(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best bike tubes

If it's an 11 mile one way commute, then you'll probably want a road bike. The Raleigh Merit will be well suited for your needs but I would recommend adding or swapping the following:

1. More puncture resistant tires. You can also get Mr. Tuffy tire liners, but those will not have side wall protection.
   
   
2. A good ULock and possibly some locking skewers to secure your wheels and seatpost. I interned right outside of Denver in 2015 and 2016 and regularly bike commuted. Even in the suburbs, bike wheels were regularly stolen if not secured.
   
   
3. A rear rack and a set of panniers. Carrying stuff, including a change of clothes, with only a backpack gets old and sweaty. Plus the whole grocery thing if you're not going to bring a car.
   
   You may wish to check out /r/bikecommuting for additional information. If this will be your first bike, you will also need to get the following items:
   
   
4. A helmet.
   
   
5. Front and rear lights.
   
   
6. Bicycle chain lube and degreaser (automotive works fine) to clean the chain.
   
   
7. A bike specific multitool and tire levers.
   
   
8. An air pump.
   
   If this seems like a lot, don't worry. You can get a really cheap and good pump from Walmart. Just make sure it has a presta valve hole. They also sell helmets which are required to meet the same safety standards as all other helmets sold in the US, as well as chain lube and auto degreaser. Amazon has good deals on the other stuff, especially lights.
   
   Finally, I find this frame mounted cell phone holder extremely valuable. The reason being, that I have a horrible sense of direction and this enables me to view Google Maps biking directions while riding to various places without having to take my phone out. Plus I can easily listen to music while riding.

Don't get that tube, it's the lightweight version and won't last as long. If you aren't racing, get standard weight tubes- they will also save you a dollar or two. I ride Sunlite tubes in all of my bikes, and have for over a decade. I buy three or four tubes per year, so my sample size is starting to get pretty big. Sunlite tubes work fine, get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Standard-Presta-Valve-Tubes/dp/B00WKTZ4Y6?th=1&psc=1

> ay so skinnier tires would be faster for non-snowy riding, so how skinny of tires could I put on these rims? Currently they are 2.1 tires. And also could I go a bit wider for my winter tires? Like maybe a 2.4, or would that be pushing it

I used to commute on a similar type of bike! (spec. rock hopper, so same type of rims) When summer rolled around I stuck these on. Great in the wet as long as you keep the air pressure up.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004JKJNAK/

dont forget smaller tubes http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XH790O/

They were amazing! Never an issue! With a pair of clipins vs flats, it was only %5 slower than a proper road bike.

They also make a 26x1.4 if your need more volume.

Solid tires look interesting in concept ... in reality there's a lot wrong with them. You will almost certainly be dissatisfied.

A solid tire completely changes the way forces are distributed around the rim. With an air-filled tire, impact forces are distributed around the wheel, unless you hit something hard enough that the wheel actually makes contact through the tire. With solid tires, all of those forces are delivered through the tire directly to the wheel at the point of contact. The net result is that although the tire will absorb some of the impact forces, the wheel is ultimately taking more abuse than it was designed to.

So, while you may save time/money on tubes ... you'll be having a tough time keeping your wheels true, and will be wasting time and money re-trueing and/or replacing wheels. There really is a reason you don't often see these solid tires out in the wild.

Instead, you should look into some of the more "conventional" options.

1. Try a super puncture-resistant tire like a Schwalbe Marathon or the like.
   
2. You could add a "slime tube". These tubes are filled with a liquid that will instantly seal moderately sized punctures. It won't work for pinch flats, but if you're suffering from punctures through the tread or sidewall, these will work fairly well.
   
