glue for patches and electrical tape for rim strips?

1. what type of glue can I use to patch tubes, I have all sorts of
patches and several dried up tubes of glue that come in the kits,
rubber cement?
2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?
thanks, frugal futon

futronic writes:

1. what type of glue can I use to patch tubes, I have all sorts of
patches and several dried up tubes of glue that come in the kits,
rubber cement?

I've used elmers rubber cement for patches. It works fine. I suspect
that all rubber cements are the same. (the glue in patch kits is
rubber cement)

2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?

I never tried that. Don't think I would unless it was an emergency.

A shy person asked:

1. what type of glue can I use to patch tubes, I have all sorts of
patches and several dried up tubes of glue that come in the kits, rubber
cement?

Rubber cement is the thing.

2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?

Not well. It's not all that strong, and the adhesive leaves a gooey mess.

I used to use fiberglas filament tape, which is neater, but had a couple
of failures, so now I'm back to Velox.

Sheldon "Velox" Brown
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futronic wrote:
1. what type of glue can I use to patch tubes, I have all sorts of
patches and several dried up tubes of glue that come in the kits,
rubber cement?
2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?
thanks, frugal futon

I've used electrical tape (3M brand vinyl) on mtb wheels. They run lower
pressure and it works fine.

Mike

futronic wrote:
1. what type of glue can I use to patch tubes, I have all sorts of
patches and several dried up tubes of glue that come in the kits,
rubber cement?
2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?
thanks, frugal futon

I've had no luck with rubber cement, maybe it was the wrong kind. The
best thing I've found for a rim strip is medical adhesive tape. I made
an emergency repair a couple of years ago and it's still holding,
haven't tried removing it yet...

search to 'self sealing tubes' in tech archives
and napa
where the good stuff is
look at the tire tools and glue rack

----- Original Message -----
From: "futronic"
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2005 1:03 PM
Subject: glue for patches and electrical tape for rim strips?

1. what type of glue can I use to patch tubes, I have all sorts of
patches and several dried up tubes of glue that come in the kits,
rubber cement?

You can buy big tubes of patch glue at auto parts stores, but rubber cement
is fine. the issue really is that you don't want to carry around a big old
tube of rubber cement. Yes, those tiny tubes of glue that come with patch
kits are a pain in the butt how they dry up. Use the self-stick patches on
the road.

2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?

No. And don't use the packing tape with filaments in it either. There
actually was a bicycle manufacturer in Oregon doing this at one time; but it
proved to be disasterous. Rubber rim strips are pretty cheap, as is the foam
rim tape. In an emergency you can use the white medical adhesive tape. But
this sort of tape leaves a big mess when you finally want to remove it.

the strapping tape with fibers running down the length and quality duck
tape like nashua at home depot for $7? is ok but velox is reusable and
no hassle with the good duck at either end. get the thick nashua.

Steven M. Scharf wrote:

You can buy big tubes of patch glue at auto parts stores, but rubber cement
is fine. the issue really is that you don't want to carry around a big old
tube of rubber cement. Yes, those tiny tubes of glue that come with patch
kits are a pain in the butt how they dry up.

Only rarely had that problem - usually because the cap developed a crack
and a couple times when the pinched end of the tube wasn't sealed
properly. Normally I run out of patches long before the glue is used
up, but I keep an extra unopened glue tube in the patch kit just in case.

Use the self-stick patches on
the road.

I let the transportation department take care of the road - don't have
any patches that are big enough anyway.

2. will electrical tape work fine for a rim strip?

No.

Electrical tape has been my favorite rim tape ever since narrow clincher
rims came out in the mid 70's and I haven't had any problems with it
even in my tandem wheels that are pumped up to about 120 psi. I do use
2 - 3 layers of it, but it's still thinner than the rubber rim strips
which makes it easier to change tires.

And don't use the packing tape with filaments in it either. There
actually was a bicycle manufacturer in Oregon doing this at one time; but it
proved to be disasterous.

Yes, I encountered that problem and replaced it with electrical tape.

Never, ever use electrical tape for anything except for something to
throw in the garbage can. The inventor of that stuff should be stood
up against a wall and shot. It is no good for anything electrical or
mechanical. It leaves gooey adhesive all over everything it touches.
The adhesive lets go of the tape and sticks to the object that was
taped instead. It's a great, steamin' looooad o' crrrap!