Road bike inner tubes, repair or replace?

[ambuletz]

I wonder what peoples thoughts are on this.
When I had a mountain bike I used to repair the inner tubes perhaps 4-5 times before replacing it, only if the puncture turned out to be a large gash/tear.
With road bike inner tubes I don't seem to have the same luck. On two occasions I repaired the tube and pumped it up for it only go pop when it got near 100psi, perhaps I'm doing wrong?

What do you do? replace or repair them? For those that replace does anyone know somewhere good to buy loads of cheap ones in bulk?

[sjg]

Always carry a tube and replace at the roadside if needed. I'll repair it when I get home with an old-style vulcanised rubber repair, although I tend to grab a new tube for the new "spare". At least I have some repaired ones handy if I run out (or if a mate needs one, or I'm fixing up someone's old bike).

The flypaper-type patches never seem to work well for me on road tubes, but I still keep some handy as they're much more compact than a conventional repair kit and quicker to use if I've already replaced a tube on that ride. They seem prone to leaking slowly under the higher pressures of road tubes.

[roystinho]

Just carry a spare and replace. I've never carried out a repair. However, I do carry a repair kit just on the off chance I get another puncture so I can at least patch up to get home. Though I would whip it off and put a new one in for the next ride

[anonymous-user]

I repair tubes once only, then bin them

I replace at the side of the road rather than faff about repairing there and then - that is best done at leisure imo. I wait until I have three to do and then do them together. Only takes a couple of minutes in the garage

[TwistingMyMelon]

I repaired once and it blew...sod that again,

Having had two punctures recently on pitch black lanes in the rain, repair is not an option


FYI, my local tesco had 5 x 700 25-38c inner tubes for £10, they looked ok, but had short valves

[louiebaby]

I use Gatorskin Hardshells to minimise issues.

However, I tend to just replace and chuck any knackered tubes.

I normally carry a spare, and some patches just in case, but the one time I did get a double flat, I managed to buy a second tube off a passing cyclist.

[Steve vRS]

If you mean when out on a ride, always replace.

If you buy multi packs of tubes, they work out quite cheap. And my success rate with repairs is low enough to make replacement by far the most attractive option

Steve

[Daveyraveygravey]

I always take patches and a new tube on a ride. I will try and patch the tube at home, sometimes you need the kitchen sink to do it, and my garage is not a place to spend any time in! Trying to patch at the side of the road just adds to the unpleasantness of the experience and takes longer. I found the self-adhesive patches good recently.

I have maybe a dozen old tubes hanging up in the garage with various amounts of patches. Should probably see if they are useable.

I get my tubes from these people, local and good service - http://www.innertubeshop.com/

[GarryDK]

Replace on a ride and repair later.

[ambuletz]

Daveyraveygravey said:

I always take patches and a new tube on a ride. I will try and patch the tube at home, sometimes you need the kitchen sink to do it, and my garage is not a place to spend any time in! Trying to patch at the side of the road just adds to the unpleasantness of the experience and takes longer. I found the self-adhesive patches good recently.

I have maybe a dozen old tubes hanging up in the garage with various amounts of patches. Should probably see if they are useable.

I get my tubes from these people, local and good service - http://www.innertubeshop.com/

cheers for that! I've ordered a bundle of 10. if they're good it should mean I wont have to ever buy it in a shop. Wilko have them for £3.50 which is the most convienient place I can buy it when my bike is at home with a puncture.

[yellowjack]

ambuletz said:

What do you do? replace or repair them? For those that replace does anyone know somewhere good to buy loads of cheap ones in bulk?

I carry the self adhesive patches, a full traditional patch kit, plus at least 2 new/patched tubes on rides.

The decision whether to repair or replace is made in the event of a flat. If it's a pinch flat, and I pretty much KNOW that there's no sharp debris in the tyre, (and snakebites are hard to patch) that'll get a new tube, no messtins.

If it's fair weather, and I'm not in company, then I'll take my time and patch at the roadside, and use an old-fashioned pump to inflate. I like to save my fresh tubes and CO2 cartridges for when it's either cold, or wet, or both, so that I'm not faffing about with repairs while falling further into hypothermia. No sense in using up both fresh tubes early in a ride when the sun is out, then flatting again in the dark and wet and being forced to carry out a repair in disadvantageous conditions.

As for the number of patches on a tube before chucking it? I think the record was 22 patches on a single tube, but that was a low pressure, high volume MTB tube. Current 'immediate use' tube which I 'wear' on my shoulder, partially inflated ready to go has 2 patches currently, and both the tubes fitted to the bike have at least one patch each. Don't buy complete patch kits though - I buy the 'glue' from my LBS, and the patches from Halfords, as this combination works best in my experience. I'm rarely troubled by a failed repair, thankfully.

Oh, and a trick to finding the hole in a tube without a bowl of water? Flatten the tube, and stretch it between your fingers, working your way around the tube. Then turn it over, and stretch/inspect the other side. The stretching action pulls the hole open wider so it's easier to spot. Best done in daylight though, hence why I always try a repair in fair conditions, and save the spare tubes for darkness or harsh weather.

[outnumbered]

Replace on the road and repair later.

One reason that a lot of repairs on road innertubes fail is that normal off-the-shelf patch kits have patches that are way too big, so don't adhere well to narrow road tubes, as they need to wrap around too much. My LBS sells patches that are about 1cm in diameter, and they work very well.

Also make sure you put a wide area of adhesive on and wait for a few minutes to cure before sticking the patch down.

[lukefreeman]

At a £1 a go, it's replace tubes all day every day.

I went to Planet X in Sheffield and just got 15 Vavert tubes for £1

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141641599959?_trksid=p20...

Clicky if you don't mind paying £1.50 a go

[Alex Langheck]

In autumn/ winter I use the green slime inner tubes, but take a spare plus a CO2 canister. As others have said, in winter, replace at road side and repair when you get home.

[ambuletz]

got my inner tubes now many thanks.

what's everyones thoughts on inner tube protectors? The ones that go in between the inner tube and tire?

[TheInternet]

ambuletz said:

what's everyones thoughts on inner tube protectors?

Tyres? Not sure why you'd need anything else.

[Rich_W]

Replace after puncture. I use Spesh "Turbo" Tubes when racing. And the "cheaper" ones in the black boxes when training. Usually buy these on a deal of 5 for £20 or similar. Use Gas Canisters. Last year shop sold me 32 for £20 as they wanted rid of non threaded 16g for some reason. (My inflator can use both)

Worth pointing out that if I get a run of 2 or 3 punctures I replace the tyre as well. Nearly EVERY puncture I get is Rear as well. Any plausible reason why that might be?

Edited by Rich_W on Sunday 24th January 19:59

[ambuletz]

Almost all of my punctures are from the rear aswell. I guess it's cos of more weight on the rear? Most people pump up the same PSI front and rear (in my case 110psi), when it should be higher on the rear as more of the weight is on there. the last time I got a puncture before my ride out I only inflated the front, I could't be bothered doing the rear as I was in a hurry, ended up paying the price.

[crossy67]

I seem to have been plagued with punctures lately. I only carry a repair kit and a hand pump as a get me home solution, but then again I'm never more than 11k from home.

I can't believe the number of people saying they have failed repairs, I never have. Maybe I'm just lucky.

I replaced my tubes with slime ones last weekend, just got fed up with having to stop and sort out another flat. I find pumping the tyre up a but and listening for the hiss is good enough for me to find them. So far!