I understand why you would want to carry a patch kit (you've run out of spare tubes), but I wonder how useful patch kits really are. I've carried them for years, but never had to use them. How easy is it to locate a leak? Especially, if you're by the side of a noisy road.

When I'm at home, I have to submerge the leaking tube in the sink to locate the leak. How do you do it on the open, noisy road with no quiet stream nearby? (I think that I'd run out of saliva before I'd find the leak.)

thanks,

Cliff

Partially inflate the tube with your pump and locate the leak by feel. Your (mouth) lips are pretty sensitive to feeling.

Yep, just work your way round the tube, holding it near your face until you see/hear/feel the leak.

If I no longer have fresh tubes, it's time to call for a ride. So far that's only happened to me once and a patch kit wouldn't have helped anyway (it was rim strip problem that took out a new tube before I could get the wheel on the bike.)

You are a lot more lucky than I am. I've had to patch on the road several times after my replacement tube flatted too.

Pump tube a lot, run past your face. You'll feel the puff of air.

I live in the land of stickers and broken glass and buy Rema patches in boxes of 100, and their large can of glue. But Rema patch kits are great on the road.

I carry the Park GP-2 self-adhesive patches, and a couple packs of alcohol swabs to clean the tube before patching.
If you can locate the leak, it is possible to just pop off one bead, pull out the tube and patch it, w/o even removing the wheel or tire.
It is rare to not be able to find the leak.
When I get home, I swap out the tube, then replace the self-adhesive patch with a permanent patch.
The self-adhesive patches will eventually start leaking.

I also carry a spare tube and boots for flats with damage greater than a simple puncture.

I took the patch kits out of all my seat bags a couple of weeks ago when I realized I hadn't had to patch a tube on the road in the last 10 years. The last time I used a patch was when I couldn't loosen the stem nut and had to patch the tube without removing it from the rim. I did throw in a couple of self adhesive patches just in case.

it might not be as easy as doing it at home but it is a last resort. what is the alternative? to abandon the ride and call for the ride of shame.

Yep. My Sag wagon just loves getting my call.

They are small enough it's worth having one in the seatbag. Even if you don't end up using it on the road.

And those rare times when I have had to patch on the road I don't have much trouble finding the leak, you just hold the tube in front of your face and pump it up, feel/listen for the hiss.

Actually I somewhat enjoy patching tubes. If I am on a group ride I use a fresh tube, but if on a solo ride and in no hurry I will often patch instead.

I haven't needed a patch ever actually but I somehow feel better. Could help out another rider as well. I'd rather give them a patch than my last tube.

I don't carry a patch kit, but then again I ride sew-ups (tubulars) and they're not something I'd want to attempt to repair on the road. I carry a spare sew-up folded under my saddle, although in over 20 years of road cycling I've rarely needed it.

patch kits are cheap, small and light. no reason to not have one. I had a pinch flat last Saturday. Threw in a new tube and pumped it up only to have it blow out (sounded like a gun shot). Borrowed a tube from a fellow rider but the short stem length didn't work with my aero wheels. Good thing I had a park kit on me. Found the snake bite on the 1st tube, patched it up and was back on the road in no time.

they are also nice to help out fellow stranded cyclists with when you don't want to give away a tube.

Patches are great -- you can fix a flat without even pulling the tire off the bike. Plus they're small.