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Your Preferred Tube

Old 01-20-16, 10:08 PM
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Your Preferred Tube

Hey,

I was looking into tubes as spares and replacements, but I've read a lot of mixed reviews on seemingly ever tube I've found.
What tube and tire combination do you prefer and how do they perform? Also, I ride road with 23cm 700c wheels.

Thanks for any answers.
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Old 01-20-16, 10:32 PM
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Of course there's a desire to blame equipment for problems and human nature is to complain more then phrase. Use whatever tube you can easily get that fits the tire/rim with the valve spec you need and go for a ride. Andy.
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Old 01-20-16, 10:39 PM
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I like the cheapest possible tubes. They're generally the heaviest/thickest, and thus most puncture resistant (except for super-thick/heavy actual puncture-resistant tubes). But what I like most about the cheapest tubes, is that they're the cheapest.
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Old 01-20-16, 10:39 PM
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I understand that, but I've read a few things saying that the tube seals and things were splitting, that kind of stuff. Anyway, thanks for the response.
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Old 01-20-16, 10:50 PM
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Performance Brand (Forte) tubes can be found for ~$3 ea on sale. They're cheap and decent quality.
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Old 01-20-16, 11:08 PM
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Old 01-20-16, 11:39 PM
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I like Michelin tubes, but it's not a matter of thinking they're better than every other tube out there. I just happen to prefer the non-threaded presta valve stem.
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Old 01-21-16, 07:08 AM
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2.5$ tubes, work just fine. Unless you hit a pothole, run low pressure, have worn out tires or hit a nasty sharp thing (rarely happens).
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Old 01-21-16, 07:49 AM
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Originally Posted by KLiNCK
+1, I have had good success with them. Never any defects and mostly made in Taiwan not China. They have had cute orange valve caps in the past although recent ones have been black.
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Old 01-21-16, 07:49 AM
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Originally Posted by ZachasaurusRex
Hey,

... but I've read a lot of mixed reviews on seemingly ever tube I've found.
and that's why the guys above say there is very little difference in tube overall value so the low cost tube you find work out as or very nearly as well as the $$$ tubes.
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Old 01-21-16, 11:34 AM
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I patch tubes so I end up having them for a long time. That said i only toss them when they fail at the bond between the metal stem and tube.
Once i changed to Conti and Michelin i have had no failures there. They are thicker at this junction and seem to be bonded better than economy tubes.
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Old 01-21-16, 12:22 PM
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Cynergy Cycles here in Santa Monica is a Specialized shop and I've been using their regular tubes for a while with good results.

They go for about $6 but the shop often has 2 for 1 sales so they can be a bargain as well...
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Old 01-21-16, 12:26 PM
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Whatever's on sale. My LBS will sell Specialized tubes cheap as loss leaders during their semi-annual sales. Also, Kenda usually rolls through with the ATOC and has had good deals from their truck.
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Old 01-21-16, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart
Of course there's a desire to blame equipment for problems and human nature is to complain more then phrase. Use whatever tube you can easily get that fits the tire/rim with the valve spec you need and go for a ride. Andy.
I normally do not go with the cheapest on most things, but in the case of tubes I agree with this, at least here in Southwest where tire punctures seem to be inevitable, regardless of cost. Currently I have the REI brand tubes.
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Old 01-21-16, 12:36 PM
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Originally Posted by simot
2.5$ tubes, work just fine. Unless you hit a pothole, run low pressure, have worn out tires or hit a nasty sharp thing (rarely happens).
Under those conditions, $10 tubes don't work any better.
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Old 01-21-16, 01:16 PM
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Originally Posted by HillRider
Under those conditions, $10 tubes don't work any better.
Exactly! So, why buy the expensive tubes? genuine question. is it weight?
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Old 01-21-16, 01:26 PM
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weight, and maybe suppleness, same reason for buying light/supple tires. If you spent a lot of money on light, high tpi tires and stick in a thick, heavy tube, maybe it nullifies some of the tire's benefits?
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Old 01-21-16, 01:49 PM
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It kind of depends on what you're using them for. For most uses any tube will do. I have a big box of patched tubes in my garage. That's what I use most of the time.