3. You could go tubeless. You'll need to buy a set of tubeless-ready wheels and a tubeless ready set of tires. Once mounted, you add a few ounces of tubeless tire sealant. Pinch flats are now a thing of the past, and good tubeless tire sealant will seal holes up to 1/4" in diameter. This is your most expensive route, but it's also your most robust solution. NOTE: Some people get away with "ghetto tubeless" where a "standard" rim is made airtight using extra layers of tubeless rim tape and then mount a tubeless ready tire. At the lower pressures of a 26x2 tire, you can sometimes get away with it. That said, initial setup will be fiddly, so you'd either have to be comfortable fiddling around with a project that's going to be a bit of a pain in the ass ... or know someone who is.

You need a 700x28 tube. They usually come in ranges, so either a 700x25-30 or a 700x28-35 will work. Also make sure you get the right valve, either schrader or presta. The correct valve length, usually in 32mm, 48mm, or 60mm, is determined by the section of your rim. The section is the distance between the outer wall of the rim and the holes where the nipples show through. Shraders usually come in a standard valve length of 32mm, but there are 48mm valves available. If presta, you can always get the longest valve to play it safe, like this with the 60mm option.

perfect! thanks. is sunlite any good?

sort of unrelated: If im only using the rear 5 gears and 1 in front on my 10 speed, then could I get a chain that is meant for a 5-8 speed and then not use my full range? 10 speed chains are stupidly expensive. im looking at this shimano cn-hg70 right now.

The downward angle of the top tube just makes the bike easier to ride by setting you up with a more upright position, it has nothing to do with the bike being more or less manly.

Basically, your bike needs a new tube, I'd be amazed if you need a tire. But assuming you need both, you can buy those online and install them yourself. It is a very basic skill that you SHOULD learn, I normally never ride my bike without an extra tube.

Your bike needs a tune up and it would be good.. No reason to buy a new one. But it seems to me like you are looking for validation here to go and buy a new one, if that's so then just do it. But before you do, look at your budget and what you can get there and not the first bike you see at your LBS. There's a lot of choices out there, both new and used and you're limiting yourself to the first thing you saw.

Edit: 700 x 35 was provided by some friendly Redditors! Would this work? (Amazon Link) Michelin Airstop

Also, wondering what the numbers designate. Is 700 the circumference?

​

Trek 7100 Alpha Aluminum2010~

17.5" Frame

Serial: WTU187C2132E

SRAM X-3 (Don't know what it's called)

RST 2" Travel (shocks?)

Hybrid tires.

​

So basically, I haven't been able to use this bike for years. I've been moving around so much it's been in horrible storage condition. I want to clean and tune it up. I'll be you tubing most of it. We don't have any reliable bicycle shops close to where I live now. Recognize I will probably need to invest in some tools.

​

What I could make out on the tires was 622 x 20 Bontrager. There is also a thin strip of rubber that covered the spoke rivets? that has come apart.

Looking for new tube. Wondering if these tires are still servicable? They seem ok to me. I also need to know where to get that piece of rubber that covers the tube. Above all else, can't figure out if this is a 20" tube and tire.

​

If I'm missing any key information to help assist, let me know! I've contacted the downtube in Albany NY to see if they have any record on my purchase.

This is a really stupid question, but I'm trying to find a puncture resistant tube for my wheel. The tire says 700x40c, which I think is 28x 1" 5/8 in English...I'm pretty bad at finding things online, but I couldn't find a self-sealing tube by Slime that fit this size on Amazon, or a puncture-resistant one by Bell. Those are the only brands I know of that are somewhat-reputable. I think my fault was buying a hybrid instead of picking a road or mountain bike, it seems like the tires are really odd-sized.

I found this listing, but I don't know if it's worth buying it based on how little reviews it has. Should I just buy two regular $6 tubes and pray I don't get yet another flat?

Tubes have a few attributes that can differ:

• Valve type. This is typically either Presta, a skinny valve with a threaded nut on the end, or Schrader which is the wider type common on car tires.
  
  
• Valve stem length. It's unlikely this affects you, but deep section aero wheels require a taller valve stem.
  
  
• Diameter. You know this to be 700c so it should say so in the tube name.
  
