inner tubes & tyres

[killerdingo]

I was just wondering if there is a general rule of thumb about how many times you would repair an inner tube before throwing it.
also how many miles riding would you expect from a set of tyres I have continental sport and have done 1300 miles but am finding a few slits in the side wall and am wondering about changing them.
any suggestion on tyres for general riding would be appreciated.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I never ponce about repairing tubes, buy in bulk and they are only about £2 each.

If you mean cracks in the sidewall of a tyre they are nothing to worry about. They all seem to do that as they age. As for replacing, I do it when they look to have squared off too much or the canvas is showing through., whichever comes first.

 

[Joe24]

I only use inner tubes once. Once they have a puncture i either keep them if i need to use them for cutting up and mounting something or they are thrown away.
I get Specilized inner tubes for £1 because the cycle club buys them in bulk though.

 

[Tynan]

in the past I've patched a tube twenty times plus, why not, it's sheer waste to chuck it when five minutes and 10p of materials can fully repair it

 

[HJ]

There was a thread about this about a year ago (if memory serves me right), it comes down to personal choice, some people will patch a tube 5 times or more before throwing it out, where as others (the lazy or rich ones) will use a new tube every time.

 

[Milo]

I just patch its cheap.

 

[Brock]

I patch because:
1. A spare tube is somewhat heavier than a patch kit, I never carry one on day rides or commutes.
2. You can usually locate the puncture in the tyre and just tug out that section of tube and fix without having to remove the entire innertube, or the wheel.
3. It just strikes me as bloody lazy and wasteful to change the entire tube. I bet these people throw their punctured tube in the hedge where it becomes a potential death noose for wandering mountjack gazelles too.

As to the question of how many times you should repair a tube, I suppose when it starts becoming so misshapen that it effects the tyre shape, it's probably time for a new one.

 

[mondobongo]

I dont like waste so even though I pay about 2.35 per tube I will always repair the tube 3 or 4 times before chucking it in the bin.

 

[Alcdrew]

As soon as I get 2-3 P's I get new tyres and tubes. I find once you get one flat it's not long before the next one, and I can't be bothered spending all my time repairing them. Hence the new tyres. Wouldn't mind keeping/ reusing the tubes, but normally get a tyre and tube set so no need to reuse them.

 

[HLaB]

I carry a spare tube and repair the damaged one later in the comfort of home. I also carry a small repair kit for emergencies. My aim is to replace a tube after 3 or 4 patches, maybe a bit more on the commuter but less on the road bike. Touch wood, however I haven't reached this level yet on either and I'm still using the original tubes, except on my 3rd bike when I put new narrower tyres on it back in Jan, they came with free tubes.