Topic: Inner tube patch

[Xnavylfr]

NO I said ROADSTAR=== Made by YAMAHA.

That is a good question. How many here have purchased USED bikes (ROAD READY) and run right home and pulled the tires apart to see how many patches were on the inner tubes?

YES a new tube is insurance and one less thing to worry about, but if WE all haven't figured it out by now, WE have a BIG target on our backs and  stats show someday somebody will have their target punched!!!


Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[750K]

^^^ yeah yeah, we're all at risk on a bike.

At least if my ticket is going to get punched it hopefully won't be from my own actions from something like patching a tube or buying the cheapest tires or chain I can find, at least that's something I have choices on. If I have to spend $30 instead of $5 I'd rather spend the $30. It would be like using a $5 torque wrench...

[Fritz]

I'm doing a restoration/customization on a '74 750 and poked a very small hole in a new inner tube while mounting a new rear tire.

I think that everyone who every replaced his MC tires on his own, punched holes into his brand new inner tubes and asked himself the same question

I must admit that I DID patch my rear tire's tube. But that does not mean that I'd recommend doing so. After riding with this patched tube at highway speeds, I realized that I would keep thinking about this tiny patch forever and changed it as soon as a new tube arrived. Peace of mind.

Sp, I'd just write it off as a part of your tire mounting practice. After chaning four more, you'll be able to do it without punching the inner tube again

[Duke McDukiedook]

Do new tubes really cost that much? One less thing to potentially go wrong in my mind.
I don't mess with patches on my bicycle tubes either, new tube please.

[Raul CB750K1]

Once I poked a hole while installing the tire. For the cost of a new tube, to me it doesn't make sense to patch a tube. But that time I had no possibility to buy a tube in time to get the bike finished. So I patched the tube and it is still holding air.

One of the bikes I bought had something like 5 patches on the rear tube. I wouldn't patch a tube for a big slit, but for a hole I would not mind. The patch doesn't fail because of the pressure, but because of the rubber stretch if it has not been properly glued. As somebody pointed out, once is finished, stretch the rubber and you will feel whether it is likely to fail or not. After all, it doesn't stretch that much. I would say twice in both directions.


The "safety" considerations, though understandable, doesn't make sense either, because if you replace a punctured tube for safety issues, you wouldn't be riding a 40 y/o bike for the same reasons...

[dave500]

in the past ive had dirt bikes with two and three patches,front and rear,always,ive done a million dirt miles,they never let go just got another puncture somehow,in the 80s i had a mack dump truck with split rims,,i used to repair punctures road side,i kept a spare tube on board and patched the puncture once i got home,,id think nothing of it,having said that tubes are cheap though,just buy good ones not those crappy cheapo wing wahh brand or what ever they are,nothing wrong with a patched tube thats done right,its not like a ladder in your stocking!

[Raul CB750K1]

i would just like to add that "cheap tubes" doesn't mean "bad tubes". I have been buying chinese tubes for the last few years and they look ok to me. Even brand names such as Michelin are nothing more than chinese made tubes. Truth be told, my shop won't carry other brand than "cheng fun" or "chan kin" or whatever.

Rubber technology for tube construction hasn't evolved much, so I think there is not really much difference between a brand name and a cheap one. After all, the rubber is protected from sun and water, so it is very likely that a 30 y/o tube looks fine to be used. I have been finding it time after time.

[70CB750]

If you patch a pinhole in the tube, the tube will not go KABOOM!! on you just beacuse of the patch.  It would be more in the form of a slow leak. 

I replaced a tube that I repeatedly punched while using jeep size tire irons to mount, on the end I done it just for kicks and practice, since there was 8 or more patches, LOL.  That tube is long gone, I got a new one as soon as I could get to town.

Nothing wrong with patching, but would I let my 14 year old son do it?  No, since he never done it before.  Not all patch jobs are equal, IMHO, if you know what you are doing, you are perfectly safe on patched tube.

[dave500]

i wouldnt use a 30 year old tube if i actually rode the bike!cheap tubes leak air believe it!they are porous somehow?not all tubes are created equall,,cheap synthectic "allmost rubber"decays in a short time,,made in china is one thing,,very cheap made in china is another,,any good name that has a plant or contractor overseas will or should ensure its products come out good,,or even gooder?

hey i started patching bicycle tubes about 12 by myself 70cb750!i even had a small collection of wrenches in a cake tin.

