Topic: 19 inch tube in 18 inch wheel?

[orange550]

I recently repaired a rear flat on my 550. Strangely, the tube was a 19" in the 18" rim/tire. The tube was very old, made in Japan, by a company that many years ago was moved to Vietnam. This makes me think it's possible that this was installed from factory. Either way, the tube had lived inside that tire for a very long time without causing any issues. I certainly didn't notice any funky vibrations or such.

So, is this common enough? And the bigger question: If I'm distance touring, could I carry just one tube for front and back, and... maybe an 18" tube could be as easily stretched to fit the 19" rim, as a 19" tube could be stuffed into the 18"?

So should I carry an 18" or 19" tube?

[lone*X]

I doubt it was a factory mistake.  For safety sake use the correct size tube for the rim and tire.  The tubes are rubber of course and an 18" tube might serve ok in a 19' tire, but I wouldn't do it.   Other way around would be worse.   I have seen a 19" tube in an 18" rear tire on a friends bike.  Dealer installed it when he got a new rear tire.  Had a blowout about a week later.  Oversized tube had a fold inside the smaller tire which caused a pinch and split.  He didn't go down luckily and the dealer made good but got a well deserved chewing out by my over sized tattoo'd  friend.

[lucky]

Get the correct size tube.

[orange550]

I certainly would use the correct size tub if I was changing it at home, but I'm just curious about using the wrong size tube if in a 'pinch' no pun intended. As mentioned, my bike had a 19" in the back... for I bet 10 years at least.

Tubes are not very compact, and I'd rather not carry 2 when on a big road trip. And I now know what it's like to be stranded with a flat. You think it will never happen, but when it does, it really sucks.

[70CB750]

I think big part was that you didnt know 19 is there - if you knew, you would not enjoy the ride.

But you could carry 18" tube - it would work better in 19" wheel than the other way around?

[mono]

just get an 18" front wheel?  people seem to advocate that.  then, problem solved!

[lone*X]

I'm old school.  Family owned and operated a Gulf Oil Service center for many years.  I have patched thousands of tubes for trucks and cars, and quite a few for motorcycles, including my own.  If your worried about flats and are going to go to the trouble of carrying spare tubes and tire tools to dismount and remount tires and tubes, and co2 cartridges to fill with, just carry a good tube repair kit and patch the tubes you have.  While you may not trust them, I have put many a thousands of miles on properly patched tubes.  Some people will tell you its unsafe to patch a tube.  Even if it is it will get you to a dealer for a proper replacement.  Only difference between then and now is non-vulcanized patches. Blowouts are a different story, but you can't carry a full tire store in you saddle bags.  That is why I change tubes every time I change tires. 

[orange550]

I'm old school.  Family owned and operated a Gulf Oil Service center for many years.  I have patched thousands of tubes for trucks and cars, and quite a few for motorcycles, including my own.  If your worried about flats and are going to go to the trouble of carrying spare tubes and tire tools to dismount and remount tires and tubes, and co2 cartridges to fill with, just carry a good tube repair kit and patch the tubes you have.  While you may not trust them, I have put many a thousands of miles on properly patched tubes.  Some people will tell you its unsafe to patch a tube.  Even if it is it will get you to a dealer for a proper replacement.  Only difference between then and now is non-vulcanized patches. Blowouts are a different story, but you can't carry a full tire store in you saddle bags.  That is why I change tubes every time I change tires.

This makes sense. It's actually what I was thinking as an alternative. Only worry is that when I replaced the tube on my recent flat, it was ripped across about 4 inches where the screw went in. Maybe this had more to do with the tube being oversized and it moved around too much when it was flat. I rode it about a half a mile with it going flat. (At first I thought my clutch was failing as the RPMs kept getting higher, but then the back end started feeling weird and I realized i had a flat)

I know this sounds weird, but since my flat, I'm a bit paranoid about getting a flat on some epic backroads tour. I'd be screwed trying to organize some remedy. Who the hell would I call? Anyway.. maybe my odds are no very low since I just had one. The statistics and all.

[70CB750]

I would carry spare tube and patches too. Sometimes you can get away with slime - it fixes the flat and fills the tire too.  They call it Spair.

I would keep tubes and tires in good order, somebody mentioned to replace them with tires +1 and have what you need to fix it on the road.