Inner tube question

GoldenMotor.com
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artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
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Michigan
After having my rear wheel rebuilt (bearings finally went after a few thousand miles of ME on it.) Anyway, I asked them to replace the inner tube with one like my old wheel had. VERY thick, heavy duty tube. The thing has outlasted two tires and the bearings.

Well they didn't. First real ride and the tube blew. Split on the INSIDE of it. And no, nothing wrong with the wheel at all. It just gave out.


So… looked at my old tube, copied the name and numbers, ordered a nice sweet two for one deal off ebay, but when they came, these are just as thin as the one that blew. Now ONE of the numbers I copied isn't an exact match. (See photos.) But I just assumed that had to do with the tube size, width I mean. I can't find anything that says thickness. Same brand, almost the same numbers, but clearly not as thick. See the photo of the two tubes sandwiched between my fingers. The new ones can be folded over and still aren't as thick as my old one.


So question…. what exactly is that second number? And is it possible I cannot find these tubes that thick anymore? (That one would be hard to believe.)

Last…. can someone point me to inner tubes that ARE as thick as mine?

Meanwhile I'll probably just use mine again. But I would like to have a replacement available. This thing can't last forever.
Tube1.jpg
Tube2.jpg
 
A

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
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Michigan
I did read about inner tube sealants. They can be problematic, especially if you need to LET the air out.

I'm looking for a thick walled tube. Again mine has outlived two tires and even the bearings without a single flat. I fill it in spring and it doesn't leak. That's what I want.
 
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artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
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Michigan
Yea… reading more, found a blog that stated sunlite isn't a premium brand, and that manufacturing moved to China. Sigh…. probably why they got thinner too.

Still I can't find anything that shows just how thick a tube is before you buy it.
I knew right away when the package came though, it was way too light to be right. TWO tubes in there don't weigh as much as my one.
 
B

Barnfresh

Member
Sep 5, 2011
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Nor-Cal
You need to do a search for heavy duty downhill mountain bike tubes (DH MTB) which is probably what you had. All the major mfg used to list how thick they were, 1mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm etc. May be a little harder to find these days since everyone is running tubeless.
 
A

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
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Michigan
Ok, first, TUBELESS??????? On a bike? Your not talking about those foam solid tires are you? Looked at those, not good for heavy people. I think it was rated for 200.lbs tops or some such thing. If not that then what? Like a car? Tire on rim? No tube???

Next, and I hope posting ebay listings won't get me slapped. I'm looking at tubes that show MM sizes. I was just guessing that meant thickness? But no.
Look, this is the pair I just bought. Says 48Mm.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pack-Mon...104?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10#viTabs_0
Take those out of the box and they are as flat and thin as can be.

THEN look at this one. And it states 33mm but I can see just from the picture it's thicker than the previous ones.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tube-Duro-...m=292316031023&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Last, and this one I can't see out of the box, but it says heavy duty, thorn resistant and all that but it also says 1.2mm wall thickness.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenda-Blue...042?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10#viTabs_0
Now compared to 48mm I would think that's the thinnest of the lot.
And this particular one states right on the box "wall thickness."

So what am I getting wrong here? shouldn't 48mm be way thicker than 1.2?
Size of the box though, every heavy duty tube I ever bought needed a longer box just to stuff the thing into. Doubt this is very thick.
 
A

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
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Michigan
Go up to my first post, pictures of my old tube there with the size. Top tube in both photos is my thick one.

Darn I wish I knew what the MM is referring to in all these listings. Gotta consider box size I think. Heavy duty tubes only fit in longer boxes.

oh re reading your posts… mm is the valve stem? Shees… So they don't put rubber thickness? A few listings say "on the bottom." Well my latest tube split on the inside. I have a slime thorn guard for between the tube and tire. Still not all thorns and other sharp things land right on the tread. Thick tube all around helps.


Oh I did watch some youtube stuff on tubeless. Yuck. I'll stick with what I know. Been dealing with inner tubes since I was about 6. Whole lot of decades ago.
 
A

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
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Michigan
HI, it's like 93 outside and inside the garage has to be 20 hotter still. I ran in, snapped a photo, broke out in a sweat, hope I got the size. Might be off shot. (Reading glasses slide off sweat.) grrr.
Unless I missed 275-450 but looking at this on the big computer, there are more numbers off to the side. I could try again later.
 

