[Closed] Who doesn't carry a tube?

For local rides of under 2 or 3 hours, I take no tools, nothing, never mind a tube. If it's winter, and cold, I'll not bother with water either.

I maintain my bike well enough to have a bit of faith in it.

I’m super paranoid and take a Dakine hot laps on all short rides including a pump, tube and multi tool.

Tubeless on my all road / gravel bike and carry a multi tool, mini pump and tubeless repair kit.

No. They weigh barely anything and are soft, so no risk being in a pocket.
I don't bother with a pump if there is going to be a pump where i'm going, eg bikepark as that's the thing I don't want in my pocket if I crash. Normal trails/xc - tube/pump/quicklink/multi-tool/anchioves.

Me, Tubeless done right is really reliable, although now you have gone and jinxed it!

I had a tyre burp on me and need topped up a while back, I added a bit of air and carried on, checked the tyre over when I got home and topped up the sealant which was mostly dry.

no tube and nowt on my person for short local rides. my one up tool in the headset has saved my ass a few times recently tho...

I don't carry a tube for short rides ie less than 2 hours or so. I do have a few tyre anchovies and co2 at all times though. I haven't had anything I couldn't fix using the tyre anchovies yet, in around 1.5 years of riding like this.

Do'nt carrry tubes anymore but after the hard time I got the last time I had to be rescued I always take a little pouch strapped to the frame with a multitool, Dynaplug air system and a few Co2 carts.

Genius bit of kit, almost comical how fast it is to use once you've had a bit of practise.

I take pretty much everything except a workstand - I'm that ridiculous.

Last ride out had 2 tubes, CO2 inflator and 3 cartridges, and a pump just in case. Allen key set, but then I grabbed second allen key set 'just in case'.

Only rode 20 miles.

Nope although cost me recently when the tyre rolled on a berm and burped most of its air leaving me about 5 miles from home, if only I could wheelie.

Lesson learnt, pump and tube incoming.

I ran over a piece of sharp metal that wouldn’t seal with anchovies towards end of last summer and had to call to be picked up. The tyre had a large chunk out of it so even with an inner tube without a tyre boot I was in trouble. Also had a valve that was leaking, was flat when I went to the garage but bike hadn’t been used for a week or so, pumped tyre up and seemed to hold air while I faffed. Mid ride it was almost flat, topped up the air but it leaked out the valve (I did hand tighten as much as possible before adding the cartridge). Another call for a lift and a vow to move back to tubes.

I used to carry nothing but a water bottle on short rides, but I usually ride with a group who are superbly badly prepared at times, so started carrying something for the inevitable breakages of my bike or someone elses. Bought a small Evoc waist pack and carry minimal kit in that - it weighs nowt, is comfortable and carries the essentials* with nae fuss. Means I can carry my keys without them being in a stabby pocket position and maybe a lightweight windproof jacket as well just in case.

*Multitool, tyre levers, split link, lightweight tube, prong and anchovies, pump.

I always carry a tube, pump, multi-tooland and a spare quicklink. Ideally all attached to the bike rather than the rider as it makes it harder to forget them...

As reliable as tubeless is, I don't want to chance needing a rescue run from the missus, it would come with unnecessary whinging and recriminations...

I used to carry everything with me in a Camelbak. I then discovered that riding without a pack is quite liberating and haven't carried anything since. I am fortunate enough to have some great trails on my doorstep so I ride local, and generally within a car pick up distance from home if I phone Mrs Solarider. Having said that, I haven't needed that fallback in over 5 years. Tubeless is pretty reliable, my bike is well maintained and the benefit of not carrying 'stuff' vs the cost of a very occasional mechanical or puncture is not worth it. I really hope I haven't jinxed it!

Always do.

I'm never 100% on route/duration before I leave.

Phone signal is patchy "at best".

Recently bought a Specialized Bandit SWAT strap for a saddle and thinking of another.

If the ride is short enough to get by with the 500 ml water bottle I can fit on my bike, then I take nothing at all.

If I need more water than that I'll have my pack so will have pump/tubeless repair kit etc.

90% of rides, I carry a bank card for beers and cake, that's it.

I still run tubes and today on my 45min ride I carried 2 spare with multi tools, tyre levers, pump, and a light jacket. I always carry stuff just in case as I hate walking more than a couple of miles.

Still use inner tubes on my bike but never carry a spare tube with me.

