Punctures - repair tube or replace?

[John Moore]

When I was a youngster, I would always repair a punctured inner tube unless it was badly gashed, and I think that's what everybody did. Nowadays, though, I get the impression that people tend to carry a spare tube and just replace the tube instead of repairing it. Maybe they repair the puncture at home, I don't know.

Obviously there are speed advantages to replacing rather than repairing at the roadside. But I'm wondering whether this is as much part of our throwaway culture as anything else.

What do others do? Are there disadvantages to using repaired tubes?

 

[ianrauk]

There's lots of threads asking the same thing on the forum.

Most people change the innertube and repair at home.

 

[John Moore]

Sorry, should have done more of a search first, I usually do. I'm new on here.

 

[ianrauk]

No worries.

And as to disadvantages of reusing repaired tubes.
If they are repaired properly, either the old style way with glue and patches, or with scabs, then there are no disadvantages.

 

[Chutzpah]

I replace at the roadside then patch at home. I've heard people say "it's only a couple of quid for a new tube" and "it is more liable to puncture again", but I've been told by many experienced people whose advice I respect that this isn't the case.

The only real exceptions are long gashes and the valve going.