can you use old inner tube pieces for puncture repair?

Kozak

On my mountain bike been on a route few times and keep getting punctures - part of the way is a thorny hedge, must have run over some thorns - am using up the patches that have in my puncture repair tube - I've bought a big tube of the rubber glue needed and just curious are these rubber patches specially prepared for repair or will any rubber as in a piece from an old inner tube be suitable?

balthazar

It never works well- I've tried. Patches are coated in something that makes a better bond. Besides, REMA style patches are feathered at the edge, which prevents lifting. They're cheap enough that I don't think there's much incentive to use anything else.

crankycrank

Same experience here as with Balthazar. You can get Rema patches in bulk rather than buying a bunch of patch kits which usually have too many of the large patches that rarely get used. I've had mixed results with using old innertube rubber to patch. You have to sand down the surface of tube and patch to get to fresh rubber, make sure it's surgical quality clean and maybe it will work. Much more reliable and easier to use a proper patch.