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When did they forget how to make tubes that hold air?

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I'm a Canuck, so we are in between with our language.
I just bought a bunch of Dominion Royal Canadian made and a couple Firestone tubes from Locomotion Max and boy o boy, these tubes are really THICK rubber.. I do believe these maybe from the 40's -50's and they still have the metal valve stem caps.. Really good quality that i plan on using on my Balloon tire bikes...
 
It seems that many of the really old tubes faired very well over time, but I did take a few tires off of old bikes that had the old orange/red color tubes melted into the something that resembled chewing gum. I spent the better part of a day trying to melt, scrape, and peel what remained of a pair of tubes from a pair of JC Higgins drop center rims from the late 30's. Since the tires were Allstate, there's a good chance the tubes were original. They were huge size wise, at least what was left of them. It was hard to tell if they just softened up and stretched out though. The tubes were sort of a red/orange color but the valve stem was black rubber. The stuff was melted all down around the spoke nipples too. Once I finally got the spokes loose, I ended up using a wire wheel to get the rest of the tube off the rim. I'm not sure what caused them to melt like that but the tires were just as gummy and sticky. Another bike sitting next to it was the same way. The grips, tires, and tubes were sticky/gummy like the rubber had melted and stayed melted. The black valve stem portion of the melted tubes was fine though, other than being glued into the rim.
 
It seems that many of the really old tubes faired very well over time, but I did take a few tires off of old bikes that had the old orange/red color tubes melted into the something that resembled chewing gum. I spent the better part of a day trying to melt, scrape, and peel what remained of a pair of tubes from a pair of JC Higgins drop center rims from the late 30's. Since the tires were Allstate, there's a good chance the tubes were original. They were huge size wise, at least what was left of them. It was hard to tell if they just softened up and stretched out though. The tubes were sort of a red/orange color but the valve stem was black rubber. The stuff was melted all down around the spoke nipples too. Once I finally got the spokes loose, I ended up using a wire wheel to get the rest of the tube off the rim. I'm not sure what caused them to melt like that but the tires were just as gummy and sticky. Another bike sitting next to it was the same way. The grips, tires, and tubes were sticky/gummy like the rubber had melted and stayed melted. The black valve stem portion of the melted tubes was fine though, other than being glued into the rim.
I wonder if it's something to do with that red pigment that they used back then.
I've noticed it on old French bicycle tubes and tyres. They just turn into a gummy mess.
 
I wonder if it's something to do with that red pigment that they used back then.
I've noticed it on old French bicycle tubes and tyres. They just turn into a gummy mess.
What's really cool about those Dominion tubes is they are a reddish brown color with the black valve stems with the metal caps that would probably out last these new JUNK ones they made now days by a HUNDRED years..
 
Modern bikes seldom use tubes except low end bikes. Tubeless now. You could remove the valve stem, inject 4 ounces of Stans
's tubeless into the tube, put the valve back in, pump it up, slosh it around a bit and it should hold for a long time and resist getting flats.
On a different note, Check tire pressure before every ride and always bring a mini pump or Co2 filler and a patch kit.

I actually used Stan's on a single tube tire to fix a leaking tire/tube.
 
I also read somewhere there are only 4 companies that make tubes. Not sure if that is true or not but the thorn proof ones are thicker and anything that says "race" is super light and fails quickly.
 
Modern bikes seldom use tubes except low end bikes. Tubeless now. You could remove the valve stem, inject 4 ounces of Stans
's tubeless into the tube, put the valve back in, pump it up, slosh it around a bit and it should hold for a long time and resist getting flats.
On a different note, Check tire pressure before every ride and always bring a mini pump or Co2 filler and a patch kit.

I actually used Stan's on a single tube tire to fix a leaking tire/tube.

I'm using Stans in the tubes on one of my bikes as defense against goatheads. Oddly it doesn't seem to help with the problem the problem that stared this thread, the slow leakage. That bike seeps air just as fast as all the others, and was doing so before it ever hit the road.
 
I use Michelin Airstop tubes on my bicycles and motorcycles, because they are thick as hell and I got sick of pumping up the junk that most other tubes seem to be.

most dealers seemed surprised that you want to take the time to order more expensive tubes but they’re worth it.

especially if you’ve ever pushed a motorcycle home on a 90 degree day because an inner tube has failed.
 
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