Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see!!!!

[Jude Ephesus]

Ok, so, Coronavirus, lock-downs, social distancing, travel bans, politics, media, social media, social unrest, riots, protests, times of uncertainty, Republican, Democrat, Black, White, Latino, Asian.....

One thing we can ALL agree on: in 41 years of wrenching on bikes I’ve NEVER been in a situation where I could NOT buy a bicycle tube throughout the entire city in which I lived. New Bicycles are equally as scarce.

This is a good day in America. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!!!!!!

 

[horsefarmer]

Well, no way to sugar coat it. Supply chains have been disrupted. Delays have become somewhat standard. Shortages are now becoming reality. What kind of tube do you need?
As Rat Rod bikers, we are used to bringing back old stuff. We may be in a situation where patching tubes may be necessary.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Thanks @horsefarmer ! I’m good on tubes. I’ve got some old tubes I could use, but would rather save those for rat rod projects.

I’m still lining up parts for the grammaw patina bike, and just to play it safe, I want to use new tubes. (Anything with the drive train will be 100% new)

-and not that a new tube is any better than an old tube, the last tube set I got from Amazon I inflated the one tube to 35 pounds and it popped! Scared the bejesus out of me!!!! Never had an old tube do that ! (Yet)

I bought a 5 pack of continental’s on Amazon for like $35. Delivered. Not arriving for like 10 days, but I’ve still got some time in the RRBO.

Thanks again and do good!

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

We may be in a situation where patching tubes may be necessary.

I have a three strike rule, three patches and after that. it's done. The exception is front tubes on pavement bikes I plan on going over 50mph on, which are always no-patch tubes. I do repurpose tubes for many things though, including chainstay protectors for MTBs.

 

[deorman]

 

[Wildcat]

Tubes beyond patching should be reused somehow. My brothers and I used them for entertainment purposes while growing up. We had an an old compressor from a frig hooked up to a airhose. We would tie a knot in the old tube and let the compressor air it up as we walked away. Usually it took about 30 minutes, then "Boom!"

 

[Jude Ephesus]

Tubes beyond patching should be reused somehow. My brothers and I used them for entertainment purposes while growing up. We had an an old compressor from a frig hooked up to a airhose. We would tie a knot in the old tube and let the compressor air it up as we walked away. Usually it took about 30 minutes, then "Boom!"

My made in China Amazon tube went BOOM in like 30 seconds!!!!

 

[sandman]

Combine with a Clorox container we used to make awesome water balloon launchers .

 

[knobbie]

I have a patch kit... in case I get a flat.
Also a ton of spare parts!

 

[Oak Tree]

A while back, I had seen something about a bike guy in a third world country who used string to section off a part of his tube with the hole in it. Like he pulled up the hole and wrapped string around the part that he pulled up.
soooo when I couldn’t find a tube in any Local stores, I tried it and it worked!!! Still holding air after 3 or 4 weeks. That’s rat rod right there!

 

[Wildcat]

There's a company called Green Guru that recycles used inner tubes to make stuff for bikes. I bought a frame pad from them that was recycled from old nylon fabric.