Inner tubes for bicycle

MarkFromCornwall

I've several times had inner tubes fail when first inflated or shortly afterwards, suggesting a manufacturing defect. So, does anyone have any opinions on which brand is most reliable? Also, are there really lots of manufacturers or are a lot of the brands just different names on the same tubes?

discplayer

I've sometimes used Continental or Specialized but don't pay it anywhere near as much attention as I do to tyres.

Are you over-inflating? I had a dodgy valve on a pump trash a couple of tubes.

Is there a foreign object in the tyre, a protruding spoke or damage on the rim?

benjus

I usually get Schwalbe or Specialized inner tubes... I don't know if there's a big difference, but they seem better than the cheap brands.

Problems I get with new tubes are usually because I've done something wrong while fitting the tyre, e.g. pinching the tube against the rim or keeping the valve too close to the rim while fitting the tyre (rather than letting the valve move further into the tyre and only bringing the valve fully through the rim after fitting the tyre.

verybigchris

I use Wilkinsons own-brand tubes. They only cost about £2 and I've never had a problem with one (they're actually Kenda tubes in different packaging).

If tubes fail quickly, it can be a sign that whatever caused the first puncture is still stuck in the tyre (try running a fingertip along the inside of the tyre to feel for anything tiny that's still sticking out) or that the tyre has worn down too far and needs replacing.

andygb

All the above advice is good, particularly making sure that the inside of the tyre is clean. I use good quality rim tape, and I also give the entire inner tube a dusting with talcum powder, before fitting the tyre. Fit the tyre, by putting a little air inside the tube, and then feed the tyre on the the rim, starting opposite the valve. When you get to the valve, you then have to make sure that none of the tube is trapped between the rim and the tyre, because this will lead to a very quick impact puncture.
I use Michelin, Continental or Specialised - nothing to choose between them.

MarkFromCornwall

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.

Mark

sequence

It's almost certainly a fault with either the wheels or the way you are fitting the tube.

Here's some things to check :

Check that the innertube is not caught under the rim of the tyre, roll the a sides of the tyre back and forth the push the inner tube inside of the tyre.

Proper inflation pressure ? What PSI are you inflating them to ? It should be above the manufacturers min PSI, the actual figure depends on your weight though.

Rim tape : Check that the rim tape is intact and that no spokes are poking through anywhere or any sharp edges on the rim.

Check for tiny shards of glass in the tyre before fitting.