We have a lot of stickers around here and yesterday, my son got a flat on his uni. He was thinking of putting a solid tube in it but asked me if I would post here and ask for opinions before he bought one. So do solid tubes work well on unicycles?
that would be kind of heavy, and stiff I would think?
No real experience though.
I’ve used them on a bike. It was like riding in sand. I wouldn’t even consider it on a unicycle. Teach him how to fix punctures on the trail.
i would buy a motorcycle tube instead.
they are really tuff… if it’s for a 20" unicycle go with a 16" x 2" tube, it will fit just right and have no problems as far as punctures goes.
Don’t bother with the solid tubes, those are junk. You would be better off looking into something like tube slime or an equivalent which works to instantly seal punctures, I think it would work quite well on thorns.
A heavy duty tube like mentioned above and the slime would give you a really durable ride.
From my personal experience with slime the only time it has ever worked is if you leave your bike sitting for a couple of days. Sooo I wouldn’t get it. I guess it could of worked on small puntures I didn’t know about though.
Are you talking solid tire or tube ?
I have heard of off road motorcycle racers using a foam tube inside their tires to avoid flats. It is called a bib mouse, by Michelin I think.
These are reputed to the the most difficult setup to install in all of wheeled nightmares. Lot’s of c clamps and grease required. You are basically trying to install a tire on an inflated tube. Changing a dozen flats is way easier.
Solid tires are used on some > 36 " unis. Word is it’s a rough ride. I think people only use them because there is no one selling big air tires.
I don’t know if you can find solid tires for small wheels, but it is not a popular setup. It’s best to learn how to change tires.
just get the motorcycle tube, they resist most stickers, thorns, and pinchflats off of big stairs
Where could I get 19’’ Motorcycle tubes? (and I guess what size would be needed for 19’s)
What exactly is a pinch flat?
Skrobo used a 16"x2" tube in his trials(19" rim) it will work fine for a normal 20" rim too.
When the tube gets pinched between the rim and something hard and sharp, say a rock or the edge of a stair.
"Pinch flats usually happen when you hit a sharp rock or ledge and your tire pressure is a little on the low side. When the pressure in the tire is too low to prevent the rock or ledge from compressing the tire all of the way up to the hard rim, your tube is literally left between a rock and a hard place.
Pinch flats usually result in double punctures about an inch apart in your tube. This is commonly known as a snake bite. It happens because the the contact usually occurs on both sides of your rim." - About.com
EDIT: Eroick beat me to it with a simpler definition…
This Kenda Motocross tube is 16’’ 90/100, was wondering if it would work?
http://www.Motorcycle-Superstore.com/2/9/203/12649/ITEM/Kenda-Tuff-Tube.aspx
here’s the thing i have used slime for 5 years on ton of tires and i have had it not work like once
the key is work the slime in to the tire but rideing or work it around the tire by hand
it also helps to hit it with alot of air presser fast then take the tube down to the psi your ride at
Yea could someone post a moto tube that you definately know will fit a unicycle.
Instead of solid tubes, why don’t you go tubeless? If you use a Stans no-tubes kit it has a latex sealant that instantly plugs holes if you get thorns in the tyre.
It will be much lighter than a solid tube!
Do a search…plenty of info on going tubeless
my guess is yes it will work…
A 16X2" motorcycle TUBE WILL NOT WORK EFFICIENTLY IN A TRIALS SETUP
trials rims are 15" diameter, which is how motorcycle tubes are measured.
that tube is a good size for a bmx bike tube.
i use a 15x2.75-3.0 or 3.0-3.25 i do not suggest going any bigger than that. the 2.75-3.0 is the ideal tube for our use.
i have gotten one pinchflat… to flat ground off a decent drop w/ around 10 psi…
i have destroyed a rim (including huge flatspots) with one tube … and i still use the same tube in my uni now.
my mistake… thought I saw you post somewhere about using a 16x2 in a trials setup.