[Article] Patching flats, making rim strips and more!!

[Louis K]

Okay here you go! Are you sick of getting flats and you don't know how to patch them and you looked everywhere?? OR you tryed it yourself and it came out all wrong and it just leeked the air out again? Look no more further then here!!

Okay here is the steps on how to make a rim strip, these are used to put on the inside of your rim where you put the tube in so you don't get a pinch flat by casing a curb or something and then your spoke goes through and makes a hole.

How to make a Rim Strip:

Step 1: Get a old tube.
Step 2: Cut the tube in half next to the valve cap.
Step 3: Cut the other side of the valve cap off.
Step 4: Cut inside the tube all the way, that way you have a nice wide piece of rubber.
Step 5: Cut the long wide piece of rubber about 1.5 inches so that way you have a thin piece of rubber.
Step 6: cut the long piece of rubber so it is around 15 inches long.
Step 7: Put both ends of the rubber together, and put a patch on the end of it, then patch them together the correct way you would patch your tube.
Step 8: Get a hammer and a circular punch. Punch a hole somewhere in the middle of the tube, that way when you put the liner over your rim you can put your valve cap through it.
Step 9: Put the new rim strip in your rim and line it up where you put both valve cap pieces through.
Step 10: Their you go, no more spokes punctures!!

Also after you made the rim strip, check every spoke, if it is lose, then buy a spoke wrench, you can buy one at any store where they sell cheap bikes like walmart or kmart or target or a bike shop. They are very cheap and they will help you. Juse tighten your spoke and then you shouldn't get a pinch flat ever again if you got a pinch flat! Also check your spokes reguarly, like every 2 months. That way you can be safe on your bike and no more worrying!

Now here is the correct way to patch a tube and it will never come off unless a something new punctures it!

Materials for patching a tube:

Cement Glue - $1.99
Popsicle stick - Pack of 50 for like $.99
pack of sand paper - $4.99
Rubber Patches - $2.99
Pack of matches and a pencil or ask your parents and let them help you - $.50
Total: $11.45

You will also be good for about 50 times for under $12! This will save you alot of money on tubes and it is easy!

How to patch a tube:

Step 1: Pump up your tube. Run over to some water and then find where all the bubbles are coming from. Put your finger over where its coming from and then dry it all off.
Step 2: Sand down that part really good with your sand paper. Make it really rough this is what you want!
Step 3: Put the cement all over around your puncture, make around a 1 inch radious around it.
Step 4: Strike the match, then put it on the rubber cement, then blow it out right away, do this 1 more time and blow it out fast!!! If you let the fire sit their for atleast 5 seconds then the tube will burst and you will hear a huge poping noise. from personal experience. but I have mastered it now!(NOTE: BE VERY CAREFUL! IF YOU ARE NOT CONFORTABLE DOING THIS THEN LET A PARENT OR ADULT HELP YOU!) Also the reason you are doing this, is it makes the cement SUPER sticky! Which means it will mold itself to the tube and its new patch!!
Step 5: Right away put the rubber patch on it. Then with your pencil roll over the patch and make sure it is nice and stuck on their.
Step 6: Don't even wait a minute you are free and ready to go! Right when you put that patch on your cement, tube, and patch all molded theirselves together and they are not coming apart EVER!!!

Their you go, do all of those tricks, it will only take 5 mins max if you do it all right, and I guarnetee that you will be very happy and you saved yourself alot of money instead of buying a new tube! :)

Also I would like to add is put baby powder all over the tube, especially around the patch and all inside your tire after you have instected it, that way when you ride your tube won't get stuck inside of your tire the next time you need to fix it, also alot easier to take it out :)

[nate-14]

or to make a rim strip, just get some electrical black tape and tape it all the way around the INSIDE walls of ur rim, worked for me a year ago
GREAT article though loved it

[drk_fly]

nice

[keep it real]

or to make a rim strip, just get some electrical black tape and tape it all the way around the INSIDE walls of ur rim, worked for me a year ago
GREAT article though loved it

i just stuck lots of those cool stickers that you get with cheap ass bubble gum around my rim. works a charm

[nutsgeezer]

its better to make rim strips from something tougher like duck tape, because a shard of metal will go straight through a rubber strip into your tube.

