Updated tube talk from Sheldon Brown's/John Forester's site

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

The last 7-8 years, I've run in to a number of tubes with faulty valve vulcanization -- the valves pulled freely and almost spontaneously from the tube when beginning inflation. Nice to see I'm not alone in this.

http://sheldonbrown.com/inner-tubes.html#reliability

By the way, I've not yet had these problems with my Schwalbe tubes.

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

that happened to me as well Dan ,no idea the make of the tubes but  so far so good 

anto.

[geocycle]

Do you just buy standard tubes or the special lightweight type? I'd dismissed the latter as not being relevant to my style of riding but I noted they had positive comments in the mega brochure.

[Danneaux]

I've had good luck with both, Geo', but recently have only used the lightweight tubes at the lower pressures required by my 26x2.0 tires.

Lightweight tubes run at high pressures (i.e. 125psi) were pretty thin and lost enough air to require daily checking when run in my 700x22 tires (gravel and a touring load required high pressure to prevent snake bite punctures and rim damage. Hard on the hands and far from ideal, but it was a case of "needs must" at the time).

Best,

Dan.

[lewis noble]

Hello geo . . . Good to hear from you . . . I put in the lightweight tubes about a year ago, into 1.6 Supremes.  The main reason was that I was overhauling everything prior to a long ride in France, and put them in, taking the 'older' ones as spares.

They have worked fine, no punctures, and I have not noticed any increase in pressure loss - running at around 50 - 55 psi.

I plan to continue using them.

Lewis - Sheffield

[mickeg]

That is why I always carry two spare tubes on a bike tour.  I most recently made that comment a couple days ago on the thread where someone was prepping their Nomad for an around the world trip.  I have had too many tubes develop a leak at the valve stem or so close to it that I can't properly patch it.  Thus, I always want to have a backup tube.

I commented before that I used a thorn resistant tube (the thorns in this case were the sharp pointy things) in summer 2015 and the rubber near the valve stem was very thin, that was where the tube failed.  Since then I started putting a piece of inner tube cut about 2 cm by 2 cm square with a tiny hole in the middle over the presta valve on all of my tubes to give the tube some protection from any sharp parts near the valve stem hole on the rim.   The valve stem goes through the tiny hole, I have to stretch the rubber a bit so that the rubber fits tight on the valve stem.  Some of my rims have an adapter that allows a presta valve in a shrader sized rim hole.

My errand bike uses shrader, all my other bikes use presta, I have not had any difference in frequency of failures between the two types of stems.

[Danneaux]

That is why I always carry two spare tubes on a bike tour.

Boy! Me too!

I usually take 6 complete tubes (plus as many patch kits, both instant and self-vulcanizing as well as a tube of beta-cyanoacrylate super glue, some tire boots, and dental floss) on my desert tours (augmented with a pair of Mr. Tuffy liners I install once in goathead thorn country -- they have worked well for me).

Unfortunately, 6 spare tubes were not enough on my 2010 Great Basin tour, when *all six* failed by valve pull-out, some as I was pumping a little air in them to hold their shape outside the tire. One was an IRC from Japan, two were Specialized from Taiwan, one a Vredestein I bought in Rotterdam, a Michelin from France, and a Continental I got from Germany. All made at different times, but the production/date codes indicated they had been made within the prior two years. All had been stored in cool, dry places in plastic bags to prevent UV/ozone degradation. All had faulty vulcanizing 'round the valves. Not had such bad luck since.

I'd "closed the loop" on my tour, but had to call for a "rescue ride" by car the last 150km home.  Oh, the ignomy!  There were no bike shops or stores where I could purchase tubes.

Best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

That is why I always carry two spare tubes on a bike tour.

Boy! Me too!

I usually take 6 complete tubes (plus as many patch kits, both instant and self-vulcanizing as well as a tube of beta-cyanoacrylate super glue, some tire boots, and dental floss) on my desert tours (augmented with a pair of Mr. Tuffy liners I install once in goathead thorn country (the have worked well for me).

Unfortunately, 6 spare tubes were not enough on my 2010 Great Basin tour, when *all six* failed by valve pull-out, ...

Wow, that is the worst luck I have heard of on a bike trip regarding flats.

A couple weeks ago in Florida Everglades, I had my first flat tire on a bike tour.  Yup, I have been that lucky that never had one before while actually on a tour lugging my panniers with camping gear.  Picked up a staple like those ones that assembly line carpenters use to staple cheap wood products together.  And that was in a Schwalbe Marathon HS420 tire (with Greenguard) and a tire liner (also a Mr Tuffy liner).  But fortunately, only one flat and my patch kit was adequate to patch that one.  Thus, I finished the trip with two spares, just like I started.

[geocycle]

Hello geo . . . Good to hear from you . . . I put in the lightweight tubes about a year ago, into 1.6 Supremes.  The main reason was that I was overhauling everything prior to a long ride in France, and put them in, taking the 'older' ones as spares.

They have worked fine, no punctures, and I have not noticed any increase in pressure loss - running at around 50 - 55 psi.

I plan to continue using them.

Lewis - Sheffield

Thanks Lewis and Dan, I might give the lightweight versions a go next time I need some.