Who still carries a spare tube? On a tubeless bike...

[ByronH]

Hi all

 

I have been running tubeless for many years now... almost exclusively on Maxxis EXO TR tyres.

 

I ride relatively often, and on various terrains, on and offroad.

 

The only time I actually would have needed to use my spare tube (but couldnt get the tyre off the rim   ) was many years ago when i had completely underinflated my tyres due to a faulty floorpump gauge (and me being a novice), and a result, burped all the sealant out on a trail.

 

Since then, I have encountered many  punctures through nails, thorns etc... and most of the time, the sealant and mushroom plug does it job, either quickly or slowly. Sometimes I only need one bomb, sometimes two. But never, in the past few years, have I felt the need or desire to take off the tyre and insert the spare tube... I think I'd rather walk back... eventhough the rims I now use are lekker wide and not like the ones I had a few years back, and so theoretically, it should be easier to remove the tyre completely and insert a tube.

 

It got me thinking, am I wasting space by carrying a spare tube.. or are most of ya'll still carrying a tube for 'when the worst happens'.

 

How often do you actually have a puncture that renders the tubeless and mushroom plug useless, and you have to stick in the tube instead?

[Butterbean]

To be honest, I don't anymore.

Used to. Until realising that offroad, a sealantless tube will just puncture 10 mins down the road anyway...

 

Now, if my tubeless can't handle something, that's the end of the ride and I would have had to walk anyway... On long or unfamiliar rides, I carry a slime tube and that at least makes me breathe a bit easier.

[coppi]

Thank you for starting this thread,

I have the same dilemma and think its just a mind thing. I carry my spares in the middle pocket and often feel I should leave it, but then I don't.

I think its only necessary for long stage races, not daily riding..........now to leave it behind 

[ByronH]

Thank you for starting this thread,

I have the same dilemma and think its just a mind thing. I carry my spares in the middle pocket and often feel I should leave it, but then I don't.

I think its only necessary for long stage races, not daily riding..........now to leave it behind 

 

 

To be honest, I don't anymore.

Used to. Until realising that offroad, a sealantless tube will just puncture 10 mins down the road anyway...

 

Now, if my tubeless can't handle something, that's the end of the ride and I would have had to walk anyway... On long or unfamiliar rides, I carry a slime tube and that at least makes me breathe a bit easier.

 

Yup agreed, I'm packing a 'slimefilled' tube on my bike... but I actually wonder if the slime has sommer dried up anyway after all these years...

[MrJacques]

It could be useful if you have a big sidewall cut. A gator could sort that out though.

[Starchboy]

I carry one in my Camelbak, but its been there for years now. I wouldn't get rid of it though as the extra weight ontop of 1.5kg of water is negligible. Mind you its been there so long, if i ever needed it i may find that it has degraded.

[JohanDiv]

I have on my bike permanently mounted my hand pump, two bombs and my plug kit to get me out of trouble when just out riding or training. If that doesn't cut it, I'll call my wife to come pick me up. I once had to hike-a-bike for 18km to just reach a point where she could get to me, that's when I started carrying plugs and bombs on training rides as well.

 

When doing races like Karoo 2 Coast I strap an extra tube to my seatpost and a few patches if that tube also fails. So I would like to believe I am well covered the day I need it. 

 

I know guys strapping two extra tubes for Karoo 2 Coast that still feel they're not completely covered.

 

It becomes an obsession...

[gummibear]

 

 

How often do you actually have a puncture that renders the tubeless and mushroom plug useless, and you have to stick in the tube instead?

I've had Oak twigs like this go through my tyre twice and don't risk riding without a spare tube.some of the forest here are pretty big and it's a long walk out

 

[Furbz]

i have a set of plugs in varying sizes.

with really big gashes or punctures i also have a large sticky type patch that fits over the hole from the inside - it gets you home

 

carrying a tube? never

except for road tubeless - i don't trust them. they often do not seal at pressure 

[dirtypot]

I've had a tube strapped to my bike forever.  Only had to use it once where I had a big crash and stuffed my front rim enough that it wouldn't seal and bomb up.  Popped in a tube and it held enough for me to ride home.  But that's once in six odd years of riding tubeless.  Just got a new frame and i haven't transferred the tube yet.  Not sure if I will.

[partydave]

Never carried one, always checked sealant, carried plugs and enough CO2 to send a rocket to the moon. That quickly changed when I was 74km into a trail, with 16km left back to the head, hit a bump wrong and lost all air. No punctures and tyre would not stay inflated. Air was leaking out of the stem, but stem seemed fine. 16km walk in the sun was no fun.

 

Diagnosis, rim tape shifted when I hit the bump somehow and would not seal properly around the stem. I now have a tube strapped to the underside of my saddle at all times

[bikebloke]

Thank you for starting this thread,

I have the same dilemma and think its just a mind thing. I carry my spares in the middle pocket and often feel I should leave it, but then I don't.

I think its only necessary for long stage races, not daily riding..........now to leave it behind 

yeah id did this about 6 days ago - only going cafe racing dont need spares (what are the chances really ).....................it was a long f****** walk in my socks with my shoes slung on the handlbars   if no ones going to come for you then you better carry the stuff to do it yourself or walk

[Bonus]

I carry a spare slime tube and a spare std tube. I also carry a tubeless repair kit, 2 bombs and a mini pump.

 

Bare in mind that I have to consider the possibility of multiple punctures and if I'm guiding a group that can soon add up. I do make sure anyone I'm guiding carries a spare tube of their own but if they are on rental bikes that's not always an option, so I carry for them.

 

Even when I'm on my own I carry plenty spares - I hate walking with a bike at the best of times and I'm often too far from civilization for it to even be a consideration.

 

Edit: I also carry a tyre boot made out of an old toothpaste tube for really nasty gashes.

[TIB]

Had to tube up twice - Angi's G-Spot in K2C with a cracked rim and on top of the Attakwas with a leaking valve stem. (correct, did not swop them around)

 

Will always carry a spare tube! I just don't want to see my bike arriving at the finish on a bakkie....

[Hello Ruan]

Always.

[Slowbee]

As with Bonus, slimy tube, normal tube, 2 x canisters and a mini pump.

 

Small puncture repair kit and some snot plugs.