Repairing the Tube On the road, it's easier to install a spare, but if you have to repair the tube, follow these steps. Choose the right patch. Small round ones work best on pinhole punctures, while long, oval patches fit the dual snake-bite holes made by a rim pinch. Buff the area around the puncture with sandpaper. Make it slightly larger than the patch.
Some patches have foil on one side and plastic on the other.
The surface under the foil goes against the glue. Inflate the new or repaired tube until it just takes shape. Insert the valve into the rim. Carefully work the tube into the tire so there are no kinks or wrinkles. Begin working the bead onto the rim, starting at the valve.