Tubes - How Long do Yours Last?

I find this interesting in a Mr. Spock, "fascinating" kinda way, and wondered how others fared. I bought my Cannondale Synapse road bike in February of 2013. I've put almost 5,000 miles on it. The rear tube is the original. I'm on my third set of tires; don't know the brand of tube or anything else except that it has a smooth shank on the valve body, rather than ridged as is usual.

So how long have you managed to make the tubes last, and what brand? All y'all with tubeless are exempt from this of course.

 

I've run tubeless for the last year on the mountain bike. Prior to that, I always used the slime tubes, and they always lasted as long as the tire... Same concept as tubeless, in that the slime fixes small punctures on the fly. I have them in my road bikes still, and won't change anytime soon.

 

I would burn through tubes regularly - I just burned one two days ago on Holy Jim. However I am now a slime tube believer. I have been running a slime tube on my rear tire for 12 months, and not only doesn't it go flat, it almost never needs to be re-inflated. In the same time frame, I have gone though three regular tubes on my front tire.

 

What are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tubes?

 

In my tumbleweed infested neck of the woods tubes last about 2 days if you're super lucky this time of year even on blacktop. I purchase Stans in the quart sized bottles.

 

I've had a slime tube on the front of my Enduro for over 3 years. Been wanting it to fail since I became a weight weenie so I could just use a tube only. Other tubes I continue to patch when needed and are used again to get your moneys worth out of them. Once there's more than 2 patches, it will get replaced by a new one.

 

I try to check my tube annually. Pull it out of the seat bag, look it over, and if it hasn't worn through from all the bouncing around, put it back for another year.

 

I ride commando.

 

I play with my tube every day....

Oh, wait. Ummmm, oh, bikes, well let's see. I replaced my top tube, down tube, seat tube, head tube, seatstay and chainstay all at the same time in 2013. What? Oh, not those tubes either?

The OP was referring to his road rig, so I got nothin. If referring to my MtB, I replace about one tube a year due to flats. I run the standard Performance tubes (I think they are all made by Chen Shin anyway - no matter the brand name on the box). I am now running tubeless in the rear - not due to recurring flats, but because I eventually ended up with a tire/rim combo that was begging for tublissity.

 

I bet you don't make up excuses to NOT do that!

Back on topic: I'm tubeless, like a woman.

 

Tubeless on the MTB. Road bike 2 flats in 4 years. Maybe 1000 miles a year.

 

By the way, though I am a slime tube believer, they weigh A TON. Best I can tell (given my crappy scale) they weigh about 1.5 lbs each for the thick ones. That is a huge consideration.

 

I used to go with Superlight tubes 26" in my 29er with a squirt of Stans.....After a few years, finally took the tube out and replaced it, only because the Stanimal in the tube was growing much too big.

 

I'm just glad to always have my wheel changer with me.

 

I run tubeless on my 29r...no issues there. I run tubes in my 26r (since I don't ride it much)...and I double flatted two weekends ago. It was a good run. Two years since a flat. Road bike I run tubulars...flatted the front...had to limp the last three miles back to the car. I think it was two years also since I last flatted.

 

Oh look at you Mr. Large image uploader without TapaTalk!

 

Don't be a hater. I'm sure if you asked nicely Cathy would change your tires for you too.

 

I've had fine luck with generic Q-tubes. Run them on all my non-MTB bikes. One rim causes the valve to rip out, and I'm working on that. Will probably switch to Schwalbe tube for that one. They're pretty highly recommended.

I live in goathead country, and am on my third 100 count box of patches in not too many years. Not the tube's fault though

 

No way my wife would help after the time I chased her around the garage with a "Stanimal"...

 

Some last months, maybe years. Then I get a string of some lasting under 30 miles. Last 4 flats (on road bike, my mtbs are tubeless else I'd go poor from buying tubes):

- tire wore fully through to the tube and exploded. Tube lasted about 1000 miles until this point
- (same day) installed new tire, but rim strip shifted due to my quick change procedure, and I lost 2 tubes this way before I discovered what it was
- Was overconfident in my flat-proof setup and managed to get a goat head that went through the cornering edge part of the tire, which circumvented all the flatproofing which only covered the main tread...

