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Mad Scientist Tire Academy

Here is thread discussing pumps. Like many topics opinions vary. I carry one of the cheap slime compressors. I also carry a hand pump when riding solo incase the compressor fails.

Same here except my hand pump also accepts CO2 cartridges. So if 12V pump fails I can exhaust my packed CO2 before having to hand pump. Triple protection as I ride solo the most.

Mine is an older more compact model but same company as this.
https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Innovations-Mountain-Bicycle-Inflator/dp/B00LQFDV8Q

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Hi,
is the Recommended Flat Tire Kit (page 1) is still updated?
Im about to complete my kit...
 
Hi,
is the Recommended Flat Tire Kit (page 1) is still updated?
Im about to complete my kit...

That list is pretty comprehensive, but I don't bother with a specific valve stem nut wrench, a valve hook tool or a rubber mallet. I carry some baby powder for the fresh tube that is being installed too. Everything else is pretty spot on.

I can't host in Austin this month, let alone make it to SA. Work has me trapped for the foreseeable future :(
 
Doing research on patches for tire tubes and the whole vulcanizing glue/vulcanizing patch thing, I found this post online by a chemist. I'm posting it here because it's relevant and because I don't want to search online for it again. I carry some Tech brand "vulcanizing patches" for the tubes on the KTM 500 but ran out of (or lost) the Tech brand "vulcanizing glue". Doing a search to replace it I found this post. Perhaps just any brand of rubber cement will do.....

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Nagging question: is "vulcanizing fluid" just plain old rubber cement?
From time to time this issue comes up. Is tube patch vulcanizing fluid a specific formulation for "gluing" patches onto tubes containing vulcanizing chemicals needed to make the bond between the patch and the tube? Does plain rubber cement (like Elmers) work just as well? Are they the same thing?

As a plastics/rubber chemist I have long thought that vulcanizing fluid was just a rip off. Nothing special. IMO the vulcanizing chemicals are in the patch. The rubber cement just mobilizes the chemicals and supplies natural rubber to act as a bridge between the tube and the patch. Natural rubber is more reactive than butyl rubber used in most tubes and could speed up the bonding of the patch to the tube.

But that opinion is by no means widespread and is unsupported. So I decided to undertake some investigation to see what I could learn and/or demonstrate. I used a Performance Forte brand patch kit containing a tube of glue and Rema type patches. I cut four, four inch lengths of butyl innertube and slit them open. Then I cleaned the outside surfaces of the tube specimens with the abrasive paper in the kit.

I applied Elmer's rubber cement to two specimens and Forte glue to the other two. After letting the glue nearly dry I folded one specimen with each glue over on it self and weighted the folded specimens for 2 hours. I applied Forte patches to each of the other two specimens and pressed the patch and tube tightly together. After two hours I examined all the specimens. The folded specimens were easily unfolded. The bond was minimal and very similar for both glues. The appearances of the glue residues were identical.

The patches were both tightly bonded to the tube specimens. There was no apparent difference between bonding of the patches with the two different glues.

I should mention that the Forte glue was actually labeled "rubber cement". It looked and smelled just like the Elmer's. There was actually a formula for it on the tube which showed two solvents and natural rubber as the only ingredients as you would expect for plain rubber cement. The two rubber cements looked identical.

So without the special patches, neither glue was able to bond two pieces of butyl rubber together. If the cement really contained vulcanizing chemicals, some bonding of the two rubber surfaces would have been expected.

Although this experiment does not involve quantitative results, I think it provides ample evidence that the rubber cement commonly supplied for patching bicycle tubes is just plain rubber cement. If you have a bunch of tubes to patch, I recommend purchasing both quality patches and plain rubber cement in bulk. The idea that tube patch "vulcanizing fluid" is a special formulation containing chemicals that activate the vulcanization appears to be false. It is still my belief these chemicals are actually in the patch.

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How to patch a tube without removing it from the tire/wheel/bike.

Of course, YOU won't be able to do this, you need HER to ride with you and do it for you while you take a smoke break :kiss:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5PMKyhTdiA"]How It's Made: Patch Inner Tube Motorbike - Motorcycle Inner Tube Repair - YouTube[/ame]
 
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yj4sKsguvU"]Delboy's Garage, Motorcycle Chain and Sprocket Change. - YouTube[/ame]

Starting at the 15:00 mark, one of the best tutorials on chain breaking and link install on a 520 and similar motorcycle chain.
 
Thanks for the video Trice! I just got back from Mexico where my chain broke AND I got two flat tires. Was going to have the shop put a new chain on, but I might as well buy a chain riveter.

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It was kind of funny. As soon as I got a flat, I barely had time to break the bead before the wonderful people of Mexico came to help. In one instance, I had a flat on the rear and had just broke the bead when the local moto mechanic came over and took over the job. He seriously refused to let me do any work. He spooned on a D606 with one tire iron. Learned a new trick that day. It turned into us staying in town that night, too much chicken/beer and a night of fireworks and traditional mexican dancing... I'll tell you all the entire story at the next MSTA.

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In the years I have been riding, I have seen 3 clip type masterlinks come apart on the trail. I have never seen a rivet type come apart. I use rivet links and carry a clip type as a spare in the bike tool kit.
 
In the years I have been riding, I have seen 3 clip type masterlinks come apart on the trail. I have never seen a rivet type come apart. I use rivet links and carry a clip type as a spare in the bike tool kit.

Just in the circle I know, Mark Subcomm lost a clip type on Old Ore and Jon lost one on the TAR. I checked mine on the 500 and noticed the clip loose and the chain worn overall.

I think they're fine if they're checked (more often than I did) and installed correctly. I've come to the point where 2 (or more) clip type spares will be carried.
 
Trice, thanks for the help this week spooning off those Concourse tires. Were it not for the Mrs' birthday, I'd be heading your way to put them back on. Maybe tomorrow. I'll let you know.

(for the curious, I'm repairing both TPMS senders, at a cost of <$5, rather than $150+ each)
 
Just in the circle I know, Mark Subcomm lost a clip type on Old Ore and Jon lost one on the TAR. I checked mine on the 500 and noticed the clip loose and the chain worn overall.



I think they're fine if they're checked (more often than I did) and installed correctly. I've come to the point where 2 (or more) clip type spares will be carried.



Add me to the list. I lost two on a 12,000 mile out and back to Alaska on my F650 years ago.
 
If the outer plate is pressed in to tolerance (same as the other non-clip link measurement) and the clip itself is installed blunt end forward, and the link overall is inspected for wear (like the rest of the chain should be), then I shouldn't think clip type master links should be delivering these results.
 
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