Glueless / selfadhesive tube patches don't work for beans

I've been using the regular rubber and cement type patches for years.

Recently, I tried out one of those pre-cemented patches. It was faster,
no glue drying time, etc. I had the tube back in there pretty quick.
The next morning, flat. I pulled the tube out again, pumped it up a
little and water tested it. No leaks! I changed the schrader valve,
pumped it up again. Flat within half an hour.

Must be one of those leaks that only happen under pressure. So I put
the tube in the tire, but leave it off the rim unmounted. I pumped it
up higher, since the tire is holding it back some. Sure enough, when
the tube is under some pressure and expands, the glueless patch scoots
moves ov a smidgen. Not a big deal, but air is oozing out too. I
reapplied another patch, located it a little to the side so that it
would be centered under pressure. Still leaks.

It seems to me that there is too much liquidy goopy glue on these
things. The glue never dries apparently, and air oozes thru it like air
bubbles in honey. Also, the patch itself is basically a thin piece of
green plastic. Too flimsy, should be a piece of rubber IMO. These look
like they would work on low pressure air mattresses or pool toys, but
not on bike tubes.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.

Veggie wrote:
I've been using the regular rubber and cement type patches for years.

Recently, I tried out one of those pre-cemented patches. It was faster,
no glue drying time, etc. I had the tube back in there pretty quick.
The next morning, flat. I pulled the tube out again, pumped it up a
little and water tested it. No leaks! I changed the schrader valve,
pumped it up again. Flat within half an hour.

Must be one of those leaks that only happen under pressure. So I put
the tube in the tire, but leave it off the rim unmounted. I pumped it
up higher, since the tire is holding it back some. Sure enough, when
the tube is under some pressure and expands, the glueless patch scoots
moves ov a smidgen. Not a big deal, but air is oozing out too. I
reapplied another patch, located it a little to the side so that it
would be centered under pressure. Still leaks.

It seems to me that there is too much liquidy goopy glue on these
things. The glue never dries apparently, and air oozes thru it like air
bubbles in honey. Also, the patch itself is basically a thin piece of
green plastic. Too flimsy, should be a piece of rubber IMO. These look
like they would work on low pressure air mattresses or pool toys, but
not on bike tubes.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.

These are ****e. You are not the first to report this here, and
probably not the last.

D'ohBoy

Veggie wrote:

Snip glueless patch grief.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.

No, they are near useless, especially on road bikes. A shop owner told
me they are better on MTB tyres which are not too high a pressure, but
when I tried one it wouldnt stay on, so the pack I had went in the bin.
Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

Veggie wrote:
I've been using the regular rubber and cement type patches for years.

Recently, I tried out one of those pre-cemented patches. It was faster,
no glue drying time, etc. I had the tube back in there pretty quick.
The next morning, flat. I pulled the tube out again, pumped it up a
little and water tested it. No leaks! I changed the schrader valve,
pumped it up again. Flat within half an hour.

Must be one of those leaks that only happen under pressure. So I put
the tube in the tire, but leave it off the rim unmounted. I pumped it
up higher, since the tire is holding it back some. Sure enough, when
the tube is under some pressure and expands, the glueless patch scoots
moves ov a smidgen. Not a big deal, but air is oozing out too. I
reapplied another patch, located it a little to the side so that it
would be centered under pressure. Still leaks.

It seems to me that there is too much liquidy goopy glue on these
things. The glue never dries apparently, and air oozes thru it like air
bubbles in honey. Also, the patch itself is basically a thin piece of
green plastic. Too flimsy, should be a piece of rubber IMO. These look
like they would work on low pressure air mattresses or pool toys, but
not on bike tubes.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.

I use them. In my bike seat bag I carry a spare tube and some of the
Park patches. I use the spare tube for flats but if I happen to get two
flats in a day, I use the little quickie patches. Some have been in
place and working fine on road bike tubes at 120 psi for at least a
year. They seem to work best if the tube fits the tire, no stretching or
bunching.

That said, old fashioned cemented patches are better and I use them when
patching tubes at home.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.

They've worked fine for me over the past, not sure, maybe 5 years or so
they've been out? Maybe longer? Once in a while I get one that doesn't seem
to want to hold pressure over time, but I'm willing to put up with that
because I never have to worry about a tube of glue that has dried on its
own, rendering it completely useless. That, to me, is worse than a patch
that slowly leaks.

For what it's worth, the ones I use are from Trek, but look virtually
identical to the ones marketed by SCABS or something like that. Thin, red,
round. Not the square Park ones, which gave me (and many of my customers) a
lot of trouble. Maybe they've changed those by now.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"Veggie" wrote in message
. ..
I've been using the regular rubber and cement type patches for years.

Recently, I tried out one of those pre-cemented patches. It was faster,
no glue drying time, etc. I had the tube back in there pretty quick. The
next morning, flat. I pulled the tube out again, pumped it up a little
and water tested it. No leaks! I changed the schrader valve, pumped it
up again. Flat within half an hour.

Must be one of those leaks that only happen under pressure. So I put the
tube in the tire, but leave it off the rim unmounted. I pumped it up
higher, since the tire is holding it back some. Sure enough, when the
tube is under some pressure and expands, the glueless patch scoots moves
ov a smidgen. Not a big deal, but air is oozing out too. I reapplied
another patch, located it a little to the side so that it would be
centered under pressure. Still leaks.

