Tube Pinhole Needs Glue Plus A Patch? Airless Tires?

[bikebike3]

I have 2 tubes with pinholes. I bought some cheap patch kits (levers, patches, abrasive pad, glue) off ebay from china for like $3 shipped each. I think one of the two orders forgot the glue or I misplaced it, so I already just put all purpose "Rubber Glue" (not rubber cement) on the pinholes after deflating the tubes. The rubber glue instructions say to put it on both surfaces and let dry ~10 mins and stick them together like contact cement. I let it dry a lot longer than that thinking that I don't need a patch since it's only a pinhole. If I really should put a patch, then I will put some more rubber glue on the tube, should be good enough I guess. I didn't install the tube yet.

questions is do you always put a patch even if it's just a pinhole?

Has anyone had any experience using "Rubber Glue" on a tube? I don't want to have a blowout or rely on my $5 portable pump to fix a slow leak because I am discovering it might be real tricky or impossible to get this cheap pump to inflate anywhere near adequate PSI (it just starts leaking out the pump when I get like 3/4 the way. I'm not sure, maybe I have to learn a trick for it but my regular full sized pump works fine. I have two different ~$5 plastic pumps, both are giving me problems.

I just used Rubber Glue last resort because I wanted to ride today/tomorrow. I just learned about vulcanized rubber glue (or something like that) that is highly recommended as tube glue and is found in I think autozone places so I might buy that eventually. I have 2 brand new tubes but I don't want to really put them in this cheap Huffy mountain bike that I want to sell. I really want to go tubeless with my new ~$300 bike I am wanting to buy, like with airless foam inserts or the honeycomb sort of hollow airless tires they got now. I don't think the cheaper foam inserts (~$30 each) are recommended for mountain bikes but I know the ~$100 (each) honeycomb ones are. but I don't know If I want a road or mountain bike or hybrid either, might get both.

Anyway, anyone have recommendations for airless tires? I don't really want a puncture tape or slime injection, I want something that I am %100 ensured won't leak and it seems so delicate and pointless to use rubber tubes in this day and age. thanks.

 

[dabac]

On MTBs I've only used either vulcanizing solution + proper patches, or occasionally self-adhesive "emergency" patches.
The vulcanizing patches have had a very high success rate, while the self-adhesive sometimes fail after awhile.
These methods have been so easily accessible, cheap and successful that I've never seen much point in experimenting.
Some people have reported good luck using contact cement.
Some manage to use patches cut from discarded tubes.
I've fixed several other inflatable items using liquisole, shoe-goo and similar rubber glue/filler products, but never a tube.
I'd be somewhat concerned about the stretchiness of those products.

The reason why tubes are still being used is simply that for most users and uses, they are superior. Although tubeless - but air filled - tires are beginning to close the gap.
Foam tubes haven't gotten particularly good reviews.
First you need to understand rolling resistance. Around the contact patch, the tire deforms. As you roll along there's a moving wave continuously kneading the rubber. The more rubber tou have being kneaded in the wave, the more rolling resistance you get. Then think about how tires are mounted - by getting the bead into the deepest section of the rim to create slack enough to get the opposite side bead over the rim.
A foam filled tube squishy enough for off roading, and to let the bead slip into the center of the rim will have a lot of rolling resistance.
A tube hard enough to roll decently can be a beast to mount, and may not ride very well on an uneven surface.

I've used Greentyre tires a lot on my commuter. Written about it here too. There, it was OK but not great.

 

[oldbobcat]

I uestions is do you always put a patch even if it's just a pinhole?

Yes.

Once you get the hang of it, fixing flats beats the alternatives. Nothing beats the ride and traction of a pneumatic tire. Nothing stops a hole in the tube like a well-applied patch. Carry a spare tube, tire lever, pump or CO2, and, just in case you flat the spare, a small pack of "dry patches." When you get home, patch the leaky tube and it becomes your new spare. Be sure to remove whatever caused the puncture, and don't pinch the tube putting it back on.

The best patches and glue are made by REMA, a US company. If your local shop doesn't carry REMA patch kits, they can order you one through QBP.

And, come to think of it, dry patches aren't that bad, either, if you take your time and be sure to apply it on a clean, dry tube. I've been riding on one for almost 200 miles now.

 

[oldbobcat]

A foam filled tube squishy enough for off roading, and to let the bead slip into the center of the rim will have a lot of rolling resistance.
A tube hard enough to roll decently can be a beast to mount, and may not ride very well on an uneven surface.

I've had trouble mounting even thorn-resistant tubes, made from extra thick (and less elastic) rubber. They are so stiff that they don't really conform to the inside of the tire and rim, causing the tire bead to seat poorly.

 

[maydog]

rema f0 patch and some good vulcanizing cement from an auto parts store.

 

[bikebike3]

Instead of waiting for my legit patch glue to arrive, I went ahead and put a patch on the pinhole and then a bike patch over it using "rubber glue" on both surfaces and I put a drop of super glue on the rubber glue but I think that kind of melted the rubber glue it looked like. Then I discovered an old unopened tube of legit bike tire rubber cement but it was too late.
Anyway, after about a 30 mile ride, it hasn't leaked using the rubber glue. Not that I'm going to continue using stuff not specifically made for bike tubes but 'rubber glue' worked in a pinch. thanks. I'm still set on airless tires though even if it sacrifices ride quality a bit, one less thing to break or worry about. If they are so bad, I will return or sell them I guess.