and stuff in my seat bag, I don't have room for a tube... I suppose I could find a larger seat bag.

I'll make sure I take a tube with me when I start riding into the mountains.

The only tools I carry are for tube repairs and replacements. Well, maybe that's because that's all I know how to fix.

I just rebuilt my rear wheel on mine.

I also installed a new stem, re-wrapped the handle-bars, installed the rack, computer ...

For the most part, I do all my own work. It means more that way. And it's one more reason I get so pissed when some cager nearly hits (or DOES hit) me.

Of the bikes I've owned, most were old bikes that I fixed up, I've bought 2 new bikes... one a huffy from Walmart with my first paycheck from my first job, the second a mountain bike that I traded in less than a week later on a used road bike the shop got in...

By far the bikes I've enjoyed the most were the older ones... a Schwinn road bike with disk brakes I paid $6 for at a yard sale... cost me less than $20 for new tires and cables. A '72 Schwinn Super Sport that I picked up at the Salvation Army for $20... Put $30 into tires and a seat for that one (Still have it, but I'll probably sell it to someone that'll love it)

My favorite bike of all (The one I still kick myself for giving away) was the road bike that I traded the brand new mountain bike in on... A Miyata 110 .... I loved that bike, took it around the world with me.

My current bike (Which I also love!) is an '88 Raleigh Technium.

edit: What I meant to say in that long-winded post was: Take the time to learn how to adjust your bike, you'll probably enjoy it, and it's great to know that if something goes wrong, you can fix it!

I do take your point, but I bought the darn thing to ride, not work on. I would like to know all about it, but without the interviening step called learning. Maybe someday. . . .

I'm definitely a patcher. I replace tubes only when they rupture at the valve or have some other terminal failure. I also replaced a tube on the road when I had a flat at -20 C...

Basically, it takes me about 10-15 minutes to do the job, but that includes the time to get my repair kit out, remove the wheel... so I assume that it may take me only 2-3 minutes more to patch than to replace the tube. Patching is also much better for the environment.

When you're standing out in the blazing sun, just having replaced a tube, the last thing you want to do is pump up the dang tire. Gets you moving just that much faster. So, patch your tubes and save the $$ for more CO2 cartridges.

I haven't bought new tubes in a couple years now. Both of my bikes have a small seat bag with a tube, patch kit (glue-type), and multi-tool, and a pump on the frame. CO2 inflators would take up too much room. CO2 cartridges are one use. Since I have had multiple flats on a ride, I want to be able to inflate a tire multiple times. Don't want to pump up a tire? You're out there riding your bicycle, are you afraid of a little excercise for your arms, too??

When I flat, I switch the tube out.When I get home I patch the tube, put it in a zip-lock with talc and reload the seat pack. I've had one flat on each bike so far this year. Both times it was right on the center seam. When I patched them, I carefully trimmed the seam flat to assure a good fix, no problems.

And what's with people leaving their old tubes (and CO2 cartridges) laying on the road? Are these the same pigs that leave their McDonalds garbage on my parking strip? Pack out your damn garbage, you lazy slobs!! Have just a little respect for the people and the world around you.

I always carry a pump, not CO2. I encountered too many times when I've developed a slow leak. I've just had to add some air to reinflate every couple of miles on my return trip. Then, I could do the repair at home.

1. Yes, she was cute.
2. No. I don't want to ride with someone who always expects me to patch all the flats.

Hey, I had one of those -- I loved that car. Unfortunately, it was stolen many years ago (perhaps 1981? I can't remember).

I also had an old Harley-Davidson Sportster that not only had points, but a magneto ignition. That bike was a lot of work, let me tell you. Now I've got a BMW. Never gives me any trouble. But when an electronic ignition fails, you're stuck. There's no way at all to fix it by the side of the road. With points, at least you've got a chance.

And patching a tube on a bicycle is no big deal, really. But when you get a flat on a motorcyle with tube tires (and no centerstand, in the case of the Sportster), you're in big trouble. A flat on the BMW is easy. It uses tubeless tires, and you can plug the flat with a plug gun. No wheel and tire removal required.

Zip ties will fix the rest.

The only value stem rips I've ever had at at home when my hungry pump simply will not let the damned thing go. grrrrr

Uhg, I just walked my bike because of a flat and lousy glueless patches. So its off to the LBS for a spare tube and a good old fashioned glue patch kit.

