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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcsb!thielges
From: thielges@uiucdcsb.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Flat Tire Blues
Message-ID: <16200058@uiucdcsb.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Oct-84 21:24:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsb.16200058
Posted: Thu Oct  4 21:24:00 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Oct-84 04:41:55 EDT
Lines: 41
Nf-ID: #N:uiucdcsb:16200058:000:2326
Nf-From: uiucdcsb!thielges    Oct  4 20:24:00 1984

Since I usually end up patching a lot of tubes (more than 20 so far this
year) I thought I'd share a little info on the techniques which I have found
to help.

First of all, the best patch kit I've found so far is the Rema "Tip-Top"
kit.  Others I've tried are the Schwinn kit and the Bike Nashbar "best kit
ever".  The Schwinn kit was pretty bad, but the Nashbar kit might be OK,
I didn't try any more than the 6 patches which came with it (2 failed).
My main gripe of the Nashbar kit is that the glue comes in 6 individual
pellets which you have to use all of once you open one.  I like to cut the
large long patches into two smaller when I run out of small patches but the
6 glue pellets limit me to only 6 patchs.

Everything else here applies to the Rema kit.  To find the hole, pump the tube
up and listen for the air hissing through the hole.  If you are lucky(?), the
hole will be big enough to find quickly.  If you still can't find it, dunk the
tube in some water and look for bubbles.  This may not be possible in some
places on the road, so I would suggest perfecting the 'dry' technique.

Once you have found the hole, mark it.  The best markers I have found are
an orange permenant marker (survives the scrubbing step and becomes EASIER
to see) or a partner's thumb.  Scrub it well with the sand paper, concentrating
on wearing down the nearby ribs.  Apply glue liberally and put the patch ONLY
(orange side down) on the glue spot.  The Rema instructions evidently say to
leave the clear cellophane on, but I have yet to make a successful patch this
way.  Tack the edges down.  This may require extra glue.  Try to stay on the
edges.  Now take the foil (you DID save it, didn't you ?) and place it over
the patch.  Put a weight over it and let sit 2-15 minutes.  The longer, the
better the patch.

One extra hint... If you like to fold your tubes really small, remove the
valve core and roll the tube up starting from the end farthest from the valve.
Replace the core, unroll and fold.  Valve core removers which double as
valve caps should be available at most bike shops for < $.50 .  I was stuck
in the sticks with a new tube that had a misadjusted valve once, so I'll 
never be without one again.

Any suggestions or corrections to this procedure are welcome except spelling
error flames.
					Bart Thielges