[Louis K]

Actually sometimes if you have it too high inside your rim your tube your fit inside your tire. I already tested everything else, even tryed to put double rim strips in their, didn't work because my tube wouldn't fit. :evil:

[Rasta04]

nice. you could just use a puncture repair kit though :wink: .

[nutsgeezer]

yeah and you can buy rim strips. 25p for a rubber one or £1 for a decent one. Tape works best though.

[Louis K]

Yeah, well I been brought up to use whatever I have, and the rim strips I make, i'm sure are alot better then the ones you can buy.

Puncture repair kits are only good if you are in need of a emengancy, because those aheasive patches dont last ;)

[nutsgeezer]

Ive had those patches last months!

[Louis K]

Alrighty then, but how much tire pressure did you put in it? Did you put as much in as you do with a brand new tube? Because im certain those patches won't last as long because they will burst apart if you put as much pressure in as the ones you make yourself. The patches I made can last in tires pumped up to 110psi. I'm certain those patches won't go over 90psi ;)

[Raptor]

I'm certain they will :wink:

[drk_fly]

my friend patched a tire and it worked great!! lasted a half a year b4 it got stolen

[Rasta04]

they do last! i recently fixed a 3 inch long gash in my innertube with 3 patches, from where i blew the tire out, and it has lasted at 85 psi for ages!

[nutsgeezer]

why would you want your tyres at 110psi? in my opinion thats stupid. It just makes your bike heavier. And besides, your tyres are rock hard at about 85-90psi.

[Louis K]

I never said I rode at 110 psi. That would break my wrists, I run my tires at 80psi. I was just saying I pumped it up to 110psi that way I can see if it would blow or not, and it didn't.

Okay maybe those aheasive patches do last, but my way is alot cheaper, and they work "just as good" I suppose :)

[Rasta04]

£2.99 for 2 tire levers, 15g glue, sandpaper, chalk, a wax crayon and 24 patches isnt bad for price. how much is your way in comparison?

[Louis K]

Bumping this so the new people could see.

[Korey]

i'm rich and can afford new tubes haha nah just i do a shity job patching them so they end up leaking and wow get me with a fire on my tube and shit i'd burn my house down

[Worcester Joe]

Nice article lsteven14!

i run my tires at 110 psi. Having tires at that pressure help you role faster.

[nutsgeezer]

meh, I roll fine at 65. If you need to go faster pedal more!

[Korey]

95psi in the back don't remember how much in the front

[kohman2]

i'll have to try lighting the cement glue on fire next time. sounds dangerous :twisted: !!!

[rocket]

^ Ive been lighting my glue on fire for the last 15 years and it works like a charm.


The cheapest way is a simple $5 patch kit. It works fine and the patches will last as long as the tube you put them on. Theres no need for sand paper and all that other stuff...

1) Scrape the area (hole) with the provided scraper in a criss-cross pattern.
2) Pour some glue on, smear it around a little bit, light it, and let it burn untill there a minimal about of glue left -(not too thin and not too thick). Be careful because it burns QUICK! Sometimes lighting it twice is necessary if theres still too much glue left.
3) Take your patch and press on it from the center-out so that each edge is visibly glued and theres NO air bubbles left behind.
4) Hold it for 60 seconds wrapped around a paint can or something similar (patch side facing down) with pressure applied to the area.
5) Check to see if the patch is still secure...(its ok to press on it a few times to be sure its is firmly glued)
6) I recommend letting your tube sit for 10 minutes before putting in back in your tire.
7) Pump it up slowly to your desired PSI and go ride.

[rocket]

why would you want your tyres at 110psi? in my opinion thats stupid. It just makes your bike heavier.

8O I agree with the first part but since when did air become heavy? Maybe i was sick in school that day...lol
Im surprised nobody else caught this.

[nutsgeezer]

there was a big argument about this a while back so Im not going to go into it again. All I'll say is if air doesnt make your bike heavier why do people put helium in their tubes?

[rocket]

oh yea i think i remember that... but you have to remember only an idiot would put helium in their tires. Its been one of those stupid ideas that came about years ago and it never goes away cause little kids think they can jump higher. Its actually pretty funny.

[nutsgeezer]

Ruben and Ali Whitton both do it. In theory though, since helium is lighter than air, it should make your bike lighter.

