Help me choose my inner tube

Thigh_burn

Just been on my first decent length ride and just as I was considering turning for home, pffft, the front tire goes.

Thankfully, I had my phone, tools and a spare tube on me, so after some fiddling around and searching for a decent 'how-to' video I managed to change the tire and get back home.

But I need to buy a replacement. I have the one that went kaput next to me and it says 'Specialized 700x20"28C Thin'.

I need to buy a few things from Wiggle and I can't find the Specialized inner tubes. Could I therefore go for Continental Quality Road Long Valve Inner Tube 700x20-25 Race 28?

Is there any advantage going for the Continental Light Road's?

Is there any advantage Specialized over Conti or vice versa? I can just go to Cycle Surgery tmw and get Specialized if necessary.

napoleond

Just get the cheapest!

homers_double

I would usually shake my head at such a rubbish thread but on this occasion I won't

Cheap tubes from Decathlon are nasty things, my riding partner suffered from multiple snake bites using those and when I told him to get Contis they mysteriously stopped.

Cue "pump tyres..." "check pres..." "avoid pot ho..." type replies.

mugensi

About 3 or 4 years ago, I bought 6 'Life Line' tubes from Wiggle. I still have them all and had only 1 puncture in that time.

I use Latex (michelin) tubes on my good bike but use the lifeline tubes for my winter/wet weather bike and couldnt recommend them enough.

lesfirth

Thigh_burn wrote:

Just been on my first decent length ride and just as I was considering turning for home, pffft, the front tire goes.

Thankfully, I had my phone, tools and a spare tube on me, so after some fiddling around and searching for a decent 'how-to' video I managed to change the tire and get back home.

But I need to buy a replacement. I have the one that went kaput next to me and it says 'Specialized 700x20"28C Thin'.

I need to buy a few things from Wiggle and I can't find the Specialized inner tubes. Could I therefore go for Continental Quality Road Long Valve Inner Tube 700x20-25 Race 28?

Is there any advantage going for the Continental Light Road's?

Is there any advantage Specialized over Conti or vice versa? I can just go to Cycle Surgery tmw and get Specialized if necessary.

You could just find another video on how to fix the tube you removed.

Anonymous

First of all, rookie mistake!

It does not matter a jot what it says on the tube, its what it says on the tyre that counts.
A/ It may not have been the correct one in there
B/ You may not be able to get exactly the same one, so knowing what 'range' the popped one fitted is not much help.

Guessing you have 25, or 23mm tyres so I would go with the Continentals.
Why take a chance over a pound?
Even if they are exactly the same quality, get a puncture in the cheap one and you will wonder.

Next thing, try not to get an overly long valve stem.

Self sealing might be a better option if you are having to google it at the side of the road though.

keef66

+1 on avoiding overly long valve stems unless you have deep wheel rims; I once bought a pack of 5 tubes thinking I'd got a bargain, but when they arrived the stems were something like 50mm. I CBA to return them but they do look a little odd on my run of the mill wheels. And think of the extra weight!!!

And if you go for Continentals, make sure to tighten the (removable) valve core before use. Annoying if one starts leaking mid-ride and you don't have the tools to tighten it.

I generally use 19-23mm tubes in my 25mm tyres; easier to fit into the tyre without pinching, and no downsides I've found.

Anonymous

keef66 wrote:

I generally use 19-23mm tubes in my 25mm tyres; easier to fit into the tyre without pinching, and no downsides I've found.

OCD says Noooooooooo!

keef66

Carbonator wrote:

keef66 wrote:

I generally use 19-23mm tubes in my 25mm tyres; easier to fit into the tyre without pinching, and no downsides I've found.

OCD says Noooooooooo!

The next size up is just a waste; think of all the extra weight too! They inflate to a lot bigger than 25mm when out of the tyre and I'm looking for a punctur to repair

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Using tubes that strictly speaking are under-size makes a big difference with fat bikes...

