Electric Bike Action - August 2017

There are two types of patch kits. One is the old-fashioned kind, with patches, rubber cement and either a metal grater or a piece of coarse sandpaper (e.g., 150 grit). The other kind forgoes the rubber cement in favor of self-adhesive patches. You’ll need to rough up the surface of the tube for the patch to stick. Make sure the rough area is larger than that of the patch. Then apply rubber cement and let it dry and apply the patch, or apply a self-adhesive patch. Here’s where that pen mark comes in handy; you will know where to center the patch. Nothing is worse than patching a tube, only to ;nd that the leak is right on the edge of the patch!

After that, in;ate the tube lightly to make sure the patch is on correctly and sealed. Then you can put it back into the tire, use your ;ngers and re-seat the tire bead, then pump the tire up carefully, watching that the bead is seated evenly. Pump the tire up enough to check, then de;ate it fully. This helps ensure you’re not folding or pinching the tube anywhere. Then re-in;ate it, checking the bead again. If you’ve done this right, you’ll have a patched tube that can be used for a long time. If you patch a tube more than once, though, it’s time to replace it when you get home.

Installing a new tube is the same process, including in;ating, checking, de;ating, re-in;ating, and checking again.

DOLLARS AND SENSE

If your tire is worn, especially the sidewall, you’ll need to replace the tire as soon as possible. If you’re riding trails and something slashes a small hole in your sidewall, you’ll need to patch that so the tube doesn’t protrude and ultimately explode with a loud bang. You’ll ;rst have to let the air out of the tube, then pry the tire bead off the rim. You need something sturdy to help the sidewall in its effort to hold in the tube. We’ve seen guys use used Gu packets, large tire patches or even dollar bills. American paper money is actually not paper but a type of fabric (75-percent cotton and 25-percent linen), and as such it can be a good temporary patch to keep your sidewall from blowing out.

Once you’ve ensured your tubes and tires are ride-worthy, you’re ready to be back on the road. You have the tools to keep going, so you don’t have to walk your bike all the way or call a friend to come get you. With a little practice, you can ;x a ;at with no sweat in a couple of minutes. Having the right stuff on the ride comes in handy; we often run into people with a ;at who are unprepared. It’s always good karma to stop and help someone get back up and running. You never know when that favor will be returned down the road!;■

{ FLAT TIRE }

If your wheels don’t have a quick release like this one that is held on with a nut, you’ll want to carry a wrench in case you have to replace a tube on the road.

Self-adhesive patches are the easiest, and you never ;nd that your rubber cement is all dried up when you need it most.

Thanks to the X, you can center this on the puncture, then burnish it down smooth with a thumbnail.

Another consideration is that if you have a rear hub motor, you should know where the quick disconnect is to be able to disconnect it to remove the back wheel. Knowing that before you ride is important. When you reinsert the tube, re-seat the tire and start to re-in;ate it, then watch the bead on both sides to make sure it’s seated all the way in. If the tube pops out when you’re in;ating it, be ready for a loud bang!

This is a thru-axle quick release, one type of tool-less quick-release system for taking off/putting on wheels.

Most patch kits come with a metal scraper or a small square of coarse sandpaper. Use this to make a cross-hatched, rough area for the patch to stick on to.