Inner Tubes: Repair or replace?

Bassjunkieuk

In light of the recent "economic downturn" which option do you pick?

A puncture repair kit might cost around £5 and will enable you to fix probably 10 or so p**ctures. Sounds like quite a good deal but then you have to factor in the time spent repairing these and are there any issues with using repaired inner tubes?

On the other hand you could just throw away each busted tube and use a new one. I recently managed to get 10 tubes, delivered to my door for about £22, which works at at about £2.20 a tube - a damn sight cheaper then the £4.99 a certain well known bike shop wants for each of it's new tubes!

I only ask as I've just purchased a new inner tube from previously mentioned shop as I used my spare tube on the way in this morning and can't afford to be late home this evening. My usual tactic is 1 (maybe 2) tubes in bag, if I get a visit from the PF I can then replace and re-inflate at roadside and then worry about wheather to patch up or sling the damanged tube when I get in.

DonDaddyD

Back in the day (early 90s) I used to repair my innertubes. Of course then I had minimal pocket money so had to be resourceful.

Now even with all the best intentions and several punctured innertubes at home waiting to be repaired, I don't have the time or patience to repair them.

Replace.

gtvlusso

Replace - too lazy to repair and too rich...time is money and that.

And all my money goes on GDP mortgage and children....credit card debt goes on inner tubes.

redddraggon

I enjoy repairing inner tubes (but I enjoy fixing anything), only takes a couple of minutes.

roger_merriman

i very very rarely have problems with the fairy, my town bike has battleship class armor namely Marathon pluses, my other bikes are fine some of them have never had a visit from said fairy....

so i just replace the tubes as and when...

Christophe3967

£1.79 for a new one. (Ribble)
No practical genes whatsover.
No time.
No contest.

SwanseaDan

Honestly people, just spend the few mins repairing a tube, do it while you watch telly, simples!

I've always repaired mine, never had a leak from the patch either. Always carry a spare on the trail though, no point piddling about in the rain fixing a flat.

Massimo

I always replace and never repair but on average I only get one p******* per year...

Finbar Saunders

I usually repair at home and can't say I've seen any poorer performance from a repaired tube. But at some point you have to replace.

I usually repair while doing something else....watching telly, sitting in the garden, listening to the wife go on and on and on about something....I've even repaired a few while doing an easy spin on the turbo.

patchy

bit of both - i carry spares for punctures on the road, but repair punctured tyres (which then use as the spares) i'll replace if they have more than one patch though...

singlespeedexplosif

repair - 'recent economic downturn' or not. It's stupid not to.

mmm...landfill.

biondino

Replace. I'm lazy, and my memories of repairing punctures as a kid indicate I'm really not very good at carrying out the repairs!

always_tyred

If I get a flat, I need to know why. Finding the hole in the tube is the best way to find out (I learned the hard way that you can remove what you think caused it from the tyre, only to discover that there was something else and that you'd simply removed some other sharp thing).

Finding the hole is the most time consuming part of fixing a tube. Honestly people. If you want, instead of spending £5 on a tube, send me the tube and £4 and I'll fix it for you, or fix it yourself and give £4 to charity.

roger_merriman

most times i can see where the hole is, i always check the tires after, the time between fairy visits means that the glue will have gone solid etc, so i just replace as and when probably once every two years? give or take.

woodyonthebeach

Usually Replace. And save the knackered tubes up then look myself in my shed and sniff the fumes as I repair the tubes

Chewy Cheeks

I agree with Jash

Will repair 3 times or so and after that replace, recently repaired the same tube 3 times in an evening - it seems as though theres just so much dragging about they can stand before they get fragile.

I like the multi buy discounts you girls have got in on.

I would also say it seems those of us riding the larger tyres seem less prone to the fairies....hold on ....whats that noise I will hear on the way home tonight......

Is this a speaking too soon hole ?

gtvlusso

Running tyres at 120PSI does not bode well for any repairs either - hence replace.

Bassjunkieuk

Interesting thoughts here, including the one I'm carrying home today I now have 2 tubes to repair - not urgently mind as my 10 pack from Ribble turned up today :-)

I did have a spate of needing to repair inner tubes but I think my bigger worry now is what to do about the nice big hole in the side of my rear tyre! I'm thinking let it down this evening and a dab of superglue to hold it together until I can get authorizaton to replace it! Either that or I'll have to make a quick call into GB Cycles and fit the new one on my lunch break when posted down in Croydon next week - not like the wife is gonna know the difference between the new and old tyres ;-)

robmanic1

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

not like the wife is gonna know the difference between the new and old tyres ;-)

Or so you'd think (they know more than they let on), still got to find a way of fitting my Racing 3's " under the radar".

antfly

Decent puncture kits have no problem with high pressure,the patch justs melts to the tube,sort of, and they are as good as new.It`s replace on the road and fix at home for me.It takes about 2 mins longer to fix a tube than replace it.

Feltup

If the hole is in the side wall then I would replace the tyre as soon as possible. Sidewalls bend and flex a lot and inner tubes find their way out of splits very easily I found.

I repair tubes once and after that they get binned.

Bassjunkieuk

Feltup wrote:

If the hole is in the side wall then I would replace the tyre as soon as possible. Sidewalls bend and flex a lot and inner tubes find their way out of splits very easily I found.

I repair tubes once and after that they get binned.

Thankfully the sidewall has survived, it's on the main tread of the tyre - just off to one side. I really should have kept the shard of glass as a momento and is was rather big - I might even try and get a pic of it before I repair it this evening! The other helpful thing was that I'm certainly not gonna need to use the old "bowl of water" trick to find the hole in the inner tube!