  
• Width. This is almost always a range for a tube. Since it's rubber it can stretch and cover a range of tire widths. For example, look at this tube name: http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Premium-Presta-700x20-25-27x1-1/dp/B00165Q944/ref=pd_bxgy_sg_text_y
  
  It's referenced as 700x20-25. What this means is it's a tube for a 700c wheel and will fit properly in tires between 20c and 25c wide. So, if you want a 28c wide tire, it might be a bit too small (but it would probably still work okay in a pinch).

I HIGHLY recommend these 2 items together

Puncture Resistant Bontrager AW1 Hard-Case Road Tire

Forte Road Puncture Resistant Presta Bicycle Tube

both are amazing, together almost undefeatable, I've gone thousands of miles with no flats

Thank you very much for your advice, I just picked out a 700x40c tire. Should I be okay with my current tubes, or get something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/SunLite-Inner-35-40mm-Presta-Valve/dp/B004EZOTIQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1409860788&sr=8-6&keywords=700x40c+tube

Here is a link to bulk tubes. 5 for $20. having 5 of 5 different sized tubes, or 10 of the most common will probably save a bunch of people out in deep playa or on the 3:00 side. Also you could go to a bike shop, donate and help fix tubes all for about $100.

I use these, and they are definitely pretty heavy duty.

What are good brands of inner tubes? I need to replace mine, but don't have much experience with different brands. I've been having a look at Amazon and would Sunchase be alright? (700x35 sizing)

The 26" fractional size is a different diameter, will probably not work. The 26x1.75-2.25" will work better, however there are also tubes that have a range around 1.5". Also, I'm sure a bike shop has the exact tube you need for a similar price and you could get it today.

I've found that cheap tubes are a false economy.

Have switched to Schwalbe tubes, and these will do you nicely. Just make sure to select the right valve type.

You bought (700x38) a fair bit larger tire than came stock (700x28).

The tubes you bought are 700x20-25.

Basically they are too small. That being said, you can probably make them work. Just bear in mind you are more likely to flat as the tubes have less material to fill the casing of your tire. If it's easy enough you should probably try to size up to these at 700x32-47 (which contains your 38 in the range)

https://www.amazon.com/Continental-Presta-Valve-2-Pack-25-32cc/dp/B01CYTV4P4/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1502972845&sr=1-3&keywords=inner%2Btube%2B700&th=1&psc=1

I would replace the tire if I was you. You might consider something like this as an alternative if your rubber cement patch doesn’t work and you really don’t want to replace the tire for some reason. I doubt rubber cement will be strong enough to turn any hazard that would cause a 3rd flat.

Heya, does it have to be that particular one? I'm just curious, because there are cheaper alternatives which I could possibly afford when my paycheck comes in (if your son is still in need). I used to get this one for my bike before it got stolen (RIP bike, I did love you).

Kevlar Inserts - I used to live in a place with an abundance of Goatheads, and these inserts saved my tires. I went from being worried about riding on the roads, to being able to ride through empty lots.

Something like this

You need tires or tubes... Or both? You need to know the width as well. Here are examples of 26 inch products:

Tube: https://www.amazon.com/Bell-STANDARD-Tube-26-1-75-2-25/dp/B000AAYBHI/

Tire: https://www.amazon.com/Bell-Whitewall-Flat-Defense-Cruiser/dp/B0796B1SC7/

Schwalbe SV17 to suit that tyre width..

I have a anti-puncture tape on my tires and never got a puncture.

I used to use slime, but I hatted the mess it made when the puncture was large. here are the tire liners I use.

​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078FHD1ZH/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvpv2_3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=6375e697-f226-4dbd-a63a-5ec697811ee1&pd_rd_wg=Jp24B&pf_rd_r=B9AWKRGAV2JBXB5NWP36&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B078FHD1ZH&pd_rd_w=Jl41t&pf_rd_i=mr+tough+tire&pd_rd_r=865fdccf-a1ec-4001-a0cb-87e65abd1f19&ie=UTF8&qid=1538164588&sr=3

​