Probably a stupid question about inner tubes....

[pepecat]

.....but I don't know anything about them!

Ok, I have a trek 1.2 WSD bought last year. When I'm cycling, I carry tyre levers and a puncture repair kit, and am about to order a pocketrocket pump. Haven't punctured yet, but i figure it's going to happen one day.

I know I need to carry a couple of spare inner tubes..... but i don't know anything about what size to get (are the all the same size? am guessing not?).
There also seems to be a lot of references to 700c tubes..... what the heck does that mean??! Looking on the spec for my bike, the tyres are 700x23c.
Again, I don't know what that means!!

Am aware there are different inners by different manufacturers out there (some better than others, obviously) - Continental and Schwalbe seem to be ok from what i've seen?

Another question (and i might be on a losing streak on this one).... is it possible to buy those plastic covers that go over presta valves? Mine's split in half.

Thanks

 

[4F]

700 is the your wheel size, 23 is the width

Continental and Schwalbe are both good makes. Inner tubes are not all the same size however an inner tube will cover a small range of widths

For example you should look for a replacement tube which will say something line 700 x 19 - 25 ie will cover the tyre widths from 19 - 25

 

[screenman]

Better to sound stupid for a minute than to remain ignorant for the rest of your life. Your LBS will give you the plastic bits FOC, if not do not bother using the shop.

 

[HJ]

Another question (and i might be on a losing streak on this one).... is it possible to buy those plastic covers that go over presta valves? Mine's split in half.

Thanks

Don't worry about it, the only function of plastic caps on the presta valves is to stop the valve stem from puncturing the tube while it is folded in the box, once it it on the wheel they are not necessary...

 

[User269]

+1 on the advice already given, but there's one other thing you need to check. Many modern bikes have wheels with quite deep rims, so you need to check the length of the valve that's fitted to your inner tube at the moment. Sorry to complicate matters but I know 2 people who carried ordinary tubes with standard length valves only to find that they barely protruded through the rim and couldn't be inflated.

 

[pepecat]

Thanks for the answers - makes more sense now, and i have now ordered some Continental Race 700x 18-25 inner tubes and a pocketrocket pump. Am hoping I don't puncture, but sods law it's gonna happen if i don't carry a spare tube!

Am guessing 700 and 23 refer to millimeters?!

 

[TheDoctor]

23 refers to mm, yes - that's the nominal width of the tyre.
700C refers to the nominal diameter of the inflated tyre - the diameter of the wheel it fits to is 622 mm.
It's not worth getting too hung up on the whys and wherefores of what 700C actually relates to - it's the de facto standard road bike size. Anything that's different (like 27 inch tyres) will be clearly identified as such.

 

[Tynan]

called a dust cap isn't it?

I always thing it stops the delicate bit on the end from being damaged

 

[Globalti]

Okay, once you get the tubes, take one out of its box and unscrew the little cap thingy. Put the valve in your mouth and while pushing the cap with your teeth, suck all the remaining air out of the tube, which will go flat. Starting with the valve roll the tube up tight into an oval. Then tape a couple of plastic tyre levers to the side and tape it all round to hold the whole lot in one compact lump. You can slip this into a jersey pocket each time you go out and you don't need to carry a p*nct*re repair kit.

 

[ASC1951]

..... When I'm cycling, I carry tyre levers and a puncture repair kit, and am about to order a pocketrocket pump.

I know I need to carry a couple of spare inner tubes.....

I wouldn't bother with the repair kit for day rides. Just take two (not one) new tubes. Repairing tubes is a job for when you get home, although I suspect most of
us just bin punctured tubes - certainly I do.

 

[martint235]

I wouldn't bother with the repair kit for day rides. Just take two (not one) new tubes. Repairing tubes is a job for when you get home, although I suspect most of
us just bin punctured tubes - certainly I do.

Yep would definitely take two tubes. There's always the occasion when you don't find the thing in the tyre that caused the puncture the first time, let alone the horrible thought of a genuine double puncture....

 

[Alien8]

When your new pump arrives you might want to have a go at changing a tube at home. This will at least give you some idea about the effort needed to remove/refit the tyre on the rim and also how much effort it takes with your new pump to get the pressure up to something reasonable. If you're a bit worried about getting a flat out on the road this may help to alleviate your concerns.