GP

How many flats do you get a year? 12? Is it really worth your time to save $6 or so every month?

I carry stick on patches with me. They're for last resort repairs.

GP

How many flats do you get a year? 12? Is it really worth your time to save $6 or so every month?

I carry stick on patches with me. They're for last resort repairs. They're OK for temporary use.

scoots826

I've been cutting up old tubes to use as patches for years. A can of rubber cement from a stationary store and a tube will last forever.

Tunnelrat81

Just patched about 8 tubes just today. I collect them from group rides when people are just going to chuck them. Usually it's just one patch needed and I'll run a tube until there are 5-6 patches sometimes will full faith and no additional leakage than a new tube would offer. Absolutely no reason not to become good at patching.

-In response to the earlier question about ridges...I sand them down if possible, and sand down into the
groove next to it until there's no "smooth" rubber. All scuffed before applying the glue.

-Another thing that I do before even scuffing is to draw a HUGE + centered on the hole with the tube
inflated when I can really zero in on the location. Then my sanding/glueing patch is smaller than the
mark so I can easily get the hole perfectly centered even if I lose sight of it.

-Also, I'll massage the patch into place. When my dad taught me to patch tubes years ago he'd actually
made himself a little 'rolling' tool to use after applying the patch to make sure and get any/all air out
from under the patch and give it good consistent contact.

I tend to be anal retentive about this stuff...but the result is that I'm able to successfully patch every tube I puncture.

-Jeremy

kayakdiver

That's a set of GP4000's .............. worth doing for me. Takes almost no time and I get to feel just a little bit better not tossing something that is still good in the trash. Like mentioned above... little patch of old tube and some cheap rubber cement and your good to go.

ElJamoquio

No. Personally I prefer wasting my money, filling landfills, and sending more money to Saudi Arabia to drill for more oil.

bigfred 

For F***'s sake! Two pages on how to patch a tube!

zonatandem

Use real patches and real glue . . .
The stick on ones are almost useless and soon come off.

patentcad

They're not calling it the Great Recession of 2009 for nothing.

patentcad

That should tell you how lame the patch kits are, because if they were effective, or came with intelligent instructions, I wouldn't be here.

There's a market for a new product in there someplace. For F's sake, I'm on my third patch kit, I've been F-ing around with this crap for months now, and only half my patched tubes work. Should be simple. I'm sure it is. Once you know the secret. Sounds like everything else in bike wrenching.

Reynolds 

I hear it has to do with wabisabi or something like that.

MrCjolsen

I have a collection of about 5 spare tubes that live in my garage or seat pack. Each tube has 3-5 patches on it.

Before you laugh, think about this. Each patch means I didn't buy a tube. Tubes are around $7-$8 around here.

5x4=20 patches. Each patch saved me around $7. So that's around $140 I've saved patching tubes.

In all, I've only had one patch fail. And that was because I didn't put it on exactly over the hole.

patentcad

I ride 12,000 miles annually. I've gotten 3-4 flats this month alone. They come in bunches. I'd guess I get more like 20 flats (1-3 monthly) each year. I ride in wet weather, I probably get 70% of my flats on wet roads.

ridethecliche

Knock on wood, I've been using 'skabs' glueless patches for a while. They're like a dollar for 6 at walmart, and I've never really had an issue with them as long at the patch was nice and centered on the puncture.

ElJamoquio

https://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Bulk-B.../dp/B000BMUB38

MrCjolsen

One more thing. I never patch tubes on the road. I replace the tube then fix the punctured one at home or at work.

BengeBoy 

I have posted my tube-patching technique before. Here it is:

- If I get a flat, I tie the tube in a knot so I remember it's got a hole
- I store all my "flatted" tubes in a cardboard box so I can deal with them in an organized way
- Once a year, I get the box out and throw them all away.

kayakdiver

Very cool... Dirt cheap and bulk...

NRRider

+1
Also, thanks for the link to the 100 patch deal. I always thought there was something like that out there but never bothered to research it. Not that patch kits are expensive, but I always run out of patches before running out of the vulcanizing fluid. Although if I buy those 100 patches I'll also need to buy the larger tube of fluid.

Geordi Laforge

I must be quite lucky, then. One of my tubes has multiple park glueless patches on it and I'm going on them for a year now.

I am very pleased with them.

socalrider

+1 on using old fashion patch kit.. The park patches are fine in a bind put just fall off over time..

I just found a new style glueless patch, from Lezyne which seems to work much better, it is made of rubber conforms to the tube much better than the park glueless..

https://www.lezyne.com/index.php/prod...metal-kit.html

Surferbruce

in a pinch you can always just pull your testosterone patch off your sack and use that...

cyccommute 

So close. Apply glue only to the tube. The patch doesn't need it and it will only interfere with bonding process. Don't handle the bonding part of the patch either. Peel the foil from the back of the patch and apply while holding the plastic cover.

Wait for the glue to dry completely. That takes more than 20 seconds. If the glue isn't completely dried, the patch won't stick to it. While this is something you can do on the road, it's a job that is easier to do at home.

The glue should be thin layer on the tube but of sufficient diameter to go beyond the edges of the patch.

Everything else you've said Jynx is spot on.

Success rate if you allow the glue to dry completely? 100%

cyccommute 

Depend where you live. If you have goatheads in your area, you'd better get good at patching tubes or replacing them after each flat could run roughly the cost of one of these

Phantoj

Tip: if you lose the hole after you have applied the glue to the tube, a toothpick can be used to find it again.