A rubber torus shaped balloon which is inflated via a valve inside a tyre to keep it rigid.
26
votes
12answers
4k views
What type of tires can prevent goatheads?
We have a lot of goatheads1 in our area, and they have a tendency to do something like this to bike tires:
Unfortunately, I ride a road bike (specifically a Kona Dew), so I have much smaller, ...
26
votes
11answers
12k views
Can I use a presta tube in a schrader rim?
I keep losing pressure in my tires, and among other things, I'm looking at the valves in the tubes. It's an old mountain bike with 26 inch tires. Can I use presta tubes on rims drilled for schrader ...
20
votes
7answers
2k views
How long should a road tyre hold its pressure?
How long should a road tyre be able to maintain a pressure of around 100psi, and what factors are likely to reduce this time?
Background:
My tyre pressures are consistently dropping to around 60psi ...
19
votes
11answers
2k views
Do glueless tube patches work as well as glue ones?
Quite a few years ago I tried some glueless patches for repairing my punctured tubes while out on the road, and found that they rarely stayed on for very long. I know that technology has advanced a ...
14
votes
7answers
769 views
Is there a recycling program that accepts unrepairable inner tubes?
The local bike shop, not the wealthiest operation, has a pile of dead inner tubes growing on the floor. I'd love to discover something where used inner tubes are repurposed, melted down, made into ...
13
votes
7answers
3k views
Does the plastic cap on a Presta valve serve any purpose once fitted to a rim?
I can see the use of the valve cap on a Presta valve when the tube is still packaged (it obviously stops the valve puncturing the tube), but does it do anything except look pretty (or not) once you've ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Is there a difference in having tires filled with CO² vs Air?
When you fill your tire with a CO² cartridge you are obviously putting CO² into it. When you use a pump you are putting air into it. Are there significant temperature variations that may lead to poor ...
12
votes
5answers
610 views
Which kind of tube valve is the best?
What kind of valve is the best one, a Presta valve (6mm) or a Schrader valve (8mm).
Which has the best reliability, which one is easiest to fix a flat on?
11
votes
3answers
574 views
Bike tires need air every ride…is this normal?
I ride my bike maybe once a week at most. I need to add air to the tires every time to bring it up to the right pressure. (I ride a mountain bike and I put about 45 - 50 PSI's into the tires.) Is ...
11
votes
9answers
4k views
Patch or replace tube?
Is it worth patching a tube on a mountain bike, or just replace it with a new one?
There are a lot of 1/2" - 3/4" thorns here in Texas, and I use 26 x 1.95 tubes.
Any particular patch type/brand ...
10
votes
7answers
856 views
How do I fix a puncture?
I got a flat/puncture on my bike tube, how can I fix it myself without going to the nearest bike shop? What kind of equipment would I need?
9
votes
3answers
281 views
What should I look for when buying tubes?
I wanted to buy a spare tube to carry while riding, but it appears there is wide choice: the first website I checked carried 92 items in the tube category, another one had 69, with prices varying from ...
9
votes
3answers
1k views
How do I use the plastic backing on patches?
It seems that the patches I buy for fixing inner tubes come in one of 2 types. Both have metal foil on the stick-to-tube side. One has paper on the other side, the other plastic.
With the paper ones ...
8
votes
4answers
998 views
Does the inner tube affect the maximum PSI?
If I have road tires that have a recommended pressure of 110 PSI and maximum of 120 PSI can I safely pump my tires up to that level or does the inner tube effect the maximum?
I currently have the ...
8
votes
1answer
699 views
Repairing Presta Valves
Hi this is the third time that I've had a leaking presta valve on the tube. There must be a way of repairing the presta valve rather than having to discard a good tube. Someone one did it by ...
7
votes
5answers
724 views
Slow leak on front cruiser tire
I ride my cruiser to the supermarket and back, using either a trailer or a basket over the front wheel for carrying groceries. The bike has developed a persistent slow leak on the front wheel, and ...
7
votes
3answers
236 views
How can one prevent a tube from sticking to the inside of a tire?
I was cleaning my cruiser today, and as part of that I removed the tires from the rims to give them a good scrubbing. As sometimes happens, the tubes were stuck to the insides of the tires. (This also ...
