Review on:

Park Gp-2c Glueless Patch Kit

Value

Froze’s Rating

Purchase Date: February 2012

Purchase Price: $5.00

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Community Rating:

(2 reviews)

I've been using Park glueless patches for over 15 years and NEVER had one fail, nor ever have to take a tube home and use a glue on patch.  The reason some people don't have success with glueless patches is preparation failure.  A glueless patch needs to be prepared in the same way a glue on patch is.  You have to buff the area of the tube with the hole slightly larger then the patch will cover, then you have to clean the area buffed with a alcohol pad, next you peel the patch off from a corner being careful to only touch the smallest area of the corner as possible, then lay the patch down so that the hole is in the center of the patch, next you squeeze or press as hard as you can the tube and the patch between your thumb and index finger for at least 30 seconds, finally you check the patch for any frosty looking areas and press those areas till their no longer frosty.  Once it's done in this manner they will hold up forever with butyl but they don't last long on latex tubes.  I had a tube once that lasted 5 years with about 13 glueless patches and not one ever failed and the tube was used everyday. 

TonyZ is a perfect example of someone who failed in the proper preparation of the tube to accept the patch, or the proper amount of pressure applied to the patch so it would stick properly.  I don't own stock in Park or Specialize or 3M so I don't have a dog in the race with them, if they didn't work I would have reviewed them in that matter, but they do work.  I've been using them for over 18 years and NEVER had one of those 3 brands fail.  I've even patched most of my tubes on the road, which means I don't wait 48 hours or whatever for the patch to take, their instant rideable and they don't fail.  I don't have to go home and replace the patch or the tube due to fear the patch will fail. 

When I did my review I mentioned I use alcohol pad to clean the tube after I buff it...98% of the time I don't use a alcohol pad!!!  So why did I mention the use of an alcohol pad?  Because I know most users don't buff their tubes properly, and cleaning the tube will help the patch to adhere to a less the adequately buffed tube!!  The only time I use an alcohol pad is when my hands are dirtier then normal and I think some of that dirt may have gotten on the tube, so I clean the tube to get any dirt off that may have transferred from my hands to the tube.