[Closed] Talk to me about road inner tubes, tedious i know

Whichever schwalbe ones fit your budget.

Planet X lightweight are great IMO.

Out of interest why do you want light ones? It's not going to save much weight and I do hope you're not putting them in a saddle pack.

But continantal are good, as are schwalbe, vittoria, etc.

ehhh?

They save as much weight as putting light tubes in your tyres, unless you can be bothered to change them again when you get home.

Why wouldn't they go in a saddle bag, that's what they're there for.

Michelin Aircomp ultralight, not the latex version. I tried Conti supersonics and kept ripping valves out of them, the Michelin are 20g heavier but never had a problem with them. Fairly cheap and available at Decathlon too. Not (deliberately*) tried anything else so can't comment, but the Michelin are as light as they come without going for the supersonic or latex tubes.

Some people get on fine with latex tubes, the constant topping up and puncture risk annoyed me.

*I've probably used most others at some point as they're what a shop sold me, but I've never ordered anything else.

I do hope you're not putting them in a saddle pack.

Huh?

[i]Why wouldn't they go in a saddle bag, that's what they're there for.[/i]

If you're buying light weight tubes to carry about then what's the point of sticking them in a saddle pack, that's just adding weight to the bike to stick something light in. If you want to save weight carrying tubes in a saddle pack isn't the best solution.

Unless you're doing a long ride where you need to carry food an d extra clothes then stick the tubes/repair kit in your back pockets.

Err, makes no difference whether they are attached to the bike or the rider the weights still the same.
Especially true on a road bike where you move less dynamically than on MTB.

OP - I Use Vittoria Ultralite as they are usually the cheapest of the good quality light weight butyl tubes.

Does make a difference, in that if you carry them on your person then you don't need a saddle bag and lose the weight of the saddle bag. Still seems a strange comment though as whatever the OPs preferred method of carrying tubes is, the system as a whole will still be lighter with lighter tubes.

[i]Err, makes no difference whether they are attached to the bike or the rider the weights still the same.
Especially true on a road bike where you move less dynamically than on MTB.[/i]

It makes the difference of the weight of a saddle bag.

And hardly 'a strange comment', I've heard stranger and it was said somewhat tongue in cheek.

Start a new trendy look of emergency rubber necklaces, to avoid the weight penalty of a saddle bag. 😆

Start a new trendy look of emergency rubber necklaces, to avoid the weight penalty of a saddle bag.

Tsssssskkkkk.....

Hardly on trend unless you're one of those l'eroica types [img] [/img]

Saddle bag, or tube and tool in a bit of cut off tube strapped under the saddle rails, the advantage of the latter is you don't need to dig around in the shed for your 26/FAT/650/29/700*23/700*40 tubes every time you want to go for a quick spin (also correct chain links taped inside brake levers, brake pads taped to bottom of bottle cage, etc).

Latex tubes don't puncture any more than thick butyl. They do lose pressure fast though. But they ride superbly with a decent tyre like a Veloflex.

Best compromise is a lightweight butyl tube.

Conti tubes zip tied to the saddle rails. (£3@CRC) Not to save weight, but because my saddle bag rattles 🙂

I run latex tubes and love them but carry a thickish butyl one as a spare. I've popped too many latex and light butyl tubes when installing them to risk carrying as a spare for a roadside repair. Think they hold up better too if there is a gash in the tyre you have to patch.

Avoid the lightest Continental Supersonic. Very light, too fragile. I've never had much joy with them. Latex are my favourite, but too bulky for a spare. So Schwalbe or Continental Race.

and of course... MAKE SURE THE VALVE STEM IS LONG ENOUGH FOR YOUR WHEEL SECTION before setting off. I carry an 80 mm at all times and have rescued more than one clubmate.

MAKE SURE THE VALVE STEM IS LONG ENOUGH FOR YOUR WHEEL SECTIO

TiRed, you had me worried there for a minute! Run valve extenders on my new deep wheels so should be ok 🙂 (Edit... argh maybe not, I'd better make sure my spare has a removable core!)

Also a word of warning if you carry a fancy spare. I generously handed one to someone who'd come underprepared on a shop ride a while back and never saw him again. That was an 8 quid tube!

Avoid the lightest Continental Supersonic. Very light, too fragile

I really like them! Never had an issue beyond the occasional puncture as per other tubes. Expensive though! The planet x sl are far more cost effective for an everyday ride 🙂

Wiggle Lifeline 5 for £8 good as Conti/Schwalbe.

Whatever you do, make sure the spare tube/s you carry hold air, I was out with my son when he punctured the other day (he's 29 still relies on dad to carry spares). I gave him the spare tube I'd been carrying for months, oops, he had to walk home. 😳

I had some Planet X lightweights because they were cheap (5 for a tenner) and they were utter bobbins, they'd puncture as soon as you looked at them. Punctured two on a ride and had to borrow a tube from a mate, which didn't puncture.

Mended them, put them onto another bike (with some brand new tyres) and one of them punctured overnight, without the bike even touching the ground ! It wasn't from crap in the tyres or rim, and wasn't from pinching the tubes. They were just splitting of their own accord.

But that's what you get for £2/tube. I'm now on a mix of Specialized & Continental and everything is fine again. I like the Conti Supersonics FWIW.

After this morning's 2 puncture commute, I've just put a latex tube in the rear tyre of my Arkose, and a Conti tube in the front. My logic being, that the rear tyre is more of a ball-ache to sort out than the front.

Nearly a page in and no-one's mentioned tubeless?? 😈

MAKE SURE THE VALVE STEM IS LONG ENOUGH FOR YOUR WHEEL SECTION

I was very nearly caught out on Sunday with that. Out on my new Defy which has slightly deeper section rims than old one, which I had not given any real though to. Puncture on front about 20 miles from hole, short valve stem spare tube only just went through enough to get pump onto it.... wasn't even enough space to put the wee lockring on....

Promptly ordered some Michelin air stop ones with 52mm valve cores... 😳

Unfortunately tubeless is not an option yet, think I'll go with schwalbe for now and see how I get on,
I wa stinking of buying a seat pack but now not sure, bottle spares are good way forward I think

Unfortunately tubeless is not an option yet

Aye, I was only being gently provocative to be honest I am aware it's not as simple as all that. But if you do ride regularly and can get over the initial learning curve it is really preferable if you get a chance in the future. I can't believe I ever rode on tubes now!

FWIW I was on PX light tubes before I made the switch and were as good as any.