Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

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mnichols
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Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by mnichols »

Despite having cycled 10's of thousands of miles and having too many punctures to count my success at fixing them is at best ......patchy (sorry)

On the roadside, I simply swap out the inner tube and then bring the broken one home to fix later

Identifying the puncture is no problem, but I have mixed success in fixing them, and I'm not sure why. I don't buy cheap glue or patches, I sand the area around the puncture down, allow the glue to set, apply the patch, keep pressure on it for a while - maybe even overnight, but get very mixed results.

The reason that I ask, is that when I am touring I only usually take two tubes, and then fix any punctures overnight in the hotel. Some of the roads in the far south of Italy were strewn with broken glass and I was picking up punctures every day and repairing every night. My mixed success meant that I was running very low on patches

So, where better to ask that the CTC forum. What advice and tips do you have for consistent fixing?
mercalia
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by mercalia »

I think the best way is to avoid punctures in the first place. I use tyre liners like these

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/tools-maintenance/pumps-puncture-repair/bikehut-mtb-bike-tyre-liners

or

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/tools-maintenance/pumps-puncture-repair/bikehut-touring-race-bike-tyre-liners

and havent had punctures for a long time ( touch wood )

I ve had mine for atleast 10 years
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Mick F
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Mick F »

I rarely get punctures.
I had one last week. :oops: A small piece of flint.
I carry two tubes and two canisters of CO2, so I was fixed and on my way in minutes.

At home, I opened my tin of puncture repair stuff, and I was absolutely amazed how easy it was using the new stuff recommended to me on here. Brilliant glue and brilliant patches. Simple, quick, perfect.

Rema.
Don't buy anything else.
http://www.rema-tiptop.co.uk/portal/Tub ... 116337.rtt
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=84412
Mick F. Cornwall
tatanab
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by tatanab »

mnichols wrote:I sand the area around the puncture down, allow the glue to set, apply the patch, keep pressure on it for a while - maybe even overnight, but get very mixed results.

I don't do any of that. The important thing is to roughen the area well. Then I apply a small amount of adhesive, blow on it for a couple of seconds, immediately apply the patch. Remove patch outer paper, apply a little chalk. Put the tube straight back into the tyre and pump up hard to let the pressure of the air bed the patch. Taking a look at old patched tubes the repairs are very good. I always use Rema Tip Top patches and glue.

This has worked for me for many years. You will now hear from people who will precisely tell you how long to sand, how much adhesive to apply, how many tons of pressure to apply for how many hours and which pagan god to sacrifice your last Mars bar to in the hope it makes a difference. It doesn't.

I tour with 2 spare tubes and about half a dozen patches in my kit.
PH
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by PH »

How are they failing?
Allow the Rubber Solution to set some more, it's not a glue make sure you're not treating it as such. I wait till I think it's set and then wait some more, roadside or afterwards my patches always stick. You don't need any fancy stuff, the cheap Wilko kits work for me as well as anything else I've tried.

EDIT - Ha! Cross posted with tatanab, different advise to me, try it all and see what works for you.
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Neilo
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Neilo »

I've always done what tatnab said, apart from, I use what ever patches and glue I have at the time, tesco value, wilkos, halfords, whatever. Never had any problems. I carry a spare tube as well. I'll fix the puncture if it is dry, wet I'll change the tube. I fix the puncture at home, and change it back. Now and again, I'll replace the multi patched tube.
Never had spare tubes,when I was a kid, never carried a spanner for the wheel nuts any way, just patched it, still in the fork or the rear triangle, bunged it back in, pumped it up and off again. Still the same now apart from the luxury of quick release wheels.

Neil
If it aint broke, fix it til it is.
mnichols
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by mnichols »

[quote="PH" it's not a glue make sure you're not treating it as such. .[/quote]

Can you explain this

Also, I test my inner tubes outside of the tyre. Is that wrong? Does the force of the tube against the tyre help?
Valbrona
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Valbrona »

Fixing punctures is a pointless waste of 10 minutes of your life. It is mostly done by older people that have plenty of money but who nevertheless begrudge throwing away a punctured inner tube.
I should coco.
mnichols
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by mnichols »

When you are doing long distance touring it is easier to carry 10 patches and glue than 10 tubes..in fact you could carry 50 patches and glue for less weight than a tube
Last edited by mnichols on 12 Aug 2014, 8:51pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Neilo
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Neilo »

Berrated for fixing a puncture :roll: , I give up.
Maybe they/we have plenty money cos they / we save money by fixing things, rather than throwing them away and buying new, also wasting resources

Neil
If it aint broke, fix it til it is.
Ray
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Ray »

Forgive me if this is obvious, but I suppose you are using the correct size of inner tube for your tyre?

I ask because the only time I can remember having problems with patches coming unstuck was when I fitted fatter tyres for a tour, while neglecting to fit fatter tubes. Can't remember the details, but I probably had something like 700x18-23mm tubes (which had been previously patched) in 700x32mm tyres. The tubes were thus overstretched, and the patches came adrift. So it wasn't my patching technique which was at fault.
Ray
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt - Bertrand Russell
mnichols
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by mnichols »

Ray wrote:Forgive me if this is obvious, but I suppose you are using the correct size of inner tube for your tyre?

Not a silly question, I had to think about that one as there are 7 bikes in the family. There may be a bit of cross over with the 23 and 25mm rims. Just checked the tubes and most are 20/28, but a couple are 18/23 which may be a problem in the 25mm tyre?

That said they fail my test before I put them in the tyre

I patch them, blow them up and leave them hanging in the garage/hotel room. If they are still inflated in the morning then they are OK to use otherwise I bin them. Is this the problem? Is there too much stress on the patch outside the tyre?
Ray
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Ray »

mnichols wrote:I patch them, blow them up and leave them hanging in the garage/hotel room. If they are still inflated in the morning then they are OK to use otherwise I bin them. Is this the problem? Is there too much stress on the patch outside the tyre?

Can't be certain, and it depends how much pressure you put in, but it's not something I would do. Can't do any harm to experiment.
Ray
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt - Bertrand Russell
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mjr
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by mjr »

I patch the tyre using self adhesive patches (revolution, weld tite and park tools all good so far) and put it back in the tyre before inflating it. I replace tubes when they puncture near a patch, seam or valve.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Ray
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Re: Best way to fix a puncture - top tips please...

Post by Ray »

mjr wrote:I patch the tyre using self adhesive patches (revolution, weld tite and park tools all good so far) and put it back in the tyre before inflating it. I replace tubes when they puncture near a patch, seam or valve.

You've just reminded me that there were other occasions when I had patches lift - which was when I used 'self-adhesive' patches. OK, it was years ago, and they may have improved them in the meantime, but I found the self-adhesive patches only stayed attached for weeks/months. Never used them since.
Ray
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt - Bertrand Russell
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