Punctured Tube Repair?

[450roo]

Had a puncture a couple of days ago, rear wheel, a bit exciting as I snaked to a stop, but managed to stay upright. 50 miles from a repair shop, but that is another story!
Picked up a big nail! The repair man refused to put a patch on the tube even though it was less that a year old, not safe he said. In days gone by when money was scarce, any tube with less than 6 patches was considered useable. Have things changed?
What is the collected wisdom on patching tubes, would love hear your views?

 

[LongDistanceRider]

The word "patch" says it all for me. It's a temporary fix to get where it can be properly repaired. With the over eager lawyers in the world looking to make a name for themselves and a fast buck everyone is afraid of liability.
I had a flat with a punctured tube 3000 miles from home(lived in N. California and flat outside Miami). 3 shops told me that I would have to replace the tire as well as the tube. 4th shop did it and I taught them about using a patch on the tire where it was punctured to reseal the tire and to prevent any cords from working their way out to damage the new tube.

 

[ancientdad]

...and I taught them about using a patch on the tire where it was punctured to reseal the tire and to prevent any cords from working their way out to damage the new tube.

Can't believe they weren't aware of that already, jeez... put a new tube in a tire with a hole in it and not expect it to rub raw? You've taught people stuff all over the US

 

[450roo]

I understand the legal problem, but safety wise I have ridden well over 200,000 miles on tubes with patches 99% of these Punctures repaired by my self and there were failure's but not many.
Going back to the 60s to late 80s no one would discard a tube because of a patch. The stick on patches were a little doubtful but they were all we had then the vulcanizing patches were excellent if you knew what you were doing.
If we talk about safety I can think of several things that worry me more than a patched tube.
Call me a tight ass ! I can't help it. Ha ha ha.

 

[Hondaholic]

No real wisdom in my response, but I have no problem patching a tube on a smaller capacity bike that will not see any aggressive riding conditions. In the era or 'patching' most owners would report very few, if any, failures, provided the job was done correctly.

Remember, most of the 'replace' brigade is of the disposable society. I don't advocate re-soling shoes or darning socks, but those methods worked for centuries.

As a final point, what if this attitude were employed in the 'western' days? We don't re-shoe a horse, we just take it to the vet for new legs?:lol:

 

[mikeranger]

I think its more about litigation as its a repair to a safety item. Personally i would repair if i was away from home on the road.

Mike
CL450

 

[Hondaholic]

I think its more about litigation as its a repair to a safety item. . .

Yes, the world, or more precisely its opportunist inhabitants, seize upon anything that even whiffs of litigation. I think the game changer was the 1994 'McDonalds Hot Coffee Case ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebeck_v._McDonald's_Restaurants ) which set the ball rolling.

Back to topic though, but in the same vane, if we do a puncture repair and say, get concussed from the tyre lever flinging off the rim, might we successfully claim contributory negligence from the tyre lever company because their product should have stayed within the rim? Conundrum for the weekend, guys & gals!:biggrin:

 

[CarnivorousChicken]

I remember my parents teaching me how to patch tires on my bicycle when I was kid. They grew up during WWII, and at that time things were fixed and reused. Not anymore. And tubes are so cheap I think people just expect you to throw them away. I Agree with others -- a patched tube, done correctly, is fine.

 

[RockReef]

I remember my parents teaching me how to patch tires on my bicycle when I was kid. They grew up during WWII, and at that time things were fixed and reused. Not anymore. And tubes are so cheap I think people just expect you to throw them away. I Agree with others -- a patched tube, done correctly, is fine.

If you want it done correctly, you’ve got to do it yourself though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jpettigrew]

We off road raced many a bike with tubes that had multiple patches. The success was based on doing the patch correctly. I am not so sure that the patch area, if done right, is more durable than the newer thin tubes I have seen in recent time.

 

[jensen]

I'm glad not living in a claim country like the US. Here we patch our tires, no lawsuits.

 

[ancientdad]

^^^If only the rest of the world was that sensible. Especially the US.

 

[ballbearian]

Working in shops out west in goat head thorn country, I found out the profit margin on rubber was "a triple keystone" that is 3-400%. A good vulcanized patch is permanent. As long as the area is perfectly flat, no ridges or seams.