Bicycle Mechanics - Is there a 'best' innertube?

I was all set to go to work when I noticed the rear tire was soft. When I pulled the pump nozzle off, the valve came with it.

Is there a brand you like better, or they pretty much the same where longevity is concerned?

I like Michelin.

But ... like any thread using the word "best ...." ;)

my conti tubes seem to be holding up well enough.

I have not heard that any brand of Presta tube has a more hearty valve mechanism. I use whatever is on hand and affordable. I am just careful to only mount/dismount the chuck with the stem in 12:00 or 6:00 postion. That way I am certain that I pull straight up or down when mounting/removing the chuck. Lateral pulling can misalign the valve locking mechanism. I learned that one the hard way at the start of an event. Ready to go. All I have to do is top off tire pressure. I pull out the floor pump. Top off the tire to 110psi. Remove the chuck, and....


PSSSSSSSssssssssssssss..............

Bummer!

I have not had the problem since that day. Maybe the bike gods are just merciful to me.

aside from the obvious 'deburr the holes' having a smooth, unthreaded presta valve really helps the longevity of the tubes at the valve stem base.

Torelli Extra Light.

aside from the obvious 'deburr the holes' having a smooth, unthreaded presta valve really helps the longevity of the tubes at the valve stem base.

They make unthreaded? Who makes 'me and where can you get them?
Thanks.

I've had one flat on my 3 month old Sequoia and it was from a split at the base of the valve stem.

I have always prefered Maxxis Tubes - I run the Ultra lights and save about 100 grams or so for each wheel - on my mountain bike and my 29er.

Seems like we have consensus ;)

I have had good luck with Conti's and bad luck with Forte(Performance house brand) and Kenda.

I disagree with any strong preference. In my many years of experience, I have not run across an inferior or superior inner tube. They're all equivalent.

I used to prefer tubes with removable metal valves. I don't know if they're available any more. Then I found out that they don't hold up as well as tubes with the valves molded in!

They make unthreaded? Who makes 'me and where can you get them?
Thanks.

I've had one flat on my 3 month old Sequoia and it was from a split at the base of the valve stem.

kenda makes a completely unthreaded presta tube.
michelin has a ribbed tip, but otherwise unthreaded presta tube.

I'm sure there are others.

kenda makes a completely unthreaded presta tube.
michelin has a ribbed tip, but otherwise unthreaded presta tube.

I'm sure there are others.

The problem with completely unthreaded is you can't use some CO2 devices.

yep, that and if you get a bit of dirt or oil on the stem, the pump chuck will pop off at around 90psi.

I just make certain that that lock nut on the threaded stem is not snugly fixed to the rim. It only serves to give you something to press the chuck against when you have no air pressure, as already commented about using some CO2 guns.

The only thing that I care about with tube is that they have a fully threaded stem. The smooth ones are crap and won't work easily with my pumps, presta adapter or my rim adapter. Why do they even make the ones with no threads?

My favorite is Michelin Ultra Lite. The stem is unthreaded and the pump chuck slides on and off easier which extends the life of the pump chuck "O" ring. No problems with CO2.

Al

I never use the locknut on the valve stem. I don't use valve caps, either.

+1 for bad luck with Kenda tubes (Kenda anything in my opinion...especially the omnipresent Kontender tires).

I've heard though that Kenda makes lots of private label tubes, so just because it doesn't say "Kenda" on the box doesn't mean you've avoided their pervasive mediocrity. Stick with tubes from Continental and Michelin and other tire brands.

breaking off the valve is user error, not faulty tube. Minipumps are crapola and cause as many flats as they fix.

The MAJORITY of flat tires I've had in the past five years have been from an inner tube splitting on a seam, or a valve splitting at the base, or a valve coming loose when adding air. NONE of those problems have occurred when I use Continental inner tubes. But, Continental tubes are hard to find. Many bike shops won't carry Continental tubes, because they cost $1 more than generic tubes. Me? I will pay $1 to avoid a flat tire.

breaking off the valve is user error, not faulty tube. Minipumps are crapola and cause as many flats as they fix.

That is Not true of mini pumps.

Do you inflate with one of the small pumps that doesn't have a rubber hose to go to the valve stem? If you do they work the valve back and forth a lot and wear out the place where the valve joins the tube. A floor pump with a hose is easier on that part.

breaking off the valve is user error, not faulty tube. Minipumps are crapola and cause as many flats as they fix.

Then how's come it don't happen with schrader valves? I've used schrader valves for the last 50 years and have never broken off a valve stem. My first bike with presta valves and guess what happens? If nothing else, the schrader design is more robust.

you can always install a presta to schrader adapter and not have to worry about ripping off your valves.

I've learned (the hard way) the be careful and to pull the chuck straight off of the valve stem, and not to angle it. Still, schrader stems just don't split at the base. At least not for me.

I had two schrader valves split at the stem, one came right off (while inflating with an air compressor). Just my 2 cents . . . I think the presta valves are just a better solution, and look cooler too!

I don't use valve caps, either.

Why?

The only brands I won't buy are the Forte and Nashbar (didn't check their web site, are they still selling tubes under their brand label?). I stick mostly with Specialize, Mich and Conti, they seem to be the most consistent and are what the LBS's here carry. I did buy 2 pair of Mich from an online store for 1/2 the cost of the locals, but those tubes sucked out of the box, they must have gotten a batch of 2nds and sold them to idiots like me! Never again will I buy tubes online.

