Bicycle Puncture Repair

kraggy

Hi guys, might seem like a silly question but how long should I let the patch and glue stick and dry before the bicycle can be used?

i.e. how long to set properly?

Thanks,

K.

route66

kraggy wrote: »

Hi guys, might seem like a silly question but how long should I let the patch and glue stick and dry before the bicycle can be used?

i.e. how long to set properly?

Thanks,

K.

I'm not sure if there is an official directive on this, but I leave the solution dry for a few minutes and then stick the patch on. Once this is done, I put it all back together, pump it up and off I go. The fresh patch will be pressed against the tyre inner when it's reinflated and is therefore supported.

cdaly_

The solution is a contact adhesive so the bond is pretty much instant.

Spread solution on the tube and wait for it to dry before applying the patch.
Press and hold for about 15sec.

kraggy

Thanks a million guys.

Will fix it in the morning and off I go!

tomasrojo

Make sure that the vulcanising solution is spread out to an area bigger than the actual patch you're going to use. I used to try to make them the same size, with very mixed results. You're supposed to have a little block of talc you grate over the patch afterwards to prevent the excess solution sticking to the tyre, but in practice I've never had this happen.

cdaly_

Interestingly, the tubes that came with my wife's Trek 7.1 are very reluctant to accept a patch. I went through about 4 patches trying to fix one puncture before I abandoned the tube and just got a new one.

The rear tyre punctured this evening and two patches wouldn't hold so I dumped the tube and stuck in a new one...

happytramp

Yeah, it can be annoying. If it refuses to stick propperly you could try putting a book over the patch/tube and put something heavy on it for a couple of minutes (especially if it's on the seam) to make sure it gets good contact.

Timmyboy

kraggy wrote: »

Hi guys, might seem like a silly question but how long should I let the patch and glue stick and dry before the bicycle can be used?

i.e. how long to set properly?

Thanks,

K.

In direct answer to the question, allow sufficient time for the rubber solution to get 'tacky' BEFORE attaching the patch. The liquid nature of the rubber solution should have disappeared and it should look grey and feel just barely stick but not wet to a finger tip applied somewhere outside of the region where you are actually going to stick the patch. Ensure that the rubber solution has been well spread out to a thin layer - don't have a thick liquid layer that may cause the patch to fail to adhere properly to the tyre.

Then peel off the protective backing of the batch and push the patch firmly over the centre of the rubber solution layer and then roll a finger tip from the centre to the edge of the patch to ensure good adhesion. Keep pressing in a similar rolling manner right around from centre to edge until the entire patch has been so forced to the surface of the tyre. Hold for a few more seconds (about 30). That should do the trick I think.

Finish off with ground up talc so that any undried rubber solution won't adhere the tube to the tyre.

fishfoodie

cdaly_ wrote: »

Interestingly, the tubes that came with my wife's Trek 7.1 are very reluctant to accept a patch. I went through about 4 patches trying to fix one puncture before I abandoned the tube and just got a new one.

The rear tyre punctured this evening and two patches wouldn't hold so I dumped the tube and stuck in a new one...

Your also supposed to use the fine sandpaper in the kit to prepare the area around the puncture. It makes the surface a bit more receptive to the adhesive & the patch.

lionela

It is also advisable to roughen slightly ....the area of the puncture before applying the adhesive...ie stretch the tube over a round object ..like a piece of downpipe or similiar and rub the area with a small piece of fine sandpaper mabye wet&dry stuff. then apply the contact glue and wait until the volative element has evapourated. apply your patch..and your done.

cdaly_

fishfoodie wrote: »

Your also supposed to use the fine sandpaper in the kit to prepare the area around the puncture. It makes the surface a bit more receptive to the adhesive & the patch.

Oh I know. I've successfully repaired many other tubes. Just these two that came with the bike defeated me.

On a similar note, I recently changed out a dying tube (seam was failing) and realised that this very tube already had about 6 or 7 repairs. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend...

Paul Kiernan

Courtesy of Sheldon -

Inner tube patching is a very old, well established technology, and is quite reliable if done properly:

1. Select a patch appropriate to the size of the hole(s).
2. Use the sandpaper provided in the patch kit to buff the surface of the tube for an area a bit larger than the patch. You need to buff the tube so that it is no longer shiny. If there is a molding line running along the area where the patch is to be applied, you must sand it down completely, or it will provide an air channel. Avoid touching the buffed area with your fingers.
3. Apply a dab of rubber cement, then spread it into a thin coat, using your cleanest finger. Work quickly. You want a thin, smooth coat of cement; if you keep fiddling with it as it begins to dry, you'll risk making it lumpy. The thinner the cement, the faster it will dry.
4. Allow the cement to dry completely.
5. Make sure the cement has dried completely!
6. Peel the foil from the patch and press the patch onto the tube firmly.
7. Squeeze the patch tightly onto the tube. You're done!

If you follow this procedure, and use good materials, your patched tube should be basically as good as new. Patch failure generally results from one of two errors:

• Not buffing the tube sufficiently, or:
• Applying the patch before the cement has dried fully.

snubbleste

Out of curiousity, where do you guys get patches for the 700-23/25 tubes? Most of the patches I have are too big to fit and seemed to be designed for MTB tubes. Obviously I'm looking for the best bargain.

petethedrummer

Halfords sell strips of small patches that fit on 23Cs.

snubbleste

petethedrummer wrote: »

Halfords sell strips of small patches that fit on 23Cs.

Price range, product name?
I was hoping boardsies would know of some secret ebay shop..

Zorba

Halfords also sell patches that don't need glue apparently u just peal off the back and stick it on and your go to go.

Has anyone tried these yet ?

petethedrummer

They're not good enough for high pressure road tyres. They will do a job and get you home but you couldn't count on them for much more. A proper patch job will last indefinitely.

cdaly_

I used the Park Tools ones which would be good for a while but would need to be replaced in the end. Tried the BBB ones and they were utter crap. Couldn't get them to stick at all.