Recommend tube patches

grogi

I did try a set of precut, but they were absolutely useless.
There is a possibility I did apply them incorrectly, but I did sand the tube and some even leave overnight in a vice. Still no success.

Would you recommend an affordable set of patches?

hesker

I find Tip Top patches to be great. Just like the original. Black circular patches with a red border.

You can find them cheaply on eBay I believe. At least that’s where I got a bunch of them a few years back.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I’ve been using Lifeline self stick patches for years without issue. I patched a tube with one of them about 3 years ago and it’s still in the wheel and used regularly without a problem.

LollipopJimmy

Leaving in the vice can be counter productive imo.

Type 17

Points to note, that people most often forget, which lead to the repair failing:

Sand the tube until there is no shine at all in the area to be covered by the patch - you're not cleaning the area, you're removing the top layer of rubber which has a coating which is not suitable for glueing. If using pre-glued patches, you still need to do this properly, or it won't work.

If using a tube of adhesive, apply the liquid thinly and wait until it has dried fully (about 2-4 mins depending on ambient temperature and humidity) - what is evaporating is merely the solvent which allows the adhesive to flow - the adhesive that is left is actually what melts the patch and the tube together and this cannot happen if the (wet) solvent is still present. This is not a typical glue that just sticks two parts together - done properly, it actually welds the patch and tube together, hence the various trade names for puncture kits, such as Weldtite, etc.

Don't touch the inner surface of the patch when peeling off the foil - the oils in your skin contaminate the surface and prevent the chemical welding process - peel off the foil and hold and apply the patch by holding the clear plastic film that is stuck to the outside of the patch. You can leave that film in place afterwards, because trying to remove it within a few hours can lift the patch.

grogi

Eventually I got Rema Tip Top kit - a friend was coming back from Germany and got me a few of them. I put it to use today for the first time. What a difference, pleasure to work with.



Big thanks to everyone who contributed.

crosstownk

Yep - Rema Tip Top patches are excellent. The clear plastic film can easily be removed by starting from the middle but best to wait a while but as Type 17 said, no real need - it'll be fine left in place.

martyc5674

Yeah rema the best.
A tip to get the clear plastic off.

Before you remove the patch from foil backing put a little tear into the clear and foil backing at any point. (Use a small scissors if you need to)
Once applied then it’s much easier to continue the tear over the patch past the feather edge. Once you get a bit of it moving and some of the patch exposed, you can hold down the patch with your thumb and it’s easy peel the rest off.
A bit of baby powder then on the sticky area around the patch to prevent it sticking to your tyre and your good to go.
Marty.