But always take multi tool , pump , tyre levers and puncture patches on every ride - all fitted to my bike , never carry anything about my person.

I like the look of the Swat Strap, but it costs 32 pounds!

I might try to make something similar myself from velcro and old inner tubes - unless I'm missing something and there's more to it than I can see.

Nope. No tube... The only things I take every time is pump, Leatherman, phone and jelly beans (type 1 diabetic).

I maintain my bike well enough to have a bit of faith in it.

Appropriate maintenance is of course the most important way of avoiding problems, and I don't think I've had to use a tube since going tubeless, but I'd never go out on any bike without a basic kit of pump, multitool, links, tube, zip ties and some patches. That's light and easily fits in a small under seat pack or on the bike, so I'm quite happy to carry it with me, just in case.

I have a small frame bag on my MTB that has a tube, pump and multi tool in it, and some plasters and stuff I think.

It's tubeless and I have never had a puncture on that bike, 3 or 4 years now I reckon.....

Work bike has a saddle bag with 2 tubes, co2, puncture patches, and tool. Pump on the frame. Not timeless and I get more punctures than any other bike. Really need to set it up tubeless....

Road bike has saddle bag with a tube, 2xco2 and multi tool.

One tube used since going tubeless in 2004.

Everything else has been mendable by carrying enough tubeless plugs. I've even had 'get-me-back-to-the-car/home' success with sidewall damage and tubeless plugs.

On short rides (Sub 2 hours I carry a tubeless repair kit and 2 co2 canisters along with a multi tool in a lumbar pack. Anything over 2 hours then I'm fully specced up with a backpack and a pump, and don't bother with CO2.

Still no inner tube though, since IME by the time you get a tubeless puncture the tyre is riddled with thorns that will just puncture it immediately anyway. So I carry spare tubeless spooge instead.

I stopped carrying anything on my commuter a long while back but I still take a tube, pump and tools on pretty much any ride on the MTB. Its hard enough to get out, having a ride cut short by an issue would be a real pain. I always want to be able to fix it and carry on.

I've recently been doing short loops on the local trails (obviously) so have refined my kit a bit. Now have a tube and tools strapped under the saddle. Quite like the look of that SWAT thing but given the price I'll stick with a nylon bag and strap. Plus a little hip pack/bum bag for phone, keys, wallet, snack etc.

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I’m self sufficient and take a Dakine Hot Laps 2 on all short rides including a pump, tube and multi tool.

I have a WeeCog dropper bag (recommended on here) and it carries a tube, multi-tool, anchovies and that’s it. Mini pump in my shorts pocket. Anything under 20 miles or so and that’s all I carry

Love the look of that dynaplug air! Perfect for enduros. 👌🏻

All tubeless so on the road - no tube but Dynaplug kit and CO2
Off road the same usually, no tube. Some days I get a bad feeling though and take a water bottle with a tube and levers in there with a frame mount pump. And repair patches.

If I know I'm going to be out 3+ hours, I'll normally carry a spare tube.

By default, I'll normally have mini pump, repair kit and 5mm hex key (for thru axle) with me. British Cycling card with £5 note attached to it by elastic band and mobile for Lezyne Live Tracking plus emergency call.

Plus a zip lock food bag with 12+ jelly babies if I expect to be out 2+ hours.

Mixed bag for me. On the mountain biking gone from being very well prepared back to water and a multi tool. I'm just doing the local trail centre and can walk back in about 30mins maximum. On the road I'll carry a couple of tubes / tyre levers / CO2 / mini pump / tool / repair kit. It's all in a soft case that goes into the bottle mount.

Has anyone used these or can recommend them?

Stans NoTubes Dart – Tubeless Tyre Repair Tool

If I'm heading round Whinlatter (local trail centre) then no spares, maybe a bottle for warmer days.

Anything longer/not as straight forward to get to the car then I'll take tube, pump, mini tool etc.

Depends, I've a Spesh Enduro, so with SWAT box (tube and pump) and headtube stash tool, that's a multi tool and chain breaker, that's most things covered. bootle in the cage, and I'm good to go. Longer rides I'll use a Camelbak Repark for a more useful multi tool, and snacks plus water in a bladder. Last changed a tube only a few months back so it still happens occasionally.

Always got a tube on me despite being tubeless since the early days of UST. Although I forget to check it regularly and the last time I had to use it after slicing a sidewall on a rock it was that old it was perishing!

