Inner tube recommendations please

EKE_38BPM
EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
edited July 2010 in Commuting chat
I bought some Decathalon inner tubes and the valves on them seem rather weak so I'm in the market for some new ones.

Are any famed for being fantastic in any way?
FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!

Comments

  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Schwalbe are good quality.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Continental are great too.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    a tube is a tube is a tube. With conti you get cheery yellow dustcaps, Schwalbe a classy clear, Spesh boring black. this is the main difference. (unless you want to mess about with latex tubes (ooooh matron)).
    <a>road</a>
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    +1 for the Contis. Buy in packs of 5 from CRC, Wiggle, etc. for cost reasons.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    el_presidente wrote:
    a tube is a tube is a tube.

    Maybe for the 3 brands you have mentioned but certainly not any tube which is what your sentence could be interpreted as.
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    essex-commuter wrote:
    el_presidente wrote:
    a tube is a tube is a tube.

    Maybe for the 3 brands you have mentioned but certainly not any tube which is what your sentence could be interpreted as.

    +1 I've bought Decathlon tubes before and they just look and feel inferior to the name brands. Vittoria is another I recommend.
  • el_presidente
    el_presidente Posts: 1,963
    kelsen wrote:
    essex-commuter wrote:
    el_presidente wrote:
    a tube is a tube is a tube.

    Maybe for the 3 brands you have mentioned but certainly not any tube which is what your sentence could be interpreted as.

    +1 I've bought Decathlon tubes before and they just look and feel inferior to the name brands. Vittoria is another I recommend.

    yes yes but what colour are the dustcaps?
    <a>road</a>
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    While I like the clear (brittle) schwalbe caps (and they are lighter than black) the best thing is the threaded stem and locknut a-la Presta.

    My Daughter bought some Raleigh, not brilliant but nothing wrong with them.

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    I don't use dust caps as they slow me down (too heavy).

    I have various yellow, clear and back dust caps in my 'box of bits', I will sell for £3 each or 2 for a fiver, plus P&P...PM me please.
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    Does anyone else have a problem with the tip of the dust caps coming off thus rendering the capping of the dust ineffective? This tends to happen with the black ones, though I haven't really used the yellow or clear ones enough to say that they have the same problem.
  • kelsen
    kelsen Posts: 2,003
    edited July 2010
    ...also, does anyone else feel that their bike goes completely out of balance if one tyre is capped and the other one isn't?
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    I bought yellow tyres so they matched my yellow dust caps. :(
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • sturmey
    sturmey Posts: 964
    Get latex tubes,the Michelin ones are great.

    Give you a magic carpet ride.

    The French make great wines, cheeses, pate and truffles.

    But don't forget they make innertubes every bit as tasty.
  • Wappygixer
    Wappygixer Posts: 1,396
    Yes some tubes are better than other but it comes at a cost.Decathlon £2.99 for 2 and other brands around £4-5 each.
    I fir Decathlon tubes every day and see very few issues, the issues I do get are mostly due to my loss of concentration while chatting to customers.
  • Specialized Needs
    Specialized Needs Posts: 802
    Wappygixer wrote:
    Yes some tubes are better than other but it comes at a cost.Decathlon £2.99 for 2 and other brands around £4-5 each.
    I fir Decathlon tubes every day and see very few issues, the issues I do get are mostly due to my loss of concentration while chatting to customers.
    My experience with the Decathlon tubes is that the (presta) valves are a little 'sticky' and need some encouragement to unstick before inflating. They are a bit thicker/heavier than the 'branded' ones, but other than that I have not seen much difference in either loss of pressure over time, or durability. In fact, I tend to get more success re-seating Decathlon tubes than other ones (I'm obviously clumsy with my tyre levers :roll: ).
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Thanks all.

    I think I'll be on the look out for some Contis. Yellow dust caps to go with the yellow logos on the Conti Gator Skins.

    Who says branding doesn't work?
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • Headhuunter
    Headhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Yeah, I've used Decathlon ones as well as more expensive Specialized ones and can't say I've noticed much difference in ride quality. Never tried latex though...
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • amnezia
    amnezia Posts: 590
    sturmey wrote:
    Get latex tubes,the Michelin ones are great.

    Give you a magic carpet ride.

    The French make great wines, cheeses, pate and truffles.

    But don't forget they make innertubes every bit as tasty.

    Not really ideal for commuting though are they..? require pumping up almost daily
  • Underscore
    Underscore Posts: 730
    The spares that I bought for my MTB are Nutrak (IIRC - fairly cheap from CRC); for my commuter, Michelin (got it thrown in when I bought the bike and has a black dust-cap, thank you for asking); for my road bike, Hutchinson with a tasteful light blue dust-cap. The only thing of note to choose between them is that the Mich and Hutch both have plain brass stems rather than having the lock nut on them so, if you use CO2 on the road to re-inflate, you have to figure out how to stop the valve being pushed in the rim when you apply the inflater whilst simultaneously avoiding getting frost bite in your fingers...

    TBH, the price difference isn't that big a deal to me - I've only had to throw one away in the last 10 years of cycling so, whether they are £2.99 for 2 of £3.99 for 1, the pence per mile is tiny. The main thing is that, when I need my spare, it needs to work!

    _

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