Is the Park P02C Glueless Patch Kit effective enough to stop carrying conventional glue and patches on rides?

Secondly, what’s the STW definitive acceptable number of spare tubes for a bit of light XC, in addition to a repair kit?

Yes in theory but no if they won’t stick, which in my experience is often.

no. Of tubes : Only you can assess that risk although the correct STW answer is go tubeless.

I take it you are not tubeless at the moment then?

Park patches at home are great. Out in the field, not so great. Any moisture at all and they don’t work so you need to be able to dry the tube. Also if it’s on the middle the rubber line needs sanding down or let’s air out.

Running tubeless I carry 2 tubes and a park repair kit and also some tyre bungs to repair tubeless but that’s because I want to make it home by my own resilience.

Some of my friends just carry a cash card and would phone a Friend or get a taxi or train.

You need to decide where abouts on the scale you are.

I also carry a first aid kit! And a few other bits. I’ve got used to the extra weight. I’ll never get used to not being prepared!

Before going tubeless i used to carry 1 tube and the parktool patches. If i got a flat it was nearly alway a snake bite so would need 2 patches. The patches worked sometimes, other times not. More often I ended up just changing the tube if i got a flat and would sort the puncture at home.

Tubeless, I carry a spare tube, tubeless repair kit plus some patches incase I miss a thorn when I put a tube in. The patches weigh nothing and the tubeless repair kit glue works with the patches.
The only use I’ve found for Park patches is for sealing the valve hole.

+1 Damascus

If wet, very, very difficult to rely on.

But fantastic in the comfort of your own shed, with sandpaper and kitchen towel readily available.

In the old days (pre-tubeless) I always carried patches and at least one tube.

But even with two spare tubes I got caught out once, with punctures front and back, followed by an enormous rip in the rear sidewall.

Since tubeless, I’ve still suffered a couple of disasters:

– Big compression resulted in a massive Burp out of the sides, so I lost loads of fluid as well as the air

– Mega side wall rip that wouldn’t heal with a plug

By luck I had tubes with me on both the above occasions, but was cursing all the way home having had to put tubes into very, very sticky tyres.

On balance, the law of sod seems to apply.

Yes, not tubeless. Tubeless is so far off my radar I didn’t think to mention I wasn’t. 🙂

Park patches at home are great. Out in the field, not so great. Any moisture at all and they don’t work so you need to be able to dry the tube. Also if it’s on the middle the rubber line needs sanding down or let’s air out.

“Workie at home, no workie on the trail” is the opposite of what I need. Having said that, I’d dry the tube properly for normal patches so maybe it’s not a deal breaker.

You need to decide where abouts on the scale you are.

Currently 2 tubes, a tube repair kit, tyre levers, multi-tool, chain tool and spare link. 2 punctures on one ride is rare but it has happened a few times.

Maybe the answer is swap a tube for the park patches. That way I save the weight and bulk of the tube but I have two different ways to repair a puncture. Worst case I could tie a knot in a tube.

Decisions.

Tubeless should be on your radar. You’ll suffer fewer punctures in the first place and if you do get one that doesn’t seal then put a tube in.

Tubeless. Always carry a tube, some anchovies and there are probably some stick on patchees in the tool bag as well (don’t take any space). Road seatpack might have two tubes in it plus stick on patches.

Either way, it’s always replace tube first, use patches if a second failure. I’ve always managed to get them to work ‘in the field’ when needed. I don’t see why you’d use them at home – if you’re going to repair a puncture, do it properly with rubber patch and cement. Park patches always fail eventually IME.

One tube, oneaerosol can of sealant. Add conventional repair kit for multday rides.

Unless I am on the fatty which is tubeless when it’s just the aerosol sealant

Must get round to buying a tubeless repair kit

The Topeak patches are better. With a useful logo for lining up with the hole. They seem to last longer. The Park ones always fail.

But an extra tube is no bad thing.

If tubeless…

Short local rides (anything up to 50km) and trail centres I’ll just carry one tube and maybe some quick patches.

Longer and multi-day rides, 2 spare tubes, a traditional repair kit and a tubeless kit (plus tyre boot). For the Plus bike I have the Tubolito spares (not the Lite version though).

I’ll look out for those Topeak patches.

Tubeless – I’ve found I have sealed all of the punctures I’ve had (apart from massive gaping holes) by rubbing dirt into the hole.

I sometimes carry a single tube so that I can help people still on tubes. Otherwise I don’t see the point.

Tubeless. I carry a few tubeless plugs and insertion tool, a couple of spare valve cores, an improvised tyre boot cut from a plastic toothpaste tube, 1 spare tube and a few patches.

For an all day ride out in the sticks I would carry at least 1 more tube.

if you do get one that doesn’t seal then put a tube in.

You stick a tyre plug in and fix the tubeless tyre, pump up, spin wheel and carry on.