My local has them. They are still out there.

I aways patch tubes when they can be. And shhh, I also use glueless patches! And keep those patched tubes in my tires.

I did see a cyclist at a bike store with a expensive bike that he took in to have a flat fixed!!!! Good god, the guy was in his 40's and couldn't fix a flat? Probably called his mommy to come get him when he went flat! People like that should find another hobby!!!!

At this point in my life (mid to late 40s), I have more money than spare time, so for routine repairs I send my bike to my LBS.

At one time, I used to do all my repair work, so I consider fixing a flat as a basic skill every rider should know.

Whenever I ride -- in addition to water bottle, energy bar and basic tool kit -- I carry a spare tube, repair kit and pump (Presta /Schraeder combo). I don’t believe in CO2 because if you need more air, you’re screwed after the first use.

When I get home, I fix the tube (if I only have one flat on the road).

By the way, has anyone ever heard of or tried using old tubes as patches? It never occurred to me before but would this work, if you wanted/needed larger patches?

"-- I carry a spare tube, repair kit and pump (Presta /Schraeder combo). I don’t believe in CO2 because if you need more air, you’re screwed after the first use."

Exactly. Just yesterday, I developed a slow leak, but was able to make it home by pumping the tire at a few stops on the way. It was much more comfortable to be able to do the repair at home, in the air conditioned basement.

Yep. I do the exact same thing. Once they have like 6 or 7 patches I just get rid of it.

I just patched one this morning when my spare tube's valve broke.
Not having a patch kit is almost like asking for trouble.

I fix flats reverse of what most people do. First I always try to repair the tube first instead of using my spare because I weird, wired that way since birth! I do it this way because I usually locate the leak and the source of the leak, thus pull the offender out of the tire, then patch the tube with a glueless patch because they are faster to use and they stay on for years unlike what some will tell you, (and I use them on both road and MTB tubes). I will only use the spare if for some reason I cannot repair the tube on site. And since I do use glueless patches I can fix the tube as fast as replacing the tube anyways.

My system for repairing a tire fast is to only remove about half the beading only one side of the rim with the hole in the center, then pull the tube partially out-just enough to work on the hole then replace. This method only takes about 5 minutes to do on a front wheel. The only exception to this is with Armadillo tires; due to the very stiff sidewalls it is necessary to remove all of one one side.

I also carry a spare folding ultralight racing tire along with a tube and of course a patch kit along with mini tools etc in my seat bag. I also do not use CO2 because most people only carry 2 carts and if you have more then two flats or screw up then you could be in for a walk...and where I like to ride that would be a very long walk (I don't carry a cell phone because I refuse to use my wife as my mommy...unless it's an extreme emergency, like in the hospital!). I carry a mini pump except on rides of more then 50 miles one way then I carry my frame pump in ADDITION to the mini in case one fails.

I don't care how many holes a tube has had repaired, as long as the tube is still plyable then it's useable.

Using a spare tube to make patches would make the patch too thick and you would feel it every time that section of the tube rolled over the pavement and could make your tire bulge at that point.

I had my wife pick up two new tubes. Then I proceeded to flat each one.
I missed a piece of debris in the tire but somehow it did not affect the patched tire.
Anyhow, it's back on and I am patching the two spare tubes. The heck with buying more tubes.

I carry a spare tube and a patch kit. The spare goes in on the road and the punctured tube gets patched when I get home. The patch kit is there for any subsequent flats. I'm always very persistant in trying to find the source of the leak if it's still in the tire. For inflating, I carry both CO2 and a mini pump. You can't beat CO2 for speed and it's really nice to use in weather like we're having now. The mini pump takes care of flats after I run out of cartridges. The other things I carry are a Crank Bros. multi-tool and a few zip ties. One tip on patches: Rivendell carries my favorite tube patches. They are made by Velox and are slightly smaller than a dime. They are perfect for thorn holes and other round punctures. I also carry a few larger ones, but use more of the Veloxs than any other size. Slime tubes usually work on round punctures but are not effective against snakebite flats. They are also more difficult to patch because you must get all the Slime off for the patch to stick. You also pay a weight penalty with Slime. I like them in my mtb tires.

Smokey

Lemond Poprad, Fisher HT mtb, Burley tandem