Milton Keynes

I only have two spares for my main bike, one in the under seat bag and one on a shelf at home. For my gravel bike I have a tube in the under seat bag on it, not sure if I have another spare at home or not. But it doesn't get ridden as much as my hybrid.

I also carry a patch kit on each bike so if I have to replace a tube and then get another flat, I can at least get home.

Milton Keynes

When my bike was new, I kept getting flats that way. The cheapo rim tape put on at the factory was too narrow, just barely wide enough to cover the spoke holes, so the tape would occasionally slide over just enough to allow the tube to press into the holes enough to cause leaks. I solved it by buying some good rim tape and replacing the crappy stuff it came with. Never had a problem with spoke hole flats since.

GuessWhoCycling

Good point! I always toss the stock strip and replace before I even start to ride a new bike.

gif4445

A lot less than I used to carry. On my first tour, I took about 5. And that wasn't enough. By my 3rd tour, I was using Armadillo's and didn't have a single flat in a thousand miles. I now tour and randonneur with 2 tubes. I've yet to use the second tube. I carry one on the Tuesday night ride and shorter rides around home. And I carry a minimal patch kit.

dksix

I'd guess that I have somewhere in the 30+ range in 6 different sizes/types. Most of them are the result of trying a set of tires on my road bike that were particularly susceptible to flats. I keep 2 extra new tubes for all 5 different sizes/valve requirements except for my road bike with deep CF rims. I use 80 mm smooth stem race lite tube in it that I have 4-6 new and 10-12 patched tubes for.

Since I buy everything online because there isn't a reasonable choice locally I tend to start shopping for a deal as soon as I suspect a problem could arise. I already have my next set of road bike tires here should something happen to one of my current tires. In that case I'd replace the pair and keep the one good used as a backup. I recently bought 15 inner shift cables and 20' of housing, half that in brake cabling. I've been buying chain connectors in 5 packs, just ordered a 9 speed 5 pack last night.

Metieval

spare tubes? like 1


brush your tires off once in a while. Inspections and removing glass will go a long ways also. Easier to pick glass out at home than to change a tube roadside.

after noticing my glue being dried up, I now carry self stick patches. Might not be as good as glued, but they'll get me home.

CliffordK

I try to keep several tubes in stock. I don't get a lot of neighborhood bikes in here, but I have in previous places I've lived. And, I'm always hunting for spare tubes at discount prices. I hate paying bike shop prices.

My last road bike tubes were $1 to $2 each ordered online. I also picked up some MTB and various other sizes that I can take to cycling events that I might attend. Valet Bike Parking?

GuessWhoCycling

I actually do brush my tires fairly often while riding. Especially after going through debris. Some swear it does not help but there is a reason I have about 10 spare tubes at home.

I don't flat much, knock on wood. I did the other day but that was the first in a long while, maybe 6 months and 6 months before that.

I also use a flashlight and pick to remove debris from my tires at home.

veganbikes

I typically keep between 4-16 tubes around for various tires. I might have more at this point, I haven't really counted but I prefer replacing a tube rather than going through the pain of patching and having another patch fail which has happened.

GuessWhoCycling

Good point! I was training for a timed event, century thru the mountains, 100 miles/10,000 ft gain.

I trained on old skool Armadillos. Heavy as heck but once you get used to them, it's not big deal and it's all training anyway.

I trained on lonely mtn roads for 6 months, did about 4,000 miles on that rear tire and never flatted once. Glass, rocks, debris, but never left me hanging alone in the mountains.

I rode that sucker till the red stripe was showing through. Still never flatted but I finally changed the tire for the event.

Old school Armidillo, good solid durable training tire if you can get passed the weight weenie thang!

Rollfast

The answer my friend is running out of wind?

GuessWhoCycling

Metieval

some swear it don't help.... Fine with me, they are not riding my tires. when I pick a piece of glass out of the leather of my glove, or find cuts on my gloves, Its a peace of mind that I'll enjoy.

some neighborhoods, or roads are worse than others.

some will super glue the tires, I never bother. Let the air out pinch it under a light, pry the glass out. I usually find about 3-6 pieces per tire. air it up. Pffft the old air was stale, new air rolls faster anyways.

Teamprovicycle

Not for me but i think the question us what type of tubes does a person run ? I never had deep carbon wheels so for me i can run bell tubes at 3.80 usd to 4.40$ i usualy have two per bag i have 3 bags computer work and daypack all have patch kit pump levers and tubes and i swap my chain tool and wrenchs between bags as a swap depening on the place i go i might have two more on the shelf as well plus some old ones i only save the tubes with the longer valves for what ever reason ...

GuessWhoCycling

I have actually had heated debates with other cyclists on another forum. I am a low rate flatter who brushes his tires over the last 20 years and it works for me.

They said it doesn't. Wow, like you said, I ride my tires, not them. But seems hard for some to understand.

Hate to bring up my saddle preference, they may say that doesn't work either.

I always use a flashlight, pick, and magnified reading glasses at home to pick out debris. If the tire is flat in the morning, I know something is wrong.

Metieval

I saw a guy flat 3 times in less than a mile. I also saw him pick out the glass that flatted him all 3 times.

If I see glass on the road, I'll stop sometimes and do a slow rotate rub inspection, then catch back up. Or just get dropped after the fact. Oh well getting dropped for a tire inspection means the music can resume.

GuessWhoCycling

I do the front and rear tire rub on the fly. Got my hand caught in the rear once. Didn't affect control, hurt like hell for about 10 seconds but one learns quickly just how to position the hand without getting pinched.

I do the rear by placing my glove down between the seat tube and rear tire. Been doing it for 15 years. Never a threat of losing control.

Metieval

yeah the rear is tricky, I have not mastered it yet. However the shoes I used in Florida for a month needs new shoe laces. Because I figured out it was easier to unclip and rub the tire with the top of my shoe. Pffftt Miami
bike path is full of glass, and the bus guys would yell at you for riding the bus lanes.
1,000 miles down there with out any flats though. On maxxis detonators. then again they settled in at like 70-80 psi or something and I just rode them that way. so 1,000 miles and I never pumped them up either. Well I did on my last ride, but 1/4 mile down the road I stopped and let the air back out. hah

GuessWhoCycling

Ha ha ha! THAT is the reason I learned and mastered the rear wipe. Much cheaper to replace gloves than shoes.

Metieval

texaspandj

I've got a box of about 20 or more tubes, I don't know if they're good or not as I got them from used bikes I bought. Generally when I buy a used bike, it's flat or the tubes don't match so I put the tubes in a box and buy matching bell ones for 3.88...well unless I need longer stems then I buy from the LBS. Curiously, one of the tubes is clear. Some day I'll get around to checking if those tubes need to be patched.
On all my bikes I carry one new/never been patched tube and a patch kit. When I get a flat I replace the tube, then when I get home I repair the flat tube, remount it, and put the New tube back in the saddle bag.
So the answer is One, or could be the world may never know.

Fargo Wolf

Not sure, but I think I have about 1/2 dozen. Both mountain and road/touring. Used to have one that was mostly patches. I was proud of that tube.

GuessWhoCycling