Always ride with a pack as I have to be self-sufficient to get home. Will leave it at the bottom of a hill if I'm sessioning stuff or at a bike park but it feels slightly odd without it on. Only carry essentials so most of the weight is water anyway.

Was caught out a few years ago with a bit of a walk when I forgot to take tube pump etc, so try to remember it now.

On the MTB I can’t get my inserts out on the trails so there is no point carrying a tube. I’ll just bump my way home on the insert if I puncture.

Tube and pump \ attached to the frame.

Wolftooth encase tools in the bars
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/encase-system-bar-kit-one

Highly recommend, since fitting them 8 months ago I haven't had a single crash requiring any tool adjustments or punctures requiring plugging. Never been out of the bar apart from day one to show to ride group members. They must work just by being there. Worth every cent I spent on them 🙂

Always carry a tube, pump, tyre boot and co2 even for short loops. I slashed a GravelKing sidewall tonight, sealant everywhere. I was rolling again in about 12 mins. It's the third such occurrence in about two years.

Aye, obviously #gravelkarma 😉

Mis-read thread title; thought it was 'Who doesn't carry a lube?'
First reaction was....is this Mumsnet?

Always carry a tube even on local loops, but I'm beginning to wonder why.  I now try to carry just the minimum useful amount of stuff on the bike, rather than the kitchen sink in a camelbak.

Looking at my logs, the last punctures on 2 different bikes were both ca 2700km ago. Both are not tubeless. One is a gravel bike ridden mostly on local trails. The other a hardtail that's probably done about 60% local trails, 40% Morzine, Cairngorms, Lakes, Slovenia, etc.

This post will clearly be a jinx and I'm now going to get several thousand km worth of overdue punctures in the next ride. Half of the above was on those Schwalbe tyres that are sposed to shred if they even catch a glimpse of a stone.

Did look at those insert things, just to be able to run flat to a tram stop, but a foam noodle that costs more than the (overpriced) tyre!?  I think I'll carry a tube and a few € for the tram. Maybe one day I'll actually go tubeless.

At the moment I'm carrying nothing. Short local loops less than an hour's walk from home.

On a night ride or family day ride I carry at least one tube per wheel size and tools.

What's stupid is that the couple of times I have not been able to seal something with an anchovy the tube has been pin cushioned by engrained thorns and gone flat in about 15 minutes. The tube is then a write off due to goop and pin holes. Maybe next time I'll walk!

I keep pump, tube, multitool, chain links, emergency derailler hanger, etc. in my CamelBak. If I'm just going for a short ride (30 minutes or so walk back to civilization) and want to be a Strava dick, I might empty it out, but generally just leave it all there so I know I can fix unexpected problems if I have to.

Nope, every bike i own has its own tool kit permanently kept on the bike

In the case of the road bikes and the hybrid they each have a tool bottle with the necessary tools/tube, Co2 cannister etc... for that particular bike

The Mtb's each have their own Specialized swat tool in the steerer tube (multi tool, chain breaker and split link) and each mtb has the Specialized swat bandit mounted under the saddle which carries a tube, tyre levers and Co2 cannister

Most of my road bike rides can be 50 miles away from home with no nearby train stations and the wife doesn't drive so if anything goes wrong i need to be able to fix the bike and get myself home

With the mtb im normally within 10-20 miles of home or wherever Ive parked the car, again no real way of getting back without fixing the bike, although i always carry my wallet on rides just in case i cant fix an issue plus i don't like to leave it in the car when Ive parked up somewhere to go ride

Have a friend who has no clue how to fix a bike (not even a puncture) and has no interest in learning so there is no point in him carrying anything, the LBS does all the work on his bike, he just rides with a cash card and has a very good relationship with the local taxi firm, even the LBS sometimes come and rescue him if they are not busy as they know its business for them

No, my tyres are riddled with thorns anyway.
Last time I put a tube in it went down immediately as I hadn’t got all the thorns out, which took ages.
EDC tool in stem, EDC pump in frame with anchovies inside it.
Only last week I had a tyre start to split at the bead so had to limp home and keep topping it up, something like that happens about once a year.

Always carry my pack which has a tube in it.

Thing is, that standard tube when I'm on the fatbike is probably virtually useless.

