Mountain Biking - Thorn Resistant Tubes Redux

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Lobalobo
08-19-06, 01:42 PM
Having read a thread on thorn resistant tubes, I noticed a number of posts mentioning that the tubes are heavy. They are ten times as thick as an average tube (or so it's advertised) and so I imagine ten times the weight. I wonder, though, how much difference that will make. Both my bike and I could afford to shed pounds (in my case, many pounds), not ounces, and so I'm inclined not to worry at all about a few extra ounces. But tubes are rotating weight and so this may mean more than I think. Will I even notice the difference while inching up steep single track?

MattP.
08-19-06, 03:18 PM
I just weighed a regular tube (26in) and it weighed in at 224g and the thorn resistant (26in) weighed in at 543g. Any they are really only about 5 times as thick.
EJ123
08-19-06, 03:24 PM
Where can I find these tubes?

MattP.
08-19-06, 04:28 PM
Where can I find these tubes?

LBS. My shop sells em for $7.99 a tube, as opposed to $4.99 for a regular tube.
EJ123
08-19-06, 04:33 PM
Cool I actually need 2 spare tubes. I was planning to go to my lbs on tuesday. Are they any harder to install?
Serendipper
08-19-06, 06:28 PM
Use baby powder.
EJ123
08-19-06, 07:08 PM
Quiet chairman. ;0)
MattP.
08-20-06, 10:32 PM
Cool I actually need 2 spare tubes. I was planning to go to my lbs on tuesday. Are they any harder to install?

If anything, they're easier. You dont have to worry about them getting caught in between the bead and the tim. And baby powder always helps :)
Lobalobo
08-22-06, 09:15 AM
What about the fact that the (minimal) extra weight is rotating. Does this make climbing harder, or not noticeably unless you are a racer?
Portis
08-22-06, 09:29 AM
I've got two of them hanging in my garage. They are brutally heavy. I'll never use them again. I much prefer slime.
a2psyklnut
08-22-06, 09:30 AM
Using thorn resistants really depend on where you ride. Seldom if ever do I get a thorn flat, so I use standard tubes. My buddy in CO MUST use thorn resistants or Slime tubes or he spends more time fixing flats than actually riding. For him the added protection outweighs (pun intended) the weight.
C Law
08-22-06, 09:40 AM
What about the fact that the (minimal) extra weight is rotating. Does this make climbing harder, or not noticeably unless you are a racer?

Minimal?

for two wheels you are talking about a pound and a half of additional tube weight. Damn right you'll feel that.

If I was in the situation wher eI was constantly getting flats from thorns, etc. I would get my self a tubeless setup and run some goo.