Easy Fit Inner Tubes

[moon]

I just bought one of these sausage shaped Sidewinder easy fit inner tubes

from here
Sidewinder Easy Fit Inner tube - for 24 and 26 inc

I fitted it to the back wheel of my wisper and it took about 2 mins to fit...just been out on the bike and it seems normal to ride...

Will report back if there are any problems.

NB The box says they are made for Halfords...so you might find them there too...

 

[flecc]

We had a thread about these a few days ago, and it seems they are a Halfords line these days, though they've been around for many years.

Tom's thread

In fact some of the very first inner tubes ever created with the invention of pneumatic tyres were like this.
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[John Fleet]

if I understand how this works right - when I get the inevitable rear wheel puncture I would simply lever off one side of the tyre without removing the rear wheel (remove the old conventional inner tube - which presumably would require cutting in half to be removed) and then feed this 'sausage' around the rim with an overlap - refit tyre and inflate?

.... and available for 75 pence each - sounds the perfect solution for the rear wheel on a Wisper! please let us know how it works out in practice as I'm minded to buy half a dozen at that price if they're any good!

 

[JohnInStockie]

..if anyone finds any 700C or 28" ones, please post!!

 

[Mussels]

if I understand how this works right - when I get the inevitable rear wheel puncture I would simply lever off one side of the tyre without removing the rear wheel (remove the old conventional inner tube - which presumably would require cutting in half to be removed) and then feed this 'sausage' around the rim with an overlap - refit tyre and inflate?

.... and available for 75 pence each - sounds the perfect solution for the rear wheel on a Wisper! please let us know how it works out in practice as I'm minded to buy half a dozen at that price if they're any good!

To me that sounds slower than repairing the puncture, but I have had a lot of practice.

 

[JohnInStockie]

To me that sounds slower than repairing the puncture, but I have had a lot of practice.

You should post an idiots guide to speedy repairs, and I'll do one on 'How NOT to do it'

John

 

[moon]

:::Update:::
These inner tubes will split your tyre where they overlap!! I found this out when inflate the tube to around 40psi and ending up with a torn tyre.

I have now been able to replace the tyre and tube after much blood, sweat and tears....literally, it took an hour and i cut my finger then started crying with frustration...well i am a girl...hehe

I found that you have to unscrew the rear rack and pull the frame apart slightly in order to refit the wheel.

I think I have done it correctly, and willl give it a test ride later...

 

[Mussels]

:::Update:::
These inner tubes will split your tyre where they overlap!! I found this out when inflate the tube to around 40psi and ending up with a torn tyre.

I have now been able to replace the tyre and tube after much blood, sweat and tears....literally, it took an hour and i cut my finger then started crying with frustration...well i am a girl...hehe

I found that you have to unscrew the rear rack and pull the frame apart slightly in order to refit the wheel.

I think I have done it correctly, and willl give it a test ride later...

Whilst I don't disbelieve you I don't understand this, 2 inner tubes overlapping and inflated to 40psi will not double the load on the tyre so they shouldn't cause the tyre to fail. The tyre wall on my Wisper failed after a week (like yours it may have been weakened by a puncture) so it may just be down to a weak tyre. I also found most of my punctures were on the inside of the inner tube and I think caused by a mixture of broken spokes and weak rim tape. Unfortunately because of the weak rim tape my repairs only lasted a few days until the air forced a hole in the unsupported repair patch, I've replaced the rim tape but haven't been able to ride my bike much since to test it.
You don't need to remove the rack to get the wheel on and off, to change the inner tube you only need to remove the non electric side and stretch the frame to slip the tube in and out. Replacing the whole wheel is definitely an art that takes a couple of times to work out.

 

[moon]

Well I just saying it as it happened, if you have experienced something different then fair enough.

edited to add that the tyre was not punctured, the original tube failed due to stress at the valve join which caused the valve to come away from the wall of the tubeas i was inflating it.

 

[Mussels]

Well I just saying it as it happened, if you have experienced something different then fair enough.

I may have come across badly there, I just think it is more likely to be due to a weak tyre than a problem caused by the inner tube. I was also surprised when I found tyre prevention inserts caused punctures which is why I said I don't disbelieve that the inner tube could cause the tyre failure, there does seem to be a lot of utter rubbish sold as cycling accessories.

 

[flecc]

there does seem to be a lot of utter rubbish sold as cycling accessories.

Never a truer sentence than that.
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[moon]

You don't need to remove the rack to get the wheel on and off, to change the inner tube you only need to remove the non electric side and stretch the frame to slip the tube in and out. Replacing the whole wheel is definitely an art that takes a couple of times to work out.

You must have a very different bike to mine, I could not stretch the frame at all and had to unbolt the motor side and lift out the wheel in order to remove the tyre, then on trying to replace the wheel the frame was very very tight, once i had unscrewed the rack i was able to prise open the frame open by about a centimeter in order to fully slot the wheel in place.
My bike has 3 bolts around the wheel 2 on the non motor side, (one on the inside of the frame and one on the outside) and one on the motor side. There didnt seem to be enough space between all the bolts in order to slot the wheel back easily.