Mountain Bike Tire tubes ? Replace or Patch

A

Angus McGunnigl

Joined
May 22, 2002
Messages
1,485
I usually just replaced any tube with a hole in it, but I decided to start to start patching to save $$
ANy suggestions?
 
In the long run it seems like you are saving money but it is more time consuming and not really guaranteed to work. I would replace the tubes. I hate getting flats while riding especially when I know its because I was cheap.

They do make thicker tubes called thorn tubes, they are heavy but they work. You can also get tubes with slime tire sealent.
 
i always just replace the tube as well. really is not to costly, even though i buy about ten tubes at a time.
 
Dont get slime tubes! Being a bike mechanic, i see that crap way too often. More often than not, it doesnt seal, and makes a huge mess, and can sometimes damage the finish on the rim. Do buy the thorn proof tubes though, they're not too expensive and are worth it. Or you can buy tire liners. For now, buying a patch kit (don't use the glue ones, use the sticky patch kits, they're easier) isn't a big deal. But a tip with those is pump it up a bit, then put the patch on. If you put it on when it's flat and pump it up, sometimes it stretches too much. Just make sure you don't pinch it. You probably already know this, but pry the tire off from the non valve side, remove the tube. Scuff the spot up, clean it with rubbing alcohol and patch it. Then pump the tube up so it's solid, but not stretching (maybe one or two pumps), insert it in the tire, then put the valve back through the hole in the rim, and work one side of the tires bead onto the rim. then do the same on the other side. People sometimes try putting both beads on together, and it pinches the tube. Then pump it up and you should be good to go. Make sure your rim strip (rubber piece that goes over the spoke nipples) isn't worn in spots or torn. This can also cause a flat. I'd spray the tire out with water to make sure you get any foreign objects out that can cause another flat also. Put a piece of duct tape on the hole in the tire if there is one to keep crap out depending on how bad it is.
 
And another thing. If you do happen to buy/have a patch kit with the glue, keep an old ruined tube around. I just cut pieces off with a knife/scissors and scuff that up and use it as a patch. I haven't had any issues with that either.
 
That green slime works great out in the desert,with the millions of cactus needles.
 
Definitely thorn resistant tubes. I went through a period where my back tire was going out weekly for several weeks. Thorn resistant all the way. Rode Moab, and after the first non-thorn tube busted, the thorn resistant had no problems.

Zero
 
Well, suzuki I don't know many people who have rubbing alcohol on the trail! Pretty standard to change a tire, but don't take the tire completely off the rim, some are a bear to deal with. Thorn proof tubes are ok, but unless your tires are really close in size to the tubes they can ide really funny at lower preassures. I ride 2.4" tires on my XC bike and I only use ultralight tubes. I use Mr. Tuffy tire liners or Slime tire liners as well and they are just as good as heavy tubes.

But to answer your question, I always replace the first tube and patch after that. I replace the patched tube when I get home. I keep my patched tubes and give them to a couple homeless guys I see regularly. I will sometimes keep a tube with a patch for a freebie on the trail. Poor guy who forgets to replace that patched tube from last time may need one more to get home.

Check out some of the tubeless conversion kits, Stans is a good one. Only one time puchase.


-Xander
 
The pre-Slimed tubes are absolute crap. They're very thin for one thing, but worst they have a tendency to split along the seam (which is on the inner diameter of the tube, so it won't seal there). I've done very well with Slimed thorn resistant tires. I've heard that True Goo works even better, but I've yet to try it (I actually have a bottle, but I've gone so long on my Slimed tubes that I haven't used it yet). What I like about Slime is that it fluoresces brightly under UV so if you've got a pinhole leak it's easy to find.

You can also get tires that have kevlar in them for even more protection, and if that's not enough, check out the Panaracer kevlar belts. They stick to the inside of your tire (and are reusable). I don't have any in my tires now (I need new ones anyway), but when I did use them, I could go for many, many months of daily riding without a single flat. In fact, the only times I got a flat when using the Panaracer belts were when I ran over a safety pin and it somehow jabbed through the side of the tire, and the time where I ran over a 3" drywall screw.

My bike is my only transportation, so I ride thousands of miles a year...and Tucson is full of pokey stabby things to flatten your tire.
 
