Topic: Tires - Tubes or tubeless

[Patrick]

Finally, no longer a newbie. It's only taken two years, after having a whole bunch of posts deleted and starting over again back on April Fool's Day last year. I feel so....fulfilled. I belong.

How often can you begin a post with such a serious digression. But I digress from my digression.

My question? I am going to mount new tires on my Majestic and seemingly smoothly running 750 K5 this weekend. It came with and currently has Kenda tires on it and I am switching to Bridgestone S11 Spitfires. My wheels are original spoked - in very nice shiny shape I might add - and that would seem to indicate to me that there are tubes in those Kendas. Now changing tires is hard work and Central Texas is just a mite warm this time of year. So warm in fact that I need have no concern about how I live the rest of my life since by the time fall arrives I will have served my time in hell. Even time and space melt here in the summer.

As working in triple-digit heat makes me a little irritable from the dehydration, heat stroke and impending - even if not feared - death (and for some unfathomable reason my stubborn wife refuses to let work on my bike in the air conditioned living room - however reasonable that appears to the discerning mind), I was hoping someone could tell me an easy way to tell if there are indeed tubes in these tires before I pull them. I hate stopping halfway through a project and having to run out for parts, like new tubes. Particularly since those parts are about 15 miles from my home and I won't even have my bike to ride to get them.

As always, thanks in advance for your help.

Patrick

[Bob Wessner]

Humorous write-up, love it.  Spoked wheels, guarantee tubes. The spoke-end holes in the rim would leak otherwise. You will need new tubes and rim strips. The strips cover the spoke ends and prevent abrasion of the tubes.

[einsteingarage]

While we are talking about tubes are there special tubes for street bikes?  I am coming from the dirtbike world, and instantly thought of suggesting the Bridgestone superduty tube I use for off-road.  Very thick tube but probably isn't necessary for the street.  It won't stop a nail.

[Bob Wessner]

When I bought tires and needed tubes, there did seem to be a distinction between tube thickness. I chose heavy-duty because either my more is better syndrome kicked in, or I'm a paranoid weeny about some things.  and they did seem heavy duty.

[einsteingarage]

I suppose it would be better to get the thicker tubes in case of pinching or wearing from spokes or even the abrasion around the stem.

[Stevearino]

I would just go with standard tubes and strips, but look for the best quality you can find.  Less rubber means less weight, ergo less likelyhood of contributing to balance issues.   BTDT.