Which Innertube ?

[ellis]

Michelin air stop for me every time. Not had a puncture in the last ten years using them, they hold the pressure longer than any others that I have used.

ELLIS

[Worty]

Thanks fellas.  Not had a puncture or flat with the 10 year old tubes, although the rear does lose a bit of air (through the valve, I think).  I'm pretty sure they're a Chinese make (like Chen Shin, or something). 

In all my years riding, I've only really had a couple of punctures in the larger bikes I've had, the smaller ones would puncture with thorns from hedge cutting.  The worst was clipping a pallet dumped by a lorry on Spaghetti Junction where I blew out a front tyre (fortunate I didn't get splatted), but that was tubeless on an XS750.  A car hit the same pallet and blew out two nearside tyres.  Four blokes jumped out to inspect the damage - turns out they were coppers on their way to a funeral.

Think I'll just keep an eye on things, and make a change if there's damage or any signs of deterioration.

[berger]

worty i haven't had a problem with my 40+ year old tubes on betsy . i didn't have a problem with ernie the 1948 moggy 8 tubes and one wheel had rotted through on the inside where i couldn't see it until i took the wheel off.. but i had a problem with urma the yondas tubeless bag of crap set up.  how are you going to keep an eye on things? keep taking the tyres off , i think you should just go to the pub and stop worrying., you'll be having nightmares young man

[Worty]

worty i haven't had a problem with my 40+ year old tubes on betsy . i didn't have a problem with ernie the 1948 moggy 8 tubes and one wheel had rotted through on the inside where i couldn't see it until i took the wheel off.. but i had a problem with urma the yondas tubeless bag of crap set up.  how are you going to keep an eye on things? keep taking the tyres off , i think you should just go to the pub and stop worrying., you'll be having nightmares young man

It's ok Bergs, I'll just use that famous X-ray vision of mine

Of course, the easiest way of detecting a problem with tyres and tubes is spotting when they've gone flat.

[muskrat]

G'day Fellas.
I think the last flat I've had was back in the 80's coming home from the Bathurst bike races (at Lithgow of all places) on a rHonda. Pinched the bl@@dy tube 8 times!!! From then on only used Michelin tubes.
Cheers

[Worty]

G'day Fellas.
I think the last flat I've had was back in the 80's coming home from the Bathurst bike races (at Lithgow of all places) on a rHonda. Pinched the bl@@dy tube 8 times!!! From then on only used Michelin tubes.
Cheers

Never pinched a tube Musky.  When I was a kid, my ol' dad told me to inflate the tube slightly once in the tyre (with first side on) with the valve in place.  Next, push the valve up whilst getting the second side on, and work it round until the tyre levers are needed.  When they are, get the levers just on the edge of the rim, start to lever whilst pushing the lever in a tiny bit more to get a bit more purchase.  By the time the lever is at its furthest leverage travel, the end of the lever should be well clear of the tube.

Might be teaching my grandmother to suck eggs, but does this make sense?!

[Rex]

It does, and another tip is to turn the tyre iron over so that the lip at the end is pointing upwards rather than (tube-pinching) downwards, and giving the iron a smear of tyre soap too.

[Worty]

It does, and another tip is to turn the tyre iron over so that the lip at the end is pointing upwards rather than (tube-pinching) downwards, and giving the iron a smear of tyre soap too.

Good one Rex!  I also have a big tub of tyre soap!

[berger]

i have been very lucky the only flat tyre's i've had were only flat at the bottom , worty my dad taught me that way and rex's with turning the lever over.

[berger]

some tyres like on my yonda don't look deprived of air it's only when i thought i was losing the swinging arm that i realised the tyre was well deprived of air.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All
I'm sure I told the story of when a tube blew out on the front wheel of my Morini 3 1/2
I still hurt 22 years later
So fit the best quality tube you can get

As to fitting tyres I tried the "tie wrap" method when putting a new Metzeler on the front wheel of my SR a while ago
Those Metzeler's are tough
I could hardly believe it that I was refitting the wheel 15 min after starting the job + I have to remove the torque stay from the forks to get the wheel out (8in single side hub with Taylor Dow TLS brake)
(Look it up on You tunbe)
John

[mikeb]

the "...tie wrap" method...

a good tip John - i just you-tubed it and now i'd wish i seen this a few days ago, having this weekend gone put some pirellis on my electric moped with its painted alloy rims, which i managed to mark a bit with levers. I now plan to get some suitable zip ties for the A10 and B toolkits.

[mikeb]

supplementary question: having got a flat on a rally a few years back and being rescued by a van, now on long rides/rallies i tend to carry a tube and levers. but no lube. what lube, if any, would you use on the side of the road or in the shed?

[Worty]

supplementary question: having got a flat on a rally a few years back and being rescued by a van, now on long rides/rallies i tend to carry a tube and levers. but no lube. what lube, if any, would you use on the side of the road or in the shed?

The 'tie wrap' method is one I've been intending to try for ages now, will have a go next time.

I don't tend to carry much in the way of tools - plug spanner, a few others for nuts and bolts.  What I do have, however, is the phone number of my breakdown company on my phone.

I have a big tub of tyre soap in the garage.  Maybe you could buy one and put a bit in a small container with a small brush??

[Rex]

Although I do remove and refit tyres in the comfort of my workshop it's not a job I would want to attempt by the side of a road, so that one's for Mr Samsung to take care of.