Bike Forums - Patching tubes, I have a question.

Bike Forums (https://www.bikeforums.net/forum.php)

- Road Cycling (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/)

- - Patching tubes, I have a question. (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/916007-patching-tubes-i-have-question.html)

I've tried patching on cut up pieces of inner tube, and they didn't stick at all. What's the trick?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyclezen (Post 16126066)

the clement sewup repair kits we used had latex patches in them and some 'special sauce' which smelled, worked and felt just like regular vulcanizing rubber cement. The key was to get the tube and patch squeeky clean with rubbing alcohol before applying the 'sauce'. I never had a patch fail on a sewup repair - was much harder to get the tire sewn properly so it wasn't all lumpy/bumpy. That took some practice on multiple cheaper cottons with buytyl tubes before I got the technique down.
Clement Crit Setas & Seta Extras and a number of other high end tubulars all used latex tubes. Wonderful tires/ride, but really tender and not anyhting but pure race rubber.
Other thing I found with latex sewups is that the latex tube breaks down faster than butyl (at least at pressure) so if one got much into a second season with one, that was unusual. If you raced alot you got your money's worth.
The Crit seta extras were superlight and had only a thin varnish of covering over the silk casing. Not a 'wet' tire, they would literally come apart in one race of wet weather riding... like assplode...

They had a great humming sound to them too. Especially the Pista version that could be pumped to unnatural PSI.

Your previous post of cutting patches from old inner tubes is right on. I think I only purchased one patch kit ever. Then started cutting my own patches from old inner tubes. And I too use regular old rubber cement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConGrUenCy (Post 16127009)

If I botch up a patch job, can I rip off the patch and redo it?

Yes, just make sure you clean the surface before you start your second try.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noglider (Post 16127510)

I've tried patching on cut up pieces of inner tube, and they didn't stick at all. What's the trick?

rubber cement works best when it adhers to itself. I always apply a thin coat to both the tahr and the patch (whether the patch is a tube piece or fully qualified rema patch...), let dry fpr one episode of jeopardy, then stickem together.
Oh, I would throroughly clean a karge section of old tube, before cutting to some smaller pieces - much easier than cleaning a small piece...

Quote:

Originally Posted by big chainring (Post 16127660)

They had a great humming sound to them too. Especially the Pista version that could be pumped to unnatural PSI. ...

very much more kool sound than a disk wheel whoosh-whoosh ;)

only ever rode Pistas a couple weeks - back then Kissena ( in NY) was way too rough and bumpy - too much like riding cyclocross... went back to some v-nice Barum cottons for track. The Crit setas were kept for good-course crits. I sold the Pistes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyclezen (Post 16125457)

there's nothing that says you can't use cut pieces from an old tube as opposed to purchased patches... after all, it's the rubber cement which does the holdin...

...

Hmm, not a bad idea, however, while I've never tried it, my guess is that it could be problematic with larger holes, because tube rubber is much more stretchy, so it could eventually balloon over the puncture

Yeah, I cut them all the time (even though I usually try to get the small, round patches), and haven't had problem

I tried using an old tube as well for patches but they didn't stick very well at all. I did prep both surfaces before application, the patches you buy seem to work so much better. Once it's on there, it ain't coming off.
Still, anyone have experience with the Ebay Patch Kits? Alternatives for rubber cement/vulcanizing fluid?