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.
13
15
17
14
16
18