I THOUGHT that I had anchovies in my pack but a massive thorn the other day that sent sealant flinging out like a Catherine wheel revealed that no, they weren't in my pack.

The thorn had come out so I had to ram a twig in there then my thumb over it while I had a think.

Ended up taking a couple of puncture patches, covering them with glue and ramming them into the hole with a stick like an anchovy. Worked a treat 😂

Multitool, tube and CO2 are stored in one of those water bottle tool holders on my bike.

When more important these days as you really don't want to have to call someone to come "rescue you" for the sake of a flat.

That said, the tube is probably overkill but a small multitool, particularly, can be an absolute godsend!

The CO is handy if a puncture takes a little while to seal and you lose a fair amount of pressure.

Only carry a dynaplug racer, leyzne v10 multitool, big, medium and small cable ties and a small co2 inflator in a small saddle bag or my pockets. I used to drag everything around with me in my hydration pack but never needed it. I have only needed to use the dynaplug twice, both last week. It's so quick I havent needed to add anymore sealant.

Always carry a tube. It really helped the other week when the rear tyre on my commuter went in the middle of traffic in town. First time I have ever had a blow out on a bike (rather than a thorn or a slow puncture) and there was no way a patch ws going to cover the tear.

I've recently got a frame bag as it's just easier to have everything permanently on the bike, I'd always have a tube in there but recently moved to a Tubolito tube. It's a lot lighter and smaller so I have more room for other tools if necessary but no idea if it actually works yet.

If you run tubeless and need to put a tube in then it's worth carrying some paper tissue - scrunch it up and wipe around the inside of the tyre. The paper will snag on any thorns and the like and make them easier to spot.

In six or seven years of running tubeless I've only needed to use an innertube twice, once because the rim got dinged on a water drainage channel and there was no way it would hold air.

The HT has a small top tube bag with tools and spares in it but no innertube. The FS has a custom frame bag so I can take pretty much what I want. Usually a lot of food in there.

Tubolitos do work but I've heard of problems with the model that has a screw-in valve. I thought mine wasn't particularly good until I checked for punctures and found six tiny pin-prick holes! See my first paragraph.

on the MTB on a short/local/not far from rhe car ride I'll normally just have my EDC tool in the steerer, no tube.

Longer rides when I take a pack I'kk have pump, tube, bigger multitool as well as the EDC.

Gravel bike, Oneup pump on the frame with the EDC tool inside, but no tube.

I keep on meaning to get a decent c02 inflator/tyre plug system and frame strap to store on the mtb.

In a saddle bag i keep 2 x co2 and head, tubeless repair kit, foil blanket, multitool. That's it. Surprised at the number of people carrying pumps!

Always carry tube, pump, tubeless repair kit, glueless patches and a tyre boot. Haven't had to use any of them for years 🙂

Pump fits to a mount under the bottle cage so always on the bike.

@roverpig - might be worth checking the seals in your pump from time to time as they dry out.

Don't ask me how I know that (three times)

Side question: which sealant(s) play nicely with CO2? Pretty sure that Stans doesn't which is what I'm using at the moment.

Dynaplug tool inside a Oneup pump and EDC tool in the stem for all my local rides at the moment. Tubes, spare brake pads etc live in my backpack which comes out for day trips away and so on.

A bit of searching provides the answer:

CO2 doesn't react chemically with the sealant, it's the thermal shock due to the expanding gas that's the problem. More of a problem with latex based sealants than glycol based ones.

Tips (very similar from both Stans and Caffélatex):

> Given the fact that the biggest thermal drop is close to the valve, use the CO2 cartridge keeping the valve at the 12 o’clock position. With the valve in that position, wait some seconds before inflating, to permit the sealant to flow down, so to escape most of the temperature gradient.

> Use adjustable CO2 adapters (connecting the CO2 cartridge to the valve) to control the inflation rate. By keeping low inflation rate, you will prevent solidification issues. The temperature drop is connected to the CO2 expansion rate: if the expansion is slower, so is the inflation rate and the temperature drop; this way you save your sealant and avoid freezing your fingers.

Substitute "valve" for "puncture hole" if you are using the Dynaplug Air system.

I haven't carried a tube on my commute for 3 years. Got stranded twice - tube wouldn't have helped cos both times my pump broke (same pump, duh! I thought I'd fixed it)
Don't normally carry one on MTB - don't actually go far, but Dynaplug has sorted the one puncture I've had in the past few years.
Been going on rides with my son on his tubed hardtail, so have been carrying one on those rides. Be silly not to.
So basically - tubeless: no. Tubes: yes.

