Why isn't there something like a full rubber or hard foam inner tube for road bikes?
01-29-08, 12:31 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 139
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Why isn't there something like a full rubber or hard foam inner tube for road bikes?
I think there's a market for them. I was just at WalMart and found these guaranteed no flat tubes. Well they're not actually tubes...more like pieces of hard rubber or foam with no air inside them that go where a tube normally does. No air no flats, right? Now I understand these things are not light but for something like a thin road bike tire that you will be using for training I think it is a great idea. You could also ditch those heavy ultra gator and go with something exotic like 195 grams to offset the weight of this "tube" What do you think. It would be nice to go on a training ride and leave the pump, tire lever and tubes at home and run over glass shards just for kicks.
01-29-08, 12:35 AM
#2
Custom User Title
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Posts: 1,913
Bikes: 2006 Marin Stelvio, 1990s Steve Bauer, Marin Palisades Trail
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
well... they're popular on wheelchairs aren't they?
01-29-08, 01:16 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Posts: 128
Bikes: '06 Giant TCR Alliance
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Good quality wheelchairs use tubes, but the tires are really thick. The racier wheelchairs use lighter tires, and sometimes have 700C wheels with a special wheelchair hub (different axle.)
Last edited by shayel; 01-29-08 at 01:19 AM. Reason: lighter tires, not wheels.
01-29-08, 01:18 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Posts: 128
Bikes: '06 Giant TCR Alliance
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Also no air, no shock absorption.
01-29-08, 01:23 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SFBay
Posts: 2,334
Bikes: n, I would like n+1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 127 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 133 Times
in
108 Posts
If they are anything like wheel barrow no flat tubes the rolling resistance is beyond appaling. If you want that just use a double thickness tube, its almost impossible to get a flat with one of those.
01-29-08, 06:56 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Posts: 549
Bikes: Motobecane fixed conversion, Faggin fixed conversion, '86 Raleigh Grand Prix
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Pneumatic tires were a popular invention for a reason.
01-29-08, 07:23 AM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: williamsburg, va
Posts: 280
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
01-29-08, 09:34 AM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Posts: 128
Bikes: '06 Giant TCR Alliance
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
01-29-08, 12:29 PM
#13
Uber Goober
Long ago, they had those solid tubes at Walmart, and I bought one for the kid's bike- never could get the dang thing on and wound up taking it back for a refund.
On they Clyde forum, they had some information on the air-free tires.
I believe the airfreetires above is the one that was taking forever to deliver the product- check that post and see.
On they Clyde forum, they had some information on the air-free tires.
I believe the airfreetires above is the one that was taking forever to deliver the product- check that post and see.
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
01-29-08, 12:32 PM
#14
bannned
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: philadelphia
Posts: 2,228
Bikes: black bike, white bike, blue bike, yellow bike, silver bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I think there's a market for them. I was just at WalMart and found these guaranteed no flat tubes. Well they're not actually tubes...more like pieces of hard rubber or foam with no air inside them that go where a tube normally does. No air no flats, right? Now I understand these things are not light but for something like a thin road bike tire that you will be using for training I think it is a great idea. You could also ditch those heavy ultra gator and go with something exotic like 195 grams to offset the weight of this "tube" What do you think. It would be nice to go on a training ride and leave the pump, tire lever and tubes at home and run over glass shards just for kicks.
01-29-08, 12:33 PM
#15
Uber Goober
__________________
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
"be careful this rando stuff is addictive and dan's the 'pusher'."
01-29-08, 03:03 PM
#16
Over the hill
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 24,376
Bikes: Giant Defy, Giant Revolt
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 998 Post(s)
Liked 1,206 Times
in
692 Posts
A saddle shouldn't be painful, but I can't think of a saddle I considered to be "comfortable"
01-29-08, 03:09 PM
#18
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 28,387
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Sorry, any seat that is about the size of my foot with padding thinner than my pinky will never have the title of comfortable, especially when it supports my @$$ while hitting multiple bumps in the road. All I care about is that it's not painful and it doesn't make my junk go numb.
A saddle shouldn't be painful, but I can't think of a saddle I considered to be "comfortable"
A saddle shouldn't be painful, but I can't think of a saddle I considered to be "comfortable"
My saddle is perfectly comfortable as long as I'm not on it for more than 10 hours straight. I'm far less comfortable sitting in any other chair for the same amount of time.
01-29-08, 03:14 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Posts: 549
Bikes: Motobecane fixed conversion, Faggin fixed conversion, '86 Raleigh Grand Prix
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Sorry, any seat that is about the size of my foot with padding thinner than my pinky will never have the title of comfortable, especially when it supports my @$$ while hitting multiple bumps in the road. All I care about is that it's not painful and it doesn't make my junk go numb.
A saddle shouldn't be painful, but I can't think of a saddle I considered to be "comfortable"
A saddle shouldn't be painful, but I can't think of a saddle I considered to be "comfortable"
01-29-08, 07:09 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Posts: 8,521
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
There is an air-free tire on the market for 700x25c. They do suck.
01-29-08, 07:14 PM
#22
James
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Fairfield County, CT
Posts: 484
Bikes: 2005 S-Works Roubaix Ultegra
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Proper inflation goes a long way.
Probably farther than no inflation at all.
Probably farther than no inflation at all.
