Half-circle tube? (replace without removing wheel)

[QuentinCompson]

Hello all, my Google skills are failing me and I can't find the answer to my question. This may be the first time that's ever happened.

But anyway, I remember years ago hearing about a bike tube that didn't create a full loop - thereby allowing it to be replaced without removing the wheel. Can anyone tell me if/where I could find such a thing?

And I'm sure that the ride quality would suck, but my wife's commuter has an internally geared hub with drum brake, so taking the wheel off is a huge ordeal. Her commute has always been such that, if she did get a flat, she could just hop on a train to make it to work. But her commute is changing, so that won't be an option anymore. And having her pull off the wheel on the side of the road isn't an option. I'd just like a solution that'll get her to work on time, then back home in the evening so I can properly replace the tube.

Any ideas?

 

[kdelong]

I read about it too, but I think that it was only being researched at the time. It looked like a tube that had been cut in two opposite the valve stem with the ends sealed and then a clipping mechanism that would join them after they had been positioned around the rim. It was for the exact application that you are talking about. You still had to unseat the tire on one side which can be done on the bike but it is difficult. I think that it was given up because it was harder to do than taking the wheel off. For your wife, I would suggest that you take preventative measures like Gatorskin tires and Slime tubes or Forte Thorn Resistant Tubes. And then after each ride, she should give the tires a thorough look to see if there is any glass or other sharp object that has gotten stuck in the tire so that she can pull it out before it gets to the tube and causes a flat.

 

[tafi]

I've never seen a tube separated into sausage shaped sections. It sounds interesting (particularly for hub geared systems and fixies), but we're neglecting one thing. Each section will require its own valve and all current rims only have one valve hole.

 

[kdelong]

What I read about was only separated at one point on the opposite side of the tube from the valve. the rest of it was like a normal tube and it only needed one valve. Once on the rim, the ends were held together with some sort of clips. It wasn't a half circle, it was a full circle once the clips were attached together. This goes back a number of years and I really didn't pay much attention since I wasn't going to use it anyway.

 

[tafi]

Ah I see.

 

[Reid2]

That type of tube was made, even in the 1890s, for the very reason you are interested in today.

I like to run a slick rear tire, as it is so easy to find the puncture, and fix the leak without pulling the rear wheel of my IGH rear wheel,

example, and it's just a regular tube, and it rides fine...the type of tube you propose, I would expect it to "galumph", but have no experience with it.



And you see? Because it is a slick (ideal for street use), it is -very easy- to find the usual little puncture...
...and takes only a relative few minutes to fix. I have about four puncture repairs in this tube at present,
and it holds air just fine. Most of my punctures of this -thin and fast, fat tire- are from tiny thorns
from our local, blooming http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainvillea

=the video was made, spur of the moment (pardon the pun?)
and it fails to show the action of unseating the tire, and pulling out
a section of the tube, and airing-up the tube to show-out the leak.

The leak is found by the usual ways, a wet cloth, soapy water,
or just feeling with your cheek close to the tube (the skin is sensitive).

=And, of course, you must feel and find the thorn or other object,
remove it, or you will gain new experience in flat repair, in no time flat.

hth,

rrw.

PS, if I sound like a g-d expert, well, I am not.
All I have learned, I learned from Gustavo, at Highgear Cycling,
or from online, or from practice, as I have had about ten flats in
the past few months. Darn those thorns, : )

The pictured tire has about fifteen hundred miles on it,
and no real wear of note. When, someday I have to replace it,
I would like to try Schwalbe "Kojak" slicks, they are a bit less fat,
and I can run that width in my bike's front fork, as it is only two inches wide.

Slicks, real slicks, are boss for street running, and so easy to patch when punctured,
so easy to find the flat, externally, in my experience so far.

 

[dabac]

they were available at Halfords(UK), and web shop Saint John Cycles about a year ago, don't know about now. From what I read, the idea was sound, but the execution was terrible. Seams coming apart, valves popping off etc.

 

[Bob Verrinder]

Ah I see.

 

[Bob Verrinder]

I also read about these tubes somewhere, but certainly not more than a year or two ago. I was quite impressed with them, and since I ride a recumbent tricycle with a Hub Motor on the rear along with a 16 lb battery on the rear rack and am also handicapped, I am really not too eager to remove my rear wheel due to its excess weight and my lack of mobility, not too even mention all of the Hub wires. I thought that these tubes would work well for me. But since then I also have been unable to find them anywhere. I think that the report I read said that it was difficult to tell the difference between them and a regular tube when riding.

The best that I could come up was to buy and install Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, with additional liners, and also install Slime in them. I am also installing both of these items in my front tires also, but I don't think that it is necessary due to the fact that I am certain that I could patch either of the two tires since the front end is relatively light and the tubes can be removed without removing the tires. Of course with a tricycle, you have 3 different paths for the tires, which due to my way of thinking that gives you 3 different paths for the tires, which does increase your chances of getting flats.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Google: How does it work?

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/p...tube-can-fitted-without-removing-wheel-133637

http://www.rubenacycle.co.uk/

http://www.rubenacycle.co.uk/shop/Tubes/GAADI.5637262.shop

https://www.facebook.com/RubenaCycleUK?ref=hl

Primarily made foe eBikes so Bob V., contact them and order a few in the sizes you require. Good luck.

 

[sinnelsandoval1]

http://scammersoncraigslist.blogspot.in/2011/02/sinnel-sandoval-needs-to-learn.html

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Never seen one but I remember years ago, some old dude told me that if you got a flat and had no more supplies, you could tie the tube into a knot closing off the punctured area. Would work well enough to get you back to civilization.

Never had to try it but if I ever got stuck I guess I could. Seems like the same principle.

 

[Bob Verrinder]

Well, as I mentioned earlier I had seen some info on these types of tubes about a year ago, but this discussion got me to checking again. Well, I found a whole lot more info on them just a few days ago. A company has a Patent on them now, and they are officially called Gaadi tubes, and are quite common. You can find them on the Huffy site, and even some on Amazon, and a whole lot more on eBay also. I ordered some both from eBay, and the Huffy site for a friend that wanted them with the Schaffer valve, and since I wanted some with the Presta Valve I ordered them from folks on eBay. They seem to be quite common now, and fairly inexpensive unless you need to order from overseas directly then the Postage can be quite high. If you prefer the Schaffer valve, the Huffy ones seem to be a bit cheaper and better made. Both sets of tubes that I got from both places seem to be quite heavy, but since I am using them on my rear wheel on my ETrike, weight is not one of my concerns, as my Trike already weighs more than 60 lbs. My main concern with flats is not to have one on the rear where I might have to remove the wheel the wheel to patch the tube. First off I am crippled, and even just getting off the Trike and back on would be a major job on the road, not to even mention trying to position the trike and remove the very heavy rear wheel, which by myself would be almost impossible. Hope this helps, Bob