Need to replace Torker DX inner tube, does it have to be extra wide?

[Jt00]

After a good 11 leaks and about as many patches on the Torker's inner tube, I have decided to get a new inner tube (or is this many leaks normal?). If I get a new tube, does it have to be extra wide? If it does, where would I get one (24" wheel)?

[jtrops]

The bike shops in town here have 24x2.5-3 tubes in stock, so I would try a bike shop. I've been running a 26" mountain bike tube in my 24x3 wheel without a problem. The other nice thing about using a standard tube is that I buy them 5 at a time for under $3/tube, and I can use them on my bike.

What has caused your flats? If it's pinch flats you probably need more pressure. If it's thorns you might do well to put a tire liner between the tube and the tire.

[Togger]

I would make sure the rim doesn't have rough spots. Minre came from a dealer with sharp, rough spots which wore thru the inner tube.

[Jt00]

I don't know what's causing the flats, just what's not. It's not the rim, all the punctures are on the outer side of the tube. And it's not punctures in the traditional sense, because there are no holes at all in the tire itself. Just for some reason, either the patches I use get a wrinkle in them that runs right over the hole, so air leaks again, or there's a new hole. These holes are tiny, but will let the tire go flat in a matter of minutes (or just 1 minute, depending on which hole). I was just at walmart and I looked at the tubes they had there. They get to 2.125" wide at the most (my tire is 3"). They also have the Slime sealant that goes inside the tube itself. Would that work?


And what are pinch flats?

[RossRacing]

Inner tubes are very stretchy... So yes it would work.
That is why 26" tubes work also can work in 24" tires.
I think it is better to have a tube in compression rather than stretched out as I believe it will resist popping (just like any balloon).

[RossRacing]

Pinch flats are when the tire tread collapses until it hits the wheel rim. The tire sidewalls bulge out, and the inner tube gets pinched inside the tire between the tread and the rim. Hopping, stairs, hitting rocks or curbs, with too low of air pressure can do this.

Since your flats are on the outside of the tube, this eliminates spoke stabbing injury and 'pinched tube while mounting' injury. No object in the tire eliminates nails/thorns injury. Still leaves low air pressure pinch flats, and bad tube / bad patches. What air pressure do you have, and how aggressive are you on your sidewalls (hopping, stairs, etc)

[jtrops]

Rossracing is right about pinch flats, but an easy way to identify them is that there will be two holes from where it was pinched. We used to call them "snakebites." Patch kits used to come with a long narrow patch that was nicknamed a snakebite patch just for these kind of flats. If all of your patches are holding I would just keep patching. Consider it extra rubber for the next thorn to get through.

Before you install a new tube, or a repaired one, you should be careful to find the culprit. If you re-install the tube without removing the thorn, or whatever caused the flat it will probably continue to cause more flats. Sometimes the intrusion is very, very small. From the way you describe it I wonder if you aren't getting repeat flats from the same source.

I'm not a big fan of Slime, but it does work. There are a few reasons I don't like it, but two top the list. First of all, I hat the dead feel that it gives the tire. Clinchers are bad enough already, but add the extra weight of a DH tire, and then put a heavy fluid inside and it totally kills the ride quality. The next reason I'm not a fan is that when it fails to work you have to replace the tube. Even a flat that could normally be patched will require a new tube because the tube won't hold a patch with the goop inside.