Best inner tubes

Armchair

Active Member
Well in my excitement to try out my new Crosscurrent S I took it for a spin around the parking lot yesterday before checking the tire pressure and the rear tire was flat this morning. I think I must have pinched a tube (default Kenda tires).

Does anyone have recommendations for tubes for this bike? Flat resistance and affordability would be my two main concerns.
 
I use schwalbe marathon tires along with schwalbe tubes. I've had pretty good success with that combo.
 
Have recently put a GAADI Bicycle tube onto the rear wheel with a schwalbe marathon tyre. So far so good! Did a 100km (60mile) ride and not a problem with the tube. The tube is not a complete circle and can be taken out / installed without taking off the wheel. They cost a bit, but should make it easier to fix a flat when out on the road. Did take the wheel off to put on new tyre and save the old tube. Found an open-headed socket set that works really well so that the motor wire can go through the hole and then remove the wheel nut.
 
In our shop, Schwalbe is the brand of choice in our opinion and don't have issues with them. Typically a few $$ more but worth it.

hope this helps,


Will
shop.scooteretti.com
 
Great, thanks all. I will get a few backups of the schwalbe tubes. That GAADI looks like it would be awesome for field repairs so I might pick up one of those as well. Unfortunately the Marathon tires were out of stock when I ordered the bike so I had to go with the defaults.

"Found an open-headed socket set that works really well so that the motor wire can go through the hole and then remove the wheel nut."

I haven't taken the wheel off yet so don't know exactly what tools I will require but have a ratchet set that includes open ended crescent wrenches. Are you using something like the link below?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-SAE-Combination-Wrench-Set-10-Piece-HCW10PCSAE/202934501

Secondly, I might as well add the marathon tires to my wishlist. Is this the one you use in 700x45?

SCHWALBE Marathon Plus HS 440 Wire Tire

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
 
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Great, thanks all. I will get a few backups of the schwalbe tubes. That GAADI looks like it would be awesome for field repairs so I might pick up one of those as well. Unfortunately the Marathon tires were out of stock when I ordered the bike so I had to go with the defaults.

"Found an open-headed socket set that works really well so that the motor wire can go through the hole and then remove the wheel nut."

I haven't taken the wheel off yet so don't know exactly what tools I will require but have a ratchet set that includes open ended crescent wrenches. Are you using something like the link below?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-SAE-Combination-Wrench-Set-10-Piece-HCW10PCSAE/202934501

Secondly, I might as well add the marathon tires to my wishlist. Is this the one you use in 700x45?

SCHWALBE Marathon Plus HS 440 Wire Tire

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Can you post a picture of that open-headed socket?

Best we know of today is the special wrench sold by Juiced that comes as the featured tool in a kit of essential bike tools
juiced wrench.jpg
 
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Alternatively, an offset 18mm 12point box end wrench gives a better purchase than the crow foot wrench Ant described.

It required a bit of grinding to the box end; I did this crude work on a 6" bench grinder,

(The offset wrench above works fine. But if budget is no problem, the Juiced special wrench is the ideal way to go!)
 
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The Gaadi tube is a great idea! Like all great ideas, it was invented long, long ago!


It will not be forgiving of installation errors.

But I've got two of them in reserve.

I carry one Gaadi on my bike, with tool kit and small pump, in the rear rack top bag.

Have never installed one...yet. But that day will come, for sure!
 
Alternatively, an offset 18mm 12point box end wrenchgives a better purchase than the crow foot wrench Ant described.

It required a bit of grinding to the box end; I did this crude work on a 6" bench grinder,


Great idea. I think I might have found a set that might not need grinding. I'm trying to keep the budget lower.

https://www.amazon.com/WORKPRO-Offset-Standard-8-piece-Organizer/dp/B015WH4E1Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1518105582&sr=1-3&keywords=18mm+offset+wrench&th=1
 
Yeah, Armchair, that very useful offset wrench set looks great!

But, betcha, the 18mm may still require a bit of trimming. You see how tight I had to grind mine?

Just please, folks, do not wrench that axle nut unless your wrench FULLY seats on the nut, along the entire radius of your swing that will turn the nut, or your wrench will pop off and round the corners of the nut in doing so.

