Puncture repairs

[Dogtrousers]

Fixing inner tubes is quite a soothing thing to do. A sort of meditation. And it requires a bit of patience.

Here's my routine: It might be a bit over the top. Pump tube up. Find the hole using bowl of water, looking for bubbles. Dry the tube thoroughly. Leave it for a while until properly dry. Sand the tube lightly round the puncture. Sand an area a bit bigger than the patch. Make sure all sanding dust is removed. Spread the rubber solution on, a bit bigger than the patch. Let it do its thing and go tacky. Relax. Don't be hasty. Go and have a cuppa. Apply patch carefully. As mentioned above, modern feathered patches are extra satisfying but older ones are fine. (As @roubaixtuesday says, first remove only the foil exposing the sticky side. Press it on with the "top" film still in place. Only when you are absolutely sure it is all stuck on then peel off the top film) Breathe in the lovely tube mending smell. Press down firmly, and sprinkle with talc so the exposed tacky stuff is covered. Apply a weight. This probably not necessary but I do it anyway, I use a woodworking clamp. Leave overnight (now you can remove the top film from a feathered patch). Next day pump tube up. Leave it inflated for a couple of days. If it's still OK carefully expel all air and fold it up. Apply more talc and wrap it up in a sandwich bag, securing it with insulating tape. Return to stock of tubes.

Sadly, having switched to tubeless a couple of years ago, I don't have to do this much these days. I miss it.

 

[MichaelW2]

Velox patches with the orange edge have always worked well for me. I sand down the raised moulding line.

 

[BigSid]

You don't need to take the backing off both sides, simply take off the foil backing and press on firmly with the other backing still on. You can take it off later when the glue is fully dry.

I do it like this and it works.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Fixing inner tubes is quite a soothing thing to do. A sort of meditation. And it requires a bit of patience.

Here's my routine: It might be a bit over the top. Pump tube up. Find the hole using bowl of water, looking for bubbles. Dry the tube thoroughly. Leave it for a while until properly dry. Sand the tube lightly round the puncture. Sand an area a bit bigger than the patch. Make sure all sanding dust is removed. Spread the rubber solution on, a bit bigger than the patch. Let it do its thing and go tacky. Relax. Don't be hasty. Go and have a cuppa. Apply patch carefully. As mentioned above, modern feathered patches are extra satisfying but older ones are fine. (As @roubaixtuesday says, first remove only the foil exposing the sticky side. Press it on with the "top" film still in place. Only when you are absolutely sure it is all stuck on then peel off the top film) Breathe in the lovely tube mending smell. Press down firmly, and sprinkle with talc so the exposed tacky stuff is covered. Apply a weight. This probably not necessary but I do it anyway, I use a woodworking clamp. Leave overnight (now you can remove the top film from a feathered patch). Next day pump tube up. Leave it inflated for a couple of days. If it's still OK carefully expel all air and fold it up. Apply more talc and wrap it up in a sandwich bag, securing it with insulating tape. Return to stock of tubes.

Sadly, having switched to tubeless a couple of years ago, I don't have to do this much these days. I miss it.

WHich is a bit of a long drawn out procedure when you are at the side of a busy road with the bike upside down and it is chucking it down!!!

but yes - that is the best way - in reality I would like self adhesive patches for emergencies and "proper patches" for long term fixes

In reality, of course, I have a second inner tube in my bag - but sometimes you need to fix things on the go
or have something you can give someone when they have a problem

 

[Dogtrousers]

WHich is a bit of a long drawn out procedure when you are at the side of a busy road with the bike upside down and it is chucking it down!!!

but yes - that is the best way - in reality I would like self adhesive patches for emergencies and "proper patches" for long term fixes

In reality, of course, I have a second inner tube in my bag - but sometimes you need to fix things on the go
or have something you can give someone when they have a problem

On the road fixes, if both spares have been punctured, I use instant patches. But I can only ever remember having to do that once. It's probably happened more than that, but I can only bring one occasion to mind (and yes, it was chucking it down).

 

[T4tomo]

On the road fixes, if both spares have been punctured, I use instant patches. But I can only ever remember having to do that once. It's probably happened more than that, but I can only bring one occasion to mind (and yes, it was chucking it down).

I used two/both spare tubes when both me & the OH both punctured in quick succession about 2 miles after riding past where hedge clipping had recently happened . Fortunately it was dry, but we did have the shame of having a family with small kids re overtake us as I was mid repair!

Later on sat in the warm confines of a cafe I then patched the punctured tubes in case we needed them later! Luckily we didnt, we went a different route home!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I'm struggling to imagine how else you could do it. Put it on while it's pumped up? Hang on, you'd need to patch it first

There’s a hole in my tube dear Liza, dear Liza…

 

[Ming the Merciless]

WHich is a bit of a long drawn out procedure when you are at the side of a busy road with the bike upside down and it is chucking it down!!!

Chucking it down with no shelter then bung a spare tube in. Any other circumstance, patch the tube.

 

[Paulus]

WHich is a bit of a long drawn out procedure when you are at the side of a busy road with the bike upside down and it is chucking it down!!!

but yes - that is the best way - in reality I would like self adhesive patches for emergencies and "proper patches" for long term fixes

In reality, of course, I have a second inner tube in my bag - but sometimes you need to fix things on the go
or have something you can give someone when they have a problem

I try not to repair punctures on the roadside, I wait until I get home. but will put a good tube in and and inflate. Generally I carry two tubes with me on rides.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Chucking it down with no shelter then bung a spare tube in. Any other circumstance, patch the tube.

As the rubber solution has a tendency to evaporate once open, I only repair at roadside in extremis; I carry two spare tubes and a repair kit with an unused tube of solution. Repair at roadside is only if I have more than two punctures (I think this has happened once).

Repairs are at home where it doesn't matter if the pre used tube in the garage has dried out.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Park Tool Blue patches have never failed me. One patched tube still holding over 2 years later.

These ones? https://www.parktool.com/en-int/product/super-patch-kit-gp-2

I've used them for a while, no failures. Inflated to around 60/70 PSI.

Top tip - they don't work on airbeds though!

 

[ianrauk]

These ones? https://www.parktool.com/en-int/product/super-patch-kit-gp-2

I've used them for a while, no failures. Inflated to around 60/70 PSI.

Top tip - they don't work on airbeds though!

Yep...

 

[Alex321]

Chucking it down with no shelter then bung a spare tube in. Any other circumstance, patch the tube.

I will always swap the tube if I get a puncture while out, rather than patching at the roadside.

Unless of course I have used the spare tube already.

I then patch the replaced tube when I get home.

 

[presta]

WHich is a bit of a long drawn out procedure when you are at the side of a busy road

At the side of the road there's no need to even take the wheel & tyre off unless you can't find the hole.

I try not to repair punctures on the roadside, I wait until I get home. but will put a good tube in and and inflate. Generally I carry two tubes with me on rides.

The reason I'd never leave a tube unpatched is that I've had as many as four punctures in one ride on more than one occasion, and you may not get the chance to patch later if it's raining then.

The first year I got into long distance touring I was plagued by punctures, about 25-30 of them in a few months, and having lived through that I became completely unfazed by them.

 

[presta]

I will always swap the tube if I get a puncture while out, rather than patching at the roadside.

Unless of course I have used the spare tube already.

In which you would be stuck if rain was preventing you from patching either of them.