Wheels

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Abi

New Member
I wanted to replace an old BMX really quickly so bought a bike off the internet without doing much research. I think I've got a puncture but the tires that came with the bike don't have an inner tube. Is this normal? Are they just really cheap, rubbish tires and is there anything I can do to repair it?
 

Dave5N

Über Member
Abi said:
I wanted to replace an old BMX really quickly so bought a bike off the internet without doing much research. I think I've got a puncture but the tires that came with the bike don't have an inner tube. Is this normal? Are they just really cheap, rubbish tires and is there anything I can do to repair it?


There are lots of things you can do. First one is to visit your local bike shop.
 

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
Hi

I know bugger all about bmx's, but I've never heard of anything other than a racing bike using tyres without tubes. When you say you 'think' you've got a puncture....what makes you think that? Have you tried pumping it up (I presume there are valves)? What makes you so sure there's no tube? More info please!
 
OP
OP
A

Abi

New Member
Ok, sorry... It's a Hybrid, didn't make that clear at all. Anyway, I after pumping up the tyres went flat again on my way home. They DO have valves - they are the larger of the common type (if that makes sense...). When I tried to remove the outer tyre to get to the inner tube.... well, there just wasn't one. Difficult to explain but the two 'ends' of the tyre were not 'ends' but met in the middle and I wasn't even able to remove it from the wheel frame, whereas I'm sure it shouldn't be that hard to do normally. Oh, and I went to a bike shop today to get a puncture repair kit, will undoubtedly have to go back tomorrow, but just wanted to know if there was actually anything I could do myself. Thanks
 
From your description it sounds like the bike you bought has tubular tyres; these are normally fitted on time trial bikes and race bikes as they are lighter and have, supposedly, a lower rolling resistance (never ridden them so don’t know). The cross section of a tubular tyre forms a complete circle and it’s stuck on to the wheels rims. I don’t know why somebody would fit them to a Hybrid and I don’t know why they would be fitted with Schrader valves, the largest of the 2 common types rather than Presta valves the thinner of the 2 common types.

If this is the case the only way to repair is to take the tyre casing off the wheel, unstitch it, carry out the repair, stitch it back up and stick it back on the wheel rim.

If you wish to change to tyres with inner tubes, you will need to buy tyres and inner tubes and probably wheels, as it is unlikely that wheels for tubular tyres will be suitable for “wire-on” tyres. Wire-on rims have a lip for the tyre bead to hook into.
 

skwerl

New Member
Location
London
that's really weird. Tubs on a hybrid - they may be MTB tubs if they have schraeder valves. How wide are the tyres? Are the nobblies or smooth-ish road tyres?. With luck you will have clincher rims anyway. Is there a lip under the very edge of the rim wall? If there is then I'd switch to regular clincher tyres and tubes.
 
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