[atlroadie]

Ok, out of the gutter. Not tubesteak. Innertube. Moving on.

So last night I got home after shredding a rear tire on some piece of Atlanta road debris. After I stopped cussing and started the process of moving my red tires from my second bike over to my new blue bike(very patroitic), I looked around and saw about 5 spent tubes sitting in various places in my bike room(the wife calls is a "spare bedroom"), no two the same. Culled from fellow riders, my own random stash, etc., the only thing they shared in common was the the fact they at one point fit on my wheels, standard 700s.

So, why am I sharing? Well, it got me thinking about my tube considerations. I, like most people on this site, am particular about pretty much everything on my bike, from the bar tape to the nipples(I just love asying that). Yet somehow my VIOCD(Velo Induced Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) didn't kick in regarding my tubes...until now.

To this point the stem type(presta) and size are all I have ever really cared about, out of necessity. Clearly there are various size ranges, and weight offereings. It appears that weight is inversely proportional to punture resistance. Additionally, there are treaded vs non threaded stems. Lastly, there are a number of manufactueres, and the usual suspects seem more expensive(Conti, Michelin, etc.). Anything I need to care about?? I am obesessing without knowledge!! HELP!!

 

[Kerry Irons]

So what's the question?

An awful lot of verbage, and I'm not sure what the question is. My main criteria for tubes is a smooth stem (Michelin) so it doesn't tear up my pump head, and light weight (70g). No thorn problems in my area, so puncture resistance is not a real issue. Beyond that, I don't understand your dillema.

 

[atlroadie]

An awful lot of verbage, and I'm not sure what the question is. My main criteria for tubes is a smooth stem (Michelin) so it doesn't tear up my pump head, and light weight (70g). No thorn problems in my area, so puncture resistance is not a real issue. Beyond that, I don't understand your dillema.

Kerry -
Thanks for the reply.

First the verbiage: Bored at work, felt like being narrative. This isn't a terribley serious problem, and certainly not an expensive one.

Second: The question? Well, that IS the question. I am not sure if I am misssing something on tubes. I know the basics(Stem type, size, weight), but didn't know if there was a deeper level to tubes. Mostly, this is a quest for knoweldge. I currently have Kenda, Novara, Performance, and Conti tubes. Aside from the stem and weight, not sure if there is much of a difference. Apparently, I can end my quest, unless you have more details.