I started carrying a spare tube in my bag after a flat on the 4th Street bridge

For years I just had a patch kit and a pump, figuring that was enough. Then I got a flat on the 4th Street bridge last month and spent 15 minutes trying to patch it in the cold before giving up and walking. Now I always pack a spare tube, which gets me rolling again in under 5 minutes. Has anyone else switched from patching to carrying a tube for their commute?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron8453mo ago

Honestly though, is a 15 minute walk home that big of a deal? I've never bothered with a spare tube, just a patch kit. Seems like extra weight for a problem that doesn't happen very often. If it's really cold or rainy I'd just lock the bike up and take the bus.

jade2263mo ago

Been there, done that. Patched a tube in the dark once with cold fingers and it just blew again half a mile later. A spare tube is a five minute swap and you're rolling. Walking sucks when you're tired after work or trying to get somewhere on time. What do you do if you get a bad tear that won't patch?

rivera.jesse20d ago

Does anyone else carry a tire boot for those sidewall gashes... I keep a folded up dollar bill and a piece of old tire in my bag. Saved me twice when a piece of glass sliced right through the sidewall and no tube patch was gonna fix that. You jam the boot between the tube and the tire, pump it up careful, and it'll get you home slow but steady.