Inner tubes. Our friend AND enemy.

[sc00ter]

Yes, I'm going to throw some gas on the never ending discussion about flats. But my complaint is slightly different, so hear me out. I got a flat on my Xpedition awhile back, forcing my wife and I to walk home. It appeared that something got me right in the center of the rear tire. Okay, I think, I'll just bulletproof the rear tire. I install a new Lectric branded inner tube and a slightly larger (a 3 and a half to 4") Mr. Tuffy tire liner. Between the weak stock tires on the Xpedition, the Mr. Tuffy liner and the new tube with it's white milk like sealant I should be good. Well, I got a surprise today. A flat 2 miles from home with the wife on the back. I f'in LOST IT! Outside of possibly needing a whole new rear wheel from a poor temper check I get home and pull it apart. Nothing got to the tube from the outside. The Mr. Tuffy didn't chaff a pinhole in the tube. The cheap inner tube split on a seam! Yes, the cheap Lectric branded inner tube split at a seam! So I'm asking anyone in the know. Who makes a GOOD quality 20x3" inner tube?

Picture to follow to show you what happened.....

 

[sc00ter]

I think you can see the seam mentioned. I was running 30psi and didn't cause a pinch flat. This is a weak seam.

 

[sc00ter]

I was gonna do the motorcycle tire conversion but the more I think about it I'm not so sure. I'm half tempted to try a Carless Whisper 20x3.5 tire and a Specialized inner tube next. Still doing a Mr. Tuffy as well. First thing first is to get the rear wheel looked at. I could care less about rash, a sidewall dent or any other defect but all the spokes are loose after my temper got the best of me.

 

[fooferdoggie]

kenda tube though I would go to a local shop and save time.

Amazon.com

 

[harryS]

What did you do? Ride home on the flat with a passenger on the back?

I've ridden home on 26 x 1.75 tires with no air in the rear wheel, Beat walking 3 miles in the hot sun. Didn't beat the rim up. I had spares anyway.

 

[sc00ter]

The rim has prior rash and a few dents from when the tire came off the rim during a turn last time I got a flat. The stock tires are barely on the rim lip when installed to begin with, get a flat and the tire always rolls off the rim. But I slammed down the rear wheel and knocked all the spokes loose this time. I was not in the mood for another flat after literally just fixing one. Again, temper got the best of me. I'm going to write a "Calm down" note to myself on the top of the frame so next time this happens I'll find some humor in a flat. I was not happy when I found the split along the seam of this new Lectric inner tube. And my dumb butt just ordered 2 more of these Lectric inner tubes last week....

 

[Aushiker]

While my preference is nowadays to go tubeless, I do carry a Schwalbe tube as a spare. I have had on occasion over the years a tube split at the seam. I never thought of it as being a product failure, just what it was, a tube failure.

 

[sc00ter]

This tube that split along the seam only had around 20 miles on it. Plus the sealant doesn't do anything except seep out and make a milky white mess. I feel that Lectric just found the cheapest vendor for their inner tubes and just has someone add either milk or Slime to each tube and charge way more money. When I rode bmx I've had many a tube fail along a seam until we found a good quality brand (cannot recall the brand) but Kmart sold them. I'm currently on the prowl for a better tube. I might try the one fooferdoggie linked, or a Specialized tube.

So I'm off today to the ebike shop to see if my rear wheel can be salvaged. Lectric said its $250 for a new rear wheel so I'm holding out hope mine is still okay. I need to take some Zen like courses or something, to offset the anger of getting a flat a few days after fixing a flat.

I wish tubeless was an option. I'd be willing to give it a try.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

And just think the Lectric tube is light-years behind the most modern TPU inner tubes...

 

[sc00ter]

The local ebike shop has had my rear wheel for over 2 weeks now for a spoke tension check/set. I think they're short handed and the turn around times are sloooow. I just ordered a whole new rear wheel for the Xpedition. I got a $265 lesson in staying calm and not to use inner tubes from Lectric. I'm gonna try to learn how to set spoke tension on my own wheels. It can't be that hard.

 

[harryS]

I'm gonna try to learn how to set spoke tension on my own wheels. It can't be that hard.

