Best tubes for less frequent inflations

What you describe is normal for latex tubes but very unusual for butyl tubes, even lightweight butyl tubes. It sounds like you have a very slow leak or perhaps a very slow valve leak in your tubes unless you're currently running latex tubes in which case switch to the less expensive and far more common butyl tubes. Butyl tubes increase rolling resistance a bit so I train and don't race on them but they do hold air much better.

FWIW, on my everyday bike with butyl tubes I'll pump them up to 95-100 (wide C2 rims) or 110-120 (traditional 19mm rims) and it will stay within a few psi of that pressure for a week or two. I still check occasionally but even after five or six days the pressure will typically only drop five to ten psi. I'm using run of the mill butyl tubes in those wheels, recently I've been using either the Performance house brand (Forte) or Specialized depending on which shop I stop by to restock tubes but neither are ultra light or anything fancy nor ultra heavy or thorn resistant or slimed or anything.

-Dave

It really depends, also, on the size of the tube. The thinner the tube, the more that air molecules will permeate it and you'll lose pressure.

I have to top off 23 mm tubes every 2-3 days. My 32 mm tubes will hold pressure for over a week, They're butyl tubes, too.

Also, if you have Schrader valves, check your valve stem to make sure that it's tight.

I'm with daveryanthewyomingite. You've likely got a tube that is not quite up to snuff. I like to use Michelin tubes. They've been consistent in quality for me, and I dig the smooth valve stem. I've not had much luck with Forte tubes, having had a number die premature deaths. Whatever tubes you settle on, I'd suggest keeping a handful around at all times. Tubes go on sale a lot. I should note that one benefit to using French tubes, like the Michelins, is that they roll with élan, something tubes from elsewhere are incapable of doing.

Thanks for the replies. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG] No they are not latex, they are probably butyl and probably pretty basic too. But they do lose quite a bit of pressure after 3 days I think. I am not sure since I only inflate the tyres at random times but they were never anywhere near the 95 psi they are supposed to be every time I inflate them. They usually start at around 60 when I inflate the tyres after no more then a week usually.

I was wondering about a commuter bike, since I dont want to work on it and just have it being fast with minimum maintenance.

Since the bike has drum brakes and no QR I usually give the bike to a shop to fix the flats, it costs about the same money as buying a tube and saves me of about 1 hour of work. (It needs to unscrew 3 screws to get the rear wheel off and remove cables from the hub etc).

If its an issue with the tubes I might ask for a nicer tube on the next flat. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/cool.gif[/IMG]

Volnix, how much air do you lose when you connect your pump/gauge? I drop 10-15 psi just by removing and reconnecting the pump head.
Suggest you try the same and see how much you lose just from removing and then reconnecting the air head to the valve stem.

As for tube recommendations, suggest Michelin Airstops or Conti Race tubes. Both of these seem to hold air well and last longer for me. I used to buy Bontrager tubes, but had problems with them failing around the valve stem after maybe 4-6 months. The Michelins and Conti's cost more, but seem to last "forever", barring a rare puncture, so I think they are worth the price.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by dhk2 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Volnix, how much air do you lose when you connect your pump/gauge? I drop 10-15 psi just by removing and reconnecting the pump head.
Suggest you try the same and see how much you lose just from removing and then reconnecting the air head to the valve stem.

As for tube recommendations, suggest Michelin Airstops or Conti Race tubes. Both of these seem to hold air well and last longer for me. I used to buy Bontrager tubes, but had problems with them failing around the valve stem after maybe 4-6 months. The Michelins and Conti's cost more, but seem to last "forever", barring a rare puncture, so I think they are worth the price.

Thanks for the reply. I have no idead how much air I am losing by connecting-reconnecting. I am using a floor pump with a gauge on the base of the pump.
Basically, for the presta valves the tubes have, after preparing the valve for connection, I fix the pump and then start pumping. That usually makes the gauge to jump at around 60psi and I pump the tires up to 95psi. After that I remove the pump as quickly as possible. There is some hissing going on but for not more then 1/2 a second and I read somewhere that might also be the air that is inside the pump hose...

Hmmm, I got a "nicer" tube lately for another bike, a Vredestein one. It costed 5 euros, the same price that costs me to fix a flat and it seems to have a much better quality valve (its much easier to attach to the pump and it doesnt loose pressure whilst inflating, something that the other ones seem to do quite a lot and then its needed to remove and replace the pump during an inflation) and it also seems to be holding much more pressure. Might have a look at the conti and the michelin ones too.