Quote:
Originally Posted by bshell
No science to back this up but I *suspect* the volatile organic compounds escape the cap if a void is left at the top. Seriously, a guy showed me this 30 years ago and I've never had a dry tube. Obviously it is important to protect the little glue tube in the little plastic box so as not to puncture or fatigue the metal with other tools, etc.
1. puncture/check glue tube if you doubt contents (old/evap/off brand/?).
1.5 buy rema glue tubes. They're slightly longer than those found in a kit.
2. file/sand the plastic cap length a few mm to fit green box.
3. squeeze glue from bottom of tube and pinch metal *flat*.
4. after spreading glue, hold tube upright and squeeze glue to rim of opening.
5. bubbles slowly move to opening. break them w/cap. Repeat as nec.
6. replace cap right on top of glue at opening.
7. never worry again.
I patch at roadside since I'm already taking things apart and an unfixable puncture could be around the next corner...plus, I have no SAG until I learn how to use Uber (some day).
I'm going to deeper rims on 3 bikes so I've just had to buy tubes w/longer valve stems. Basic mountain tubes were $8/each and nice, butyl road tubes were $11 each. Chucking tubes seems wasteful to me.
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I work with petroleum-derived VOCs for a living, and there is science to back this up. No headspace for VOCs to evaporate into, then kinetics favor remaining in the glue solution. Over a very long time the cap isn't a perfect seal and it's easy to puncture/crease the metal tube, but the less headspace the slower that process will be.