There comes a time in every cyclist’s lifetime when you get a puncture. In fact, if you spend a lot of time on the bike each week, chances are you’ve had to deal with them on a semi-regular basis (unless you’ve gone tubeless).
That’s when the puncture repair kit comes in. It’s a vital tool in your arsenal and will get you out of a pinch when the (unfortunately) inevitable happens.
What is a puncture repair kit?
Puncture repair kits come in all shapes and sizes, and there are a lot of them to choose from. Essentially, they consist of a combination of tools that will help you repair a puncture.
Typically, these tools come bundled up in a small case or pouch. To repair a puncture, you need a scuffer (such as a sandpaper square or similar), a vulcanising/rubber solution (which almost works as a glue for the patch), a patch and two tyre levers to help you remove your tyre.
Having said that, some puncture repair kits come with self-adhesive patches, meaning there is no need for a vulcanising solution. Some kits may not include tyre levers, which means you’ll need to purchase them separately.
The best bike puncture repair kits
Lezyne Lever Patch Kit
- £9.00
Lezyne is a popular brand that has a huge range of cycling accessories. The Lever Patch Kit is an all-in-one style kit that uses the tyre levers to pop into each side of the aluminium frame and secure the contents of the kit.
The tyre levers have been designed with a thin, aggressive hook to help with challenging tyres, Lezyne says. In addition to these tyre levers, the kit comes with a reusable stainless steel scuffer, self-adhesive patches (meaning there’s no need for a vulcanised solution) and instructions that have a self-adhesive backing and can be used as an emergency tyre boot.
Coming in a range of bright colours, Lezyne’s Lever Patch Kit can also be refilled once you’re out of patches, as can all of the puncture repair kits in this list.
Weldtite Puncture Repair Kit and Tyre Levers
- £3.99
This puncture repair kit from Weldtite isn’t too dissimilar to many of the other kits here, but it does come with a range of different sized patches.
The kit is made up of two medium round patches, one large round patch, one oval patch, a sandpaper square, two tyre levers and a rubber solution to apply to the inner tube before using the patches.
All of this comes in a neat, airtight plastic case that can be slipped into your jersey pocket or saddle bag ahead of a ride. Plus at £4, the Weldtite kit comes at a very affordable price.
Lezyne Smart Puncture Repair Kit
- £4.00
The Smart Puncture Repair Kit from Lezyne is similar to the Park Tool Puncture Repair Kit Super Patch in that it is small and lightweight. Inside the tiny pouch, you’ll find six self-adhesive patches, an emergency tyre boot and the brand’s trademark stainless steel tube scuffer.
Bear in mind that there are no tyre levers including in this kit, so you’ll need to purchase these separately if you don’t have some already.
Lezyne Loaded Caddy Saddle Bag with Tools
- £32.00
This one’s a little different from the other kits on this list. Lezyne’s Loaded Caddy Saddle Bag with Tools bundles some key bike maintenance tools into one package, meaning you don’t need to go and buy a saddle bag separately to carry your kit in.
As part of this offering from Lezyne, you’ll get a Caddy Saddle Bag, a pair of tyre levers, a V5 Multi Tool and the Smart Puncture Repair Kit that we’ve highlighted above. The V5 Multi Tool includes a Phillips screwdriver, plus 3, 4, 5 and 6mm Allen wrenches.
The saddle bag, which is made of a woven nylon fabric, attaches to your saddle rails and seat post via Velcro mounting straps. It comes with a reflective tail light loop, two compartments and, Lezyne claims, water resistant zips. Depending on how much space you need, you can choose from a small or medium version.
Nutrak Puncture Repair Kit & Tyre Levers
- £5.99
Nuktrak’s Puncture Repair Kit & Tyre Levers is a classic example of your quintessential puncture repair kit. Inside the plastic case you’ll find two tyre levers, several patches, a sandpaper square and a vulcanising solution. In short, everything you need to fix a puncture.
Park Tool Puncture Repair Kit Super Patch
- £3.99
This simple and affordable puncture repair kit is one of Park Tool’s best-selling products of all time. Inside the small plastic case you’ll find just six self-adhesive patches and a sandpaper square for prepping your inner tube before applying the patches.
The Puncture Repair Kit Super Patch doesn’t come with tyre levers, so you’d need to purchase these separately. Alternatively….
Park Tool Tyre & Tube Repair Kit (TR-1)
- £5.99
What were we just saying? Ah yes, tyre levers. The Tyre & Tube Repair Kit from Park Tool has exactly that. You’ll also find the same kit as the product above, including six self-adhesive patches and a sandpaper square.