7
votes
3answers
740 views
Flat tire. Do I need to replace the tube?
My back tire got flat. If I pump it up now, it can hold the air for about 30 minutes to an hour before it's totally flat.
I took out the inner-tube yesterday, pump in a bit air and put it into water, ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Should inner tube have excess length?
I've recently changed the default 700x35 tires and 35mm Schrader inner tube to 700x25 slicks with 25mm Presta inner tubes.
However whilst fitting the new tire and inner tube, I noticed that the inner ...
6
votes
5answers
3k views
When should you replace tires after getting a flat?
A nail punctured my rear wheel tire today while riding.
My question is, how do you know if you need to replace a tire or simply repair it with a tube repair kit?
The hole looks pretty nasty. The cap ...
6
votes
3answers
424 views
Frequent blow outs in the same location
I keep getting blow outs in my front tube and always in the same location: right next to the valve stem. The blow outs look like:
On this same tube, there is wear on exactly the other side of the ...
6
votes
5answers
685 views
Is there a way to completely deflate a tube?
I had a flat tire and replaced the tube. I just didn't realize that the tube was a thorn-proof tube when I bought it. It was the only spare one I had, so I used it anyway. Just now I replaced it with ...
5
votes
6answers
1k views
What is the easiest and quickest way to pump up a tyre?
I find that I need to pump up my tyres at least weekly and am looking for how to make this quick and easy.
So what is the easiest and quickest method of pumping up a bike tyre?
As an example, I ...
5
votes
2answers
408 views
Relationship between punctures and tube pressure
What could be the relation between a bicycle's inner tube getting punctured and the pressure of the tube.
Are they directly proportional? I.e, if the pressure of Bicycle tube is higher then it has ...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
Can I convert hybrid to mountain bike. Tyres and tubes?
I have a mountain bike looking frame with wheels that currently have road tyres. The bike is classified as a hybrid.
My tyres state: 28" x 1.6 (42-622)
The rim: ETRTO 622 x 18
I am having ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
Can I use an inner tube that's too narrow for the tyre?
I recently got a puncture and when I went to replace the inner tube I discovered that I'd bought the wrong size tube. My tyre is 700 x 40c, the tube is 700 x 28-35c.
What is likely to happen if I use ...
5
votes
3answers
139 views
What factors influence the maximum tire pressure other than the tire itself?
On the tires of a bike, there is a label which shows the maximum allowed pressure for it. However, I am wondering if there are any other factors that affect the maximum allowed pressure in a tire?
...
5
votes
3answers
290 views
Damaged rim or just the tube valve?
I had a flat on the way to work today. Not really earth shattering, it was about 5 miles in, only a short walk until the office, where I could fix it in comfort.
But walking the bike, I noticed an ...
5
votes
1answer
285 views
Picking spare inner tube size
My daily rider is a Schwinn MTB with 26" wheels/tires. Specifically the tire size is 26x47/52. On the inner tube there's a label that reads 26 x 1.90-2.125.
I'd like to purchase a few spare tubes in ...
4
votes
3answers
344 views
Is it normal to wear out the rear tire with in a few months when using a trainer?
Early this year I attached my bicycle to a trainer, around the December time frame of 2011. The rear tire and inner tuber where shot by March of 2012. Riding about 24 Miles per week. Is this normal ...
4
votes
3answers
344 views
how to repair large holes in inner tubes
I find that any hole, cut or tear larger than a pinprick is impossible to repair with normal patches because they are too soft. Even a 2-3mm slit will cause the repair patch to balloon out and burst ...
4
votes
2answers
367 views
I have 27 inch wheels and need new inner tubes what size can I use
I have 27 x 1 1/4 inch tires on my bike and need to buy new tubes. Can I use 700c or just 27 inch?
4
votes
4answers
165 views
Which tube size to prefer if several options apply?
I have 40-622 (a.k.a. 28x1.5") tires, and Schwalbe offers
two different sizes of tubes - their models "17" and "19" - as applicable for that tire size.
Ok, either one would surely fit well. But ...
4
votes
4answers
254 views
How should I store inner tubes to maximize their shelf life?
