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yup, i've had another crazy thought - they just keep coming. I know with a suspension fork if you increase the air chamber capacity you will get a plusher feel. But does the same apply to tyres? surely increasing the volume of the tubes (while running the same tyres) would allow you to run lower pressure and give you better grip for the same rolling-resistance? My proposal is, instead of running rim tape, to "smooth" down the holes in the rim's second wall (so there is nothing to cause a puncture) and allow the tubes to "bulge" into the hollow section of the rim, thus increasing capacity.
OK, science buffs, shoot me down.....
p.s. this is NOT about weight saving!
just run a few psi less in your tires ... then suffer pinch flats then go tubeless - then suffer burp - go back to tubes and just pump tires up ....
get curious again and start again - ad nauseum !
(so there is nothing to cause a puncture)
Err, what about the end of the spokes/nipples?
Surely the tube will move about slightly, rub on the 'smoothed' holes wear through and go pop
....and what SDB said
hhmm. that's a thought, for sure. I hadn't actually pictured in my head the tube bulging enough to touch the spokes, but i guess that's actually quite possible.
but it the tube will wear out rubbing on smooth metal, it will wear out rubbing on rim tape.
My Mavic Ksyriums don't have any rim tape....
Found I'd been running without a rim tape in one of my bikes for about a year - don't ask. Rear wheel, Sunn Singletrack rim and child carrying duties on the bike - ran fine, but I didn't notice any traction improvement.
My Mavic Ksyriums don't have any rim tape.... or any holes in the outer wall. eh, thanks. so people have actually run bikes without rim tape? interesting...
I bodged an openpro with cellotape and it didnt work. The tube blew mid ride as the spoke heads punctured it. Was running 100psi though and not 30
WTF ?
Regardless of puncturing tubes, it doesn't make any sense.
you have to much time on your hands 😯
djglover - were you using a double-walled rim?
the logic is there, but i suspect that the ratio of the volumes of air shocks when extended and compressed is much greater than a tyre deforemed or at rest.
sonic - Member
... so people have actually run bikes without rim tape? interesting...
Not deliberately. That said I haven't actually sorted it yet. It's a fairly heavy tube though.
It may well be a stupid idea but you're not the first to think of it
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