Uh, see, I can tell you this for sure, because there was a mechanical fool once upon a time who did not pay close attention to that detail. He wears a yellow shirt.
 
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Great, thanks all. I will get a few backups of the schwalbe tubes. That GAADI looks like it would be awesome for field repairs so I might pick up one of those as well. Unfortunately the Marathon tires were out of stock when I ordered the bike so I had to go with the defaults.

"Found an open-headed socket set that works really well so that the motor wire can go through the hole and then remove the wheel nut."

I haven't taken the wheel off yet so don't know exactly what tools I will require but have a ratchet set that includes open ended crescent wrenches. Are you using something like the link below?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-SAE-Combination-Wrench-Set-10-Piece-HCW10PCSAE/202934501

Secondly, I might as well add the marathon tires to my wishlist. Is this the one you use in 700x45?

SCHWALBE Marathon Plus HS 440 Wire Tire

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

You can buy the marathon tires direct from Schwalbe for pretty much the same price as Juiced charged for the upgrade.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/road_tires/Marathon_Plus_HS440

$57 each.
 
This is the open-headed socket I used on my CCS. Came as a set only... (I needed a set anyway!) I tried the offset wrench but couldn't get it onto the wheelnut properly and would have rounded off the nut. This is thin enough to get completely on. Juiced did offer to ship their tool over when back in stock, but they don't usually ship internationally. (I'm in New Zealand).
socket (2).JPG
 
Great, thanks all. I will get a few backups of the schwalbe tubes. That GAADI looks like it would be awesome for field repairs so I might pick up one of those as well. Unfortunately the Marathon tires were out of stock when I ordered the bike so I had to go with the defaults.

"Found an open-headed socket set that works really well so that the motor wire can go through the hole and then remove the wheel nut."

I haven't taken the wheel off yet so don't know exactly what tools I will require but have a ratchet set that includes open ended crescent wrenches. Are you using something like the link below?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-SAE-Combination-Wrench-Set-10-Piece-HCW10PCSAE/202934501

Secondly, I might as well add the marathon tires to my wishlist. Is this the one you use in 700x45?

SCHWALBE Marathon Plus HS 440 Wire Tire

(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
The one I used is in this set:

http://www.stanleytools.com.au/prod...sh8"+_+1fwdslash2"Drive+Thru+Drive+Socket+Set

If you are in the USA, maybe get the Juiced bike one... I tried the 18mm wrench but couldn't get it on to the wheelnut properly.
Yes, I got the 700x45 Schwalbe tyres.
 
You can buy the marathon tires direct from Schwalbe for pretty much the same price as Juiced charged for the upgrade.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/road_tires/Marathon_Plus_HS440

$57 each.

Thanks!

The one I used is in this set:

http://www.stanleytools.com.au/products/detail/HAND+TOOLS/Mechanics+Tools/Socket+Sets/21pc+3fwdslash8"+_+1fwdslash2"Drive+Thru+Drive+Socket+Set

If you are in the USA, maybe get the Juiced bike one... I tried the 18mm wrench but couldn't get it on to the wheelnut properly.
Yes, I got the 700x45 Schwalbe tyres.

That looks really useful in general. I'm going to pick one up to keep at home. For the road my friend just gave me the idea to use a spark plug socket. They have a pass thru but the also have flats on the outside to use with a cresent wrench.
 
I got the juiced one a while back and its works great..but it took a few weeks since I think it came from China.

A
 
Thanks for all your help. I just got back from my trip so was able to replace the tube. They didn't have that Stanley anywhere in stock so I ended up getting the Crescent version it. (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Getting the wheel back in was rediculously tight so I'm hoping I didn't damage either of the sensors. Nothing jammed into them but they might have been rubbed against. Are they really that easily damaged?
 
Thanks for all your help. I just got back from my trip so was able to replace the tube. They didn't have that Stanley anywhere in stock so I ended up getting the Crescent version it. (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

Getting the wheel back in was rediculously tight so I'm hoping I didn't damage either of the sensors. Nothing jammed into them but they might have been rubbed against. Are they really that easily damaged?
Yes, I was worried about the sensors as well. It is a tight fit! Worked out okay, though, just take you time and try to put the wheel in evenly. Have had no flats tyres so far, just keep an eye on the pressure over time.
 
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