Noob tyre & tube question

[BrendanZX9R]

Hi All. Haven't been doing this adventure bike lark for long and I'm looking for new tubes to carry as spares. I understand the need to buy the right size tube for the rim its to be used on, but how do you know which tubes to buy. i.e. - On my ktm I have an 18inch rear wheel and it takes a 150/70/18 tyre - so what size tube do I get? Will any 18inch tube fit this rim and tire? or is there a specific width etc I need to get
also, what tubes do you all recommend? do I need the ultra heavy duty, or heavy duty tubes, or is that overkill?
keen to hear your thoughts and wisdom! Thanks

[clint640]

I'd just get a 21" & carry that - it'll work either end in a pinch.

Best strategy is to strip out your original tubes & replace with heavy duty ones. If your originals are in good shape keep them for your spares. HD tubes take up a lot of space to pack.

There are different widths of tube, each covers a range of tyre widths, you'll be getting the biggest available to fit a 150/18 I'd guess.

I've always run basic Heavy Duty IRC tubes & have never had a puncture in 125000km (he types while touching wood...) I think the ultra HD ones can be a pain when changing tyres, probably overkill unless you ride in an especially tyre unfriendly environment.

Cheers
Clint

[CrazyFrog]

You'll probably find a 450 -510/18 size would be fine (130-150/80-18). Make sure you specify larger size, or dealer might try and flog off a smaller 400/450 (110/90-110/100-18) size to you. They'd be fine short term to get you back to civilisation, but really best to get right one for long term use.
The more you expand the smaller ones, the thinner the rubber gets = easier to flat.

[pete-blen]

I carry a HD 19" tube as a spare.... It dose stretch over a 21" rim...

[timg]

I carry a HD 19" tube as a spare.... It dose stretch over a 21" rim...

Yep, that's been my solution too, will go fine on a 17" or 18" rear and stretches for the 21" front. Cheers.

[Box'a'bits]

Heavy duty tube in the tyres, but I carry the correct sized standard tubes for both ends. If I flat out in the whoops & have to change a tyre, there is no way I want to have to change again as soon as I get to civilisation. I also carry a puncture repair kit. I once got 3 flats on the way back from the East Coast (a collection of nails & screws) - and they were separate punctures, not pinch flats.

[nzspokes]

Heavy duty tube in the tyres, but I carry the correct sized standard tubes for both ends. If I flat out in the whoops & have to change a tyre, there is no way I want to have to change again as soon as I get to civilisation. I also carry a puncture repair kit. I once got 3 flats on the way back from the East Coast (a collection of nails & screws) - and they were separate punctures, not pinch flats.

Of topic for a bit, watched you vid of the Clarence(sp). Makes me want to put adventure tyres on my Hornet.

[Box'a'bits]

Of topic for a bit, watched you vid of the Clarence(sp). Makes me want to put adventure tyres on my Hornet.

Those were Peeteey's from the weekend before. But yes, really good in there.

[Gremlin]

Of topic for a bit, watched you vid of the Clarence(sp). Makes me want to put adventure tyres on my Hornet.

You wouldn't be the first. TKCs come in standard sizes for the Hornet now

[nzspokes]

You wouldn't be the first. TKCs come in standard sizes for the Hornet now

Not at all. This one is well done.

Whats a TKC?

[Gremlin]

Whats a TKC?

Knobblies for a road bike, available in 120/70/17 and 180/55/17 sizes now: http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/product...rail_tyre.aspx

Toto Feb/Mar last year, we did a week of adventure riding. He loved the extra grip of the knobblies in the rougher stuff, compared to using PR3s the previous year (when he went sliding down one hill, brakes, feet down, and nothing was stopping him... hehehe)

[nzspokes]

Knobblies for a road bike, available in 120/70/17 and 180/55/17 sizes now: http://www.cycletreads.co.nz/product...rail_tyre.aspx

Toto Feb/Mar last year, we did a week of adventure riding. He loved the extra grip of the knobblies in the rougher stuff, compared to using PR3s the previous year (when he went sliding down one hill, brakes, feet down, and nothing was stopping him... hehehe)

I do like his panniers. What are those tyres like on the road?

Hornet is a very easy bike to raise the suspension on for more clearance.

[Gremlin]

I do like his panniers. What are those tyres like on the road?

Panniers are the basic E21 Givis. They aren't as robust or thick as the top boxes, but do the job. You need the Givi pannier racks. Let me know if you want them, as I lend them to Toto when he needs them, but otherwise, not using them myself.

The tyres are definitely a little more vague on the road and don't like lots of kilometres of tarmac as they can heat up, then they wear etc. A little interesting in the wet as well. Very typical for knobblies really.

[nzspokes]

Panniers are the basic E21 Givis. They aren't as robust or thick as the top boxes, but do the job. You need the Givi pannier racks. Let me know if you want them, as I lend them to Toto when he needs them, but otherwise, not using them myself.

The tyres are definitely a little more vague on the road and don't like lots of kilometres of tarmac as they can heat up, then they wear etc. A little interesting in the wet as well. Very typical for knobblies really.

Let me know if you want to sell them.