CST Road Tubes
 

Does anybody else use these?

http://www.bgear.com/store/index.php...nts/b4028.html

I'm usually not one to give a bad review to a product, but... MY GAWD. These tubes have been the only thing to genuinely get me angry about road biking. They're worse than 20mph headwinds on a 5% slope.

At first, I thought, "Hey, I'm new to biking. Maybe I'm just running over stuff?"

After today's 75 miler, blowing both the original plus the replacement and then praying I made it home on the third one the last 10 miles... NEVER again. I have about 15 of these lying in a pile since I started (Jan 19). I actually started laughing aloud while installing the 2nd one because I read a cursive, "MADE IN CHINA".

Just had to let my rant loose :twitchy::D

On the other hand, the Specialized tubes I installed two weeks ago have run over everything without a hiccup (knock on wood). Didn't someone say all tubes are made in 4 places?

its either underinflation or something sharp was on your wheel or tire. The tube is rarely the issue

What was the failure mode? "blowing" is not terribly descriptive.

CST (Cheng Shin Tire) have been making tires and tubes for as long as I can remember. Their stuff is usually reliable and cheap if not terribly exciting. If you are having a rash of issues, it may not be your tubes, especially since you're still new to biking and may not be versed in its dos and don'ts.

Not isolating the failure mode and eliminating the cause is the surest way to repeat the failure mode. Tubes go flat for a reason. You can tell what that reason was by learning how to read the hole left behind.

i use these. i had problems some time ago but it was because tires were worned out, haven't had a flat since.
you must check what caused your tube to go flat, otherwise it won't stop flatting
i also pump my tires before every ride, if my previous ride was short then theres no need to

CST is the only brand of tube I won't use and I'm usually not picky about tubes. I had a problem with 2 valves out of 4 700x32 tubes. Maybe a bad batch, maybe coincidence.

Maybe I'm being a bit rash. It just seems like these tubes aren't very reliable at all.

Here's the check off list:

Always inflate to 110-115 psi before every ride (5'8" & 143)
Tires still have enough tread that the contact points have "tracks" (Michelin Orium)
Walk the bike over the metal gate's track (Apt complex)
Watch for road debris
Try to use a steady line (no rash movements sideways)
Try to avoid crazy, bumpy roads (during which both Specialized and CST survived today)

I know the first puncture was cause by a thorn (understandable), but the second one... I have no idea. Almost a flat neighborhood road and then suddenly "pssss"

When replacing the tube do these:

I visually inspect the outside tire and listen for the spot that is affected
Isolate the spot and look to see what cause it
Take off the outer tire and run my finger on the outside and inside
Check to see if the rim tape is funky in any places
Put the outer tire back on and carefully put the inner tube in (no knots, twists or grabs)
Pump up the tire and put it back on the bike (when on the road I can usually hand pump it up to 90psi or so)

Could it be the tires are old? Sometimes I feel like I'm getting what I paid for them~ $5. The Specialized were $9 and the presta valve is really nice (absolutely no fidgeting required; made out of a silver metal rather than the CST's bronze metal).