# Repair or toss a bike tube **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 15, 2026, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353 "2026-08-15T13:45:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2026, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353/21 "2026-08-17T08:28:54Z")
I prefer to patch. I’ve even had to patch patches, and surprisingly it works most of the time. I hate the stick-on scab-type patches, so I have a small jar of rubber cement I keep in the house, which seems to prolong the shelf life. I probably have a lifetime supply of new tubes stashed away, though, because I went through a phase where every time the LBS had a sale on tubes, I’d buy a few more. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2026, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353/22 "2026-08-27T15:20:13Z")
I’ve always patched them, unless it’s a catastrophic blowout, or it’s been patched so many times that it’s not viable anymore. Most recently, it seems to have failed under the patch (should have used a larger one) and I judged the tear was too large to patch again. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2026, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353/23 "2026-08-27T19:04:27Z")
I vote patch. I like doing it - reminds of my younger days. Plus, somehow I ended up with several patch kits. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2026, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353/24 "2026-08-27T19:22:24Z")
The only one I have has no glue left, and the tire has two holes, since it was a pinch flat. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2026, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353/25 "2026-08-28T02:48:21Z")
For me, depends on how old the tube is. If I repair, I put it back on the tire, better to have a known good one in my bag than pull out a used tube I repaired months ago and discover it’s no good. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353/26 "2026-08-28T15:35:58Z")
> [@Timz](#): > > If so, a successful patch is conceivable, but not likely enough to be worth a try. This sounds like my approach. The damage from a single thorn or nail puncture is almost certainly limited to an area smaller than a patch. A pinch is more like a linear fold with hidden stretch damage beyond the visible hole more likely and is just harder to effectively patch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/repair-or-toss-a-bike-tube/1032353.md?page=1)