Cementless Patches?
- Thread starter Darts
- Start date
I threw the packaging away in one of those public garbage bins. I actually bought two kits and both of them are missing that little cement tube. Maybe this is one of those cementless patches? Damn, why can't they leave well enough alone? I think car patches still use cement.
Has anyone actually used these cementless patches on their bike tubes? Do they work or do they just fall off?
Has anyone actually used these cementless patches on their bike tubes? Do they work or do they just fall off?
These are much better - just peel and stick. Faster than applying cement then waiting for it to dry, then applying the patch (if you're doing this by the side of the road you are also hoping that nothing gets blown on or stuck to the cement while you wait.) Also - more compact so doesn't take up as much space wherever you store your stuff as you ride. People say that glued patches are stronger - so if you're at home you can do it the old way - but when you're on the road - glueless are better, IMO. Personally, I've never had a glueless patch start to leak. Just make sure that the innertube is clean before you apply (just rubbing with your finger is good enough). And apply pressure to make sure the patch sticks over the entire surface. I've since gone tubeless but always carry a spare tube and inflators just in case.
Thanks. I'm not sure it is even possible to buy the old kits with the glue/cement anymore.
I think they still sell the glue kits for car tubes.
I’ve never patched a tube, just carry a spare in my under seat bag along with a CO2 inflator.
I moved to latex tubes a couple years ago and have not had a flat since.
I moved to latex tubes a couple years ago and have not had a flat since.
There are two types of peel and stick patches, the thin transparent type is meant for temporary use. There is also a thick black cementless patch that is like a regular patch but is stick on and does not require cement.
The thin transparent peel and stick patches are made thin to fit easily into a bike pouch to save space. I have used these patches but will only last a few weeks. It is best to use them as a temporary patch and change them when you get home.
The majority of bicycle patch kits are still the black patches with a tube of rubber cement. You can get them at bike shops or even at the dollar stores. You can get the rubber cement in tubes at the dollar store as well. Latex bicycle tubes are not made for better puncture resistance, they are made for less rolling resistance. For the average bike rider it makes little difference, but for a rider in a 25k competition it can mean a win or loss. Latex inner tubes are 3 to 5 times more expensive. For superior puncture resistance a better way to go is Kevlar tires, these are popular in the US but not widely available in Canada. You can get them at Walmart on the other side of the border. As long as they are brand name they should do fine for the average rider.
I went to my local bike repair shop and the guy said that the "glueless" patches are meant for people who are incapable of working with glue. He said that cement/glue provides a stronger bond. He carries both.
I used glue all my life and don't find it difficult to use at all. Why don't these manufacturers just leave well enough alone?
I used glue all my life and don't find it difficult to use at all. Why don't these manufacturers just leave well enough alone?
The strongest patch would be one applied using a vulcanizing glue (which bonds at the molecular level). Having said that - your local bike repair guy is giving you wrong information. Unless you're buying cheap pre-glued patches - they are way more convenient and usually use some form of 3M adhesive - very strong, flexible, and won't detach when the tube expands. If you're on a group ride and you flat - you'll get going again far faster with a spare tube - failing that - a glueless patch. IF people get leaks with these - it's because they did not apply it correctly (didn't prepare the innertube surface before applying - eg: Had dirt or grime on the tube. Also, you'll read or hear people complain about their tire losing pressure after the patch - a road bike tire (with tubes) will lose up to 10 psi per day just from porosity leakage through the tube. So people may think that their tire is losing pressure because of the patch - when in fact their tires always lose pressure - they probably never paid much attention to it.
Anyway, I went road-tubeless a couple year ago and have not had a flat since. Also - they don't lose nearly as much pressure overnight as a tube tire.
Nobody rides with tubes now anymore. Go tubeless. On my fat bike I am saving about half a kilo and that's not counting rotation mass. If you go tubeless you will never have a puncture and burping a tire is almost impossible unless you do something incredible stupid or run very low pressure. I burped a tire only once and have been riding tubeless for five years on all of my bikes and I ride pretty aggressively on and off road.
How much do these patches cost? You are better off just getting a new tube if you dont wont to go tubeless. It will be more reliable than patching holes on your old tube and always carry a spare tube with you in case if you get a flat while riding.
They sell bikes with tubes but usually with tubeless rims and tubeless tires so it's very easy to convert. Just put some sealant and tape inside the rim and off you go. Tubes are very cheap now so I don't see a reason to get a patch kit for an old tube because you are saving just a few dollars. To me it makes more sense just to have a spare tube with you because its much easier to just put a new tube in rather than trying to patch an old one when its minus 5 outside and new tube is more reliable than patched one anyway if somebody wants to use tubes.
No, never do that.
1) Find the puncture and mark it with a pen
2) Use the metal tool or sand paper provided in your kit to rough up the area where the puncture is. ( 1 1/2 in. diameter area )
3) Apply cement and scrape off with a edge of cardboard to leave a thin layer of cement. Wait 30-60 seconds.
4) Apply patch. Place heavy weight on patch for 5-10 minutes.
5) Install tube into bicycle tire.
I have a good quality bike I bought 18 years ago but it is not in the best shape so I bought a new bike last summer. The old bike had tubes in the tires and the new bike is tubeless. The advantage of having tubes is that they are cheaper and available in many places. You can easily remove the tire from the rim and do a puncture repair in the street. The tubeless tires are thicker and very hard to get off the rim, When my tubeless tires went flat I had to go get my car and pick up the bike. To repair the puncture I had to buy long tire levers to get them off. Tires with tubes can easily be repaired on the street if you have a repair kit.
Thanks guys. Sorry about all this but these cementless patches have consumed my life. I gave the bike shop my two small boxes of cementless in exchange for 1 box of cement patches.
I've been patching tubes since I was 13 years old and don't plan to stop now.
P.S. I don't understand why anyone would take their bike to a bike shop to fix a flat for $20 or $25 when they can fix it themselves.
I've been patching tubes since I was 13 years old and don't plan to stop now.
P.S. I don't understand why anyone would take their bike to a bike shop to fix a flat for $20 or $25 when they can fix it themselves.
Most tires in the market are TLR now and they are not thicker. You can get a light tire with 60 TPI instead of 120 it just will cost more sometimes. Tubles tires are easy to remove on the trail especially the ones at 60 tpi. It's easier to carry an extra tube in case of a flat then trying to fix a tube on the trail if its minus 10 outside like today. Best example of a light tubles tire.
https://45nrth.com/products/dillinger-4
For the one flat I get a year ( none last summer ) I prefer tubed tires. Easy to fix anywhere. I have even fixed a flat tire without removing the tire from the bike.