SV13J ~390g
SV13F ~185g

:shock:

keef66

NitrousOxide wrote:

Using tubes that strictly speaking are under-size makes a big difference with fat bikes...

SV13J ~390g
SV13F ~185g

:shock:

Yebbut, 205g as a percentage of the total weight of a fat bike??? It's like filing a bit off an elephant's toenails

Anonymous

NitrousOxide wrote:

Using tubes that strictly speaking are under-size makes a big difference with fat bikes...

Going tubeless makes a bigger difference though :twisted:

Good call on the tube size though.
Will make carrying an emergency spare a lot easier.

What width are your fat bike tyres?
Do you think those tubes would go up to 4.8"?

I don't really think of my fat bike as heavy.
Its either the super soft, super bouncy tyres, or just that its so much fun I do not notice/care :P

ryanshattered

I have had issues with using, admittedly significantly, under-sized tubes.
My London Road came with 35mm tyres but the tubes were normal 18-23mm, which surprisingly worked fine.
However, I tried to use a different brand tube (lifeline) in the same size when I had a puncture and they had some sort of reinforced ribbing around the section with the valve in and this part would not expand to fill the tyre. So you could feel an indentation in the tyre by the valve, needless to say that tube did not last my 5 mile commute and I had to walk the last 2.5 miles.

I think 25mm tyres would have been fine with those tubes but not sure you could go much bigger...

markiegrim

Get the contis but short stem unless you have deep rims

No shame in googling how to by roadside. After a few you can do it with your eyes closed. I have bike repair app on phone which is useful

darkhairedlord

markiegrim wrote:

Get the contis but short stem unless you have deep rims

No shame in googling how to by roadside. After a few you can do it with your eyes closed. I have bike repair app on phone which is useful

Avoid the contis, I have them and they leak where the valve screws into the valve stem. Even managed to unscrew one just by removing the cap! (what do you mean, valve cap?)

markiegrim

darkhairedlord wrote:

markiegrim wrote:

Get the contis but short stem unless you have deep rims

No shame in googling how to by roadside. After a few you can do it with your eyes closed. I have bike repair app on phone which is useful

Avoid the contis, I have them and they leak where the valve screws into the valve stem. Even managed to unscrew one just by removing the cap! (what do you mean, valve cap?)

Actually that is a very good point. Also happened to me once having just discharged my co2. I guess one just makes sure the valve is secure and don't screw down the cap tight

ayjaycee

markiegrim wrote:

Actually that is a very good point. Also happened to me once having just discharged my co2. I guess one just makes sure the valve is secure and don't screw down the cap tight

Wot e sed - just get into the habit of tightening the valve when the tube comes out of the box. Shouldn't have to do it but...........

N0bodyOfTheGoat

Carbonator wrote:

NitrousOxide wrote:

Using tubes that strictly speaking are under-size makes a big difference with fat bikes...

Going tubeless makes a bigger difference though :twisted:

Good call on the tube size though.
Will make carrying an emergency spare a lot easier.

What width are your fat bike tyres?
Do you think those tubes would go up to 4.8"?

I don't really think of my fat bike as heavy.
Its either the super soft, super bouncy tyres, or just that its so much fun I do not notice/care :P

Yet to try tubeless, might do later this year.

I'm using 4.0 snakeskin Jumbo Jims with these light tubes as of yesterday, with mixed results, the tube fitted to the front split along a seam near the valve very early during inflation.

I was already using an sv13j on the front, so the tyre/tube swap from the default gear has saved me ~1.2Kg so far. The bike was noisy riding around the block at 20 PSI, but it felt more spritely too!

I think I've possibly seen reports of the sv13f being used with 4.8 tyres.

keef66

keef66 wrote:

And if you go for Continentals, make sure to tighten the (removable) valve core before use. Annoying if one starts leaking mid-ride and you don't have the tools to tighten it.

I refer the honourable gentlemen to my earlier post...