Park Tool VP-1 Vulcanizing Patch Kit (Single)

Works great . Before this i was using Slime SKABS Pre-Glued 1 inch patches repair flats on my mountain bike inner tubes but one day when i was fixing a flat I noticed that there was no new puncture but a leak through an already patched with Slime SKABS Pre-glued. I carefully removed that patch and sealed the leak/punctured spot with Park Tool VP-1 Vulcanizing patch bought here on Amazon. A few weeks later I got another flat in the same tire due to hitting a sharp metal on the road causing a tear in tire as well as inner tube. I patched that one too with park tool VP-1. So far have not noticed any decrease in pressure . At the time of patching the flats / leaks i remember the Park Tool VP-1 patches were well made and adhered to the tube very firmly co the glue was very strong . Also i liked that it comes in a nice small box with a small piece of sand paper to clan the punctured spot on inner tube.

I have some pretty bad roads in my area. So, I decided it was time to learn how to patch instead of buying a new tube every time I got a flat. So, I went with these and so far so good. Currently I have 5 patches on one tube and not one of them has given me a problem yet. Two of the patches are even almost touching (where I got a pinch flat on one side and thorn on the other, and then I have a third patch that forms like a Venn diagram with the other two patches (I don't know how that area has been so unlucky), and still the patches are holding well. It also seems to come with a good amount of glue, which I heard was a problem with some other kits. I would definitely recommend these. Just look up a video on how to patch and you'll be glad you did. I would of spent about $30 by now if I had bought a new tube each time I got a flat and these were $3 for 6 patches. As far as longevity, like I said, I have 5 on one tube, but the oldest patch Is probably about 7 weeks old, so, I will update if one ever fails in an unreasonable amount of time.

"I bought this in 2015, and it saved me multiple times from having to push my bike out of the woods. The patches worked flawlessly, sealing punctures well. I do wish it came with more glue, but I managed just fine. Overall, a must-have for any rider—it does the job when you need it most!"

I recently bought a new bicycle and soon after had a puncture. At first I was skeptical of puncture repair kits because something as small as these patches seemed to be too good to be true to withstand the pressure in the tube. But I decided to give it a try and as I used this vulcanizing patch for the very first time it changed my views on this product. First, the kit box is very compact (about the size of a chewing gum package), which I like because you can put it in a bag or even a pocket and take it with you on a trip with a pair of levers, and you don't have to worry about getting a your tube punctured. With this kit, a puddle of water and a pocket-sized pump it is possible to even fix your tube in a few minutes at a road curb. I am a complete novice at changing tubes, but it took me around 7-10 minutes to fix the tube and be on the bike again. It is very easy to use the kit: once you determine where your puncture is, remove any object that caused it (if applicable), sand the spot around it with a sand paper provided, apply the vulcanizing glue evenly around the spot (about the size of a quarter around the hole), let it dry for up to a minute, and place one of the patches (whichever shape fits best) orange side up and press firmly for a minute or two. That's it - now you should be able to place your tube back onto the wheel and pump it with air. Make sure to sand the punctured spot well so that the area is smooth and even, having no grooves or rubber seams, otherwise these minor bumps can promote air channel formation under the patch when air pressure is applied. Overall, I think it is a pretty useful tool to relieve you from the hassle of buying new tubes all the time. I am not sure whether this vulcanizing kit is good enough to "treat" big holes, but it surely gets you covered for small punctures, such as the ones from a nail, malevolent awl or needle puncture.

These are old-school patch kits, where you sand the tube, spread the goo, wait for it to dry, then apply the patch. These patches will hold for YEARS. (The other day I took a tire off a bike and noticed that the 20 year old tube has 3 vulcanized patches on it from when I commuted in Chicago...) However, it's tough to justify carrying these because a spare tube costs the same or less, and the vulcanizing fluid is one-use. It *may* stay liquid for a few weeks or months after you first open it, but it may dry up quickly. It will certainly dry up within a year or so -- meaning your patch kit is useless at that point. This happened to us 2 weeks ago. Two of Three patch kits, the glue was dry, having been used previously. I even sealed the tubes afterward with cling wrap, but they still dried up. Luckily, the 3rd person's kit had a fresh glue container, or we'd have been hosed. This full patch kit *may* be lighter than a replacement tube, and about half the size, but the replacement tube is a quicker fix and a sure thing. I have carried these for years, but may go to the ultralight stick-on patches as an emergency fix (tiny box, work for an hour or so) and make sure there's a spare tube instead. One option to make these work more for you is to order bulk rubber fluid from a certain China-based retailer, where you can get many small tubes for a couple bucks. I've done that.

I never experienced any issues with my tubes after using this patch

I wonder how long the glue will last before drying up? Time will tell.