I maintain my bike well enough to have a bit of faith in it.

Any tips for how I can maintain my bike so I don't get flint cuts in my tyres?

I've always got a tube strapped under my saddle and I have a Lezyne Flow storage cage with 2x CO2, multi-tool, patches, inflator head, tyre boot and a chain link.

I had my first tubeless puncture on Tuesday, a gash to the sidewall so my plugs were useless and the spare tube came in handy for the first time. Admittedly I was only a 1 hour walk from home so I wasn't stranded and it took just as long to painstakingly remove thorns, fit tube and ride home. But it has definitely served as a warning to always carry one in case I am further away (and to remove thorns at home more often). I don't ride with a pack, nor do I use pockets, there is a place for everything on the bike.

For local rides of under 2 or 3 hours, I take no tools, nothing, never mind a tube. If it’s winter, and cold, I’ll not bother with water either.

That is what I used to do until I got a puncture which didn't seal in time. Had to walk 5 miles back home and tyre pumped straight up and stayed up.
Now I take a mini pump in my back pocket to top up and had to use it last Sunday as tyre lost enough air to be a bit too soft but pumped up fine with mini pump (and again has stayed up since)
This is on 28c tyres which clearly don't have as much air to lose.

I don't take a tube as I would also need to take tyre levers and a spanner (ride fixed gear so have nutted hubs). I guess one day I will get a flat that I cannot pump back up so either have a long walk or hope wife is indoors.

Any tips for how I can maintain my bike so I don’t get flint cuts in my tyres?

Pump the tyres full of smugness.

Was ordering a couple of bits so added a slugplug for £9 to my order, 2x lots of different size anchovies and a inserter tool.

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That'll do for me, I've not had a puncture bad enough to need a tube/plug in 2 years, but sods law and all that...

Plus I plan on riding some bigger/sharper stuff in Wales/Lakes/Peaks/Scotland this year so will probably need it.

Any tips for how I can maintain my bike so I don’t get flint cuts in my tyres?

That's more about learning to ride properly 😂

Any tips for how I can maintain my bike so I don’t get flint cuts in my tyres?

Float along on a cloud of smug and avoid certain parts of the South Downs.

Frame bag with the following:
-Multitool
-Quick Link
-Two different sized tubes (ride a mullet)
-Pump
-Small cable & lock
-Small bottle of Stans
-Zip ties
-Cut up toothpaste tube
-First Aid Kit

Often ride at night and 30 - 40km from home so like to be prepared as emergency call is no option.
Needed everything on that list at some point bar the last 3.

The toothpaste tube is essentially just the sides of the tube cut into two rectangles.
Imagine you slash your tyre so badly that your tube might pop out, whatcha gonna do??
Slide a bit of toothpaste tube in between the opening and the tube, that's what!

Oh, I also carry a bar bag with an emergency layer and a waterproof.

Very small and flat mini-tool wrapped in old bit of inner tube for local (walk to car home won't kill me) rides. Otherwise depends on different things some less obvious like parking fines, proximity to home/friends/family who could pick me up etc.

Statistically I'm equal on broken chains and punctures didn't fix over say 5yrs...

I have the same seatbag I swap between the two road(ish) bikes.
A Silca Premio that holds Dynaplug tubeless repair stuff, a multitool with quicklinks, 2 CO2 carts and an adjustable inflator head.
The BOA system means it locks tightly to the saddle rails yet can easily swap between bikes.
They do a couple of sizes and a rigid shell case using a BOA.

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Surprised at the number of people carrying pumps!

I have seen too many people fail with their CO2 inflaters to fancy the idea . Always carry a pump , tube , space blanket , Dyna Plug, whistle , mobile phone , multi tool , chain link , buff , usually a pertex shell . If I was racing it would be different but as I'm not it isn't .

Last two rides I've had 2 punctures after having none for ages with tubeless. First one half deflated the tyre before sealing so I just had to pump it back up. Second one was a big nail which needed an anchovy and a pump to get it going again. This was the first time i've used an anchovy even though I've carried them for years. Previously I'd have just popped a tube in when tubeless fails, but it's messy. I carry a tube but I could now leave it at home and rely on the anchovy.

I like the looks of the saddle bag.