Should I patch the tube only before I'm going to use it?

[wildeny]

My question is on the title. "Should I patch the tube only before I'm going to use it?"

The long story is here:
I patched two tubes* at the same time. Then installed one of them and kept the other. One week later, I offered this patched tube to be used in a new wheel. The bike mechanic said that this cannot be used; or I might have problem of leakage.

I consulted the instructions in the books, including Zinn's, & the video in BicycleTutor.com, but I didn't find that kind of suggestion. If that's true, why don't they mention it?


* I didn't get out the culprit from the tire after the first flat, so ...

[OakLeaf]

Never been an issue for me. Sounds like they just want to sell you a new tube... Otherwise the ONLY time you'd be patching tubes is out on the road - which is sometimes necessary, but really the last place you want to do that.

My only question is: how many patches in a tube before it's so heavy or unbalanced you decide you need a new one?

[lph]

sounds to me like the mechanic just wanted to give the wheel his "best start", by using a new tube. Patched tubes probably are a little more inclined to leak, given that they're older and more worn. I'll patch tubes 3 or 4 times before tossing them.

[tzvia]

It depends on the patch. Those clear/whitish glueless patches are worthless IMO. Yea they will work if you get a flat and need to patch it and use it right away, but if you store it as a spare, the patch will bubble and leak if you pump it up several months later. If the tire sits for a while and the tube deflates some the patch may bubble and leak when you pump it back up. This has been my experience with the Park patch. Worthless.

I only use the black rubber patches with glue. Those are as strong as the tube itself if applied correctly and I have no problem using a patched tube as a spare or as a regular tube. Right now the front tire in my road bike has such a patch and I don't give it a second thought. I would look at the overall tube and the location of the patches (3 or 4 in the same area I would think would be a balance issue??) and make a decision from there but I would guess that maybe after 3 I would toss it. I just don't get enough flats (3 total in 1 1/2 years, and two of them were re-flats due to those glueless patches.)

[malkin]

I usually put them off until there are several that need patching, and then on a nice day, when there's other garage work going on, I do several patches at once.

*shrug*
No particular problems with this system.

[wildeny]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I think I didn't patched the tube well (I used the one with rubber cement), because later I could tear it off the tube. Maybe that's the reason why the mechanic preferred a new tube.

I looked up in the internet for the information and found this article, "How to patch an inner tube the right way".