I used an extra thick rubber heavy duty tube once - not using it any more. It was very much harder to install and getting the valve stem through the hole I thought was absolutely impossible until I somehow got it in - never again!
One of my tyres has a pristine bridgestone tube in it that I have had (always in a tyre) since the nineties - I keep using it because the rubber shows no sign of age as it hasn't been exposed to air or light and was made at a time when they were somehow made better than modern ones?
John
Was that 'extra thick' one a Michelin? I've got some that look like they will never fit, was going to install them this winter. I'm tired of having to "air up" every 2 weeks because the tubes all leak nowadays. I NEVER saw that until Bikemaster dominated tubes (Chinko crap...).
In the "old days" we had 3 tube choices:
1. Synthetic rubber tubes - they never leaked air, but ripped wide open if a nail punched a hole in them (like they exploded or something).
2. Natural rubber tubes - these could sort of 'self heal' enough to make it through a motocross race if a thorn stabbed into it: they never ripped open, but always leaked air (much like modern Chinko-made tubes do) slowly, needing a few pounds every couple of weeks or so. These were popular for touring before the 55 MPH speed limit, as they would not "blow out" from a puncture at speed, but just leak down.
3. Blended tubes. These were a blend of the above materials and for many years were BMW's imported tubes for their bikes (in the old Butler and Smith days). I used them in my 750: in fact, the front tire and the 2 spares in the Vetter are this type - much re-used since 1975!
