Inner tubes, fix or ditch?

[Davidc]

Not repairing lightly damaged tubes is just wasteful.

It is extremely rare for a tyre to be significantly damaged during a puncture event. I've had it happen twice in the last 50 years (once last week). Catastrophic tyre damage can take out the tube with it. (I've been lucky with those, but it was the other one years ago).

Self adhesive patches mean that a repair normally takes about 1 minute. No messing about with glue either. The Park Tools ones are good, I can't vouch for others.

Carrying spare tube(s) on a ride, and tyre levers to get tyres off, is easier than doing roadside repairs. Still a good idea to carry patches too.

Tubes beyond repair have loads of secondary uses so don't throw them out!

Just curious - why do people superglue cuts in tyres?

It's to stop small cuts spreading. If they get bad enough to the tube could balloon out of the hole.

My view is that if a cut is big enough to worry about then the tyre needs to be replaced.

 

[biggs682]

i dont repair . but i do use a couple as securing straps in garage

 

[ianrauk]

yup, +1 for Park Tools patches.
I swear by them. Use them properly and the patch lasts just as long and as good as traditional glue and patches.

 

[tyred]

There are many "thoughtful" cyclists with more money than sense that leave punctured tubes lying in the hedge for me to stop and pick up, take home and patch. Haven't bought a 700c/27" tube in years...

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Bin, are repaired punchures supose to take 120psi?

 

[ianrauk]

Bin, are repaired punchures supose to take 120psi?

Yes it's fine.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

I must be bad at repairing or adli punchure kitt is no good

 

[CopperCyclist]

I don't repair the tubes, but I generally find another use for an old tube so far! These have included tying around bikes that were being transported on a rack to stop them knocking/rubbing against each other, placing over the bar of a D-Lock to stop the D-Lock scratching the bike, gluing a small amount to the bottom of a dog bowl to stop it sliding on the kitchen floor, and an improvised tourniquet for gunshot wounds.

Ok the last ones a fib, but you get the idea!

 

[guitarpete247]

I always swap on the road and repair at home. On MTB I carry 2 spares. Pack on road bike I only have room for 1 spare. I also carry glueless patches. Got some Revolution from EBC (to bump my order over £20 to get free postage) and some Slime Skabs. I always carry a repair kit just in case I have more deflationary incidents than spare tubes. I have no problems with using repaired tubes. I even carry repaired tubes as my spares.

 

[asterix]

Bin, are repaired punchures supose to take 120psi?

Why not?

Just fixed one on my hybrid. The tube had done next to no miles. I did buy a new tube just in case but it was easy to fix the one already there. The bike's one of those new-fangled belt drive things so removing the back wheel looks daunting. Not too bad as it turned out but not as easy as a derailleur.

loads of people fix punchures and have no issue with the tubes. I personally bin the tube and tyre and replace

Often the tyre is the weak link, thin treads on worn tyres=more punctures

 

[asterix]

There are many "thoughtful" cyclists with more money than sense that leave punctured tubes lying in the hedge for me to stop and pick up, take home and patch. Haven't bought a 700c/27" tube in years...

They need to be recent discards, I'd think as they are susceptible to UV damage. The ones I used to tie up some plants didn't last very long at all.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Why not?

Why not what?

 

[Rob3rt]

loads of people fix punchures and have no issue with the tubes. I personally bin the tube and tyre and replace

Please feel free to buy some Conti Supersonics and ride over a tack then send them to me, hah!

 

[Leaway2]

Repair, then replace after 3 repairs.

 

[asterix]

Why not what?

Indeed.