Easy fit inner tubes - Again

[Pete]

These tubes, which are sausage shaped instead of a hoop, were mentioned in a thread the other day. Having just had a horrible experience of sorting out a shredded inner tube on a rear wheel hub motor, I was very interested in them.
I searched back in the Forum and strangely, although the subject cropped up a few times, nobody has ever nailed their colours to the mast about them, and the threads just petered out. I am a bit puzzled because on the surface they seem like a great idea although some of the die-hards seem to take a masochistic delight in dismembering themselves removing a back wheel just for a bit of exercise! Not me. So, has anybody any real experience, hard evidence, about these things? They are even cheaper than chips, so something is not quite right here.
Another strange thing, while I was trying to find out about them on Google, I turned up a page for a similar thing, slightly refined, it was called something like the Cobra tube I think, and the refinement was a hole near the end which slipped over the valve stem and helped keep the overlap in position while the tyre was re-fitted. The strangeness is in the fact that I didn't bookmark the page and no amount of Googling has turned it up again. Anybody help on this as well?
Pete

 

[Mussels]

I'm sure someone has posted this week about fitting them. Personally I think they will be more prone to blowouts but I'd like to know what they are really like.

 

[Chalkyx]

Flybikes: Cobra tubes finally!

Is this it Peter?

Chalky

 

[Pete]

Yes! Well done Chalky, I was beginning to think I had imagined it. How did you turn it up as a matter of interest. It is a bit of an odd web page isn't it, and notice that it is being pushed as something new, some countries now, others later, and dated this month. The easy fit version has been around for a long time
Pete

 

[Orraman]

Pete,

Being tight I bought 3 because the postage goes up after that but I can't abide a bargain.
The glossy box prominently says Halfords, size 24" and 26" Mountain bike wheels.
The "car type valve" is tucked inside the folded tube which is 40mm across the flat and I struggled to measure 35mm over the cap.
The tube is thicker than I am used to and weighs 234gm.

My son says that similar tubes are used for motorcycle moto-cross and enduro where they are regarded as normal equipment.

Chalkyx,
Thank you, I will look out for the 20".

Dave

 

[Barnowl]

Google Cobra inner tube and it's first up.

Interesting tube if it saves hassle with that rear wheel.

 

[Pete]

Yes, it does, can't understand why I couldn't find it before.
Pete

 

[emissions-free]

I'll have to get some of them myself, but you can repair an inner tube without taking the wheel off anyway. I had a puncture a few days ago and got it repaired in 1 of the many little bike shops they have over here. They just popped 1 side of the tyre off, pulled the tube out and did what they needed to do. Was done in less than 5 mins. Bought a repair kit while I was there as well and a spare tube.

The good thing about Shanghai is that if you did get a puncture any time between about 8am and 8pm you could virtually guarantee you wouldn't have to go more than about 1km before finding a little place that will repair it for you for about 30p. My tube had pinched and had 2 holes, so it cost me almost 60p

 

[Pete]

The good thing about Shanghai is that if you did get a puncture any time between about 8am and 8pm you could virtually guarantee you wouldn't have to go more than about 1km before finding a little place that will repair it for you for about 30p. My tube had pinched and had 2 holes, so it cost me almost 60p

I wish. Maybe I am particularly poorly served here in Norfolk, but you need a Satnav to find one and then their waiting list for repairs is longer than your GP's.

 

[flecc]

Probably good for a temporary repair, but as previous threads have shown, they aren't good for permanent use, the ends sometimed puncturing by abrading each other. The weight isn't balanced within the tyre either of course, which might affect handling on some bikes at speed.

If they had no serious disadvantages they'd have become standard fitment many years ago, since they've been available for decades and cost no more to produce.
.

 

[Chalkyx]

Hello Peter
At first I tried Cobra inner tubes but only got two results from forums,
I noticed they did not use the inner part so tried Cobra tubes and
that produced the goods.

Chalkyx

 

[Pete]

Well gents, just as I predicted when I started this thread nobody ever comes up with any hard evidence.

Probably good for a temporary repair, but as previous threads have shown, they aren't good for permanent use

Well I searched and can't find any thread that makes a solid comment like this. Is it a conspiracy of silence?
So, I am going to have to find out the easy way, having bought 2 I will try them and report back. I really want them to work, they seem like such a good idea, especially if you have a rear hub motor!
Pete

 

[flecc]

Well gents, just as I predicted when I started this thread nobody ever comes up with any hard evidence.

Well I searched and can't find any thread that makes a solid comment like this. Is it a conspiracy of silence?

There is somewhere Pete. I particularly remember a detailed description of the puncturing at the overlap from one member. All I've found so far is this post where the tyre was split at the overlap.
.

 

[moon]

Ive used the sidewinders and they were fine after i replaced the faulty tyre
Sidewinder Easy Fit Inner tube 24 & 26 Inch Wheels

 

[Pete]

Thanks for that Moon, its fantastic, someone who has actually used them! I have 2 and I am going to fit them to see how they perform and will post back what I find.
Pete