Gajits & Geezmos
All the gear that matters
Patch kits are a must
You'll never know when you'll need it, but a patch kit with all the tire patches will be handy when your tire gets a flat..
THERE comes a dreaded moment when your bike's tire goes flat.
Either you spend some time getting it back on the road, or abandon your ride.
For the prepared cyclist, a patch kit comes handy.
You simply stash this into your saddle bag and deploy it at any time.
A good patch kit consists a set of tire levers, tire patches of various sizes, an abrasive (sandpaper or scouring steel) and a patch glue.
Glueless? Yes, these are available in the market and costs about RM5 per kit.
It comes with five patches which adheres on the tire's inner-tube.
But before you patch the puncture, you have to locate the source of the puncture.
This can be achieved by inflating the flat tube and the puncutured area can be visually inspected.
Puncture kits are good for small areas, but if your inner tube suffers a long tear, it's better to replace the entire tube to save time.
For puncture kits, the patches can be replaced and so is the glue.
Glue kits are solid, but it takes at least 20-minutes for the glue to set.
Curing time is more than 12-hours.
So, when it comes to debate, glueless kits are more convenient, but not so as the adhesive surface comes with a lifespan.
When not in use, the glueless patchs should be kept in a dry and cool place.
In a humid country such as Malaysia, they tend to breakdown.
Glue kits on the other hand, are more robust.
They can be found in traditional bike shops and RM5 shops such as "Daiso" and the 100 Yen shops.
So, the next time you hit the road, be mindful and always pack a patch kit!