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ok, so my first bike with spokes needs a new tire. Bike was brand new when I bought it and I got about 10k out of the rear tire. Do I need to change the tube as well or just the tire and thats it?

thanks

I believe that as long as the tube is in good condition, you only need to change the tire and you can reuse the tube. If the tube is bad(has a nail or a hole or something) then you probably have to replace it no matter what.

Just need to change the tire. Inspect the tube when you take the old tire off and make sure there are no nicks, tears or holes in it. Be careful when installing the new tire that you don't pinch the tube. I've done this once or twice and it gets annoying having to run off to the shop to get a new tube.

I'm on my third rear tube in 4 years of riding, and about 5 or 6 tires (I'm hard on tires, in addition to lots of mileage) I pinched one tube and punctured another on the road. The tube that I pinched, I got it patched up and ran it for another 10000 or so kilometres before I punctured it during a ride and replaced it.

I always change the tube. IMO cheap insurance.

Gadjet wrote: Be careful when installing the new tire that you don't pinch the tube.

I put some air in the tube to give it some shape before putting it in the tire as well as putting baby powder all over the tube which greatly reduces the chance of the tube getting pinched.

So, when you guys change your tires, do you do the entire change yourself, or do you take the wheel, tire and tube to a shop to have them put them on? I would definitely do this for a tubeless tire, but I'm wondering if I need to for the tubed tire. Last question ... if you do it yourself, how do you make sure its balanced?

OutToLunch wrote:So, when you guys change your tires, do you do the entire change yourself, or do you take the wheel, tire and tube to a shop to have them put them on? I would definitely do this for a tubeless tire, but I'm wondering if I need to for the tubed tire. Last question ... if you do it yourself, how do you make sure its balanced?

The tubeless tires(my Honda, BMW, Ducati), I take the tire & rim to my Honda dealer. He mounts and balances for free when I buy the tire from him.

The tubed tire(Kawasaki), I do it myself. No, I do not balance the spoked wheel on the dirtbike.

I have spoke tires with tubes.

I take the wheels new tires, and new tubes to the local shop, and they mount and balance them for me.

Always use a new tube.

thanks all!

jonnythan wrote:
Always use a new tube.

Why?