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MEASURE TWICE

MEASURE TWICE

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2010
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I have Kenda knobby tire for my off road motorbike. I use around 40psi maybe less 35psi and have been using it for like 4 to 5 years I think. I don't ride it as much as you do as I to ride legal is OHV licensed off road only Green Sticket California DMV.

Recently I had the rear tire deflate when I was going on a trail of bumpy rocky areas.

When I found the leak without taking the wheel off I found a small tear only about 1/4 inch long. It was on the side of the tube facing the rim. No puncture to the tire and the tape covering the spoke nipples was in perfect shape.

It could have been I needed more pressure and the tire was not at 35 - 40 psi when I started riding. But any way 5 years for the tube and tire I think is good. Getting stuck is not.

I had a pump have the pointy plastic part inside worn down and the pump when I pushed the handle it would be very hard to push. When at the last 5th of the stroke it would allow a small amount of air to go into the tube. I suspect that the pressure got high enough that it forced the valve in the tube in, this without the need for the pin in the pump to depress it at all.

It only allowed me to test the patch though as it was to totally wear me out if I were to try to fill the tire to pressure.

After getting another tube and installing it I had a blow out. I guess I checked the tire for puncture when it deflated, but the bead was probably damaged very bad when I rolled to a stop when I first had the slow leak. My weight and the bike, 130 pounds & 130 pounds = 260 pound. Most of the weight distributed to the rear wheel about 200 pounds can ruin the tire fast if you do not stop and un-weight it.

Moral of the story is I think I will keep with me fold up tire and a new tube also. Checking the pump still works well, not letting that get by before riding out. The pump was a quarter century old so I guess that is why it failed.

I am going to replace the pillow bearings in my jack shaft as they are probably two year old and they wear.

Hope you find some heavy duty tube and tire and don't get stuck far out. Thinking of a satellite phone to rent for a week if I go where cell reception is nil.
 
A

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
8
Michigan
Thinking back on the day it blew, I may have had low pressure for awhile. (five miles or so.) Felt a slight wobble in the rear but have been having issues with the motor, restarting is a royal pain so I didn't want to get off and check. Just hoped I'd make it home. I was only a couple miles away when it blew but it's possible the tire wasn't fully inflated to begin with. (I didn't check it, bike shop screwed up a few things, it would not shock me this was just one more thing. Gees if you want it done right, do it yourself huh? So true.)

Still… I have had plenty of standard tubes go flat for assorted reasons. I grew up in Chicago. I bet if I saved all the glass and other road crap I've picked up over the years I could start a small factory. I can fix a basic puncture flat, just not a fun task even when I was young and limber. not so much anymore.

When I first bought this bike it had fat balloon white wall tires. Looked real cool but a puddle could cause a flat. Then the spokes caused one flat (sloppy filing job. Punctured from the inside.) BROKE a few spokes…. that's when I first had the wheel respoked with thicker spokes, and got on the forums and found better stuff. It all stopped once I got good tires, THICK inner tubes, the extra slime guard around the tube, and I use a compressor to fill the tires myself first thing in spring. (Usually only needs it once a year too.)
Have not had a single flat since…. until this skimpy tube was put on.

Still have the problem of how to know just how thick tubes are. I don't see ANY markings on mine, or on new boxes that say. Only way to know is look directly at the tube. Kinda impossible shopping on line.

BTW, probably doesn't matter, but I'm only on country paved roads. I don't do "off road" riding at all. Mainly every thursday night a town about 15 miles away does a free concert in the park. I ride all back roads there, scare the deer, stampede someones cows…. horses look at me like eh, her again. lol. Watch the concert and by the time it's over my arms and butt have stopped vibrating and I make the trip home again.
Aside from some short trips just for a ride around town that's about all I do.
now THIS tube has outlasted my 2 stroke motor, two tires and the rear hub. And it's still good. THAT is what I want. Don't care how heavy it is.
 
B

Barnfresh

Member
Sep 5, 2011
205
10
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Nor-Cal
All I see in the photo are tire pressure numbers.

How about a photo of the tire size.

If you tell me what size your tire is I'll be happy to try and help you find the tube you are looking for.
 
A

artmaker

Member
May 30, 2012
73
8
8
Michigan
Ok, I see your on now… I need to get ready to leave but before I go I'll go look again at the tire. Obviously I missed with that photo.

I do appreciate your help though. Honest. Be just a little bit.
 
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