[rocket]

I thought they tried it and said it made no difference, idk at least thats what a remember hearing.
I also read the same thing like 10 years ago in BMX Plus. I agree the theory is true but in a bike tire, its such a small amout that its ridiculous....were talking something that weighs as much as a few hairs.

[nutsgeezer]

yeah the difference is probably very small, but seeing as they get payed for riding bikes, and all their parts, clothes etc are free they can afford it for a tiny amount of weight.

[Louis K]

Very nice article Ice!


Theres no need for sand paper and all that other stuff...

It cleans the area better IMO. But anything works but I like doing it, it only takes 10 seconds more and I feel it will make the glue stick to the tube and patch better. :)

^ Ive been lighting my glue on fire for the last 15 years and it works like a charm.

Yes it works like a dream, makes it super tacky.

Sometimes lighting it twice is necessary if theres still too much glue left

If its a big hole, I only let it burn once.

If its a smaller hole, I put on the same amount of glue and let it burn twice in 2 second to 1 second intervals. (light it, count 2 seconds, blow it out, light it right away again, let it burn for 1 second, blow it out. Its super tacky)

3) Take your patch and press on it from the center-out so that each edge is visibly glued and theres NO air bubbles left behind.

Thats a very good tip I don't think I covered :)

4) Hold it for 60 seconds wrapped around a paint can or something similar (patch side facing down) with pressure applied to the area.

What I do, (I don't know what the tool is called but it came with my dads old patching kit very many years ago. He had it for like 20 years he said. Its a great tool and I don't think you can find it in stores very easily. What it is, is like a pen, with a roller on the top with bumps in it, the roller part is pretty skinny so it works better)

What I do is use that right after I put the patch on, I roll it all around it, up and down, sideways, circles, making sure I got all the edges good on the patch so nothing happens to it. So far so good. I do this while the glue is drying. It makes it stick so much better I think!

7) Pump it up slowly to your desired PSI and go ride.

I suggest putting baby powder around the tube inside the tire. But NOT too much! Just enough so it doesn't slip.. also especially on/around the patch, this way when your pumping it up and then going to ride it doesn't cause too much friction with your tire causing it to rub on it and make it wear out.

----------------------

But awesome tips and article Ice ;)

[rocket]

^ wow, thanks.....i wasnt expecting you say anything nice about it. Its cool how you added more ideas/tips to what i had said.
I just tried to keep it short and simple. This thread by now should make anyone a pro at fixing flats :P

:idea: About the sand paper...ive personally never used it just because i never needed to but it does sound like a good idea...maybe i'll try it some time.

[fairtrade]

You can run a double rimstrip, as a matter of fact I'm running one right now.

Get a dead tube, remove ALL the air so it goes flat as a flatfish (which by the way are not flat) and cut the left side and right side of it, so that you have the outside section of the tube, and the inner section with the valve on it.

Without seperating the now two pieces of tube, cut off the valve area, that should be roughly 1" wide and 1.75" tall. Then you trim the sides of the rim strip, until it can fit into the rim between the walls and without getting in the way of the tyre.

You should now have two long pieces of rubber,one slightly longer than the other but the exact same width. Put the shorter rubber strip on the tyre, then pull the ends together so there is slight tension on the strip which will make sure it won't move, cut off the excess and let one end slightly overlap the other and duct tape them together, not to the rim.

You should now have an inner basic rimstrip which is in tension and should not move around. Now, all you have to do is install the outside one. Take the long strip, cut off the exact same length as you did to the inner strip, then overlap it slightly more and duct tape the ends together.

Finally, move the duct taped sections so that one is above the other, then tape them together (12 o'clock position) , then tape them together at the opposite end (6 o clock position), then at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions. Line up 12 o'clock position with the valve hole. Remember the valve you cut off? Now it comes in handy. I used a punch slightly smaller than the valve hole, so that the valve can sit snugly on a rubber surface, eliminating a lot of leaks. Test this with the valve you cut off. Now all you do is install your tyre and tube and ride.

My equipment:
Sun Black Box rim
Federal Traction tire, 2.25
Kenda tube
Kenda tube-rimstrip

Word of warning - when adjusting your spokes, if you hear a squelchy noise, then the nipple is about to give you a pinch flat the moment you give it a full turn more. Deflate your tire and adjust properly.