Anyway, that aside, before I bought these tubes I made a daily commute of about 15-16 miles every day. I rode over all sorts of terrain, but generally sidewalks and streets, some of which were very scarcely swept and which persistently have broken glass littered all over. Under those conditions I was getting a flat every one or two weeks, and was missing classes in college as a result. Not only was it inconvenient, but it was prohibitively expensive to buy new tubes or have to constantly restock patches and vulcanizing glue.
So I decided to buy a pair of these puncture-resistant tubes. They're not a lot more than regular tubes, really. Installation was a bit finnicky, though; the tubes are very thick rubber and are much heavier than usual. It was difficult to fit them into my tire, but that's probably because my tires were slightly undersized (there's no danger in getting an oversized tube, it's vice versa that you don't want to do). The good thing is that since they're so stiff the danger of pinching them during installation is slim.
I bought a spare just in case I'd have to perform a swap, but, I never even used it! For the past three months I haven't even gotten a single flat. It's practically miraculous. Now I ride over palm trees, debris, glass, and branches and don't even give it any conscious thought. It's certainly saving me a lot of money, and having to remove and patch or swap tires is a royal pain, so I'm glad to have my bike require less maintenance. I had even bought some "STOP Flats 2" tire liners and never ended up needing them. Some people who live in different areas of the continent might want to double up, though, since there are more aggressive species of thorned plants out West, I understand. I live in an urban area in Miami FL and my worst concerns are usually sharp branches and glass.
These also operate and feel surprisingly stiff at low PSI, which I like because it makes bumpy rides more comfortable. The valve stem is disappointingly short, but it's still totally serviceable. All in all, I'm extremely happy with this purchase. The next time I work on a friend's bicycle, I'll be replacing their tubes with these.
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UPDATE: February 2nd, 2013.
I think it's been nearly ten months since my last review. Thus far my tubes are, surprisingly, still going strong. My third tube is still sitting unused in my closet. I've been riding a daily commute of approximately 15 miles, which over the past two months has been reduced to 7 miles, giving me a usage over the past duration of around 2400 miles.
With that said, I've noticed that the tubes are tending to lose their air a little more quickly now, and I have to top them off marginally more frequently. Of course, since the rubber is pretty thick, when the tire drops in PSI it's not imminently noticeable.
Something that's important to note is that these tubes really do weigh quite a bit in comparison to normal tubes. I didn't become acutely aware of it until coming into possession of a second road bike, which I now use to race, while keeping the other cycle loaded with these tubes as a commuter. Since these are basically made for a commuter bike, I don't think this reflects negatively on the product.
I'll probably leave another review in a few months again, or when this tube finally needs replacing.
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UPDATE: August 15th, 2013.
This'll probably be the last time I update this review, at least until I begin using my bicycle again, assuming that the tubes are still good! Don't worry, I haven't given up the ghost; I simply appropriate a new Cinelli cycle that's much, much lighter and faster. I still occasionally use my Schwinn loaded with the Thorn Resistant tires, and I can report that they're still holding air and quite all right after riding around on sidewalks and dirty city streets.
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Installed this tube on a Trek 7500 hybrid bike. Much much sturdier tube than OEM equipment. Very pleased.Keep in mind, stem is only 32mmmight be too short for certain rim applications.
Best Deals for Sunlite Thorn Resistant Bicycle Tube, 700 x 35-40 (27 x 1-3/8) 32mm
I can not attest to the puncture resistance yet but they sure seems sturdy.The tube is really heavy though and so thick walled so that it doesn't seem to properly expand inside a Kenda Kourier 700x40 tire I use it with. Furthermore the valve 'stem' is so short so that it may be tricky to pump with some pumps.
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