Torellian

I'm totally new to internet shopping and heard about the big new internet tax our government wants to slap us with soon and though maybe this would be a good time to stock up. I went to Walmart yesterday to get inner tubes (26") and they were out of them, along with most others. They normally charge $4.96 for them. Is that a good price? If not, what internet retailer is the best for buying inner tubes? I might buy about 10 or so.

GaryPitts

Tubes aren't something you will save money on. I'd rather go to the LBS and set a Bontrager or Specialized tube for $6 than pay $5.50 for one off Amazon.

Retro Grouch 

To me the nicest thing about buying inner tubes over the internet is I can get exactly what I want. There's a gazillion different number of bicycle inner tube sizes and now they come in different valve stem lengths too. NOBODY carries them all.

By the way, it's not a "big new internet tax" that's being discussed. It's simply levying the same sales tax that local merchants are required to charge. You're actually supposed to voluntarily pay it now but I don't.

fietsbob

If Wall Mart does as it often does Killed downtown by loss -leadering it to death youre stuck..

Remember the collapsed 8 story sweat shop in Dhaka..

Shimagnolo

https://www.pricepoint.com/shop.axd/P...s?edp_no=28977

5 for $15

Torellian

Nice! Are they as good as more expensive ones? Anyone have experience with these?

SpeshulEd 

$2 for a 4pk right now at competitive cyclists...no tax, but you still have to pay shipping if you don't spend over $50.

https://www.competitivecyclist.com/co...glue.3345.html

kenji666

Wow, that's a sweet deal.

10 Wheels

Pricepoint tubes have been good for my riding.

10 Wheels

I bought some, 3 out of the 5 were defective (out of the box) with tiny pin holes on the seams.
I would patch one hole and another would pop up.

You may have better luck.

SpeshulEd 

I was wondering about this as well...still, at $.50 a tube, if I get at least three that function properly, it was cheaper than buying them at an LBS. Will see.

If I have bad luck with these, my next option will be the pricepoint ones or continental tubes, 5/$30...
https://www.wiggle.com/continental-qu...5-inner-tubes/

Retro Grouch 

Yeah but shouldn't you factor in something for the nuisance factor? How much confidence are you going to have on downhills knowing 3 of 5 failed out of the box?

10 Wheels

Oops: Just checked the rear tire on my BMC (keep it in the bed room) Clear flat.
New tire....Yep one of the cutter tubes had a hole in it.

Had never ridden on the tire or tube.

SpeshulEd 

Bad batches happen...honestly, I'm not that worried. I paid $12 for 8 tubes after shipping costs...if they don't work, it's not the end of the world.

My very first tube I ever bought was a $7 michelin that to be patched before installation. I check my wheels and re inflate my tires before every ride, if the tube is bad, I should know before I ever get to a hill.

Seriously, we're comparing a $2 4pk of no name tubes with a $15 5 pack of no name tubes. Both have an MSRP of $30. I'm going to go ahead and expect the quality to be similar. Anyway, we shall see how they do.

Retro Grouch 

MSRP means "We'd sell them for $30 if we could."

SpeshulEd 

Unless you're buying a mac. Ha!

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how they do. There's a number of reviews on backcountry (competitive cyclist sister site) and most of them are positive while the negative ones are really, really bad.

Retro Grouch 

So not much different from the reviews of any other product that I read. If you're willing to put up with the inconvenience factor, and you seem to have come to grips with that, why not?

I just noticed that you're from Arizona. You must have every kind of thorn there that exists in the world. I'm thinking you probably go through a LOT of inner tubes so saving a little money on each one would be a good thing.

Velo Dog

Everybody read this ^^^ and try to quit being stupid...

For the OP, I've probably bought at least 150 tubes in 40 years of cycling (lots of thorns here), and there doesn't seem to be much difference. I get Continentals when I can, but I couldn't defend that choice--they don't seem to last longer or have fewer flats than generics. And I buy them at bike shops because it's a relatively cheap way to be recognized as a regular customer, useful when you need advice or help in a hurry.

DX-MAN

I've been running Price Point tubes (made by CST) for several years now, they're a LOT more reliable than Walmart's 'Bell' branded crap.

Kai Winters

I use cheap tubes and buy them wherever I get a good price.
5 bucks isn't an awful price, especially when you need one.
Bike shops pay around a buck per tube...it is one of their highest profit margin items.
I've used expensive and cheap tubes...thorns, shards of glass, slivers of metal don't give a rats arse they find a way in the b astar ds.
I've tried liners but found that no matter what I did they moved a bit so I gave up on them but that was a long time ago and perhaps liners are better now.

fietsbob

Some places have spare tube vending machines. move to one of those.

I-Like-To-Bike

Is that where the tubes LBS' sell come from?

I-Like-To-Bike

How much sales tax do you think you are going to save on a $50 purchase of tubes? What are you going to do with 10 tubes anyways? Buy yourself a patch kit and learn how to use it.

You might want to learn about reading news articles about "our government" before posting about what you "heard" from somebody, somewhere.

rydabent

+1 on the suggestion to get Bontrager tubes. For me anyway they seem to have the slowest leak down of any brand.

Retro Grouch 

Five bucks where I live and the sales tax rate keeps creeping up a 10th or two at a time.

If you're looking to buy a fairly high end bike, the tax savings can be hundred's of dollars. I don't think that's fair but I don't make the rules. I do play the game.