Today’s QT comes to us from Premium Member Kerry Irons. It’s a follow-on to another recent tip. Here’s what Kerry wrote:
As a follow up to the August 11 Quick Tip Keep Your Repair Kit Up to Date, I have gotten into the habit of stuffing my punctured inner tube into my jersey pocket rather than putting it back into the seat bag.
From too much experience, I know I can forget, just as Russ Wood did, and neglect to patch that tube.
It’s ungainly and not sleek to carry a used tube stuffed into your jersey pocket, but with my punctured tube in my pocket (instead of “hidden away” in my seat bag) I’m 100% guaranteed to patch the punctured tube when I get home.
THEN – and only then – does it go back into the seat bag.
If you have an idea for a QT, fire away. We’re always looking for good info we can share with fellow roadies. We would love to hear from you with any suggestions you have. Contact us by clicking Quick Tips Ideas.
—John Marsh & The RBR Team
the risk is getting the jersey dirty from tire/wheel gunk.. but good idea anyway..
Patch the tube and put it back in the wheel. Unpatched tube goes in the seat bag.
“From too much experience, I know I can forget, just as Russ Wood did, and neglect to patch that tube.”
Been there, done that.
Craig Farrell: all of my tubes have patches, typically several patches. The tubes on the bike have patches and the tube in the seat bag has patches. Every 40,000 miles or so I might have a patch fail so I consider a patched tube to be just as reliable as a new tube. I throw out a tube when it fails, not when it needs a patch.
I carry 3 tubes (the enemy is Tribulus terrestris fruits…also known as goat heads in New Mexico). I put the defective tube in my pocket, replace it in my saddle bag when I get home. The defective tube goes to my sun room where it is patched after I have 3 defectives. Three patches is the max before tube is tossed.