I need to get some spare tubes in case I blow some in the woods, is there any specific hd tubes u guys can speak for? And any tire spoons/levers to make Trailside tube swaps less of a nightmare? I've only had bikes with radials before and only rode street, but the adv scene is calling to me. Need to be prepared! Any advice for equipment to help facilitate Trailside repairs is appreciated as well. Thanks in advance!
HD tubes are bulky and heavy so what I did was I took the stock tubes out to keep as spares and put the HD tubes in so that I'm less likely to even need the spares anyway. The HD tubes just take up too much space for me to keep the on hand as spares.
In addition to spare tubes, you also need a way to remove the wheel from the bike so make sure you have tools for that. For tire irons I use the Motion Pro levers or maybe the Tusk knockoffs, I can't remember which but they're basically the same. You'll also need an air compressor to reinflate the tires. It's also helpful to have a valve stem puller in order to fish the valve stem through the rim because sometimes it's a pain.
I'd also recommend practicing at home, maybe when you swap the stock tubes for HD tubes so that you know what you're up against. Everything is more difficult on the side of the trail.
Personally I don't ride my tubed bike very far from home base so I don't bother carrying tubes or tire changing tools because it'd be easier just to have my wife come pick me up or meet me with a tube/tools if I need them.
I'm probably going to give the Tubliss system a try because having to change a tube to fix a puncture sucks. A proper tubeless wheel and tire is the best option IMHO because all you need is a rope plug kit and an inflator. Tubed tires need so much extra crap that I just don't like carrying on a day trip.
@SHOW_ME_YOUR_ASSHOLE @innermachine Great advice about swapping in HDs!
I would say though, that having used the Tubliss system for a while, they def have a… …colorful reliability history. Some had no problems, but people like me had the inner high-pressure system totally rupture. Mine happened while the bike was at rest. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
I’m a big fan of their Nitromousses for off-road though, nice to just not worry about flats at all, and not have to carry the tools either.
Yeah I've definitely heard mixed reviews about tubliss. I do a lot of pavement so I tend not to lower my PSI too much that I risk pinch flats in my tubes but it would be nice to be able to fix a puncture as easily as I would with a proper tubeless rim and tire.
I wish I could run a mousse...
@SHOW_ME_YOUR_ASSHOLE Whoever invents pavement-friendly mousses will be a zillionaire for sure.
But for what it’s worth I did use UHD tubes on a 1400 mile Baja ride earlier this year from the US to La Paz (~80% off-road through the cholla and cactus 🌵) and didn’t have any tire issues whatsoever. And I was riding a fully-loaded Giant Loop Coyote (~40 lbs) on a CRF450X, hitting some crazy trails, including some of the Baja 1000 course. UHDs did much better than I thought they would.
I was under the impression that cacti would be a bigger problem than they were. I spent the winter in AZ but my wife and I never got a flat tire. I think the biggest risk was overcooking a corner and ending up covered in Cholla or slamming into a Saguaro.
I couldn't wear my crocs around camp though...