It's not hard to identify loose spokes by the sound when you tap them or the feel when you torque them. With time/experience you'll never have to stare at a wobbly front tire again. And if you have bikes with rim brakes, you can true the rim so it sits in the center and never have those annoying scrapes against the shoes.

Of course, this is something you can pay a high school kid in a shop to do for you, Me, other than working on my golf swing, I got nothing else to do, Sure ain't raking those leaves today.

 

[Mango1234]

I have tried 4 different tires on the back of my Xpedition, always using the OEM tube. I have had no problems and just passed 1400 miles.I am currently using Mitas 2.25-16" moped tires.
I noticed my Lectric trike uses the same tubes as the Xpedition despite the narrower (1" vs 2") rims and smaller tires(2.6" vs 3").

 

[sc00ter]

I stopped in a bike shop to see if they had a 3"- 4" tube in stock, or even a Globe Haul tube. The Globe Haul tube seems to be out of stock everywhere so I ended up with a Sunlite inner tube. The bike shop said the fact that I haul my wife on the back is what puts max stress on any inner tube, as she's around 120 plus my fat butt. But after having 2 Lectric inner tubes loose a seam I'm going to try a different brand. My local ebike shop that carries Lectric now has had it happen as well. So I guess this inner tube battle will continue but if I find a great quality tube I will be sure to share my findings.

Stupid finding though. It's easier to swap out a tube in the open. You just lay the Xpedition on its side and roll it over upside down. If I stick it in the garage I have to go wheelie the front up and wrestle it upside down. If this monster is upside down its a PITB (Pain In The Back) to move around! It will be fun to find out if my brakes will be okay after having the Xpedition upside down for over 2 weeks.

 

[PCeBiker]

I'm gonna try to learn how to set spoke tension on my own wheels. It can't be that hard.

I bought a gauge to check my spoke tension,..

It's not a "Park Tool" but it is pretty good quality where the scale can be adjusted to compensate for spring sag over time.

It's not hard to identify loose spokes by the sound when you tap them or the feel when you torque them.

A loose spoke is easy to hear with the obvious rattle, but I don't know what a properly tensioned spoke is supposed to sound like.
I could quite easily make them all sound the same, but I wouldn't know if they are all too tight, or all too loose, so I bought the Guage that comes with a chart that shows the proper tension for all the different types of spokes.

 

[sc00ter]

I have one of those. I forgot the brand but it wont fit in the wheel! It's to tall because the 20" wheel combined with a big hub. I'll try to find it and post up a pic. I was so excited when I received it thinking "No more bike shop fees, I can do this myself!" but nope, didn't fit.

 

[mschwett]

why would you buy a tube from lectric? they obviously don’t make them, they don‘t say who makes them, they don’t describe them in any way, and appear to charge several times the cost of a quality tube from a known, reputable manufacturer.

 

[sc00ter]

That's why I asked if anyone knows of a quality brand. I'm gonna try this Sunlite and see how it goes. I know there is a failure rate in every product. I've had good luck with those 40% thicker Goodyear tubes Wal-Mart sells/sold but they (Goodyear) don't make them for a semi-fat tire in 20".

What brand do you use mschwett or did you go tubeless? If you never get flats what are your tricks of the trade?

 

[Nvreloader]

I have been running these tubes plus Flat Out on my fat tire bikes
since I had them in 2021, I can say they work very well, I haven't had any problems with the goat heads in 2000+ miles.
These tubes are kind'a expensive, but worth it imho.

Single Bakcou Heavy Duty Fat Tire Tube

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Box contains only single tire tube. Ride harder and ride longer. Military-grade butyl rubber tube with variable thicknesses keep weight down and give your tires strength where you need it. Upgrade your bike and avoid punctures with these heavy-duty, ultra-grade fat-tire bike...

bakcou.com

ymmv

 

[sc00ter]

Thank you for the tip Nvreloader! Gonna try one, or maybe 2! Military grade as well!

 

[PCeBiker]

These tubes are kind'a expensive, but worth it imho.

I spent over $350 CAD on flat protection for my first e-bike.
Tannus inserts, Mr. Tuffy tire liners, and Flat-out.
It's still worth the money in my opinion.

A flat tire can cost you a lot more money, especially if you lose your temper.