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-   -   Schwalbe's and thornless inner tubes -- A little overkill? (https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plus-50/679274-schwalbes-thornless-inner-tubes-little-overkill.html)

ecrider 09-10-10 07:00 PM

Schwalbe's and thorn resistant inner tubes -- A little overkill?
 
A bought some Schwalbe Marathon Pluses and mounted them along with thorn-resistant inner tubes on my tour bike. I swear that was like putting tracks on a tank. I hope I never have a flat. I know this combination makes the wheels a little heavier than your average bear but I do like the way they roll.

Now I'm second guessing whether I needed the thicker inner tubes but I'll be darned if I'm going to take those tires off unless it's absolutely warranted. So is this overkill?

XR2 09-10-10 08:10 PM

Really only one way to find out. Keep us posted I'm curious.

Monoborracho 09-10-10 08:42 PM

You don't need the tubes.

Velo Dog 09-10-10 09:35 PM

I've only ridden thorn-resistant tubes on a borrowed bike, but I'd rather fix flats than put up with that heavy, clunky ride. It was like the tires were carved out of wood.

BluesDawg 09-10-10 10:21 PM

Were you getting lots of punctures before you went with the armor clad rim covers?

ecrider 09-10-10 10:31 PM


Originally Posted by BluesDawg (Post 11445242)
Were you getting lots of punctures before you went with the armor clad rim covers?

That's just the thing. I had great success with my original stock tires but not with the replacement tire, which flatted repeatedly in a short period of time. It kept picking up flint and tiny shards of glass. I purchased the innertubes first, but later decided to go with the Schwalbe's when I realized that there would be several event rides coming up over the next couple of months.

Shimagnolo 09-10-10 10:35 PM


Originally Posted by ecrider (Post 11444457)
A bought some Schwalbe Marathon Pluses and mounted them along with thorn-resistant inner tubes on my tour bike.

Now you just need to fill the tubes with Slime.
No air, just Slime.:roflmao2:

PomPilot 09-10-10 10:54 PM

Okay, I get it. You had the thorn-resistant tubes, then bought the armoured tires. n this case, overkill would be filling the tubes with Slime, and putting Mr. Tuffy liners in the tires. :rolleyes: Right now, you're only at a 'belt and suspenders' level, not total overkill. :innocent:

stapfam 09-11-10 12:13 AM

Thge Swalbe tyres are in comparison to others- not too bad a tyre. Bit heavy but the rubber is good and they roll reasonably well. Whether the puncture resistance of them is better than even some of the performance tyres- Conti 4000s and Michelin PR's- is up to you. But those thornelss tubes- They are heavy. Far too heavy for any use in my opinion as they still will not stop a determined thorn that is going to work it's way through the Tyre and eventually the tube.

I recently fitted one to a neighbours kids BMX. It weighed more than my tyre-tube and wheel on my road bike. And it did not stop the snakebite that occured when he ran into a kerb at full bore.

cranky old dude 09-11-10 12:14 AM


Originally Posted by ecrider (Post 11444457)
A bought some Schwalbe Marathon Pluses and mounted them along with thorn-resistant inner tubes on my tour bike. I swear that was like putting tracks on a tank. I hope I never have a flat. I know this combination makes the wheels a little heavier than your average bear but I do like the way they roll.

Now I'm second guessing whether I needed the thicker inner tubes but I'll be darned if I'm going to take those tires off unless it's absolutely warranted. So is this overkill?

Check this out, I came across it in a thread over at bentrideronline...http://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/20...-to-fit-tires/

EDIT: Oh yeah, here's the thread also. It's a pretty good read. http://www.bentrideronline.com/messa...ad.php?t=63369

By the way, I'm running Marathon Plus tires on two of my bikes and though they can be a bit squirlly at times, I like the ride.

ecrider 09-11-10 07:42 AM


Originally Posted by cranky old dude (Post 11445596)
Check this out, I came across it in a thread over at bentrideronline...http://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/20...-to-fit-tires/

EDIT: Oh yeah, here's the thread also. It's a pretty good read. http://www.bentrideronline.com/messa...ad.php?t=63369

By the way, I'm running Marathon Plus tires on two of my bikes and though they can be a bit squirlly at times, I like the ride.

Thanks, Cranky. That was a helpful video. I didn't mention in my post that I haven't ridden the tires other than a spin around the block after the install last night. I'll do a real test ride in just a few minutes. That will determine whether I want to change the inner tubes immediately or sometime in the future.

DnvrFox 09-11-10 07:46 AM

No such thing as a "thorn proof tube" - at least not around goatheads. I don't quite know what "thorn resistant" means - does it just take longer for the thorn to work through?

Shimagnolo 09-11-10 08:37 AM


Originally Posted by DnvrFox (Post 11446084)
No such thing as a "thorn proof tube" - at least not around goatheads. I don't quite know what "thorn resistant" means - does it just take longer for the thorn to work through?