[70CB750]

Hell yeah, I did too.  But my son did not, it makes a difference. 

[dave500]

ha,,yeah cool 70cb750,,my son whos now 24 has no interest in any of this kind of stuff,,hes a graphic artist and won australian "apprentice of the year" a few years ago,he also has a judo brown belt.

[70CB750]

Yes, Dave, goes in circles, does not it?  My dad biked as on bicycle all his life, I started biking when I was 40 - most likely because of that.

I am into mechanical things and fixing and building,  my son plays (US) football and baseball and he is into sports, he will work with me, but it is not in his blood, you can tell.  Gotta beat my wife, I guess 

[Xnavylfr]

As previously mentioned , some people are just MEANT to be mechanics not because they were raised that way but because they just LOVE to work on THINGS!!! I'm 62 now and it has taken me a long time to relize that there are some MEN out there that have NO business trying to repair something mechanical!!  I have an X son-in-law that thought if you didn't have valve caps on your tires a stone could get in there and cause the air to leak out, he was taught that from his father.

Some are meant to be mechanics and some are meant to be dancers ,,,SO BE IT!!!
In the last 50 years I know I've saved myself big bucks because I've repaired it myself and NOT an ASE=ANOTHER SERVICE EXPENSE mechanic???

Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[ofreen]

I won't tell somebody they shouldn't run on patched tubes.  But I won't, except for a repair that gets me out of the boonies.  I've had a few flats on bikes at speed over the years, at least 4 on the 750.  One very memorable one on the front of our R100GSPD (tubeless tire) 3 years ago with my wife and camping gear aboard.  We didn't go down but the outcome was certainly in doubt there for a bit.  It was hairy.

I ride long distances at higher speeds for extended periods, sometimes with temps in the triple digits.  (If you haven't ridden in that kind of hot weather, you may be a little surprised how hot a tire gets.  Especially a tube type.)  I ride in 75+ MPH commuter traffic.  I ride in places where if you see a couple of people in a couple of hours, that is a lot, and services are a long way away.  I ride a lot of mountain roads in the middle of nowhere where there is no forgiveness if a tire lets go. 

It has occurred to me more than a few times that I have been fortunate to have had my flats while I was riding straight and level, never leaned over in a curve.  But I know some guys that have, and they went down every time.  So based on all that, am I going to trust a patched tube for long term use?  No #$%*ing way.  But everyone else is free to do what makes them happy.

[Roach Carver]

Just so were clear. Ive rehabbed about 8 bikes in the last  5 years. I can patch a tube. I would if needed. I dont ride on a patched tube. Not because I dont know how but because I dont care to.

[wvshooter]

Ok, like I said I've got the new tube already.

One side of me says, "Damn, I don't like buying a new tube and not being able to use it, so I'll patch the thing." The other side of me says, "You idiot, the replacement tube was only $20 so put it on."

Another voice says, "You poked a hole in the first one so you'll probably poke a hole in the second one." 

Does anyone know a good psychologist?

[Roach Carver]

Theres free ones all over this site.

[brooze72]

LOL you might be more messed up after the consult on this site!

[Stev-o]

LOL you might be more messed up after the consult on this site!

Or end up buying more bikes!

[bjbuchanan]

I think the real answer here is that you are just gonna have to buy another honda. One to teat the new tube, one to test the bad and maybe another bike as a "control"

Makes sense to me

[dave500]

teat the new tube?your the one who needs a shrink,,id say that comment comes from deep in your childhood mammories,err i mean memories?

[brooze72]

teat the new tube?

Sure! Ya gotta teat it before ya patch it. But Stev-o & bj are right on, just buy more Hondas.

[crazypj]

Yep, when you have enough bikes you never need to change tyre, just buy another when they wear out   

[dave500]

not so fast i wanna see this tube get teated yet!

[bjbuchanan]

teat the new tube?your the one who needs a shrink,,id say that comment comes from deep in your childhood mammories,err i mean memories?

I would expect no less from you lol