Heading out for New York in just three weeks.

I'm running Conti Gator Hardshells so expect few flats but since I have had little success patching I am jut gonna bring like four or five extra tubes and use Wal Mart as my base of supply.

Anything wrong at all with inexpensive Bell tubes (700x32)?

My condolences if thats all you have, Wally world destroys small business' in towns they build around.

.. doubt they stock Presta, so you need a rim drilled out for S/V .. but if they hold air what's the Issue?

They stock them, but few and far between. Not a reliable source.

Plus the whole walmart opened-box thing ... you know, pulled out and stuffed back in, may or may not be the same tube originally in the box, maybe returned after someone tore a hole in it, etc ...

Right. I was browsing the bike section the other day while my wife looked at something, cloth or some such for crafts. I was checking out their 700x32 tires wondering how they would be on gravel. I was thinking it might be worth trying them out since they were cheap, but they only had one in stock. They'll likely never get a second one in since why would they order more when there is still one on the shelf not selling...

I had to get a tube late at night and Wallyworld was all that is open. They had Bell 700C standard tubes with Presta valves. But they didn't have the self sealing tubes with Presta, which they have in every other size.

I can't think they are any worse than the cheaper Kenda ones.

I was thinking maybe the same manufacturer. One thing I like about them is that they have the old-style shorter presta valve stems instead of the long ones like Bontrager et. al. designed to fit deep rims.

No problem with availability around here, every Walmart seems to stock at least a few in 700x25-32.

I've never seen a presta valve tube in a Wal-Mart around me.

*sigh*.... I'll just throw in another five tubes when I start out.....

The cool thing about Bell tubes is they come out of the box shrink-wrapped in plastic and so lend themselves to packing much better.

Mike

Why not just throw in 2 tubes and learn how to patch a tube? A patch kit is a lot lighter than 5 extra tubes.

A patch can also last one minute or one year and is always a crapshoot. You are doing the same, if not much more labor for something that is much more temporary and likely to fail. Yes some people get lucky with their patches and they can last a while but you may not always be so lucky. I say carry a patch kit just in case but maybe replace and save the tubes. That way you can patch it later or if you find a bike shop replace it.

I think though if you are traveling that distance I am sure you will find a larger city with a bike shop and can get tubes that are better. You might even find a smaller town that has a bike shop with tubes. That way you don't have to give more money to the Waltons so they can shut down local businesses and screw over their employees, the environment and any sense of even barely decent labor laws.

^ Exactly what he said. Especially the second paragraph.

I'll patch a tube at home and put it in my tire, but when touring, I start out with the patched tubes in the tires and replace with fresh tubes when I get a flat. I don't want to end up relying on a patch at the end...

If your patches are lasting one minute, you're doing it wrong. I have tubes patches upwards of ten times, (I could patch them more, but I just get lazy after a point), and they are no more likely to fail at a patch than at any other location. A good patch is a permanent repair.


Of course, you are right about large box stores, and even most small towns will have one bike shop. Plus, chatting with local bike shop owners is a great way to find out about local routes.

I don't know if I'd want to park my bike in front of a WM.

On my last tour I carried two tubes. I broke a stem the first day and wanted to restock but never passed a bike shop until I was 50 miles from home.

True. In a perfect world you hit them early in the morning when most miscreants are still sleeping off the night before. I have a cable lock w/other lightweight cables looped to it that thread through the handles of my Ortleibs. Enough to discourage impulse thefts.

Yup

Nope. It depends on where you are as to whether or not small towns have a bike shop or not. For example, on the Trans American route, you'll find no bike shops east of Pueblo to the middle of Kansas. There's a shop in Garden City but that's 40 miles off the route and 250 miles from Pueblo. Even though I hate to spend my money at Helmart, that may be the only option. On the other hand, I've purchased presta tubes from Helmart in Kentucky and Arkansas which are not hot beds of presta tube usage

I've taken some bashing for it, but I have had only good experiences with any bicycle-related items I purchased at WalMart, Target, K-Mart, etc.