The LBS's in my area tend to have major sales around the same time once or twice a year. During this time, I can get replacement tubes at about half their normal price. I can buy several tubes, enough ...
3
votes
6answers
724 views
Why do my tires keep losing air, even after having the tubes replaced?
I had a problem a few weeks ago where my tires were flat and needed air every time I took my bike out of the garage. I brought it to the local bike shop, and they replaced my tubes.
This made a ...
3
votes
4answers
660 views
Air compressor to fill up to 60 PSI
I am looking for an air compressor and wish to get one which is not under or over powered.
I am looking at one in a catalogue which has the following attributes:
40 Litres/min free air delivery
1hp ...
3
votes
2answers
728 views
what is the ideal presta tube valve stem length
I have noticed that presta tube valve stems come in various lengths. I always assumed the longer valve stems were to allow the use of deeper aero wheels. Why is it that many wheels in print ads seem ...
3
votes
2answers
70 views
What happened? tube blew the rim?
Had a puncture today, removed the tube, patched it and made it home.
Obviously since I only have a mini-pump I could not inflate it to my 8 bar usual pressure.
When home, I took the wheel upstairs to ...
3
votes
1answer
113 views
Complete beginner's question: inner tube too big?
My tire wall tells me that my tires are 26 x 1.95. I bought a 26 x 1.75-2.15 inner tube. When I change the inner tube, though, the tube is bigger than the wheel by two inches. How do I determine inner ...
3
votes
3answers
591 views
Best practice for patching snakebite pinch flats on skinny tubes
So, I tend to run 700x23c or 700x25c tires on my commuter bike. Sometimes I'm lazy and forget to check the air pressure and inevitably get a pinch flat when I hit some stationary object, pothole, or ...
3
votes
4answers
464 views
Do tube protectors increase rolling resistance or just add weight?
I have been experiencing a lot of flats lately (proportional to the increase in time/distance I have been doing), so I am thinking of adding a tube protector (e.g., one of these) to each tire.
Will ...
2
votes
2answers
350 views
What does A/V mean on an inner tube package?
I've got a bike tire that says "(32-630) 27 X 1 1/4" on it.
I've got also got an innertube that says "700X18/23C -27X1 A/V".
I'm trying to figure out if the innertube is the right size for the ...
2
votes
3answers
1k views
Tube constantly getting punctured near the valve
I have been using my bike for a few years now, and for the last month i am constantly getting this problem. After riding a day or two, it looks like my tube gets rotated a little inside the tire, and ...
2
votes
1answer
120 views
What inner tube do I need for this tyre?
Can anyone tell me what spec inner tube I need for this tyre? I discovered the one I'd previously bought didn't look fat enough when I got my first puncture with it the other day, now I'm in the ...
1
vote
3answers
200 views
Where is the proper location to measure the tube size?
I need to replace a tube in my bike. I know there are many tire sizes. I bought 26', assuming that my bike was that size, and realized when I got home that I didn't even know where to measure from. ...
1
vote
2answers
253 views
Can I use a shock pump to inflate a tube?
I know that shock pumps are meant for high pressure applications so that they can withstand high pressures needed by suspension shocks.
However, can I use a shock pump to inflate my tire in a pinch ...
1
vote
3answers
189 views
Storing an inner tube
I got a spare inner tube with my bike, which is good.
I checked how it was packed and found it was sticking somewhat when I pulled it out of the box, which I can only imagine is bad.
Would it be ...
1
vote
4answers
905 views
Which MTB Inner Tubes
I have tried a few brands of inner tubes for off road riding, mainly slime and dr. sludge but recently I have suffered more punctures than I'd care for despite the 'green goo'.
My question is what ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
What do I need to know when replacing my inner tube/tires?
Context:
The inner tube on my bike burst the other day, I took it home and salvaged another one from a bike that's been sitting unused in my garage for years.
The New(old) innertube inflates fine ...
1
vote
2answers
236 views
Are 28 / 47 - 622 / 635 tubes ok to replace my 28 / 44 - 622 ones?
I recently got my first flat on my Cube hooper
It has 37 - 622 (28 x 1.40 - 700 x 35c) schwalbe tyres on it.
I ordered the new tube online before pulling the old one off, picking what I thought were ...
