How to Repair the Bicycle Inner Tube with the Patch

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Try to imagine yourself in the middle of a nice bike ride in nature when you run into a rusty nail that punctures the front wheel. What do you do: walk back home or repair the puncture and finish the trip like a champion? If you are able to find the damage, glue a patch on the inner tube but most importantly, if you take the precaution of carrying the repair kit with you every time you go out for a demanding bike ride, then you will be able to enjoy the luxury of make your own decision instead of letting events decide for you.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Finding the Hole

Step 1. Remove the wheel

Whenever you find yourself on a flat tire, the first thing to do is remove the damaged wheel. Check it in the center, where the rays converge. If you have a quick release system (which looks like a small lever), open it and turn it counterclockwise to loosen it. If, on the contrary, you see a nut, you need a wrench to take the wheel apart. After doing this, release the brakes and move the pads away from the tire to completely detach the wheel.

• If the problem is with the rear tire, then you will also have to manage the presence of the gears and the chain. Loosen the chain by engaging the smaller gearbox. Loosen the quick release mechanism or unscrew the nut, but do not remove the wheel. If necessary, pull back the derailleur (the "arm" through which the chain passes and which contains pulleys) with your hands and / or move the chain in order to remove the wheel.

  

Step 2. Use the specific levers to remove the tread

Now that you have removed the punctured wheel, you need to remove the tire. Sturdy levers may be useful for this. Some bicycle shops sell small tools called "tread levers" for this very purpose. Regardless of the tool you have decided to use, be very careful not to "pinch" and further damage the inner tube while you remove the tire. You can also leave one of the tread edges stuck on the rim to make reassembly easier.

• To be clear, you don't necessarily need tire levers. Any other leverage and fairly sturdy tool is fine. Unconventional solutions, such as a screwdriver or butter knife, are also perfect.

  

Step 3. Find the puncture causing the air leak

Once the tread is removed, pull the inner tube and try to find the hole. You can proceed in several ways, some are listed below:

• Inflate the rubber and proceed with a visual check over the entire surface for holes.

  

• Pay attention to the hisses.

  

• Feel the flow of air with your skin.

  

• Put the air chamber in a container full of water and pay attention to the bubbles.

  

Step 4. Make a mark to mark the site of the hole

Punctures that knock a tire to the ground could be surprisingly small. Once identified, don't run the risk of losing sight of it! Use a piece of chalk to draw a "+" or "x" that intersects right at the break. If you use a patch and glue, make a rather large mark, so you can see it even after spreading the adhesive.

If the chalk isn't included in the repair kit, use a ballpoint pen or other writing tool. However, chalk would be ideal because it is easier to see a white mark on dark rubber than black or blue ink

Part 2 of 3: Close the Hole

Step 1. Eliminate the foreign body that caused the break

Once you have found the hole, check if it was caused by debris (such as a piece of glass, a sharp pebble, and so on) or if the inner tube has been "pinched" inside the tread (the hole looks like a bite but there are no foreign bodies). With great care, check inside the edge of the tread to find any foreign object that may have passed through it or that has become stuck in it and remove it. The last thing you want is that the cause of the puncture pierce the inner tube a second time just because you didn't notice it.

Step 2. If necessary, sand the hole

The various models of air chamber patches work differently; some need glue, some are self-adhesive, some need to stick to a frosted surface, and some need to stick to a smooth surface. Trust the instructions included in the patch package: if you are instructed to sandpaper, use a small square of sandpaper to make the area rough, working on a surface as large as the patch area. Roughening the rubber improves the adhesive power of some types of glue.

If you have any doubts about this, know that lightly grinding the inner tube does not interfere with the adhesion of most patches, so it is worth doing it so as not to make a mistake

Step 3. Apply the patch

Next, glue the patch over the hole, following the instructions that are included in the package. Some models need glue, while others are self-adhesive; although the latter are more comfortable, they are also less reliable. Below you will find general guidelines for both types. If the instructions on the packaging differ from what you will read here, follow the manufacturer's recommendations.

