Originally Posted by nematers

Hi all,

So I've recently bought my fist bike and also ordered a couple of spare inner tubes to take with me when I go for a ride.

The tubes have arrived the other day and I though it's better to check if they are alright (don't want any nasty surprises when dealing with a flat on the side of the road).

I have inflated both tubes and they seem ok in terms of holding the air in - no punctures, haven't deflated in 24 hours or so.

However whilst one tube looks perfectly fine in terms of its shape - nice perfectly circled tube, the other one looks a bit weird. As if it has "swollen" in some parts, imagine a snake that has swallowed a couple of mice and a couple of rabbits with few minute intervals (sorry couldn't think of any better way to describe how the inflated tube looks).

Question - is this normal or should I send it back to the retailer and ask for a replacement? It seems to me that the rubber of the tube is thinner or softer in some parts and harder/thicker in others. Will it even up when fully inflated to the max pressure inside the tyre? I have only inflated them very slightly, only to see if they hold the air in.