Patching road tubes - tips?

reformedfatty

Punctured this morning and either my hamfisted fitting destroyed my spare or it was punctured from new. Left me trying to patch the original tube this lunchtime. Single puncture, not a snakebite or anything even remotely complicated.

I've never had any success patching road tubes, the repairs never seem to hold the pressure. Today was a flirter, holding pressure right up to the point I was ready to refit the wheel, before giving it up and deflating. Is there some magic to this I'm not realising or is patching road tubes just a myth?

Located puncture.. checked tyre (again). Rough up the tube, glue, patch, hold, little bit of air to give it the shape, left to bake in the sun for a minute, refit to wheel, inflate to full pressure.

Where did I go wrong?

had a toasty stroll up to the lbs here. Despite godawful reviews online they were fine and a fair price (although its hard to be rubbish at selling an inner tube).

TheStone

Chuck in bin. Fit new tube.

CiB

d'you give the glue 5 minutes to cure before sticking the patch down? And do you have a nice even film of glue spread around, not just a big dollop of glue over the hole?

Is the patch and tube spotlessly clean and free from grubby oily or sweaty pawprints?

CiB

TheStone wrote:

Chuck in bin. Fit new tube.

Same as lobbing fivers down the drain chief. Each to their own & all that...

rolf_f

CiB wrote:

TheStone wrote:

Chuck in bin. Fit new tube.

Same as lobbing fivers down the drain chief. Each to their own & all that...

Indeed - lunacy. Unless you get paid a about a pound a minute you'd be mad to through them away.

I don't tend to wait five minutes but that's probably sensible. Doesn't matter if you leave it longer either. Anyway, the bake in the sun bit doesn't matter - the lack of gap between glue and patch is probably the problem! Result will be stronger than the rest of the tube.

kelsen

Not sure if it makes any difference but did you glue the patch down on the correct side? I've made this mistake but it didn't appear to be an issue.

UndercoverElephant

Make sure you sand down any seams on the tube completely, these cause a lot of failures. Thin layer of glue, spread nice and evenly, allow to dry completely for 5 minutes, then apply the patch and hold for a minute.

Origamist

TheStone wrote:

Chuck in bin. Fit new tube.

Fit new tube and repair punctured tube at home/work later.

the_fuggler

I just use the patches that have the adhesive on them already. Seem to work just fine.

MichaelW

I was told ages ago by my LBS to use 2 thin films of rubber solution larger than the patch area, and to let them get tacky dry each time.
Use a feathered patch like Rema.
Apply with pressure from the centre outwards
You don't need to inflate the tyre whilst patching.

Check your tyre for embedded sharps.

roger_merriman

CiB wrote:

TheStone wrote:

Chuck in bin. Fit new tube.

Same as lobbing fivers down the drain chief. Each to their own & all that...

How old are the tubes though? On the MTB the tubes are years old. Even the commute bike can last a while. So a tube once a year maybe?

reformedfatty

Hmm. might have used too much glue. Globbed and then went eek bit much and spread it about but still kinda lots definately had the patch the right way round.

CiB

roger merriman wrote:

How old are the tubes though? On the MTB the tubes are years old. Even the commute bike can last a while. So a tube once a year maybe?

Never thought about binning tubes due to age; I can't imagine rubber perishing after just a year though. In the real world I seem to have enough punctures - or more usually serious ones that aren't fixable - to get through tubes on a regular basis without chucking them out purely on age grounds.

MichaelW wrote:

I was told ages ago by my LBS to use 2 thin films of rubber solution larger than the patch area, and to let them get tacky dry each time.

That just adds 5 minutes to your down time for no discernible reason though. One layer will stick at least as strong as the original rubber. Doubling up has no additional benefit surely? Maybe it's one of their tricks they play on customers, along with suggesting you make sure the pump is horizontal to get the air in more evenly, or only washing wheels in an anti-clockwise direction.

jds_1981

Don't inflate until back in tyre..

Gussio

CiB wrote:

One layer will stick at least as strong as the original rubber.

This. You are applying vulcanising solution, not glue, and two layers ought to make no difference whatsoever. As someone said above, let the solvents evaporate from the vulcanising solution before applying the patch and everything should be peachy.

gbsahne001

Up until a couple of years ago using tubes that were 12 years old and they were still holding fine. Changed the wheels and went over to schrader valves so they were no longer required.

anonymousblackfg

you don't need 5 minutes! just enough time to the area of glue to be visibly dry.

I'd rather go for proper pathches than the pre glues ones as the patch is thicker and won't wear through if covering the same point in your tire where the hole now is.

rolf_f

roger merriman wrote:

How old are the tubes though? On the MTB the tubes are years old. Even the commute bike can last a while. So a tube once a year maybe?

Pretty sure the inner tubes on my old Raleigh Record Ace are a good 25-30 years old and fine.

The only reason to get rid of a tube is if the tube fails around the valve - and I try to patch those as well!

Glueless patches are a waste of time. Quicker to do it once and properly than have to redo the glueless ones when they fail. It's not as though it really takes longer to repair a hole with proper patches anyway.

notsoblue

The Fuggler wrote:

I just use the patches that have the adhesive on them already. Seem to work just fine.

+1, never had a problem.

roger_merriman

CiB wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

How old are the tubes though? On the MTB the tubes are years old. Even the commute bike can last a while. So a tube once a year maybe?

