Tires & Tubes Reuse the tube or replace it....What would you do?

Ride On

New member
Local time
3:55 PM
Joined
Sep 21, 2022
Messages
10
I have almost 1000 miles on my Kenda 26 x 4 tires. I ride 30% on roads and 70% in the desert. I had a bad wreck this week and thought it was time to change out my tires as the desert soils are getting powdery. I use Flat-Out in my tires and have never had a flat. Upon removing my tires the front tire had 6 cactus thorns that had went through the tire and punctured the tube, the Flat Out did its job for sure as again, I have had no flat tires.

Her is my question, would you reuse the tube or replace it, like I said, the Flat-Out did it's job and I never once have had to repair a tire. Or, would you install a new tube with the new tire? I am also installing Tuffy tire liners with the Flat-Out this time to give me added protection.

Thanks everyone for your input!
 
When I replaced my tires, I found that my inner tubes had several thorn punctures also. I would definitely replace the tubes cheap insurance!

I use a substance close to flat out. I could see on the tube where the puncture had been sealed. I kept the tubes and patched the holes and keep them as a back up.
 
Thank you, I did replace the tubes, I have been unable to locate the holes in the tube where the flat out had filled the cactus thorn holes. I had wiped down the old tube and it removed the flat out I initially saw. I don’t know if I will keep the old tube.
 
Flat-out dries to a hard nub, so I've always considered it a permanent fix on a tube puncture. Old-school Slime on the other hand never really dried and it was always best to wait until you had a few weepy-but-holding punctures, and then spend a Saturday in the garage patching the tube so it would be good as new.

Kenda tubes in that size are 1mm thick which is a bit better than average. Worth keeping if properly patched.
 
Thank you much for your reply, new to a lot of this so any info is greatly appreciated.
 
Despite the cost I really like flatout, much better then Slime in my opinion, if I could find the holes I would put a thin monkey grip or some type of thin rubber patch and keep running it. I love the new bike tires I dont even have to use a tool to seat the ones with a wire bead, the folders are super easy, back in the day I couldnt get one on my"Western Flyer" with a screwdriver. Good luck, maybe just keep using the old tube till she gets like a sponge.
 
I to like the flat out, and I also run Tuffy 4” liners, just getting ready to do my wife’s. Thanks for the input kmccume
 
I to like the flat out, and I also run Tuffy 4” liners, just getting ready to do my wife’s. Thanks for the input kmccume
I have heard of people running "pool noodles" don't know how that works out, anybody here try that?:unsure:
 
Back
Top