Years ago, I ran a bicycle recycling program and I used to receive cases of brand new bike tubes from a certain bicycle manufacturer here on Long Island. They were all sealed in their original cartons, which were covered with Chinese writing. When I'd open the cases, I was always surprised to see that some were stamped "Schwinn," some were stamped "Bell," and some had no stamps on them at all. One thing that was clear, though (and the manufacturer confirmed this)... they were all exactly the same.

They'll do in a pinch.... Hee hee heeee

PS. Just don't buy your patch kit at WM.

REMA Tip Top patch kits are made in Germany, and they do an excellent job. My local LBS sells the REMA small circular patches, the most useful, by the patch. I keep a couple of dozen in my tool cabinet to restock our patch kits.



I change out tubes when I have a puncture, and patch the punctured tube in the evening when I have time. Almost immediately after patching the tube, I will inflate it to sausage-like proportions; you can tell if you have good patch or not. I have the same confidence in a well patched tube as I do a new one.

I have an inherent problem with the use and discard concept when repair is easy and effective, but that is just me.

Along the lines of what I wrote in my last post, the patch kits that I have purchased at Walmart and other big boxes are every bit as ineffective as the name brand ones I have purchased at the local bike shop.

I have used one of these tube on a tour because I had enough tube problems that got an additional tubes there just to be safe. It has a presta valve and held air just fine. So it serves it purpose.

It seems that many people do not know how to patch a tyre properly.

You said four or five in your first post and now another five, so ten tubes? Is that a joke or are you serious? It isn't like you will never have a chance to buy more tubes every few hundred miles if not more frequently.

Learn to patch tubes and carry one or two spare tubes, three at most. If in doubt replace the tube and patch it in camp when you aren't rushed. Also in thorn country, check your tires for thorns any time you roll the bike off of the pavement.

The most likely reasons for patch failures are:
1. Not prepping the patch area well with sand paper.
2. Not letting the glue dry enough before putting the patch on.
3. Getting your fingers on the adhesive when applying the patch.

Item 2 is probably where most people screw up. It shouldn't be necessary, but might help to let the patch dry well even after application. So doing them in the evening in camp gives the best chance for success.

Oh and avoid glue-less patches. Get a patch kit or two, the kind with the glue, sandpaper, and patches.

Putting the issue of patching aside, if it's likely that you will need five spare tubes on your trip allow me to suggest that you invest in some better tires, especially if you are not going to patch. I once spent nearly four months on tour. I got a grand total of three flats. Seven weeks in Spain generated one flat. An eight week tour out west featured no flats. Nine days in Montana that included some sixty miles of unpaved surfaces, some of which were rocky. No flats. Other trips ranging from three to eight days with no flats. I did flat on a three-day trip maybe four years ago and broke a valve stem while topping off a tire during another nine day trip. I think that's about it.

Yes, it sure seems that way. Applying a patch correctly takes only a minute or so to learn and is the simplest task in the world and can be done easily at the side of the road, if necessary. No need to carry anywhere close to the five or ten tubes proposed by the OP- maybe one or two.

Hey, I'm all about overkill, and where I commute/train is rough on tires....

Flats since August (working from memory), on Mountain bike an touring bike.

Continental Gator Hardshells 700x32 .... 0
Continental Gator Hardshells 27" x 1 1/4" .... 0
Continental Gatorskins 700x32 .... 3
Continental Town and Country w/ kevlar tire strips 26"x 2.0"..... 2
Panracer Paselas 27" x 1 1/4" .... torn sidewall
Schwalbe Marathon Surpreme Tour (???I forget, their uber-premium "world tire") 26" x 2.1" .... 2
Serfas Drifters w/kevlar tire strips 26" x 2.0 ..... 3

Jut 11 flats since August? Seems like more in memory, spent more'n a little finding my way to Gator Hardhells too (they rock)