Spare tube(s) on the trail and then patch when I get home. I run slimed tubes but never know how many flats they've stopped. When the slimed tubes go, it's a pain in the keester. Toying with the idea of doing a Stan's no tube conversion next season.
 
I knew a guy who would gut slit his old tube and put the new one inside... the poor man's thorn tube.
 
get some of those hard plastic liners that go into the tire before the tube. no more thorns.
 
joshuabl said:
get some of those hard plastic liners that go into the tire before the tube. no more thorns.
Click to expand...
I've never used the plastic tire liners, only the kevlar ones, because I've heard some negative things about them. They're heavier, for one, but that was never an issue for me (I'm not one of those gram-shavers). The main problem I've heard about them is that, since they don't adhere to the tire, that they can wander and twist around and displace. The kevlar ones are more expensive, but IMO are well worth it. The cost they'll save on tubes is nice of course, but the real savings is the alleviation of the PITA of changing/patching of your tubes. Rubber cement should keep the plastic ones in place; I've used it when reusing the kevlar belts when the original adhesive isn't enough the 2nd (or 3rd) time around.
 
Planterz said:
I've never used the plastic tire liners, only the kevlar ones, because I've heard some negative things about them. They're heavier, for one, but that was never an issue for me (I'm not one of those gram-shavers). The main problem I've heard about them is that, since they don't adhere to the tire, that they can wander and twist around and displace. The kevlar ones are more expensive, but IMO are well worth it. The cost they'll save on tubes is nice of course, but the real savings is the alleviation of the PITA of changing/patching of your tubes. Rubber cement should keep the plastic ones in place; I've used it when reusing the kevlar belts when the original adhesive isn't enough the 2nd (or 3rd) time around.
Click to expand...

Beyond the rolling around another issue these have is they can also cause a pinch flat on thin tubes. Never trim the ends with scissors because it leaves a sharp edge which only makes it worse. Mr. Tuffy are better than the slime brand and the best way to install them is to lay it in the tire (one bead should be on the rim) and inflate the tbe enought to hold it in place. Put the tube in while the wheel is laying flat. Go back and double check that it isn't moving around. Seat the secong bead with the tire still laying flat. Inflate, remount, ride, enjoy.

A couple of other notes on changing a flat, always put the tire label over the valve stem. When you pull a tube out with a hole, you now have a reference point to check the tire for the offending sharp object. Also I talc my tubes to keep them from sticking to the tire. This helps prevent weak spots when changing tire pressures by not letting it stick in one spot and over stretch in another. A gash or cut in the tire can be "patched" with a power bar wrapper or even paper money to get you home. Simply place it between the tube and tire, reinflate and ride.

The thorn proof tubes are nice for recreational riders but if you are doing any fast technical riding they can have a very noticable effect on braking performance. The total weight may not be much,but you are putting it into rotational weight. Adding to the flywheel effect. This is the main reason I ride ultralight tubes with liners, they weigh not much more than standard tubes alone. The effect is more noticable on bigger wheels like 29ers and such.


-Xander
 
Sorry, I haven't read all of this thread, but here's my $.02:
I use good quality, light weight tubes, so it makes sense for me to patch them.
During a ride, I'll just slap a new tube in the tire.
When I get home, I'll take my time and patch the bad tube.
I use Rema patches (best made).
A good patch job will last virtually forever.
I've ridden on tubes that had 3 or 4 patches in them continuously.
The important thing, though, is to find the right air pressure for your rim, tire, tube combination.
Pinch flats are a bitch!
Lenny
 
I'll add my latest experience.
Riding my mountain bike on a paved trail
this past july (100 degrees)
Heard PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
and out of air
Got to my bike shop guy and what happened was the valve stem
separated from the inner tube.
He mentioned not to pump the tire up with the valve stem at the bottom,put it at 3 or 9 o'clock
to prevent heat from doing any damage to the stem area.
True or not,I dunno
he is an old time bike guy,in his 60's. Never lied to me before....
 
I put the plastic liner in my bike after i had a puncture and haven't had one since. hmmm.....i need to get out and ride today.....:thumbup:
 
tire sealant works for me. what You can do is to add shredded rubber into the solution and it works better especially for slow leaks. I find that theres lesser need to pump the tires every now and then to maintain the optimal psi with it. Apart from that, I hear kevlar tires work.
 
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