The most important aspect of tube selection is valve stem length. A lot of tubes have stubby little (~36mm) stems that don't protrude sufficiently from even moderately deep section rims. I like 60mm stems.

I do think some tubes are better than others, but even for cheap tubes the failure rate is so low that you'd really have to use a lot of tubes to distinguish a problem brand from bad luck. I like Continental tubes. They feel nicer than cheap tubes, and the valves have a better finish which doesn't weather the way many tubes' valves do (corrode would probably too strong a word -- I'm referring to the ugly patina that most brass valve stems develop). The Presta models also have removable cores, which is good if want to use sealant but can be a major PITA if you use a pump that threads onto the valve stem like a Lezyne.

If you patch your tubes when they puncture there is really very little practical cost difference between a $2 tube and a $10 tube. That said, the difference in quality between the best tubes available and average tubes is small enough that I'll buy cheaper tubes if it's more convenient. Sometimes I'll add a Continental tube to my online shopping to push my order over the free shipping threshold. In the rare case that I need a tube immediately I'll buy whatever the LBS has in stock.
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Old 01-21-16, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Andy_K
That said, the difference in quality between the best tubes available and average tubes is small enough that I'll buy cheaper tubes if it's more convenient.
The difference between latex tubes and the far more common butyl tubes is more than price. Latex tubes are thinner and lighter and more supple but lose pressure far faster and most users pump them up before every ride, even if its the next day. Butyl is cheaper and usually heavier but tougher and retains air pressure far better.
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Old 01-21-16, 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by ZachasaurusRex
...I've read a few things saying that the tube seals and things were splitting, that kind of stuff.
Split tubes are almost always due to faulty mounting of tube and tire. The tire bead isn't properly seated, the tube sneaks out through the gap while being inflated and BOOM. Or in some circumstances the rupture occurs while riding. Still due to faulty installation. Done it myself when I was careless and neglected to inflate carefully and check the bead seating at intervals before fully inflating.

Beyond that I haven't noticed any differences in performance between name brand and no-name tubes. There probably are some poor quality tubes out there, but I haven't encountered them. I didn't like the looks of the Schrader stem on my Nashbar sealant filled tube - the rubber just looks a bit lumpy and uneven compared with others I've seen - but in performance it's been fine. During the past several months I've had to replace the Specialized tubes that originally came with the bike (due to numerous flats, not tube quality) and the Bontrager replacements appear identical in quality.
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Old 01-21-16, 02:17 PM
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My preferred tube is one that holds air.

How many manufacturers of tubes are there?
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Old 01-21-16, 02:27 PM
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I got Schwalbe A/V 4 on my Brompton ... A/V is their schrader .. excellent air retention ..
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Old 01-21-16, 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by HillRider
The difference between latex tubes and the far more common butyl tubes is more than price. Latex tubes are thinner and lighter and more supple but lose pressure far faster and most users pump them up before every ride, even if its the next day. Butyl is cheaper and usually heavier but tougher and retains air pressure far better.
Yeah, I edited the word "latex" out of my original comments because I realized that was a different level.
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Old 01-21-16, 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by canklecat
Split tubes are almost always due to faulty mounting of tube and tire. The tire bead isn't properly seated, the tube sneaks out through the gap while being inflated and BOOM. Or in some circumstances the rupture occurs while riding. Still due to faulty installation. Done it myself when I was careless and neglected to inflate carefully and check the bead seating at intervals before fully inflating.
The one failure I've had that I would blame on the tube is problems with the tube leaking around the base of the valve stem. I realize there are some wheel issues and installation problems that could cause this, but I'm pretty sure I had tubes from a bad batch. I saw this failure with several tubes that I bought at the same time. Never saw it with any other tube on the same wheels. I stopped buying that brand of tube (Forte) though I admit the odds of this coming up again were probably small.

I feel like I've seen a lot of tubes packaged under various brand names that have either CST or Kenda stamped on them somewhere. Michelin, Schwalbe and Continental are the only brands that I'm convinced don't come from either of these manufacturers.
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Old 01-21-16, 03:33 PM
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I didn't have very good luck with the Bell tubes from Walmart.
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