alo

There are different types of patches. Most work equally well on the inside of a tire. You probably have patches where you apply the glue, wait for it to be touch dry, then apply the patch. They should work equally well on the inside of a tire.

If you are running sealant in your tire, you need to clean and dry the area to be patched. That might be a challenge out on the road.

Running sealant in tubes is less messy when patching a puncture. However, on very rare occasions you can have a very large hole, and a lot of the sealant comes out.

seibaatgung

I've never patched a tube. Putting a patch on the outside of a tube seems a lot less lasting than patching the inside of a tire based on the physics of it.

Inisfallen

I've never had a bike with tubeless tires, and probably never will. If patching a tubeless tire is fast and easy, that's great. Do tubeless tires require special rims, or can they mount on standard spoked rims? My only experience is with motorcycle tires, and you most definitely cannot mount tubeless tires on the same rims you'd use for tube tires, or on spoked rims.

Anyway, I've had patched tubes that have outlasted tires. In fact, I recently put new tires on my bike, but re-used the tubes already in used. The back tube has a few patches in it. No problem, it's still going strong.

seibaatgung

It's actually kind of difficult, since you need an air compressor or air cartridge to seat the bead.

dabac

Me, I’d use a stamp-sized piece of non-woven or nylon cloth, saturate it with liquisole and apply on the inside. Some use tube patches. I believe there also are special tire patches to use.

seibaatgung

Any recommendations on tube or tire patches? I'm not interested in carrying liquisole on my corner bag.

sweeks

STRiDA.

seibaatgung

Looks like it could pass for a mobility aid when folded!

sweeks

Hahaha! Yes, it is a curious design. I had one about 18 years ago... my first foray into folding bikes. It was a brilliant commuter for short hauls: a mile here, two miles there with a train ride in the middle. The belt drive was clean and reliable. It could be folded *literally* in under 5 seconds. I put 1,000 miles on it, but the wheel bearings required frequent maintenance. I was sad to move on from it... but not *that* sad, as I found other, more serviceable, folders.

seibaatgung

frequent lubing?
such as?

njkayaker

In practice, patches on tubes work fine. Many, many people have been doing it for many, many years.

njkayaker

Pretty much every wheel has spokes.

Rims for tubeless tires need to be airtight. This requires more manufacturing finesse, which means the tubeless rims will be more expensive.

The "standard" wheel won't be airtight.

You can use tubes (and regular tires) on tubeless rims but not vice-versa.

sweeks

More like adjusting, replacing axles, eventually the bearing cups in the rear wheel cracked along the ball track. The cups were stamped out pieces of steel pressed into the plastic wheels. I was in the bearings on the rear wheel literally every 100 miles. Servicing them was easy, but it was clear I was too heavy (at 200 pounds), though well under the raated maximum rider weight.

Dahon Helios XL, retired after about 3,500 miles, though I still have it as a "spare".
Dahon Mu XL, relegated to "winter bike" status in 2013 (current mileage 12,500), when I got my current folder,
Tern Verge S11i (current mileage 9,000)
The Verge is as stable and rigid as my full-size titanium road bike. All of these bikes have internally-geared rear hubs, which I prefer for bikes with small wheels. I've done centuries on the Dahon Mu XL and the Tern Verge S11i.

seibaatgung

Do you still have it? I'm only 150-155 pounds, depending on how far I am from a pizzeria.

sweeks

Yes, I do. I'm not sure parts are available to restore it or upgrade it. I plan to give it to a grandchild if I can do either.

Ultimer

Some folk craftsmen definitely have

seibaatgung

source?

Reynolds 

seibaatgung

That yours?

CliffordK

Are there on the road methods to seat the bead?

I've always thought one could make a hose to connect the front wheel to the rear, and use the opposite tire as an air reservoir. It should be small and compact. Just needing hose, a few valves, and an air inlet valve.

I think I've seen diagrams of using something like a metal water bottle as an air tank, but I don't know if it has gone commercial.

seibaatgung

Air cartridge I've heard works, but they're not refillable.

Darth Lefty 

Starting at the valve and using a tire lever, you pull as much of the bead onto the bead seat as you can before you start pumping. If it's tight it will make a seal enough to pump up and finish seating. That's the theory anyhow. So far I've still never had a puncture out on the road that would not seal. I'm sure it's harder with a little frame pump but the same idea would help a cartridge do the job.

Reynolds 

Not mine, I saw the pic years ago on the web and saved it because it was odd.

tcs

Might search for a Cannondale Onbike. I believe they made like 100 of these (?). It doesn't just have a single sided fork and chainstay, oh no. It has no seatstays at all,F/R disc brakes, an enclosed driveline and a super-special single sided SRAM i9 IGH.

Darth Lefty 

Those are some wild bikes!