slightly smaller or slightly larger inner tubes?

danlightbulb

Sorry to keep posting about inner tubes...

Im thinking of getting some of these slime filled tubes: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bontrager/self-sealing-tube-ec001854. They have good reviews.

My current tyres are Conti Mountain King 2.2, but in actuality they are only 2" across.

The other tyres I may switch back to on occasion are 2" decathlon tyres that came with the bike.

So do I buy the 1.75/2.125 size tube to fit the actual dimension of both tyres or do I buy the 2.2/2.5 tube to fit the named dimension of the conti's, but which will be too big for the 2" decathlon tyres.

And which valve type is better, presta or shroder?

Thanks

Chunkers1980

Smaller with valves that fit your rims

danlightbulb

Thanks. Currently have schroder valves, which means both will fit won't they? Wiggle and Evans only has presta valve ones in stock in that size.

bennett_346

danlightbulb wrote:

Thanks. Currently have schroder valves

So close...

danlightbulb

lol, Schrader... that better?

rapid_donkey

Inner tubes filled with slime can weight quite a bit. You can get thicker skinned regular tubes, such as maxxis welter weight.
Are they wire bead mountain kings, from halfords? I had them over winter, and the punctures were ridiculous. I will never use the tyres again. I use panaracers now and touch wood no punctures.

danlightbulb

rapid_donkey wrote:

Are they wire bead mountain kings, from halfords? I had them over winter, and the punctures were ridiculous. I will never use the tyres again. I use panaracers now and touch wood no punctures.

Yes. I can't see anything in the tyre though, Ive looked closely, but your comment doesn't bode well. Wonder if i'd get away with taking them back if I cleaned them up thoroughly.

cooldad

Feel instead of looking, your fingers are sensitive. Slime tubes are rubbish, and heavy.
And you can't take used tyres back.

danlightbulb

cooldad wrote:

Slime tubes are rubbish, and heavy.

They do seem to have very good reviews both on evans and wiggle. Halfords own brand ones are 3 for 2 making them £5.30 each.

cooldad wrote:

And you can't take used tyres back.

Actually I nearly took them back the day I bought them, as one of them had a 4" score line in the side wall. However they were already on the bike before I noticed and I was going riding the next day, so I left them on. Maybe could get away with taking them back as faulty.

If you dont mind me asking (cos I'm new to all this), how many punctures do you get?

cooldad

I had one in August 2010. I remember because I was in Wales at the time, it was pissing with rain, and my pump packed up so I had to strip it and fiddle with it. Was a stupid snakebite that I knew was going to happen before it did - end of the ride, really tired, and just didn't have the strength left to unweight over a sharp step.
So not a lot. I use whatever tubes were cheap on Ebay (so long since I bought some I don't remember, and fairly lightweight Maxxis Ignitor Exception tyres, so nothing special.
Just lucky I guess.

But a year or two before that I did go through a spate of them, 3 or 4 in a few months - patched the tubes, and still using them.

Off to Cwmcarn tomorrow, so sods law says I'll get one, tempting fate like this.

danlightbulb

Well fingers crossed you'll be ok lol. I'm pretty sure my puncture happened on the local canals, not at Cannock.

It could be my own fault too, the only pump I currently have available is a twin barrel foot pump, and its not very good at pumping up my bike tire so I could well have overpressurised it. Need to get a track pump and pressure gauge.

rapid_donkey

With the mountain kings, I would say I got a 1 puncture for every 2 rides I had with them.
I remember going to scar tree red route and getting 3 punctures in 1 day and that was when enough was enough.
Ive had panaracers on since january now, and so far, not a single puncture.
If you have a read around, wire bead continental mountain kings dont get great write ups.
Use them now you have them, but when they need replacing go for something else.