How many patches can a tube have and still work?

[Davidc]

I was on a charity ride on Sunday, and helped a couple out who were having trouble mending a puncture - I let them have a spare tube and took their old one in return.

Went to mend it yesterday evening. I've swapped a tube with 2 patches on it for one with 27! The failure is where 3 patches are together and overlapping, and I've put the thing in the bin.

Can't say I'm worried about helping out with a next to no value tube, but would be interested to know how many patches people reckon a tube can have and still be usable. If they're spread out I'll go up to 3, then I use a new one.

 

[ianrauk]

I would say 3 would be max for me...

 

[simon_adams_uk]

No limit in theory but with the caveat that two patches very near to each other is a no-no. 27 is going some though!

 

[T4tomo]

I can't believe you even took the tube with 27 patches! I'd have told them to bin it. They need better tyres if they have got 27 punctures!

 

[tyred]

If there is room for one more patch, it's fine imo.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I don't set a limit (my record is 6 I believe) and even put a patch on a patch in an emergency once, but can't imagine getting up to 27 without thinking "you know, this tube has probably had it."

 

[Jdratcliffe]

if there normal rubber around to patch patch is fine, no no is if the patch overlaps or is v v close to anothe patch

 

[Svendo]

I usually get to around 8-9ish before the valve patch bit goes from the pump being pushed on/pulled off ( @Fnaar poster).

 

[ColinJ]

You've got me wondering ...

I bin tubes that are damaged around the valve, and also ones that fail along the seam but that leaves a lot of other tubes that I have patched over the years. I don't get rid of tubes after a set limit on the number of patches, so where all all those multi-patched tubes now?

 

[Blue Hills]

27 is amazing but in theory OK.

As other have said, if it's near the valve, on a seam or too close to another fail so the patches would be touching it's time to dump it. Also if a tube fails on a patch (maybe because the patch has come loose or degrade) I'd dump it.

I find the practice of those who dump tubes after one puncture/don't repair them more bizarre than the 27-patch person.

In practice because of the above I maybe get up to about 4 patches at the most.

 

[Davidc]

I can't believe you even took the tube with 27 patches! I'd have told them to bin it. They need better tyres if they have got 27 punctures!

I don't think it was the tyres, or an extraordinary number of punctures. The bike it was from was a Peugeot similar to one I used to have, so 1970s/ 80s style, and I suspect the tube, if not original, was geriatric.

From looking at it yesterday I'm certain the problem was a failure of past patching and not a new puncture.

I can't believe you even took the tube with 27 patches! I'd have told them to bin it. They need better tyres if they have got 27 punctures!

I saw it had a few but didn't think about it, just stuffed it into my pannier. Quite a surprise when I took it out.

The one they got isn't great. It's been in my bike's tool bag for several years and has a couple of patches. Don't remember its exact history but they were ordinary patches and I've been using Park Tools self adhesive for some years now.

(It's also one of my bulk buy continental ones, most of which have failed at the valve, so now have 2 Schwalbe tubes in the bag which is IMO better).

At least I got thanked as they passed me later, and again when I saw them at the end.

 

[Smurfy]

There's no limit, but overlaps are probably not a good idea. In theory a huge number of patches may increase rolling resistance, as it's similar to having a thicker tube.

 

[Davidc]

There's no limit, but overlaps are probably not a good idea. In theory a huge number of patches may increase rolling resistance, as it's similar to having a thicker tube.

This had failed at an overlap. I didn't bother looking any further, just counted the patches, shook my head, and slung it in the dustbin.

I'm always concerned that patches may be a weak spot so if a punctured tube already has 3 I don't repair again. I've never had one of my repairs fail though, so maybe I should keep going! I get so few punctures now that it hardly matters (combination of Marathon tyres and less annual mileage than in the past).

 

[Smurfy]

This had failed at an overlap. I didn't bother looking any further, just counted the patches, shook my head, and slung it in the dustbin.

I'm always concerned that patches may be a weak spot so if a punctured tube already has 3 I don't repair again. I've never had one of my repairs fail though, so maybe I should keep going! I get so few punctures now that it hardly matters (combination of Marathon tyres and less annual mileage than in the past).

I've never had a properly stuck patch come unstuck (the tyre is pushing the patch back onto the tube with the exact same force that the air inside the tube is trying to push it off). Unless the hole is really large I don't think there's much cause for worry over patch adhesion or the reliability of repaired tubes. However, I've heard that patches don't always remain stuck in hot climates, does anyone know anything about this?

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Just one,& that is to get me home,then a new tube will go in.Tubes cost next to nothing,so why waste time.Aggree about the tyres being shagged.27 patches,glue etc probably cost more than a cheap tyre & tube.