• Patches with glue: apply glue or putty on the inner tube all around the hole and wait for the product to stabilize (some must dry until they are no longer sticky; always refer to the instructions on the package). Finally put the patch on the semi-dry glue by pressing it firmly until it has sealed the leak.

  

• Self-adhesive patches: Remove the patch from its packaging and place it on top of the frosted hole, as if it were an adhesive. Maintain some pressure with your hand and, if necessary, wait for it to dry before getting back on the saddle.

  

Step 4. Know when to replace the inner tube

If this is badly damaged, you shouldn't waste time patching it up, as it would be easier and more convenient to replace it. Air chambers with extended holes do not stay swollen for long if patched, so it is worth changing them completely. Fortunately, if you have a spare part available, the process of replacing the inner tube is not difficult. Here is a list of damage that isn't worth fixing with a patch:

• Multiple punctures.
• Long cuts.
• Air leaks even after applying the patch.

Part 3 of 3: Reassemble the Wheel

Step 1. Put the inner tube back into the tread

When the patch has taken hold on the inner tube, take the latter and carefully spread it in the hollow part of the tire. This operation is a little easier if you partially inflate the bladder and insert it first on one side, and then work progressively on the rest of the circumference. When you are finished, carefully check that no part of the inner tube protrudes from the tire.

• Make sure that the valve is oriented towards the center of the wheel (away from the tread), so you can inflate the air chamber.

  

Step 2. Put the tire back on the rim

With your thumbs, slide the tire (which contains the partially inflated tube) onto the rim. Press the outer edges of the tread inside the metal edges of the rim, so that the rubber is "locked" in place; at this stage, be very careful so that the inner tube does not get "pinched" between the rim and the tire. It may be necessary to use levers or another similar tool to insert the last portion of the tread.

• Remember that on some high-end bicycles the tread has a surface pattern designed to rotate in a certain direction; in this case, the direction is indicated by a small arrow placed on the shoulder of the tire. Do not mount the wheel upside down! This reduces the performance of the bike and causes abnormal tire wear.
• Don't forget to remove the valve cap when you put the tire back on the rim. Without the cap, the valve can easily pass through the hole on the rim and you can inflate the inner tube without difficulty.

Step 3. Slowly inflate the tire and wait for the inner tube and tread to fit around the rim

Use a manual or automatic pump for this. Work calmly to allow the inner tube to slide and expand correctly on the rim, inside the tire. When fully inflated, lightly squeeze the tread; wait a few minutes and then squeeze the gum again. If it feels swollen even in the second test, then you can resume your pedaling!

If you are concerned that the inner tube is not in a bad position inside the tread, you can inflate it completely before refitting all the rubber on the rim. However, this may make the job more complicated

Step 4. Put the wheel back on the bike

You're almost done; all you have to do is reinsert the wheel into the fork of the bike, attach the quick release or nut, reconnect the brake and start again (unless you have had to repair the rear wheel: in that case you will have to put the chain back around the gears). Pedal carefully until you feel confident that the patch won't suddenly come off, then return to your usual pace!

Step 5. Consider purchasing a new inner tube as soon as possible

The patches, however practical, are not designed to last forever. They are perfect for solving such a situation when you are outdoors, in the woods and have no spare parts, but they are not long-term solutions. Although high quality models may have a level of reliability equal to a new air chamber, the most common ones offer temporary protection and others lose air almost immediately. There is no equivalent alternative, in terms of quality and reliability, to replacing the inner tube; for this reason, it is worth buying a spare part as soon as you have the opportunity, so you will have it available in case of another puncture.

Advice

• Some air chambers are sold with a liquid that closes the holes automatically. Sometimes, however, this system doesn't work. In this case, you can extract the air chamber and inflate it to let the liquid out; or, you can clean the hole seat of debris to drain the liquid later. If these operations are successful, then you can reassemble the air chamber and start again, but if they don't work then you will have to apply a patch as usual.
• The kits with self-adhesive patches work for a short period of time until the air begins to filter. The kits with glue, on the other hand, chemically fix the patch to the air chamber and prevent these situations.
• The glue that comes with the patches is skin safe, don't be afraid to touch it.