Inner tube

[gcogger]

I purchased the only set of liners available in my small UK home Town on a wet weekend where i wanted to install them there and then after suffering a recent spate of flats. **Doing a fair bit of 'Off the beaten Track' riding here in the UK; near many thorn adorned bushes etc

As explained and openly stated - unlike you: i have / had no experience of liners what-so-ever. I'd never researched, seen, touched or felt a liner previous to buying and fitting these. Let alone riding with any fitted.

What i do have; is a lack of time. After suffering two puntures that barely penetrated the tube / were so slowly losing pressure i only noticed the next time i went to get the bike out (And not on the ride itself) i was sure that i am willing to give up something in order to not have to spend the first 15 minutes of my planned ride fixing puntures......

I certainly never set out to buy cheap. And i'm not quite sure why you think im casting a blanket over all liners feeling the same. Quite clearly knowing and saying these are my very first experience of any liner - i have no basis to form that opinion. So apologies if i misled somehow.

What i can say though is for £16 / $22 i glad i tried these. We all learn more from 'failures' than success. And the completely dead feel these have afforded me - and me now choosing to read up / take advice / seek out advice........has lead me to understand some thinner but equally strong liners. Or outright better tyres - can give me alot of that supple feel back with compromising the puncture protection.

A lesson learned. And in the first instance - the original and hopefully better quality (Certainly only 1mm thick) liners i ordered online did eventually arrive.

If its dry i'll ride this weekend. If its wet - i'll be taking the opportunity to swap these thinner items out. While they may not be the very best in terms of proven protection; at least they'll give me some idea of the difference in feel between the 3mm (?) solid Nylon units i've got fitted - and something a 1/3rd the thickness and alot more supple with it........

Cheers.

Your original post seemed perfectly clear, don't know why you had such a grumpy reply. I'll be interested in how you get on with the new liners.

 

[sevenfourate]

I swapped out the thick, heavy liners I’d fitted as a first ever try / introduction to liners….with some altogether better quality / 1mm thick / flexible nylon liners this Morning…..

If I’m 100% honest; after suffering a spate of recent punctures - when I fitted the now used Schwalbe Big Ben tyres - I was still playing with tyres pressures on these; as I felt they had quite high drag. And had them higher than I’d normally or been using to try to offset this.

So coupled in with fitting some (Clearly lighter / more pliable) thinner liners; I have reduced tyre pressure slightly too to what I’d normally been using. To see if that got some feeling back in the sidewalls / aka: less wooden feel !

And the ride today was much-much more like it. I don’t think the Schwalbes have the outright road grip of my previous choice of rubber. But at least I’m getting some feedback now and can somewhat comprehend and feel what they’re doing. Something I’d literally completely lost previously. MUCH better.***But my point is: I have changed two parameters. What difference the liners alone accounts for I can’t quantify exactly. But I suspect the difference is ‘substantial’ as imo changing tyre pressures 5psi alone has never felt this different…….

 

[froze]

I purchased the only set of liners available in my small UK home Town on a wet weekend where i wanted to install them there and then after suffering a recent spate of flats. **Doing a fair bit of 'Off the beaten Track' riding here in the UK; near many thorn adorned bushes etc

As explained and openly stated - unlike you: i have / had no experience of liners what-so-ever. I'd never researched, seen, touched or felt a liner previous to buying and fitting these. Let alone riding with any fitted.

What i do have; is a lack of time. After suffering two puntures that barely penetrated the tube / were so slowly losing pressure i only noticed the next time i went to get the bike out (And not on the ride itself) i was sure that i am willing to give up something in order to not have to spend the first 15 minutes of my planned ride fixing puntures......

I certainly never set out to buy cheap. And i'm not quite sure why you think im casting a blanket over all liners feeling the same. Quite clearly knowing and saying these are my very first experience of any liner - i have no basis to form that opinion. So apologies if i misled somehow.

What i can say though is for £16 / $22 i glad i tried these. We all learn more from 'failures' than success. And the completely dead feel these have afforded me - and me now choosing to read up / take advice / seek out advice........has lead me to understand some thinner but equally strong liners. Or outright better tyres - can give me alot of that supple feel back with compromising the puncture protection.

A lesson learned. And in the first instance - the original and hopefully better quality (Certainly only 1mm thick) liners i ordered online did eventually arrive.

If its dry i'll ride this weekend. If its wet - i'll be taking the opportunity to swap these thinner items out. While they may not be the very best in terms of proven protection; at least they'll give me some idea of the difference in feel between the 3mm (?) solid Nylon units i've got fitted - and something a 1/3rd the thickness and alot more supple with it........

Cheers.

Remember, your first line of defense against flats is the tire itself, if you get the best one that will fit your bike, and Schwalbe seems to be leading the way in this area, you probably won't need liners.

Also, don't bother with thorn-resistant tubes, they are extremely heavy and only offer a very tiny amount of extra protection, and from what I have seen, those tubes are made poorly, I've seen valve failures within just 2 to 3 months, I've seen the seams split, and the consistency of the thickness of the rubber varies significantly.

 

[sevenfourate]

Remember, your first line of defense against flats is the tire itself, if you get the best one that will fit your bike, and Schwalbe seems to be leading the way in this area, you probably won't need liners.

Also, don't bother with thorn-resistant tubes, they are extremely heavy and only offer a very tiny amount of extra protection, and from what I have seen, those tubes are made poorly, I've seen valve failures within just 2 to 3 months, I've seen the seams split, and the consistency of the thickness of the rubber varies significantly.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Current tyres should be above average for puncture protection - even if they’re not the very best. And feel reasonably light / sprightly. I had pondered on the heavy-duty tubes. Glad I held back !

50 miles / 3 rides puncture free this past weekend. Time will tell…..but long may it continue.

 

[neilrichardson55]

Have a question i got 2 new inner tubes Halfords one and when fitted both lasted a day and lost pressure. i can find any leaks using water and detector spray. check for anything sharp but no luck, do i need to get some better tubs ?? anyone else had this problem

 

[sevenfourate]

Have a question i got 2 new inner tubes Halfords one and when fitted both lasted a day and lost pressure. i can find any leaks using water and detector spray. check for anything sharp but no luck, do i need to get some better tubs ?? anyone else had this problem

Pump up and get some decent pressure in - and run the tube ‘through’ a washing up bowl full of water (Suggest an old one - or wait until wife / partner / boyfriend / significant other has left the building). Even a small / slow leak will soon provide you some tell-tale bubbles…..

Where that is on the tube might provide clues as to how it’s happened / what’s causing it etc.

Good luck 👊