Tire and Tube Availability and Pricing
 

Some are probably aware but there is a pending worldwide rubber shortage. At the wholesale level - we haven't had decent availability of tires and tubes for going on 2 years but now tube prices doubled practically overnight and they are forecast to double again in a few months. Thought I would start a thread where everyone could debate whether this is actually happening (even though I just said it is) and also post links on where tires and tubes can still be found and what prices they are paying, etc.

Also accepted are people who just want to make fun of everyone because "if you switched to tubeless you wouldn't have this problem" … ignoring the fact that most sealants will be affected as well.

This should be fun.

No problems over in the UK. Tyres still on sale and I managed to buy a couple of spare tubes in case my tubeless setup fails. Prices seemed "normal" to me. I can't remember what I paid for tubes, but it wasn't enough to make it memorable.

Latex, too?

I've noticed it's been nigh impossible to find latex under $8 bucks in the last year or so, but did manage to pick up a few for $11 a while back and haven't gone through those. Also have three of the Aerothon tubes, two on my race wheels, and those have been solid, so haven't had to look at tubes so far this year.

I'm sure there will be a knock-on effect, though. Everything's jumping in price. Some fruit and snacks I buy at Walmart went up 10% overnight last week.

Edit: looks like Vittoria Latex available from U.S. stores is trending around $16.00. Ouuuchhhh.

Latex = rubber

Seems like there has to be a rubber problem. As of now, I don't see the price for tires moving up. I buy tires in bulk to save money and resell them for $2 profit. While having them in various places for sale at a much lower cost compare to the internet prices I have not seen a greater demand. I am in California.

Thanks for the heads up. I just ordered a couple of Michelin A1 Airstop 52mm valve tubes for $15.50 (incl. tax) on Amazon, with $1 credit toward a future digital order (e.g., Kindle book) for choosing no rush shipping.

Amazon.com : Michelin A1 Airstop Road Presta Valve Inner Tube, 700 x 18-25cm, Black : Bike Tubes : Sports & Outdoors

On September 28, 2018, I paid $29 for 4 (also on Amazon but third party seller), of which I only used 2 last month when I installed new tires.

Get your patch kits now!

I dunno what’s pricing like generally, but my LBS is already like $11 - $15, so if they double in price, I guess the only good thing is that I’ll feel less extravagant paying $40 for Schwalbe Aerothan tubes.

I don't see the prices any higher from my favorite shops so far, but thanks for the heads up. I was debating on stocking up on tubes or waiting for the next couple of flats.

I live less than 10 miles from you. Expect a message the next time I need tires!

10 days ago there was another thread which caused a run on Ultegra chains. Just saying ...

I've had a hell of a time finding tube for my non-tubeless wheels locally with 60mm stems. I ended up ordering some off Amazon about 2 weeks ago, got a 4 pack for $32 or something like that which is about normal, but should be good for a while. I also got an extra bottle of sealant as I got a gift card for Fathers day and a local shop had some when I was looking for tubes, so I grabbed it.

You mentioned this earlier in the year, and it prompted me to buy my 2022 tire supply at the same time that I bought my tires for this year. I haven't looked too much since, but on the occasions that I have, both availability and pricing have been worse; prices have been up around 20 or 30 percent.

Gravelking slicks (700x28 & 700x38) appear to be about the same price I've paid the last couple years ~ $73 a pair (Bikesmiths-Milwaukee)

Schwalbe tires (Big Bens & Marathon Supremes) & one pair of DTH's I get out of Germany...don't see a significant change between last summer and now..so far.

I'm pretty stocked with tires..need to check my tube inventory.

Sorry to hear this is coming..

My source for tubes.. I like Michelins. Price seems ok all considered. Tires OTOH are quite a bit more pricey. The 2-packs of vittoria corsas for <$80 are gone bye bye.

https://www.benscycle.com/tubes?map=...in&searchState

Shouldn't this be an even bigger problem when it's time to put new tires on our automobiles?

