best clincher tube

[soulspinner]

What do people use and does it make a difference? I get a lot of flats in upstate ny- roads are beat and full of glass, especially in and around the city. Do tubes like michelin utralite help as they are lighter(more supple) or is it the tire only that matters?

[Too Tall]

Nothing is going to help boss...sorry. For your situation I'd consider some Mr. Tuffy tyre liners.

[victoryfactory]

Given proper installation and inflation,
My advice is to stay away from "light weight" tubes.
Any tube that is less than 100 grams is suspect IMO.
(I know that the Rotating Weight Weenies Society will disagree.)
But I suspect that there is not a big manufacturing difference in tubes.
Many different brands are made side by side in the same factory, I'd bet.

I think a long lasting tube needs enough rubber >100g.

Forget about brand names and buy according to weight, you'll
get less flats, I betcha.

VF

[victoryfactory]

I also wipe off my tires every once in a while as I ride to
remove the glass etc. that has stuck to the tire.
This simple action which I've practiced (some would say obsessively) for many
years has saved me scores of flats, at the cost of, I'll admit, about two
shredded gloves per year. That's a good trade-off IMO.

VF

PS: I had only my second flat of the year on Saturday, when I ran over
a sharp, broken sea shell that some irresponsible Gull had dropped in the road.

[soulspinner]

I check mine every ride due to the amount of stuff on the road. My riding buddy says he uses Michelin tubes as they are still made in france and have no synthetics????

[regularguy412]

I have used Performance tubes for years, with good results. I use the Ultralights not the Lunarlights. They are now sold under the Performance house brand name of Forte. The Ultralights weigh-in at about 70 grams. Be aware that the weight of the tube also includes the valve stem. Tubes with long stems will weigh more, but not necessarily have more rubber than a short-stemmed tube.

Michelin and Continental are good, as well.

I don't want to sound too negative, but stay away from Specialized tubes. Locally, we've had plenty of problems with S-brand tubes and tires. The LBS is a Specialized store and is sort of forced to sell these. However, they do also have Bontrager-- which many here now specify. They seem to work well, also.

Mike in AR

[CNY rider]

I have used Performance tubes for years, with good results. I use the Ultralights not the Lunarlights. They are now sold under the Performance house brand name of Forte. The Ultralights weigh-in at about 70 grams. Be aware that the weight of the tube also includes the valve stem. Tubes with long stems will weigh more, but not necessarily have more rubber than a short-stemmed tube.

Michelin and Continental are good, as well.

I don't want to sound too negative, but stay away from Specialized tubes. Locally, we've had plenty of problems with S-brand tubes and tires. The LBS is a Specialized store and is sort of forced to sell these. However, they do also have Bontrager-- which many here now specify. They seem to work well, also.

Mike in AR


I'm trying Conti tubes now after a Specialized turned a ride 2 weeks ago into a 3 mile walk home :argue:

I got a flat from glass and pulled out the Specialized spare tube I was carrying. Got it installed, went to pump it up, and with almost no force applied to the pump head the stem snapped off!!!

No cell service meant a nice walk home which in turn destroyed my cleats.....

Not the highlight of my cycling season.

[MilanoTom]

I think it has more to do with the tires than the tubes. IMHO, if the offending object gets past the tire, you're screwed. Latex tubes allegedly have more give before puncturing, but I've had little experience with them. I might have missed it, but I didn't see a mention of the tires you're riding.

We have some miserable roads with plenty of glass up here in the Providence area, and riders who venture onto the paved East Bay Bike Path get to ride through broken clam shells left by the seagulls. I "lost" a brand new Tufo Road Elite like that - the cut was too big for sealant - even Stan's couldn't save it.

There are some tires that have worked great for me - Vittoria Open Pave (I've seen gouges in the tread that never made it past the casing), Veloflex Pave, and Continental (anything I've tried - Grand Prix, 3000, 4000, Gatorskin). On the other hand, I've never had any luck with Vittoria Open Corsas. For tubes, I use whatever's handy.

Best wishes.
Tom

[SadieKate]

I just have to add my 2 cents to add confusion to the tube discussion (BTW, I do think tires and liners are the best flat prevention). I won't EVER buy another Michelin tube (I know, don't ever say never again) because the valve stem patches fail. Before anyone starts chiming in with what I, the operator, am doing wrong, realize that I have used many different brands of lightweight tubes, including Conti, Salsa, Specialized, Torelli, etc., on probably a dozen different bikes over the last 20 years. Add in probably 20 bikes and over 30 years of riding for my husband. Michelins are the only brand that have consistently failed at the valve stem. I found one last Michelin tube in my travel bag a couple days ago and tossed it. Not even going to give it a chance. I love Michelin pro race tires, but the tubes . . . 'nuff said.

