Patch or Tube?

[Thomk]

If you had an Alfine or Nexus hub would you patch a rear tyre flat or take the wheel off and change the tube?

 

[HLaB]

I've never had an integrated hub but I can't imagining patching a tube successfully on the rim

 

[Night Train]

I would patch it regardless but I would also remove the wheel from the frame so as to be familiar with it in comfort before having to do it in the field.

 

[Thomk]

Can it be done on the rim without removing the wheel?

 

[Theseus]

I would patch it regardless but I would also remove the wheel from the frame so as to be familiar with it in comfort before having to do it in the field.

I have a Nexus hub on one of my bikes.

The first time I removed the wheel it took about half an hour to get it off.

Then I read some instructions.

It now still takes a little while as there are things you need to remember to do and the sequence to do them. If you have the version with roller brakes, they are an additional thing to get right.

As Night Train says, use this as a practice session on how to remove your wheel.

As for the puncture repair, if you can fix it and the cause without removing the wheel, fair do but you will miss out on getting to know how to do it.

 

[Night Train]

Can it be done on the rim without removing the wheel?

Yes, it can, but it can be a bit fiddly depending on how much clearence you have to get the tyre off and the tube out.

It would be worth doing both, fixing the puncture wth the wheel on, to see if you can do it, and also then getting the instructions out and having a go at removing and refitting the wheel correctly.

 

[Thomk]

I've watched this vid:
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGEXjpXtw4g
and am extra lucky that this guy has the same bike as me. It seems fairly straightforward if you know what you're doing but I have the added hassle of undoing the rack and guard. I thought it might be worth trying patching on the rim first before taking the wheel off. I will practice taking the wheel off though next weekend (I keep promising myself)...

 

[dellzeqq]

the answer is patch, and, better yet, modern self-adhesive patches make it a quick and mess-free job. I've had one of these on the back wheel of a Brompton for three or four months, and it's not let me down

http://road.cc/content/review/3532-lezyne-smart-patch-puncture-kit

 

[RedRider]

I have a similar Alfine/mudguards/(occasional) rack set-up on my workhorse.

I too used the vid you linked. I find you don 't need the pliers as a bit of wiggling with fingers does their job.

There's no quick-release for Alfine hubs so you'd have to carry a spanner if you wanna take the wheel off. Without the guards I'd patch on the rim but with them it'd be fiddly and annoying, maybe moreso than taking the wheel off. However, I run marathon + with this set up and after three years I've not had to deal with a puncture (I know, I know).

As a sidenote I was only thinking this morning just how progressively silent and smooth the Alfine is.

 

[tyred]

Always patch.

I don't have a Nexus but I do have a Sturmey with built in dynohub, full chaincase and rod brakes and taking the wheel out would probably take at least an hour and require several different spanners, pliers and a flat screwdriver.

 

[HLaB]

Buy a p******* resistant tyre and reduce the chance of it happening in the first place. I always use Marathon Plus tyres but my latest steed came fitted with Specialized Armadillos. Anyone know how good they are?

Its quite a few years since I had a Nimbus Armadillo but it was a good hard wearing and p'ture free tyre; it was a little too hard wearing and never wore out just became a little to skittish in the wet and I wanted to upgrade to narrower tyres.

 

[Moodyman]

That video is made by Howard of this forum. I too used it and it was very helpful.

I read horror stories about hub gears and tube replacement, so did a few mock tube replacements in my garage. I've only had one puncture on the commute and it took me no longer than it would have on my derailleur bike.

You should do a few test sessions in your garage/shed/back garden to get confident. Also, a good puncture resistant tyre on the rear helps (Bontrager Racelite Hardcase in my case).

Don't forget to carry the right size spanner

edit:Forget the patch - carry a spare tube and patch it up when you get home

 

[mickle]

A spanner short is right: use the opportunity to - not only practice removal and replacement of your wheel - but to replace the tyre with a puncture resistant one. I'm a late convert to hub gears, but my objections to them haven't changed at all, namely that back wheels are a royal pain in the arse to remove. Add in hub brakes, chain and skirt guards and a job which takes seconds on a road bike can take half a morning.

My solution is to use a puncture 'proof' tyre (currently Marathons because that's what the local shop sell but there are plenty available - every tyre manufacturer makes puncture proof/resistant versions of their best selling models) in combination with the kind of sealant which is used inside off-road tubeless systems. I use 'Stan's No Tubes and I squirt it through the valve into my tubes.

All the bikes in my family use it.

We never get punctures.

I rarely have to replace rear wheels.

Simples.

More here:

 

[apollo179]

Tubes are only £2 each so i dont mess around with patches.
+1 for the prt.