Too many Patches?

[Ram]

This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing as
too many patches on an innertube? Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at the
LBS, it's just that I have been plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles) at a
time when I am particularly destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant tubes or
tires (700x23)? While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a tube? My
personal record is ten. Thanks for your help.

 

[Ian S]

"ram" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
> as too many patches on an innertube? Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at
> the LBS, it's just that I have been plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles)
> at a time when I am particularly destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant
> tubes or tires (700x23)? While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a
> tube? My personal record is ten. Thanks for your help.

I would be leary of putting patches over patches but otherwise I don't see a big problem. I'd be
more concerned about why you're getting so many flats in the first place. Is your rim tape intact?
One thing to be sure of when you are changing the flat tire is to get rid of whatever caused the
puncture. I run my fingers all along the inside of the tire to make sure there is nothing still
there. If you rode in an area with thorns, you may have picked up more than the one which punctured
your tube first. Kevlar tread reinforcement and higher tire thread counts will help as well. The Mr.
Tuffy type of protector also will help buts adds weight. making sure the tire and tube are seated
properly after changing is a must. I still like to coat the tube with talc before reassembly. If
you're getting pinch type flats, you should check for proper pressure in the tire.

 

[Michael Dart]

"ram" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
> as too many patches on an innertube? Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at
> the LBS, it's just that I have been plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles)
> at a time when I am particularly destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant
> tubes or tires (700x23)? While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a
> tube? My personal record is ten. Thanks for your help.

I don't know how many is too much. When no more will fit? It just reminds me of a story in the Old
Coot column in Dirt Rag magazine. Where on a ride he had a flat and pulled the tube out of the tire
that already had several patches on it. His riding buddy exclaims "Man How many patches do you have
on that tube?!!!" The Old Coot thinks for a sec and answers 'flatly' "Apparently one less than I
needs." ;^)

Mike

 

[Meccanico Di Bi]

[email protected] (ram) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
> as too many patches on an innertube?

No, you do what you gotta do.......

> Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at the LBS, it's just that I have been
> plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles) at a time when I am particularly
> destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant tubes or tires (700x23)?

Conti GatorSkins

> While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a tube? My personal record is
> ten. Thanks for your help.

No records here, I usually toss 'em after two or three. Seen some come through the shops with
upwards of ten on them.

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
>as too many patches on an innertube?

No.

>Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at the LBS, it's just that I have been
>plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles) at a time when I am particularly
>destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant tubes or tires (700x23)?

Keep an eye on the road and avoid debris that could puncture your tube.

>While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a tube? My personal record is
>ten. Thanks for your help.

I doubt I've had more than 4 or 5 before I tossed the tube.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

 

[Jim Adney]

On 8 Jan 2003 15:37:17 -0800 [email protected] (ram) wrote:

>This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
>as too many patches on an innertube? Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at the
>LBS, it's just that I have been plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles) at a
>time when I am particularly destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant tubes or
>tires (700x23)? While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a tube? My
>personal record is ten.

My record was about 7, but there was really no reason to stop there. Extra patches don't cause any
problems unless you get a new hole right next to the edge of an old patch.

-
-----------------------------------------------
Jim Adney [email protected] Madison, WI 53711 USA
-----------------------------------------------

 

[William Burrow]

On Thu, 09 Jan 2003 17:51:27 -0600 in <[email protected]>, Jim Adney
<[email protected]> wrote:
> On 8 Jan 2003 15:37:17 -0800 [email protected] (ram) wrote:
>
>>This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
>>as too many patches on an innertube? Don't bother saying how easy it is to pick up new tubes at
>>the LBS, it's just that I have been plagued by a series of flats (4 in the last 36 hours/36 miles)
>>at a time when I am particularly destitute. Does Anyone have suggestions for puncure resistant
>>tubes or tires (700x23)? While we're at it, what's your record for the number of patches on a
>>tube? My personal record is ten.
>
> My record was about 7, but there was really no reason to stop there. Extra patches don't cause any
> problems unless you get a new hole right next to the edge of an old patch.

That's never been a problem for me. Just patch right over the old patch and the hole. Holes in
patches are also a possibility when you get a lot of patches. The tube gets lumpy, but no worries it
still works.

--
William Burrow o Copyright 2002 William Burrow ~ /\ ~ ()>()

 

[John McGraw]

[email protected] (Arthur Shapiro) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (ram) wrote:
> >This may be a silly question, as I can't see why this would be a problem, but is there such thing
> >as too many patches on an innertube?
>
> Don't think so. I normally wouldn't patch a patched patch, meaning I don't wanna go threeup. And
> sometimes the hole is so close to the valve stem that realistically one cannot repair it.
>
> I've gone between 35 and 40 patches on a tube, back when I rode 20mm front and rear and was
> getting a pretty substantial number of rear punctures. Now I have bulldozer tires (23mm) on the
> rear and go weeks without a flat. So it will simply take me longer to get up into that ballpark.
>
> Folks in my club look at my tubes and practically gag. On the other hand, they all ask me to do
> their tube repairs for them, as I know how to do it properly. With a Dremel sanding attachment,
> bulk box of 100 Remas at a crack, and a can of Camel vulcanizing fluid from Pep Boys, I can churn
> 'em out pretty quickly.
>
> Art

Which Dremel sanding attachment do you use? I've used the radial wire brush, but it's not good at
smoothing ridges or letters, which has sometimes caused a patch to leak.

 

[Jobst Brandt]

It might be worth repeating because it has been a while since this subject got beat to smithereens:

http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8b.1.html

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA

 

[Arthur L. Shapi]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (John
McGraw) wrote:

-->Which Dremel sanding attachment do you use? I've used the radial wire -->brush, but it's not good
at smoothing ridges or letters, which has -->sometimes caused a patch to leak.

At this moment I have a solid sanding wheel of 3/4" diameter in the Dremel. It seems to do a good
job of removing all ridges and removing the surface sheen. In the past, I've also used the little
sanding drums that slip over the appropriate Dremel holder and which are anchored in place by the
holder expanding when an endscrew is turned.

The only trick to using a Dremel is that the tube should be totally deflated. As appealing as it
might seem to work with a tube that has a few pounds of air pressure to plump it up, that seems to
make extraordinarily easy to rip the tube apart with one slightly wrong touch of the Dremel. Perhaps
a neurosurgeon could do it; I can't.

Art

Art Temporary usercode - to be deleted when spam starts. Use MyBrainHurts at this ISP to reach me

 

[Keith]

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:e_%[email protected]...
> It might be worth repeating because it has been a while since this subject got beat to
> smithereens:
>
> http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8b.1.html
>
> Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA

Jobst, Thanks for posting (re-posting?!) this. I'm a relative newbie to this group and hadn't seen
it before. Very good. Keith