It seems to me that there is too much liquidy goopy glue on these things.
The glue never dries apparently, and air oozes thru it like air bubbles in
honey. Also, the patch itself is basically a thin piece of green plastic.
Too flimsy, should be a piece of rubber IMO. These look like they would
work on low pressure air mattresses or pool toys, but not on bike tubes.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.

Per A.Lee:
A shop owner told
me they are better on MTB tyres which are not too high a pressure, but
when I tried one it wouldnt stay on, so the pack I had went in the bin.

What I found was that when they did fail, they left behind a residue that
prevented application of a conventional patch. Tried acetone and a couple
other things, but no-go.
--
PeteCresswell

Veggie wrote:
I've been using the regular rubber and cement type patches for years.

Recently, I tried out one of those pre-cemented patches. It was faster,
no glue drying time, etc. I had the tube back in there pretty quick.
The next morning, flat. I pulled the tube out again, pumped it up a
little and water tested it. No leaks! I changed the schrader valve,
pumped it up again. Flat within half an hour.

Must be one of those leaks that only happen under pressure. So I put
the tube in the tire, but leave it off the rim unmounted. I pumped it
up higher, since the tire is holding it back some. Sure enough, when
the tube is under some pressure and expands, the glueless patch scoots
moves ov a smidgen. Not a big deal, but air is oozing out too. I
reapplied another patch, located it a little to the side so that it
would be centered under pressure. Still leaks.

It seems to me that there is too much liquidy goopy glue on these
things. The glue never dries apparently, and air oozes thru it like air
bubbles in honey. Also, the patch itself is basically a thin piece of
green plastic. Too flimsy, should be a piece of rubber IMO. These look
like they would work on low pressure air mattresses or pool toys, but
not on bike tubes.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.
I have been using the SCABS brand glueless patch for years. Every once
in a blue moon one may not hold. But I laways have several with me on a
ride so I can use another if needed. Proper care when applying helps.
The Parks brand never did work well for me. Taking the time on the raod
to use glue and such is a bit of trouble, and when you find the glue
has dried, well, you had wished you had a glueless one with you. I have
seen many a roadie cursing using glue kits when they have glue all over
the tube, tire, hands and still the patch fails. Glueless works for me.
Cheers
Rick in Tennessee

cycledogg wrote:
Veggie wrote:
I've been using the regular rubber and cement type patches for years.

Recently, I tried out one of those pre-cemented patches. It was faster,
no glue drying time, etc. I had the tube back in there pretty quick.
The next morning, flat. I pulled the tube out again, pumped it up a
little and water tested it. No leaks! I changed the schrader valve,
pumped it up again. Flat within half an hour.

Must be one of those leaks that only happen under pressure. So I put
the tube in the tire, but leave it off the rim unmounted. I pumped it
up higher, since the tire is holding it back some. Sure enough, when
the tube is under some pressure and expands, the glueless patch scoots
moves ov a smidgen. Not a big deal, but air is oozing out too. I
reapplied another patch, located it a little to the side so that it
would be centered under pressure. Still leaks.

It seems to me that there is too much liquidy goopy glue on these
things. The glue never dries apparently, and air oozes thru it like air
bubbles in honey. Also, the patch itself is basically a thin piece of
green plastic. Too flimsy, should be a piece of rubber IMO. These look
like they would work on low pressure air mattresses or pool toys, but
not on bike tubes.

So do these new patches work for anybody? It's back to the old glue
patches for me, as soon as I figure out a solvent for the glue crap left
on my tube.
I have been using the SCABS brand glueless patch for years. Every once
in a blue moon one may not hold. But I laways have several with me on a
ride so I can use another if needed. Proper care when applying helps.
The Parks brand never did work well for me. Taking the time on the raod
to use glue and such is a bit of trouble, and when you find the glue
has dried, well, you had wished you had a glueless one with you. I have
seen many a roadie cursing using glue kits when they have glue all over
the tube, tire, hands and still the patch fails. Glueless works for me.
Cheers
Rick in Tennessee

Best answer is to carry a spare tube AND a standard patch kit. In
years and years of riding I have only ONCE needed the patch kit after
using the spare tube (knock on wood).

D'ohBoy

Glueless patches work for me, except when I'm not careful enough to
ensure a solid seal at that little mold ridge. Patches are my back-up,
if necessary, to the two spare tubes I carry, or for someone who needs
help but hasn't their own kit. (I'm always amazed at how many folks I
see on fancy bikes but no gear--pump, spare, etc. Isn't the joke that
the only equipment most people need to deal with a flat these days is a
cell phone?) Regards, Roy Zipris

On Fri, 01 Sep 2006 18:11:53 -0700, Roy Zipris wrote:

Glueless patches work for me, except when I'm not careful enough to
ensure a solid seal at that little mold ridge.

To prevent this problem, buy only Michelin tubes, which have fewer and
smaller mold ridges than any other brand.

Also, a multi-blade safety razor head (Atra, etc) can be used to shave
them off. It's quicker and easier than sandpaper, and packs well in your
tool kit.

While older versions were suspect, I've had good luck with glueless
patches lately.

I think it's best not to inflate the tube to "test" the patch before
putting it into the tire.

Matt O.