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Patch or Replace?

11.14.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 18 Comments

I was running late Saturday morning, and rushing a bit to get ready for my ride.  The cool morning had something to do with it.  For some reason, I have to push myself to get out the door when the weather turns cool.  I figured if I waited an hour or two longer than usual, I’d be able to ride in more moderate temperatures.

It was well after noon before I finished all the around-the-house chores I’d set for myself, and I was finally able to climb into some cycling clothes.  I filled my water bottle, grabbed my cycling computer, and went out to the garage to get the bike.

The front tire was flat.  I had ridden the day before, in late afternoon, and had no problems.  But I must have hit something on that ride, because even though I made it home all right, it was clear I was going nowhere this morning until the tire got fixed.

I pulled the tire and got the tools out of my seat bag, then headed for my personal bike repair venue — the kitchen.  I pulled the tube from the tire, but couldn’t find a puncture.  I ran my hands around the inside of the tire, and found nothing with a sharp edge.  So I pumped up the tube, filled the kitchen sink with water, and slowly rotated the tube under water to find the source of the leak.

I found it — a tiny blemish on the tube that was leaking one air bubble at a time.  I took the tube from the sink, ran a towel around it, let out all the air, and found a patch kit.

Ten minutes later, I had a patched tube (it was one of the better quality tubes I own — I have a bunch of low quality cheapies) and in short order, it was in the tire, mounted on the rim, then on the bike.  I took off for my ride about 20 minutes after discovering the flat.

Normally, I would replace the punctured tube with the spare I carry in my seat bag.  I thought about doing that this time too, but since I was at home and working in comfort, rather than outdoors miles from home, the patch seemed to make sense.

I’ve got a lot of patched tubes in the garage — some with three or even more patches.  And I’ll be spending one cold, dark, winter evening sometime soon with a little chore:

All of these tubes need to be patched.  I’ll do it, too.  Riding on patched tubes is not an issue for me.

How about you?  Are there situations where you would patch a tube rather than replace it?  Do you ride on patched tubes at all?  And do you have a favorite brand of tube?  (Seems we talk about favorite tires a lot, but no one ever mentions their tube preference — if any.)

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Categories // tires, Uncategorized Tags // patch, tube

The Flat Spare

06.24.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

Among the spate of flats I’ve had recently, one stood out as particularly irritating. I was riding down a flat, suburban residential street when I felt the rear tire sag. I pulled over, got the tire off, and got the spare tube and tire levers from the seat bag.

But when I tried to pump the spare a little to mount it on the rim, I discovered that it had a puncture. I always carry a small patch kit with me, so I set about patching the tube.  It seemed to have worn with age and use — there was more a crack in the rubber than a puncture. I finished the patch, rested the bike against a nearby fence, and proceeded to clean up and put away my mess. When I walked over to the bike to put everything back in the seat bag, the tire was flat again. I got it pumped it up to 90 psi, and figured since I was only about two miles from home, I could make it back on a soft tire.

I couldn’t. I rode about a half mile, and the tire was flat again. This time, it wouldn’t take air.  The puncture must have widened with the riding.

I had two choices. I could pull off the tire and patch the leak I had missed the first time, or I could just walk the bike the remaining distance home. The temperature was about 90ºF (32ºC), the sweat was dripping onto my sunglass lenses, and I was tired and cranky. I walked.

I keep my spare tube in an old sock, to prevent it from rubbing against hard surfaces or sharp-edged tools in my seat bag, so what caused the puncture in the spare is a mystery. I assume it was always there, and I missed it when I put that particular tube in the seat bag.

Has this ever happened to you? What other tips do you have to prevent your spare from getting damaged in the seat bag?

Periodically, it’s worthwhile to check your spare tubes.

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Categories // tires Tags // flat tire, tires, tube

Presta, Schrader – What Does It Matter?

06.22.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

The other day, my wife and I took an easy ride in the neighborhood. The ride was uneventful, until we approached a stoplighted intersection for a left turn. I looked behind me, and she wasn’t there! That was odd, since the last time I saw her, she was less than 100 yards behind.

I turned around and doubled back. There she was, at the curb under a large shade tree.

“I got a flat tire,” she said.

I immediately broke one of my tire levers trying to pry her 28 mm tire off its rim. The tube came out easily, but when I grabbed its replacement, I saw a problem. Her tubes have Schrader valves. My pump can only do presta valves.

She rummaged around in her seat bag, and came up with four CO2 cartridges and an inflator. Two of the cartridges were used. Why they were still in there, I don’t know. One emptied from the inevitable misfire. Luckily, the final cartridge filled the tire just the way it’s supposed to.

That night, I turned the kitchen table into Bike Tire Central. I had just taken advantage of a sale at Performance, and had stocked up on tubes. I found one, and took it from its box.

Yes, I made sure to leave it spic and span when I was done.

Oh, crap. It had a presta valve. So did the other replacement tube. But the valve holes in Pat’s wheels are large,  to accommodate Schrader valves. I put one of the presta tubes on, and found it wasn’t going to work.

The rim hole for the Schrader valve is large enough that the presta valve lock ring sinks into it.

I must be something of a packrat, because I seldom throw out anything related to biking. Out in the garage, I found two old tubes with Schrader valves that fit her rims. Both needed patching, but I also had three patch kits lying around.

The tire is okay for the time being, and there’s a replacement tube in her seat bag with the correct valve. She rode 28 miles Sunday morning, and didn’t get a flat. But I can see that Bike Tire Central will be busy again soon, when I get new replacement tires for her and mount them — along with Schrader valve tubes — on her bike.

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Categories // tires Tags // tires, tube

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