GuessWhoCycling

OK, so I am not so young and that Peter Paul and Mary song came to mind when I read another thread about a flat.

Anyway, having several bikes, I keep a stash of anywhere from 7 to 10 tubes at all times. 2 or 3 patch kits as well.

If I go to the shop, which is rare doing my own maintenance, I will pick up 2 or 3 tubes figuring stuff happens. I save punctured tubes then repair most of them at once as well after building a small collection.

I've always got several functioning tubes on hand.

Can't count the times friends have said they want to ride but have a flat and no spare tube.

I don't give anybody new tubes anymore after having had passed several out in one year calculating the price it cost me to be a nice guy!

But I will toss them a patched tube if needed.

I am surprised at how many cyclists don't have a spare.

What's your stash?

indyfabz

1 or 2 for the road bike since I ride tubeless. Even when I rode tubed tires I would get maybe 1 flat/year.


Maybe 3 for my commuter/touring bike since I sometimes tour on gravel in out of the way places where bike shops are often non-existent.


No need to amass a gaggle of tubes because I have easy access to several shops by bike and/or by foot.

Maelochs

Half a dozen to over a dozen, depending on how many patches/types of holes, and how many I have waiting to patch. Plus one or two in the saddlebag of each bike.

I usually by half-a-dozen or so at a time when I find a sale. I buy patches in sets of 48 (i think--could be 50) and tubes of glue a couple or a few at a time.

I can't see not having more than I need ... because that would be less than I need, and I sort of need to ride my bike.

Mitzey

Just stocked up on some Continental packs today! Would just order more once I use one, and make sure I always have 2 spare.

pdlamb

2 in panniers, one in bar bag, one in each of two saddle bags, let's see, four need patching right now and I think I'm out of patched tubes not already pre-deployed, I grabbed three to get free shipping last winter, and at least one left over from the last batch. There's probably a few more in my spare parts boxes, but that's all I can think of right off the top of my head.

Doug64

5-6 in our touring bikes sizes, and 5-6 for our road bikes. However, I just picked up 5 more last Saturday on sale at $2 each for decent tubes. I could never pass up a good deal

ThermionicScott 

In total, I've got about 12-15 patched tubes ready to be used, counting the spare that goes along with each bike. That's spread out over 3 or 4 different wheel sizes, so I probably have 4 of each. Like you, I'll save up a bunch of punctured ones and patch them in a group while the glue is fresh.

Flats are infrequent in my area so I'm in no rush to adopt tubeless.

Vegasclimber

The number that you currently have...... +1

mcours2006

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind...

And I thought it was Bob Dylan.

mcours2006

I order a couple every time I order stuff from the UK. I've lost count

Fastfingaz

This question is impossible to answer,,, you must define your interpretation of YOUNG,,,, that is the KEY word in inquiry,,,,

GuessWhoCycling

Ha ha ha! Well dangit, you're right! Told you I was getting old!

Nachoman

One or two in the saddlebag of each bike. And about a dozen backups on top of that.

ColonelSanders

Jeebus, I'm really slumming it, I just have one spare tube.


Mind you I have not had a flat tyre in over two years, no doubt thanks to riding with Schwalbe Marathon Mondials.

hay

I have a huge hourd of new tubes.
Most likly I wont be getting any more for a while unless flats start happening.
I am not going to be bothered with the struggle of patching tube unless S. H. T. F. and theres no new ones to be had .

cyclist2000

I have one or two of each size needed at home. For the road, I normally keep 1 on the bike which reminds, I may not have one for my folder.

BobbyG

I'm a near daily commuter and I keep a tube in each bike's saddle bag and then one extra of each size (700 and 26") at home.
Since I started using Mr.Tuffy tire liners eight years ago, I average one to two flats a year vs 1 to two a month (or more) before using liners.

Retro Grouch 

In the long run it doesn't cost you anything. Everything in the universe is connected and, as soon as you do a good deed, the universe seeks to rebalance itself.

The problem that I have with inner tubes is all the variations. Size, width, valve stem type and length. I'm probably more picky than I need to be about valve stem length.

jefnvk

I've got a pile in various sizes. Generally use them to get to free shipping amounts, plus Wal-Mart had a bunch on clearance for $1 a few months back.

indyfabz

You, sir, are correct. Dylan wrote the song in '62. It was released in '63 as both a single and a track on his "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" album.

WGB 

I am surprised at how many cyclists don't have a spare.

I live in a rural area where we get a lot of recreational cyclists. I have seen so many bikes on the side of the road with a flat and the rider on the phone that I try to keep an old tube and levers and a pump in my truck. Usually when I stop to ask if they need help they say that they have 'someone coming". When I ask why they don't carry a patch kit or a spare tube the answer varies but is usually either "it's a new bike - why would I have expected a flat?" or "I don't know how to change a tire".

I'm not much better as I only learned to change a tire last year.

Best answer why someone doesn't carry a spare. "I don't need to, I have CAA and CAA fixes flats". CAA is the Canadian Automobile Association, similar your AAA.

ExPatTyke

Each of my road bikes has got a small saddle bag attached with two tubes, two tyre levers, a couple of self-adhesive patches, and a chain tool. There's a proper frame fitting pump on each bike too, not a CO2 inflator. All but one of the road bikes have the same size tyres which makes life easier. I've got 2 spare tubes in the shed, repaired and ready to go into a saddle pack.

Punctures are a rarity though, in normal use - presumably due to improvements in tyres?

My son, on the other hand, has a pile of 26" tubes he's going to fix soon waiting for Dad to fix, and doesn't have a good spare.

rumrunn6

saw a young couple walking their bikes on a shared path this weekend. I imagined one had a flat but no means to repair/replace it. was tempted to offer to do it for them but then rationalized/imagined it was a date & this was a better way for them to talk & get to know ea. other, thru enduring adversity ...

northtexasbiker

I just have a couple, and keep one in a saddle bag. Order one or two on Amazon as needed.

GuessWhoCycling

I did a metric century out in the desert a few years back. I had my floor pump in my vehicle which was a good thing for 3 riders I met on my way out of town heading home.

I saw 3 riders still out on the course, side of the road working on a flat maybe 5 miles from town. I had my floor pump so I stopped and offered assistance figuring the floor pump would be easier than anything they had.

All 3 riders had a new bike and ONE spare tube each.

One gal and two guys. Nice bikes! They explained that one of the bikes kept flatting and they were all out of tubes and trying to patch. They said they were actually surprised that the tire kept going flat as the shop salesman told them it would be fine to take new bikes out on the ride. 62 mile ride out in the desert?

A second bike was rattling at the rear derailleur. Easy 30 second fix.

I told them in a perfect world. Mentioned gently how I never take anything new out on a long ride without testing it first.

But back to the flat. I asked them if they minded if I did the flat change, maybe I could figure out why it kept going flat.

I took the tire off and noticed the rim tape/strip had moved to the side resulting in repetitive flats. I showed them what the problem was, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Give him a fish, he eats for a day.

So I fixed it up, gave them my 2 spare tubes and sent them on their way!

Pretty sure they were happy with the help!

But yeah, never assume you won't get flat with a new bike, new tire, new tube, new girlfriend!