Mini pumps are ok. The best mini I ever had was the Torelli Aria, but the rubber bushing wore out so I replaced it with a SKS Puro black, neat little psi gauge built in and a very nice looking pump...pump? Rated for 116psi but it wouldn't go pass 50 and that took over 600 pumps to get to that! Then it only lasted 1 flat after that it wouldn't go past 35psi!? Sent it back and they exchanged it for free for the Wese Carbon pump, no neat guage but at least it will get to 100psi with way less effort. The Torelli would get to 95 with about 155 strokes.

I like frame pumps the best but their clunky looking and heavier so I only carry mine when I'm going over 50 miles from home, then I carry the mini using the frame as backup. Since flats don't happen every day I don't care if it takes 155 pumps vs 80 with a frame.

On unthreaded valve stems: Today I came across two of these, the client had a flat on the rear. The tire had a shreded truck tire metal wire in it that had caused a flat, she wanted me to replace both tubes anyways... So I did, and the tube in the front tire was definitely alot more supple and lighter then the IRC tubes the shop I work at carries.

Offered it to the other mechanic on duty who races, and he was quite happy to salvage it. Don't recall the brand but yeah, it was clearly lighter and more supple then IRC tubes, but I suspect it would have flatted easier and lost air pressure faster.

I'm quite happy running on several year old Schwalbe Big Apple tires that are bulletproof (glass shards and tire wire stuck in them all over), weigh a ton, have good RR and reflective sidewalls on old generic tubes that don't need to be aired up very often.

Best depends on your application, but in my case pressure retention is worth more then lightweight. This being said, I see that new Big Apples now come in lighter folding bead, and Marathon Supreme seem comparable except for wear life, but are much lighter...

froze, I just don't see the point of valve caps on bikes. Maybe they help on cars because of their higher speeds. On a bike with shrader valves, they don't keep air in or dust out. On presta valves, they obviously don't do anything. Maybe they protect the top of the pin from bending, but that hasn't been a problem for me.

froze, I just don't see the point of valve caps on bikes. Maybe they help on cars because of their higher speeds. On a bike with shrader valves, they don't keep air in or dust out. On presta valves, they obviously don't do anything. Maybe they protect the top of the pin from bending, but that hasn't been a problem for me.

Ok, good reasons. Some riders would report on these types of forums that they didn't use them due to weight, and thats a laughable excuse since one only weighs maybe a gram; you can't even feel the weight in your hand! The dirt and dust issue, you may be right; but I feel, especially with Presta valves, that those valves are so small that constant bombarment of dirt and water thus mixing for a mud effect could damage the valves, so I use them-why take chances with a valve failure on the road when something so simple could prevent it?

valve caps on presta, if you feel you need them then you probably do.

To answer the OP question, the answer is No. Tubes are commodities.

The only personal opinions I'll relate are (1) I believe lightweight tubes are the way to go, not necessarily because of the weight, but because they take up much less room in the saddle bag, and can be much easier to install. Plus, I believe they are no more prone to flats than a heavyweight tube. I don't believe that the tube contributes meaningful flat resistance - that is the tire.

Second- I said tubes are commodities which implies you should just price or convenience shop. I say this because the only defective tubes I've ever owned were a couple of name brand (can't remember which - Mich, Hutch, or some other well known brand) which had a series of micro-pinhole defects which nagged me until I just quit using that batch of tubes (I'd bought 2 or 3 at the same time). I don't believe it was caused by any hidden problem with debris or sharp edges because there were multiple examples and I inspected everything very thoroughly. I can't even remember the brand and feel it was a batch defect and wouldn't necessarily avoid that brand in the future even if I remembered.

I was kind of disappointed because those tubes had smooth (rather than threaded) stems and I really prefer those. Smooth stems are actually a little hard to find, but that's actually something that is an exception to my generic/commodity opinion.

Ive had excellent luck with every single other tube I've ever bought, including all other "big name" brands, but mostly buy generic Performance/Forte lightweight tubes almost exclusively.

I just buy whatever tube is either available or cheapest (or both) when I need them and buy lightweight rather than regular or heavy weight.

The only personal opinions I'll relate are (1) I believe lightweight tubes are the way to go, not necessarily because of the weight, but because they take up much less room in the saddle bag, and can be much easier to install. Plus, I believe they are no more prone to flats than a heavyweight tube. I don't believe that the tube contributes meaningful flat resistance - that is the tire.


+1 Well said.

(1) I believe lightweight tubes are the way to go, not necessarily because of the weight, but because they take up much less room in the saddle bag, and can be much easier to install. Plus, I believe they are no more prone to flats than a heavyweight tube. I don't believe that the tube contributes meaningful flat resistance - that is the tire.

I say this because the only defective tubes I've ever owned were a couple of name brand (can't remember which - Mich, Hutch, or some other well known brand) which had a series of micro-pinhole defects which nagged me until I just quit using that batch of tubes (I'd bought 2 or 3 at the same time).


True, and I think you got the same tubes I bought.

Tires are the first line and the best line of defense in preventing flats. I use to live in Palmdale, Lancaster and Bakersfield Calif where Goatheads rule the rural roads. These Goatheads penetrated tires like the Conti Gatorskin WITH a Mr Tuffy (and a Slime tube, which I discovered doesn't work with high psi road tires) with no problem. Once I discovered Specialize Aramadillo's I was able to go without the Mr Tuffy and use a 65grm ultralight tube and go without flats. First line of defense-tires.

Your problem with the Mich tubes bought wholesale happened to me as well.

Then how's come it don't happen with schrader valves? I've used schrader valves for the last 50 years and have never broken off a valve stem. My first bike with presta valves and guess what happens? If nothing else, the schrader design is more robust.

I'm pretty sure that Shrader valves have continuous rubber from the tube to the top of the stem. Presta stems are only glued to the rubber in a small section, maybe 2 square cm in area and that smaller area happens to be right at the pivot point for valve abuse.