best deal on inner tubes

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
ehelifecycle
Posts: 169
Joined: 4 Dec 2011, 8:14pm
Contact:

best deal on inner tubes

Post by ehelifecycle »

Hi All,

anyone know where the best deals on innertubes are for on line with free postage and or any national stores e.g Halfords, Decathlon? I'm after 700c 32-35 with circa 50mm presta valve stem.

thanks
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20308
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by mjr »

Schwalbe, Impac or Kenda tubes from a local bike shop are the best deal IMO.

Halfords often have deals like 3 for £10 but the quality control seems poor (1 in 3 failed in the last batch I saw) and finding a dud valve or weak seam when on the road is rather irritating.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by Mick F »

I get mine from SJS when I order something else. Stock up on them.
Four spares for each bike, but I've not had a visit from the fairy for years.
Mick F. Cornwall
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by simonhill »

Spa do bulk boxes of 10, they come out at £2:80 each. You'll have to pay postage unless you build an order.

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m14b0s123p3 ... s-%2810%29
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by Jdsk »

NB Cycling UK discount at Halfords.

Jonathan
User avatar
531colin
Posts: 16083
Joined: 4 Dec 2009, 6:56pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by 531colin »

Does nobody patch them?
PT1029
Posts: 1744
Joined: 16 Apr 2012, 9:20pm

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by PT1029 »

Does nobody patch them?
Yes, eventually I get so few punctures it might take ages to get repaired (having fitted a spare out on the road).
User avatar
531colin
Posts: 16083
Joined: 4 Dec 2009, 6:56pm
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by 531colin »

I wait until I have half a dozen or so to mend.
People who don't mend them, what do you do when you are touring?
A week or so ago I punctured both tyres on a lane with (as I thought) just the occasional bit of hedge debris....I only ever carry 2 spares, so if I had been touring without a patch kit that would have been my spares all used up.
Its fair to say I do seek out minor roads and tracks.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by Mick F »

Mending a tube is ok so long as it's a small hole.

Never ever EVER tried mending one on tour or travelling or on a ride.
Take spares. Find what caused the puncture, fit a new tube, inflate, and carry on riding.
I carry two spares.

Fix the tube - if it's worth the effort - as a fireside job when you can be bothered with the hassle.
Other than that, turn it into elastic bands.

Tubes are disposable. They last (me) years and years. Last puncture was in 10th Sept 2015 on Mercian, and 10th Oct 2019 on Moulton. And yes, I do use the bikes! :D


PS:
I keep records and a diary, so I know my facts.
Mick F. Cornwall
Jdsk
Posts: 24639
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by Jdsk »

Mick F wrote: 28 Sep 2021, 7:01pmNever ever EVER tried mending one on tour or travelling or on a ride.
Take spares. Find what caused the puncture, fit a new tube, inflate, and carry on riding.
I carry two spares.
Have you ever had more than two punctures on a tour?

Thanks

Jonathan
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8443
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by Sweep »

Planet X often sell Vavert tubes at very keen prices.
Best to buy when other stuff you need as postage can bump things up a fair bit.
Sweep
PH
Posts: 13106
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by PH »

Twice I've bought cheap tubes, Halfords and Planet X, both times I've regretted it.
I probably need to replace a tube with a new one less often than I need to replace tyres. Schwalbe tubes from Halfords are about £4 with the CTC discount, that's a good enough deal for me.
I carry one tube, instant patches and a full patch kit. Which I use depends on circumstances, who I'm with, where I'm going... If the weather is OK, I'm not in a hurry and there's a nice spot, I have a preference for doing the full job there and then rather than leaving part of it to be done some other time. I carry the instant patches in case I'm ever in such a hurry that I don't have time to wait for the glue or remove the wheel. That's never happened though I have used one on someone else's puncture (When their cheap spare tube had a manufacturing fault)
User avatar
TrevA
Posts: 3551
Joined: 1 Jun 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by TrevA »

I tend to buy a few whenever I visit Decathlon. I usually pay about £2.50 per tube, though I haven’t bought any for a while.

I once bought some cheap ones from Wilkinson’s and they were rubbish. Not robust at all. Lesson learned. The Decathlon tubes are fine.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
9494arnold
Posts: 1208
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 3:13pm

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by 9494arnold »

I won two club awards in a year, one for 6 punctures on one day ride ( bike hadn't been used for years and tyres were a lot worse than I thought, in the pre puncture proof era) and I one for the most unusual puncture ( carrying Trike over a narrow bridge, upside down over my head , caught a wheel in a hawthorn bush and punctured ! :( That was because the Ford (where trike Riders can often be found ! ) resembled Niagra falls on the day in question. :lol:
simonhill
Posts: 5226
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: best deal on inner tubes

Post by simonhill »

531colin wrote: 28 Sep 2021, 5:42pm Does nobody patch them?
Fortunately, where I mainly tour there are lots of places that fix punctures. Usually for about 50p a go even when still on the wheel.
Post Reply