Admittedly, this might seem petty, but I’m sick and tired of opening my patch kits and finding a barely used tube of rubber cement frozen like a cheap burger. Stuck on the road. Pressing on a tube of rock-solid, rubber cement, hoping to squeeze out one droplet. Is there another, more reliable source of rubber cement? And, BTW, do glueless patches always suck? And never stick?
rubber cement
Mon, 07/10/2006 - 4:02pm
Mon, 07/10/2006 - 5:03pm
#1
The general rule is: Carry 2 spare tubes and a patch kit. The glue is usually good till the seal is broken– or a very long time goes by. Once opened it's good for a month or so, if you're lucky. I like to live on the edge– I get by with one spare tube and glueless patches. I never had to use the glueless patches, so I don't know if they suck.
If you go through 2 tubes and then still need patches in one ride, you are either very unlucky, need new tires, or you are not removing the debris that caused the initial flat.
I think shops can order tubes of glue. I know I bought a bulk box of patches when I was working in a shop in college. Of course, the shop ordered the patches in bulk and the rubber cement in a can... about the size of a coffee cup.
Mon, 07/10/2006 - 6:28pm
#2
Cement kits
The best rubber cement/patch kit is sold by the Plews Corporation/Camel Product line. Part # 14-130. Can't beat it.
Ray
Mon, 07/10/2006 - 6:46pm
#3
Glueless patches
They do work but you have to scuff/sand/abrade the tube much more than you would with a conventional patch, and you have to be absolutely scrupulous about both getting the scuffed area clean/dry and not touching the sticky surface of the patch.
Mon, 07/10/2006 - 10:02pm
#4
park glueless patches...
"park glueless patches just skuff a bit and press and hit the road again. between glueless patches and co2 cartridges, you have a heck of a lot less to carry - and a lot less work to do when you get a flat. of course when you get home you need to release the co2 and inflate with fresh air (not a biggie).
don"
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 7:06am
#5
Need a breathe of fresh air?
"As someone who never used CO2 cartridge to inflate their tubes, why do you ""need to release the co2 and inflate with fresh air""?
John"
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 10:13am
#6
It has to do with the partial pressures of CO2 and air across a semipermeable membrane, or something like that. I once did some reasearch and posted about it in an earlier thread. Searching CO2 should turn it up.
Cows mostly know about methane, after all.
- Mucca Anonima
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 9:40am
#7
the so-called advantages
Oh yeah, that sounds much easier. I'm not sure which is sillier: inflating a tube twice (once on the road, and once at home) or spending more money per flat.
CO2 cartridges are not guaranteed to work, and once they're used up, you're at the mercy of your frame pump-carrying buddies.
I can't tell you how many times over the years people carrying CO2 cartridges end up asking to use my Zefal frame pump, which is now over ten years old and still works like a champ.
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 9:48am
#8
Amen
Sillier? How about peeling off the gluless patch when you get home and replacing it with a conventional patch?
Just wondering, of course.
;^/
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 12:24pm
#9
glueless patches
are good for quickie fixes and make quick boots for small holes in the tire, but I wouldn't expect much longevity from them. They don't last and it's difficult re-patch over them with a permanent patch; you'll probably have to chuck the tube.
Once you open a tube of glue you had better check periodically that its still good and have a a pck of glueless patches just in case.
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 1:13pm
#10
"Hey Fendergal . .
My bike, it's very curvey, very sleek, very high-design. Top tube curves - can't hold a frame pump there. No space for a pump on the seat tube either. Forget the down tube. I was thinking of putting one between the rear drop out and the brake bridge - that didn't work. Someone suggested attaching one to the water bottle cage. Very out of sync with the sleek design of the frame. I need all the points I can get for ""style"" Fendergal, I need them because I keep losing points for speed. Those small pumps that fit in a jersey pocket - I hear it takes weeks and weeks of pumping to fill a tire. Any ideas?
The C02 cartridge, not perfect. It is fast- whoosh, the tire is filled. It is convenient. It is small. Nevertheless, I'd rather carry a pump. Got any ideas?"