Yeah it already is....I was just pricing some new tires for my truck, I was thinking it might be cheaper to just get a new truck

It's tough since so many outside the industry hear warnings then see examples at online retailers that directly conflict with the warnings.
Each time it's 1 example vs an overall trend, but its what people can directly see that often sways them more than what they hear.

A couple months ago someone in the gravel forum mentioned their bike had been in the shop for weeks as the shop waited for a chain. No chains to be had at all, impossible to get one.
A 20 second Google search resulted in a chain that's cheaper than the shop and would deliver in a few days.

It's just tough to hear there is a shortage when Google is at everyone's fingertips and opens up possible purchasing options.
The comments above are mostly related to some components and apply to shops vs online retail.

This spring, I had a bike in the shop for some repairs, and the mechanic wanted to replace the chain. (Yes, I can do that myself. But this mechanic built the bike and has done a lot of the maintenance on it, and he has some proprietary feelings towards it.) The shop was completely out of 11 speed chains, though. So I brought in one of mine, easily sourced from Amazon, and he installed it.

Have no idea if this is real, but, ..

#1 learn to patch a tube and you likely be golden with what you have on the shelve and in the wheels for years.

#2 Be less picky. You may not be able to get your favourite tube or tyre on sale, TODAY!, but Its not like the world ran out of bike tyres (or tube patches, or tubes).

Carry on! :-)

EDIT: Come to think of it. I just waited 3 months for a pair of Shimano hydro brifters .. Supply chain is definitely affected, but not to the point you cant ride.

Indeed carry on! Brakes are for wusses :rolleyes:

More correctly:

Latex ⊂ (is a subset of) Rubber

In my industry, one of my biggest sellers has been on backorder since 3/10/21. I have other brands/sizes, but at a more expensive price. Another high volume item went on backorder 5/28/21. I had to grab a couple of skids of the next size up to sell. The company is taking no new orders on that whole product line currently in the short term, period. No new orders until they can get some kind of stability in their supply chains. Most of the vendors are on allocation based on past usage. I tried to order some specialty item yesterday. I couldn't get it because I hadn't bought any this year.

The point is, when you see something in stock/at a certain price, that item might have been on the shelf for some time. When the company has to reorder it, they might have trouble getting any more and the price will increase.

Well durn! And just yesterday I decided I wanted to try some latex tubes. Hope I can still find some at a price I'm willing to pay.

Glad I'm slightly overstocked on GP5000's. As well as butyl tubes. There was a deal on them just prior to COVID.

Im not in the know about past pricing om latex tubes, but a 10 sec search on google turned up several national/local (to me) sellers. Id say no need to panic buy at this point. - Its not like Obama is rumoured to decree a ban on assault tubes and drive train silencers .. :rolleyes:

You folks that are talking about being able to easily source parts on Amazon and internet searches should realize that most of those parts on Amazon and the internet are coming from local bike shops that sell there. The reason they are relatively easy to find is because you are casting a wider net. Unfortunately, those sources are drying up now too. Those shops don't have some kind of magical backdoor to QBP (where a large portion of bike shops get stock). I work at a pretty large shop and we can't get most Shimano parts right now. SRAM availability is getting pretty bad too. Tires are getting harder and harder to find everyday. Once our back stock dries up, we won't be able to fix bikes requiring those parts. Most industry sources say that this will probably go on into early 2023. I hope they are wrong...

Road bike-wise, I switched to tubeless a long time ago, so I don't have this problem. Suckers!

For the touring/commuter bike, I recently picked up a pair of my usual Conti Top Contact II tires (35c, which measure 37c) form Biketiresdirect.com. Because I rarely flat on them (last flat was nearly 4 years ago when I rode over what was probably broken headlight glass from a deer strike while touring across Pennsylvania), tubes availability is not something that keeps me up at night. Doesn't suck to be me.