Never thought about binning tubes due to age; I can't imagine rubber perishing after just a year though. In the real world I seem to have enough punctures - or more usually serious ones that aren't fixable - to get through tubes on a regular basis without chucking them out purely on age grounds.

I don't regularly see the fairy so tubes can be a few years old. ie can be over a year if not years between any puncture on the bikes.

MTB has very sturdy mud tyres, and the new bike has cheap and nasty but fairly heavy 385g or so far seem a little harsh but no problems with fairy visits. and my wife's has marathon pluses.

veronese68

I use clueless for roadside repairs I have had one fail, not sure why. If at home or in the office I use the trad method. It doesn't take any longer as while the solution is going off I'm checking the tyre for debris.

bigmat

Replace tube, put old one in bag in the shed when I get home, every few months I fix the old ones (usually around 10 at a time) and delight at the £50 I have just saved.

Kieran_Burns

You shouldn't put any air pressure in the tube until it's back on the wheel and then only enough to maintain the shape when you're wrestling with the tyre.

I can't help but think you're pushing the patch away from the tube when you do this.

Headhuunter

CiB wrote:

d'you give the glue 5 minutes to cure before sticking the patch down? And do you have a nice even film of glue spread around, not just a big dollop of glue over the hole?

Is the patch and tube spotlessly clean and free from grubby oily or sweaty pawprints?

I should think this is the problem, I don't leave mind of as long as 5 mins but 30 secs to 1 min at least before sticking the patch on...

SimonAH

It's a physical repair, not a spray-on instant fix. Do it properly and be patient.

First free just one half of the tyre to get the tube free, and hold the tube from one side only so you don't lose orientation.

Find the leak point, mark the centre, deflate and smooth if a seam is close.

Apply a.thin layer of solvent centred around the puncture exceeding the area of your patch by at least 5mm.

Let dry.

Apply the patch (black side up) hard at the puncture point and smooth centre out (but apply straight first time as its not adjustable, make sure the tube section is flat over your top tube or other hand surface).

Put enough air in the tube to make it just round and offer it up to the wheel to show you where the puncture was.

Feel around the carcass at this position and remove the spuky thing that caused the damage (put it in a pocket to do the fairy burning ritual later).

Refit inner tube at valve point, push up into carcass and seat the tyre in the rim around it (still slightly inflated).

Snug the rest of the tyre in place using thumbs only. If too tight let some of the air out of the tube and pinch the rim of the tyre into the bottom of the hoop to give you more slack.

Put maybe 10psi into the tube and check that the tyre is evenly seated.

Smack in full pressure.

Resume being awesome.

Hoopdriver

Origamist wrote:

TheStone wrote:

Chuck in bin. Fit new tube.

Fit new tube and repair punctured tube at home/work later.

Yup

CiB

Ok - 5 minutes is a bit much. I meant it as a generic 'give it 5 minutes' - I usually do the glue then look for the cause in the tyre whilst it goes off.

Air wise, I've always found it's best to inflate the tube to the wheel diameter before applying the patch so that the patch sticks to the tube in the shape of the tube. You can also centre the patch exactly on the hole as it shows as a white air dot in the glue if there's a bit of air leaking out of the tube. If you stick the patch onto an uninflated tube it stretches when inflated and pulls at the join between patch & tube. If the tube is roughly the right shape the patch is too; less chance of it pulling way.

mudcow007

ok

are you using tyre levers to get the tube out?

do you reckon you could be pinching the tyre with the levers?

sticking patches on -
find 'ole,

roughen with sand paper.

Apply glue an smear it with your finger until the whole patch area is covered.

blow on the glue until it goes a dull colour (dryish)

peel back of patch

stick "pink" side of patch on the tube (make sure its all stuck down & has glue under all patch)

stand on the patch to make sure it sticks proper

wait a few mins

check tube/ patch have all stuck together

refit, bobs your aunty

you are checking your tyre for anything still embedded in the tyre arn't you??

gbsahne001

if using Rema style patches don't peel the silver foil off, bend it and it will split, then peel off from centre outwards; make sure you don't touch the patch.

After patch has been glued in place, don't peel the clear backing off, again try and split it or inflate the tube slightly until the clear back lifts off the patch.

Headhuunter

mudcow007 wrote:

ok

are you using tyre levers to get the tube out?

do you reckon you could be pinching the tyre with the levers?

sticking patches on -
find 'ole,

roughen with sand paper.

Apply glue an smear it with your finger until the whole patch area is covered.

blow on the glue until it goes a dull colour (dryish)

peel back of patch

stick "pink" side of patch on the tube (make sure its all stuck down & has glue under all patch)

stand on the patch to make sure it sticks proper

wait a few mins

check tube/ patch have all stuck together

refit, bobs your aunty

you are checking your tyre for anything still embedded in the tyre arn't you??

There's really no need to blow on the glue or stand on the patch to get it to stick! Just leave the glue to dry for about a minute or so and then stick the patch on... hold it down with your thumb and smooth it out for a few seconds, job done... If you leave the glue to dry for a while it vulcanises the rubber and becomes very, very sticky... No need for immense pressure to stick it down...

ricklilley

Carry a spare tube and swap it over and get going. Fix it later when you've got the time to do it properly (not rushing). I carry a few of the self adhesive patches but only for emergency's. Prefer a proper patch and glue, done right it will last ages.
I've had MTB tubes with multiple patches last for a couple of years before i've binned them.