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 1:20pm
#11
Got any ideas?
Get steel belted tires, with white walls (A+ for style points) and a AAA membership.....or maybe not.
----
Keep one unused patch kit in your saddle bag. On the very rare, off chance you use it, after consuming two spare tubes, replace it with a new patch kit. The dired glue becomes a non-issue.
Then re-use the used patch kit to repair the stash of flat tubes, that you were nice enough not to leave as roadside litter and patch them up, en mass in the comforts of your home.
I'd pass on the glueless patches; they have not worked reliably well, Park included in my experience.
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 1:23pm
#12
say it ain't so!
"""The fastest bike in New York"" is losing points for speed? Is nothing sacred?"
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 2:07pm
#13
It's the bike . . . . it's not working properly. Once I get it fixed, I'll be fine.
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 1:57pm
#14
dilemma
What about some of these flatproof babies?
http://www.bikemania.biz/Nu_Teck_700_X_20HP_Speed_Airless_Tire_p/nu-teck...
True, they're a little heavier than most, but you can lose the inflator and CO2 cartridges so it's probably a wash.
Heh.
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 2:05pm
#15
Evan, are you talking about those solid tires? I used to use them on my comuter bike. They are great, absolutely no flats. Did get a herniated disc, also made me impotent, but no flats.
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 2:37pm
#16
Christy,
I have a Torelli Aria minipump. It works fine to get a tire to 80+ psi (in other words, get-home-pressure, but not ride-another-100-miles-pressure.) On the plus side, it is very small and light.
Of course, it is NOTHING like a HPx or Road Morph, but still, for a mini pump it's ok.
- Christian
Wed, 07/12/2006 - 11:50am
#17
Try this:
http://biketiresdirect.com/productdetail.asp?p=BACR1&gclid=CPu0xoTujIYCF...
Clips mount to your water-bottle bosses -- the thing's almost invisible when you're carrying a water bottle. I have one and I like it a lot.
--DvB
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 2:17pm
#18
right, it's all so silly:
a) it's much easier using CO2 on the road and then refilling at home before your next ride with a floor pump, than pumping on the road
b) I go through about 3-4 cartridges per year, yeah $10/year is so cost-prohibitive
c) what do you mean 'not guaranteed to work?' who says? they work 100% of the time - they're no less reliable than a pump - it's user error that comes into play
I carried Zefal and Silca pumps for years. CO2 gets me on the road quicker and easier. On long rides I carry a tiny pump in my pocket in case I have horrific luck and get more than 2 flats
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 6:04pm
#19
no problems in over 10 years
the idea behind using co2 is to get you back up and on the road quickly and without all the hassle of trying to get 130 pounds into a clincher. it's fast and easy and at $2 a pop, it's not going to break the bank.
i've been using co2 for over 10 years and never had a failure. beats the heck out of trying to get 130 pounds into your tire while patient riders wait for you to be ready to roll again.
doesn't take much effort to pump a tire using a floor pump...takes forever and i don't know a person who ever got thier tire up to 130lbs using a mini-pump (i bet those folks borrow your frame pump too). :)
don
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 5:11pm
#20
And, then, of course, there's the environmental issue of CO2
Tue, 07/11/2006 - 6:06pm
#21
yes...
...flick it into the trash can, not the woods.
don
Wed, 07/12/2006 - 5:54am
#22
"He means that CO2 is a ""greenhouse gas."" Plant a tree each time you use a cartridge? Or just hold your breath, like David Blaine."
Wed, 07/12/2006 - 11:35am
#23
i heart glueless patches
just wanted to give a nod to glueless patches. i never, ever had a problem with them over the years. slap it on and you're good. i usually forget i used one and end up riding the same tube for many months until the next flat. and if you want to put a perm. patch on the tube (at home), just rip the glueless patch off and slop on the glue.
t
Wed, 07/12/2006 - 8:59pm
#24
same here...in fact...
...i've had flats near the glueless patch that was easy to patch since i didn't have to deal with glue...just stick the new patch over the whole darned thing. the things just work...and they work great.
don (hates marketing hype, prefers proven/smart tools)
