Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Park Puncture Patches

I discovered yesterday (but forgot to write it then) Park Tool's Super Patch Kit is indeed a 'get me home' means of patching and not for use on following rides.

Having purchased a couple of Super Patch Kits and having a puncture (on Monday) I thought it would be a good/lazy idea to try using one of the little self-adhesive patches to fix my leaking inner tube. As it turned out, I needed a new tyre as the tyre I had on was worn right through in places (even though I give them a quick look a couple of times a week). That's besides the point but, as a note to myself, I had better remember to keep a closer eye on the condition of my tyres in future. Oh yes, the self-adhesive patches. It's not much of a story but I was only a couple of miles into the following day's journey when I thought my back wheel (new tyre and all) seemed rather spongy. As I had feared, my laziness in not putting on a new tube was rearing its ugly head and, upon inspection, it was air coming out from my self-adhesive patch.

The moral of the story is that Super Patch Kits are excellent little pieces of sticky rubbery joy to have for emergencies but don't be a doofus like me and think you'll get away with using them as a permanent puncture repair solution (if you'll forgive the unintentional pun).

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