Tube Quality

(Ross) may have said:

Any oppinions on MTB tube brands, and the use of "Thorn Resistant" tubes?

Do any MTB tube brands stick out as your favorites? I am interested in the "Thorn-Resistant" tubes
made by Performance and by Pyramid. These weigh about double a standard MTB tube, and obviously
they can't be entirely thorn-proof.

In my experience, they're just thicker, and not stronger. Since the majority of the punctures I've
had involved something that stuck into the tire a lot farther than the extra puncture distance of a
"thorn resistant" tube, I don't think they would have made any difference. *Many* years ago (we're
talking about the late '60s here), I sometimes used the predecessors of the modern "thorn resistant"
tubes on the bike I rode to deliver my paper route. It didn't seem to help then, either. Your
experience may vary. Some riders like to use Slime to reduce air loss from punctures; I haven't
tried it in a bike, but my experience with it in other applicaions doesn't make me terribly
optimistic about its utility.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail. Yes, I have a killfile. If I
don't respond to something, it's also possible that I'm busy.

Ross, My experience with thorn proof tubes is this...they don't patch well. I use regular Schreader
tubes and slime in my mt bike with Mr Tuffies. It makes them last longer especially here in New
Mexico. They are not 100% though. I don't think any set up is. I don't use kevlar belted tires, they
are not in my budget. That would be an option for you. I have kevlar belted road tires and I still
have liners in them. I REALLY hate getting flats in the middle of a great ride. Just carrie an extra
tube or two when you ride(just in case) and you should be fine with my set up.YMMV. Cheers! Dominick
--
Dominick Fiumare Email: [email hidden] Facilities & Services Voice: 505-646-2529 New Mexico State
Univ., Box 30001, MSC 3545 Fax: 505-646-1269 Las Cruces, NM 88003

"Werehatrack" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In my experience, they're just thicker, and not stronger. Since the majority of the punctures I've
had involved something that stuck into the tire a lot farther than the extra puncture distance of
a "thorn resistant" tube, I don't think they would have made any difference. *Many* years ago
(we're talking about the late '60s here), I sometimes used the predecessors of the modern "thorn
resistant" tubes on the bike I rode to deliver my paper route. It didn't seem to help then,
either. Your experience may vary. Some riders like to use Slime to reduce air loss from punctures;
I haven't tried it in a bike, but my experience with it in other applicaions doesn't make me
terribly optimistic about its utility.

--

I've never really liked them either. They're quite bulky and heavy and I'm not sure they help all
that much either. I guess if you have a real flat problem they might be a help. But in my
experience, most people don't flat that much that they would need tubes like this. Just my opinion..

Cheers,

Scott..

Ross said:

Any oppinions on MTB tube brands, and the use of "Thorn Resistant" tubes?

Do any MTB tube brands stick out as your favorites? I am interested in the "Thorn-Resistant" tubes
made by Performance and by Pyramid. These weigh about double a standard MTB tube, and obviously
they can't be entirely thorn-proof.

I ran extra-thick tubes last year which were most likely those Pyramid thorn-resistant tubes. They
were unstoppable. Nothing made them lose a single pound of air the whole time I used them.

Average tubes tend to lose air if you pump them up to the tire's max and let them sit over the
winter. Those extra-thick tubes must have had very high quality valves, because they didn't lose a
single damn pound, and I had a long, non-riding (therefore non-tire-checking) winter.

I did discontinue using them due to weight concerns -- my mountain bike has gained weight over
the years...

Quoted message said:

Thanks, -Ross

--
Rick Onanian

Werehatrack said:

In my experience, they're just thicker, and not stronger. Since the majority of the punctures I've
had involved something that stuck into the tire a lot farther than the extra puncture distance of
a "thorn resistant" tube, I don't think they would have made any difference.

The extra thickness is not for the purpose of requiring the object to travel further before it
breaks the seal; it causes the tube wall to be stronger, so that it will flex in rather than allow
a puncture.

--
Rick Onanian

"Rick Onanian" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Werehatrack said:

In my experience, they're just thicker, and not stronger. Since the majority of the punctures
I've had involved something that stuck into the tire a lot farther than the extra puncture
distance of a "thorn resistant" tube, I don't think they would have made any difference.

The extra thickness is not for the purpose of requiring the object to travel further before it
breaks the seal; it causes the tube wall to be stronger, so that it will flex in rather than allow
a puncture.

Really, Rick? Is that some kind of special rubber? Just adding thickness will not cause it to be
"stronger". Please explain this. I think you're wrong.

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]

Robin Hubert said:

Really, Rick? Is that some kind of special rubber? Just adding thickness will not cause it to be
"stronger". Please explain this. I think you're wrong.

Try it yourself. Put the same amount of air in each type of tube, and try to puncture each with the
same item. You'll find that the thick tube will deflect more before the puncture goes through.

Consider that while the added travel between exterior of tube and puncture doesn't matter in so far
as the puncturing item not being long enough, but rather, does matter as the item gets partway in
and encounters more friction.

In other words, sticking a pin in a thin tube take the same push as a thick tube, but when it's
halfway in a thick tube, friction on it's sides (from the rubber pressing against it) may stop it.
That's why it gets harder to drive a stake in the ground as it gets deeper.

This is even more so when the puncturing item is not a pin, but something odd shaped, like a thorn
or piece of glass, which then has to stretch the tube around it's additional width as it gets
deeper, also.

That all said, in the real world now, I was unable to flat or otherwise lose air from extra-thick
tubes. I do not have such luck with standard tubes.

Those thick tubes are a [censored] to work with when changing tires, though! 😉

Quoted message said:

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]>

--
Rick Onanian

Rick Onanian said:

I ran extra-thick tubes last year which were most likely those Pyramid thorn-resistant tubes. They
were unstoppable. Nothing made them lose a single pound of air the whole time I used them.

Average tubes tend to lose air if you pump them up to the tire's max and let them sit over the
winter. Those extra-thick tubes must have had very high quality valves, because they didn't lose a
single damn pound, and I had a long, non-riding (therefore non-tire-checking) winter.

It's not the valves. Ordinary tubes lose pressure because they are somewhat porous (air just oozes
through the rubber over time).

I use Performance brand thorn-resistant tubes on the rear wheels of my road bikes. They weigh about
275g, but i've had no flats at all. And I find them easy to install.

Art Harris

Rick Onanian said:

I ran extra-thick tubes last year which were most likely those Pyramid thorn-resistant tubes. They
were unstoppable. Nothing made them lose a single pound of air the whole time I used them.

Average tubes tend to lose air if you pump them up to the tire's max and let them sit over the
winter. Those extra-thick tubes must have had very high quality valves, because they didn't lose a
single damn pound, and I had a long, non-riding (therefore non-tire-checking) winter.

I did discontinue using them due to weight concerns -- my mountain bike has gained weight over the
years...

Rick Onanian

"... lose air if you pump them up to the tire's max and let them sit over the winter"

I should be so lucky. :-( My 1.25" (admittedly el cheapo) tubes can drop from 90 to 70 PSI in as
little as two days. I ride most days, automatically stop at the corner gas station first thing.

Michael said:

"... lose air if you pump them up to the tire's max and let them sit over the winter"

I should be so lucky. :-( My 1.25" (admittedly el cheapo) tubes can drop from 90 to 70 PSI in as
little as two days. I ride most days, automatically stop at the corner gas station first thing.

I have tubes like that now...my point was more that the thick tubes don't lose a pound all winter.

--
Rick Onanian