Puncture repair

nbuuifx
nbuuifx Posts: 302
edited August 2012 in Road beginners
Following my recent problems I now have a pair of inner tubes with a hold in them. I've not had a puncture on the bike before but have done some repairs in the last few years but only on the kids push chair! On the push chair I found the self adhesive patches easiest and got the best results with them.

Are the self adhesive patches good enough with the high pressures of a road bike tyre? Or are traditional glue and patches preferred?

If you go for glue do you go for certain brands? I tried some on the push chair but didn't have any luck. I applied glue to both sides, allowed to dry then held them together for a few mins. The patches stuck well but always leaked when inflated. It could have been down to the position of the holes as they always seemed to occur on the seams of the inner tube. However the self adhesive patches managed to do the job. So from my conclusion it was the cheap glue (think it may have been a poundland repair kit! If not it was Tesco) - so are there any preferred brands to go for?

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,413
    rema tiptop tt04

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/rema-tip-top-tt ... epair-kit/

    tt04 is the road version, tt02 has larger thicker patches for bigger tyres

    comes in a small box that doubles as a tool for burninshing the patch to ensure a good seal, instructions in the box, seal the tube of vulcanising fluid tight after use and it'll last for ages, you can buy sheets of spare patches...

    http://www.probikekit.com/uk/tyres-tube ... tches.html

    the patches are extremely reliable, i've got tubes with several, they don't fall off when you roll the tube up and stash it in a pocket until next time you need it
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • the_cyclist_of_catan
    the_cyclist_of_catan Posts: 354
    It's worth bearing in mind that the pressure in an inflated tube squeezes the patch between the tube and the inside of the tyre; it's not like the pressure in the tube can "force" the patch off.

    Repair a holed tube when you get home and it's ready to be reused. It's only when a new puncture is too close to an old patch that you have to bin them.
    They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Some cyclists hold that no patch can hold up to the pressure, and will discard their tube should they puncture it. This is a divisive issue and you shouldn't take anybody's opinion as gospel; inevitably at least one person will come along and claim that everyone else is doing it wrong.

    As for me, I happily used glue and patches for years. They work very well; there's a certain knack to it but if you get it right it should last as long as the tube does. However, I recently started using self-adhesives and so far I have no complaints at all. :)
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Simon Masterson wrote:
    Some cyclists hold that no patch can hold up to the pressure, and will discard their tube should they puncture it. This is a divisive issue and you shouldn't take anybody's opinion as gospel; inevitably at least one person will come along and claim that everyone else is doing it wrong.

    It's not devisive. A proper glued patch is stronger than the tube itself. The discarders are only discarding because they are too lazy to spend five minutes patching! The only reason a glued patch will fail is if it hasn't been done well.

    On the other hand, personally I see no place in the world for glueless patches though I know some swear by them. I have no idea why they do though :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Rolf F wrote:
    Simon Masterson wrote:
    Some cyclists hold that no patch can hold up to the pressure, and will discard their tube should they puncture it. This is a divisive issue and you shouldn't take anybody's opinion as gospel; inevitably at least one person will come along and claim that everyone else is doing it wrong.
    Rolf F wrote:
    It's not devisive.

    It's argued about often and there are myriad viewpoints on what the best way of doing things is. That's 'divisive' enough for me!
    Rolf F wrote:
    A proper glued patch is stronger than the tube itself. The discarders are only discarding because they are too lazy to spend five minutes patching! The only reason a glued patch will fail is if it hasn't been done well.

    I'd be more inclined to question the 'high pressures' that some of these people claim to be running their tyres at, but yes, agreed.
    Rolf F wrote:
    On the other hand, personally I see no place in the world for glueless patches though I know some swear by them. I have no idea why they do though :lol:

    Without getting into the 'how many patches should I put on my tube before I chuck it' debate (which I've never particularly bothered with myself), some people seem to regularly ride over tyre-ruining monstrosities and therefore go through many inner tubes. I'd assume that to be a factor. If you don't manage to keep your tube for 10k+ miles...
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Simon Masterson wrote:
    Without getting into the 'how many patches should I put on my tube before I chuck it' debate (which I've never particularly bothered with myself), some people seem to regularly ride over tyre-ruining monstrosities and therefore go through many inner tubes. I'd assume that to be a factor. If you don't manage to keep your tube for 10k+ miles...

    I reckon most punctures (certainly mine are) to be user error in one form or another. It's rare that I have a puncture that I didn't in some way cause myself. But then it's rare that I have a puncture full stop!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • navrig
    navrig Posts: 1,352
    I buy the large patches from Halfrauds and cut them down to suit the tube size. Small for road bike and large for MTB. They work well but it can be fiddly getting the backing off.
  • nbuuifx
    nbuuifx Posts: 302
    I was just reading this article:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/w ... ure-30614/


    It didn't give quite the method I use. I have always put one layer of glue on the tube, and one on the patch. Then left to dry then held together. This guide put two layers on the tube then applied the patch when dry.

    What are your thoughts on the correct method?
  • rpd_steve
    rpd_steve Posts: 361
    NO Glue on the patch, tube only, allow 2 mins to dry then apply patch and keep pressure on it for a min. Make sure you put something on the sticky patch area to stop it sticking to the inside of the tyre. Never had a repair fail yet.
  • ThatBikeGuy
    ThatBikeGuy Posts: 394
    I've used both types, don't really have a preference as both types worked fine for me. I suppose sticky patches maybe slightly quicker/less fiddly out on the road?
    Cannondale SS Evo Team
    Kona Jake CX
    Cervelo P5
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,413
    nbuuifx wrote:
    I was just reading this article:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/w ... ure-30614/


    It didn't give quite the method I use. I have always put one layer of glue on the tube, and one on the patch. Then left to dry then held together. This guide put two layers on the tube then applied the patch when dry.

    What are your thoughts on the correct method?

    the correct method is printed on the teeny instruction sheet in the rema tiptop box, it just works
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • nbuuifx
    nbuuifx Posts: 302
    RPD Steve wrote:
    NO Glue on the patch, tube only, allow 2 mins to dry then apply patch and keep pressure on it for a min. Make sure you put something on the sticky patch area to stop it sticking to the inside of the tyre. Never had a repair fail yet.

    I thought it was a contact adhesive that needed adhesive on both sides?

    Do the patches you use have a backing you need to peel off first?
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,413
    nbuuifx wrote:
    RPD Steve wrote:
    NO Glue on the patch, tube only, allow 2 mins to dry then apply patch and keep pressure on it for a min. Make sure you put something on the sticky patch area to stop it sticking to the inside of the tyre. Never had a repair fail yet.

    I thought it was a contact adhesive that needed adhesive on both sides?

    Do the patches you use have a backing you need to peel off first?

    for rema/similar systems it's not an adhesive, it's a fluid that causes the patch to bond with the tube (vulcanisation)

    the rema patches are on a foil sheet, you apply fluid to the area to be patched, allow it to dry, peel off the foil and press the patch onto the tube centered on the puncture, then you burnish the patch with the rounded corner of the box to ensure a good bond forms over the full area of the patch
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Yepp, I use the same fixing process as Sungod and haven't had a problem yet (one of my tubes has 3 patches so there's much life left in it).

    I do carry some self-adhesive patches on major rides even though I also carry 2 spare tubes, mainly because I have seen guys get double punctures running over glass on a corner and I would hate to be riding with no backup plan after swapping the tubes. Then again, some of my rides can be quite long (225k on Saturday) and on some dreadful roads.

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