Big Ass Patches or "Regular" size Patches

markz

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Went through a 3 puncture day yesterday, just patching some tubes. A new tube I bought while battling the flats, got a large hole, I felt the regular 15-20mm patch that came in the N90 kit was not sufficient, so I grabbed a hold of my Princess Auto patches that are HUGE, like 40mm, I like to use clamps to hold them in place.

I got to wondering, why the patch companies even bother with supplying small 10mm patches. Even for a pin hole I'd still prefer to use a regular 15-20mm patch.
 
I guess those making pathes had a thought for riders like you, making many sizes of patches so you can put patches on patches, on patches. :mrgreen:
 
So far, its 3 patches on patches.
I just throw them small dinky patches out! Patch Co's just care about their bottom line $$$$$

Buy in bulk from Princess Auto from now on.
3" puppies ;)
2" puppies
1" small-un's


MadRhino said:
I guess those making pathes had a thought for riders like you, making many sizes of patches so you can put patches on patches, on patches. :mrgreen:
 
markz said:
So far, its 3 patches on patches.
I just throw them small dinky patches out! Patch Co's just care about their bottom line $$$$$

The bulk Rema patches we get at the bike shop sell for $0.30 retail. I don't know how much more economical they could be.

Many bicycle tubes are less than an inch wide when folded flat. The patch really should be less than that wide. Also, the wider the patch, the more mold ridges you have to sand off the tube before applying glue. Big enough, but not too big, is best.
 
Yep, the patch kit does not know if you run 2.5 inch rubber, or 3/4 inch. You could cut down big ones, but there is demand for small, so kits come with both.

I wish you could still get the old style patches. Remember them ?, you clamped them, and then set the back of the metal plate they were stuck to on fire.
 
40 years of patching tubes, I've never had a problem with those tiny patches, so long as they fully cover the puncture. On light weight 20mm tires of my old race bike, the weight and size of the patches mattered. On my monster bike, not so much. but they're cheap and easy to get.

Patches much bigger than the hole are mostly pointless, but also harmless on a normal bike. If you want to use them, there isn't much downside.
 
I tend to buy patch repair rubber in sheets of 6 x 4 inch then cut out the size I need, I do find if the hole is too big then the patch can balloon under pressure, a lot of my punctures are slices from steel shards and swarf so can be 1/4 inch long in 4mm thick inner tubes.

I repaired a puncture at the weekend that was so close to an existing patch that I had to remove the old one and refit a large patch to cover both holes, that was fun!
 
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