With all these tubes with 1 hole, I tried patching them, only to find out none of the patch kits I bought can withstand 100 psi. Injecting sealant into the tube from now on. My front tire's tube has been going 2000+ miles, filled with sealant, but the sealant has clogged the valve. Good thing it stays inflated well.

 

Generally last a long time for me. I always baby powder the inside of the tire before installing a tube, so it can slide around.

 

On road, I change tubes with every tire change. Not worth it. I've also stopped patching the road tubes when I do get a puncture to re-use them. The baby powder on the tubes isn't much good with the patch kits for long-term use. However, the tubes with the removable cores to inject 1 oz of sealant are perfect for tubed gravel and adventure setups where there aren't that many decent 35mm or thinner tubeless tires. I used that for Denali and it sealed up a pinhole leak that I didn't find out about until after I just swapped out my tires (the ones I wanted for traction and durability weren't tubeless).

 

The tube in my seat bag last about a year before I have to replace it, because it gets a hole rubbed in it. Usually don't find out til you actually need it. So now I just check and replace them on a regular basis.

 

Depending on which bike on what trail but with 30psi in front and 35psi in the back it can be anywhere from 10 minutes to a year+

If on my XC bike, doing XC trails, I haven't changed a tube since I bought it 4 years ago. My AM bike bike on gnar chunk, probably once every four to six months.

I get a lot of hate for saying this but IMHO, tubeless is a PITA and not necessarily worth the hassle. Yes, I've run tubeless and I still do but can take it or leave it.

 

Agree with tubeless, have it makes little difference.

 

I've read all the angst and stories of Stanimals and gonorrhea-like symptoms of leaky tires and beads that won't seat even with a 90 psi compressor...

No thanks.

 

Oh! I thought this was the Republican/Democratic debate! Ha hah!
Natually it is to each his own... How awesome is it that we now have options!

I think riding style, temperment, and location can play a big part in what you prefer as well.

This is just perspective... but riders who like the low tire pressure and hate pinch flats, like fiddling/working on their bikes, and live in areas that have lots-O-stickers appear to like tubeless. I am one of those...

Riders who prefer higher tire pressure (who would have less pinch flats), would prefer to not work on their bike as much, and have had little challenge or significanly less challenge with sticker flats, obviously prefer tubes.

I'm not one of these guys. I used to have a peg board in my shop where I would hang my gradation of patched tubes. So many patches and you were pulled and tossed. I started adding up the money I was spending on tubes and patches and thought, Man! there has GOT to be a better way!

Based on my riding style, loving working on my bike, the terrain I like to ride, and the high amount of goatheads and stickers, AND the money I want to spend on other things.... Tubeless makes the most sense for me.

I stopped in a shop a while back to grab a couple of emergency tubes for my pack and they demanded $6 bucks each!
Say What!?!?

 

I've had mixed success with the compromise of putting Stan's latex inside tubes. Sometimes it won't seal a hole, and makes a mess. Other times it works perfectly for multiple punctures. I get Q-tubes that have the removable core and it's easy to put in. Lasts a bit longer than in a tubeless tire, but still needs to be topped off occasionally.

I'm debating building up a tubeless set for my son. Only problem is I'm the guy who will have to make sure pressure and fluid is good all the time for him. Might just be easier to patch tubes...

This is all due to goatheads. The low-pressure,less weight bonuses don't mean that much to me.

 

On my last road ride, about 4 miles on average - I went through three before giving up. First was some steel belt wire. Second tube was the steel belt wire I missed after pulling out one. Third was a bad tube from the get-go. Managed 14 miles of a planned 60.

I think how long a tube lasts depends more on the tire than the tube. I never had a flat with Continental Gatorskins. But I would replace the tube when you replace a tire just to be on the safe side.

The MTBs have no tubes, and I think the next set of road wheels I buy will be tubeless capable as well.

 

I kinda don't get the whole "thorns" argument. Where do you guys ride? I can count on one hand how many times I've gotten a thorn puncture in the last 25 years. I've done the PCE at least 6 times on tubes (yes, I know I've just been lucky and I probably jinxed myself). It seems to me that if you just stay on the trail the thorns will be minimal.