We've had pretty consistent performance from all the other reputable brands. None of them seem to be more prone to flats than another.

We stay away from the cheaper, heavier, no-name brands because the tube walls seem to be inconsistent in thickness and too often the valves filled with black goo, which must be from the manufacturing process.

As far as flat prevention, we try to inspect our tires regularly to pull out tiny pieces of debris which could work their way through the casing and we patch small cuts with shoe goo.

[fiamme red]

Michelins are the only brand that have consistently failed at the valve stem. I found one last Michelin tube in my travel bag a couple days ago and tossed it. Not even going to give it a chance. I love Michelin pro race tires, but the tubes . . . 'nuff said.I pulled my bike out the other day to go for a ride, and the tire was flat. It was a Michelin tube that had failed at the stem. This was the first time in a long while that I used a Michelin tube. I think I'll stick with the cheap Taiwanese Kenda tubes I get at my LBS.

[Orin]

I pulled my bike out the other day to go for a ride, and the tire was flat. It was a Michelin tube that had failed at the stem. This was the first time in a long while that I used a Michelin tube. I think I'll stick with the cheap Taiwanese Kenda tubes I get at my LBS.

One local rider said he was getting similar failures with Conti tubes - approaching 100%. He switched to Performance brand and the failure rate went down to 30%(!). Also a very experienced rider. He's 'happy' using the Performance brand.

Tube quality in general does seem to be going down...

Orin.

[SoCalSteve]

I pulled my bike out the other day to go for a ride, and the tire was flat. It was a Michelin tube that had failed at the stem. This was the first time in a long while that I used a Michelin tube. I think I'll stick with the cheap Taiwanese Kenda tubes I get at my LBS.

I've been having this plately with a new batch of Michelin tubes that I recently purchased. Happened last night as I was sleeping...Woke up to the sound of air being expelled from the rear tire.

Getting a little frustrating as this is the 3rd time that this has happened (when I was not riding).

I liked the Michelin tubes because their stem valve is smooth and its easier to release the pump head from a smooth valve stem.

Steve

PS: Anyone know of other companies that do smooth valve stems?

I may start a new thread asking this...

[rePhil]

One local rider said he was getting similar failures with Conti tubes - approaching 100%. He switched to Performance brand and the failure rate went down to 30%(!). Also a very experienced rider. He's 'happy' using the Performance brand.

Tube quality in general does seem to be going down...

Orin.


I had the same problem with Performance branded tubes, probably half a dozen pulled out stems...I replaced them with a bunch of Michelin's because of the smooth valves. Time will tell.

And speaking of Performance did anyone see that they have a new "partner"?
A private equity firm. They are planning on opening 90 stores in the next four years.

[Karin Kirk]

I had the same problem with the valve stems failing last year. My favorite episode of this was when I pumped up the tires, threw my bike in the car, and then heard the dreaded hissing noise while I was driving to the ride.

It's comforting that I'm not the only one who's had this problem - I thought I was doing something wrong.

Anyway, I've switched to the smooth-stemmed Michelins which solved that problem. The smooth valve stem doesn't get yanked around while removing the pump head and all is well. I am thankful for those lovely smooth stems on a daily basis!

[pe3046]

I bought 8 michelin air-comps and all failed the same way at the stem. I noticed that they all started dropping psi 30-40 pounds in a one or two day window then the next time I went to ride the tires were flat. Pulled them off the rims and there is about a 1/4" tear at the stem. Bought a bunch of Kenda tubes from performance, hopefully these should be better.

[regularguy412]

I'm trying Conti tubes now after a Specialized turned a ride 2 weeks ago into a 3 mile walk home :argue:

I got a flat from glass and pulled out the Specialized spare tube I was carrying. Got it installed, went to pump it up, and with almost no force applied to the pump head the stem snapped off!!!

No cell service meant a nice walk home which in turn destroyed my cleats.....

Not the highlight of my cycling season.

Yup , you nailed it. That's the typical failure we've seen way too much of, here. The tube fails right at the intersection where the stem is patched into the tube. Usually, it only separates half way round the stem. Looks like, in your case, the whole stem-to-tube weld was bad.

To be fair, the ony tube brands I've purchased recently (last two years) have been Performance and Continental. I was given a Specialized tube on a ride where I had flatted. I 'did' have my own tubes available, but one of my riding buddies just wanted to be helpful.

Mike in AR

[Ozz]

I bought 8 michelin air-comps and all failed the same way at the stem. ....
wow.....I guess I've had pretty good luck with the michelin tubes...the only flats I have had recently were a screw thru the tire and a cut sidewall. Neither really the fault of the tubes....it was a bummer they were both on the same ride about 10 miles apart. :crap: