spiker

Pretty sure been discussed somewhere before but...

I bought a bunch of consumable bits online, cables, tubes, whatnot.
First tube leaked from a poorly sealed area where the valve attaches to the tube. Air just poured out, an unpatchable spot.
Replaced that one. Topped off that tire before going to bed. Hard as a rock.
Next morning flat as the legendary pancake. Leak was coming out of the valve stem. If the little Knurled bit wasn't screwed almost to the point of over tightening it would leak.
Last night on the way home from work it failed. Hear a Pffffff & can feel the air blowing on my leg with each rotation. I was maybe a mile from home & in an unlit area so I walked it home. Never went completely flat & was still holding air this morning.
Was made in China fwiw.
Also for whiw I have an Indian built Royal Enfield. Everyone would post about the poor quality of the Indian tubes. They would lose 2, maybe 3 PSI a week. They've been replaced with Chinese tubes. They lose a good 5 PSI a week.

Excuse the obvious pun, I needed to vent.

fietsbob

Air tight is a minimum require ment for an inner tube , at least it should hold air for an afternoon ride

Folks wanted Latex for a 'better' ride and put up with the fact that it was so thin it weeped air out
and had to be pumped up more often, than common Butyl rubber tubes ..

Rubber products for bicycles moved to where the labor is cheaper ,
and the rubber tree plantations happen to also Be there.

FBinNY 

Pun excused.

I agree that tube quality has gone downhill over the last decade. The actual tube makers have little reason to focus on quality, because they rarely sell under their own brands. Instead 95% of the tubes sold in the after market are sold under private labels, and ordered by buyers who give the business o the lowest cost supplier with little concern about quality.

OTOH- I don't know that the decline in tube quality is any different than the general decline in the quality of small manufactured products, especially those seen as commodities by mass merchants, and their clientele -- have you bought a light bulb lately?

fietsbob

At the LBS, here, If the tube turned out to be C**p , Presented with the problematic innertube,

you would be helped figure out if it was an installation error . . then if obviously not, provided a new Tube .

the tube would cost $8..
if low air loss over time was a Priority then the $15. Thorn resistant one would resolve that ,

by having 3+X the rubber in it
then the air loss through the pores of the Butyl Rubber would be a lot less ..

dsbrantjr

"they rarely sell under their own brands."

I have had good luck with Continental tubes, made in Taiwan.

They even come with a cute orange valve cap.

Notgrownup

It is a pain to have to check pressure just about every day or other day... I do but it is still a pain... i bought a cheap $3 tube for a spare only... I debated this looking at them... i might buy a better one next time but the stock tube on the CAAD deflated just as quick as the SUnrace brand new one so is there really a difference... I was contemplating using a continental or Michelin that was like $12 but opted not to...

Crankycrank

Are you sure the valve itself (not the knurled knob but the entire valve) was screwed tightly into the stem?

AnkleWork

+1
Also, CST (Cheng Shen) sold under various brands, have been very good over the last two years or so. The thin ones hold air well.