The "thorn proof tube" works the same as the Marathon Plus;
It just puts more distance between the outer surface of the tire, and the inner surface of the tube.

stapfam 09-11-10 09:15 AM

The only tube I have ever had that would give me any "Protection" against Thorns was a Thick Latex tube. The thorn would still penetrate the tube but the latex would semi-seal around the thorn. The puncture was still there and would give me a slow puncture- but pump it up and it would last till I got home. Or I would get home without realising I had a puncture and it would go down a couple of hours later.

ecrider 09-11-10 11:21 AM


Originally Posted by DnvrFox (Post 11446084)
No such thing as a "thorn proof tube" - at least not around goatheads. I don't quite know what "thorn resistant" means - does it just take longer for the thorn to work through?

Ha Ha. I don't know the answer to that question. I do know that after I mounted those tubes with the Schwalbe's my son felt the tire and remarked that it felt pretty hard. I laughed and said just wait until I put some air in it.

Anyway, I rode about 35 miles on the tires today and the overall ride "feel" wasn't much different than the Vittoria's I had been running. However, the extra weight got noticeable after mile 15. So I'm going to gird my loins and take them off this afternoon.

ModeratedUser150120149 09-11-10 12:26 PM


Originally Posted by DnvrFox (Post 11446084)
No such thing as a "thorn proof tube" - at least not around goatheads. I don't quite know what "thorn resistant" means - does it just take longer for the thorn to work through?

So says the Thorn Magnet! :innocent:

ModeratedUser150120149 09-11-10 12:29 PM


Originally Posted by ecrider (Post 11446819)
Ha Ha. I don't know the answer to that question. I do know that after I mounted those tubes with the Schwalbe's my son felt the tire and remarked that it felt pretty hard. I laughed and said just wait until I put some air in it.

Anyway, I rode about 35 miles on the tires today and the overall ride "feel" wasn't much different than the Vittoria's I had been running. However, the extra weight got noticeable after mile 15. So I'm going to gird my loins and take them off this afternoon.

How much "extra weight" is involved here? A pound? Two pounds? Twenty pounds?

DnvrFox 09-11-10 01:12 PM


Originally Posted by Latitude65 (Post 11447022)
How much "extra weight" is involved here? A pound? Two pounds? Twenty pounds?


Originally Posted by Latitude65 (Post 11447014)
So says the Thorn Magnet! :innocent:

:p

Probably about 100 pounds. :rolleyes:

ecrider 09-11-10 01:39 PM


Originally Posted by Latitude65 (Post 11447022)
How much "extra weight" is involved here? A pound? Two pounds? Twenty pounds?

By the end of the ride it felt like 20. Maybe its the oppressive heat and humidity that still plagues south Texas.

stapfam 09-11-10 01:55 PM


Originally Posted by ecrider (Post 11447251)
By the end of the ride it felt like 20. Maybe its the oppressive heat and humidity that still plagues south Texas.

Would estimate that the thorn proof tubes are between 3 and 4 lbs. and that is right at the extremity of the wheel. The hardest place to get it to accelerate- but once up to 30mph- it will assist on speed.

ecrider 09-11-10 02:31 PM


Originally Posted by stapfam (Post 11447300)
Would estimate that the thorn proof tubes are between 3 and 4 lbs. and that is right at the extremity of the wheel. The hardest place to get it to accelerate- but once up to 30mph- it will assist on speed.

Stepfam, I bet you're estimating for a mountain bike. These are 32s and they weigh in at 15 ounces as opposed to my regular inner tubes, which are about 5 ounces.

stapfam 09-11-10 02:39 PM


Originally Posted by ecrider (Post 11447385)
Stepfam, I bet you're estimating for a mountain bike. These are 32s and they weigh in at 15 ounces as opposed to my regular inner tubes, which are about 5 ounces.

It wasn't a road tube but 15 ozs for a tube still seems a lot. Put that along with a tyre that weighs appreciably more than say a Folding tyre and you will feel it .

ecrider 09-11-10 03:05 PM


Originally Posted by stapfam (Post 11447406)
It wasn't a road tube but 15 ozs for a tube still seems a lot. Put that along with a tyre that weighs appreciably more than say a Folding tyre and you will feel it .

Indeed I did and that's why I'm getting an extra slice of pie today.

fietsbob 09-11-10 03:09 PM

Rode My touring bike and it's camping load from south western Ireland to Northern Scotland and stayed about 6 months ,
Never had a puncture the whole trip, on Thorn Resistant Tubes, 622-40 tires.

ModeratedUser150120149 09-11-10 06:35 PM

Well if the combo adds, say, 4 pounds to the bike but works that should be motivation to take 4-6 pounds off the rider. Net gain is less weight to power and probably a bit healthier.


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