Carrying inner tubes
 

I want to carry my spare tubes on the bike and not in the panniers so they're always with me but am having some trouble!
I'm sure I've read somewhere that people have been using the plastic tool tubes (John Deere tractor manual container) to carry them but I can't fit my Michelin tubes in, well I could probably get one in but need to get both.
The tube will be fix on the inside of my righthand pannier rack and I already have a tool box on the front of the bash guard so can't fix another there and the exhaust is on the left side.

Any ideas much appreciated.

Cheers
Pete
(need to get things sorted as only a month to go before the off, a year around south america)

inner tube bag
 

hi is this any good adventure spec soft luggage wolfman front fender bag hope this helps steve

I fit spare tubes plus tire-changing stuff plus other odds and ends (patches, bearings, brake pads, etc.) into tool tubes made of 4" plastic sewer pipe--far more spacious than those tractor supply tubes. These can be fit on your skid plate or inside your left pannier, depending. There are other places to mount them as well.

I'm with you on the importance of carrying certain stuff where it won't leave the bike. If it's kept in your panniers, you'll have a flat one day when you've left the panniers behind and are out for a local spin. Each bike should have it's own tube with its own supplies, so that there's no need to always be moving stuff back and forth (and forgetting to move it back and forth, with predictable consequences).

I ziptie a good mountain bike tire pump onto someplace inconspicuous on each bike as well. It's good backup for when my electric pump goes belly up right when I most need it, which has happened.

I bought one of those fender bags once. It's big enough for a single tube and a patch kit, but won't fit my tire irons or anything else. Seemed like a good idea....and maybe it is, for someone.

Hope that helps.

Mark

This may boil down to the difference between the minimalist trail rider approach and the more comprehensive overland traveller solution. Firstly I've never been convinced that HD tubes (which are very bulky and hard to fit) are any better that ordinary tubes. If you pick up a nail and it gets through the tyre carcass it'll pierce any tube. For trail riding I only carry a 21" ordinary duty tube as a get me home measure which would fit in a fender pack or tool tube along with tyre changing tools and puncture kit. On longer trips I have used a home made rack bolted under the bottom yoke which carries tubes and folding shovel. I have a bit of an obsession with trying to distribute weight on the bike and this rack goes a small way to getting some weight forward. The downside is that it can obscure the headlight a little. The 4" soil pipe sounds like a good idea although may be hard to fix to the bike securely.

A length of 110mm soil pipe and appropriate fittings works for me. Fixing is easy with 3 or 4 heavy duty s/s 110mm-140mm hose clips:

http://keithooper.smugmug.com/Travel...P8290382-M.jpg

AHHHHH Don't !!

Tried that and it was a nightmare. The fender bounced about like a bucking bronco and the clips kept working lose.

I think they're designed for a few light tools and a Mars bar only.

Very easy to steal too and not fast to take on and off.

I have to disagree. On my DRZ with a high front fender, I have one these (with one each of a normal 21 and 18 inch tube inside). Doesn't bounce anywhere. I have 4 v small holes where the 4 clips clip on the fender (wide enough for very small cable ties or racing wire) and with either the racing wire or cable tie through the clip/hole it stays on no problem. It does however obsure the headlight (very badly! :( ).

Lots of pics of the bike with said fenderbag on my website.

Everything on a bike is stealable, so that argument doesn't hold water.

Fenderbags are imho not suitable for low front fenders.

Dirtbikegear do a tube bag that sits on the front mudguard but straps around the forks, so can't fall off. Just given one a very good testing in Wales this weekend, seems bomb proof, stayed on the bike better than me and doesn't obscure the light, handy when descending a rocky, stepped lane in the dark after a long, hard day!

the finest dirt biking packs in the world

I have a 09 KLR

If you take off the plastic windshield there is room for a front tube there, I put my rear tucked in the right side faring, I also have 16 tooth and 14 tooth counter sprocket attached to my skid plate along with breaker bar and socket on the left side of my fairing.

How do you manage this without blocking precious headlight beam?

I tried one out on my DRZ, and it came up an inch or two into the beam of the light, and unless I take the bag off for commuting (when I come home at night), then it is a pain in the butt?

I haven't been able to. Come to think of it, I haven't tried. I do my best not to ride my DRZ at night. For me, night time is for drinking beer and sleeping.

You could mount the light somewhere else or mount spots, or don't buy a DRZ/dirtbike in the first place. Or, it's been said above, put your tubes somewhere else. My DRZ's headlight is so useless anyway, that having a fenderbag obscuring half of it or not, makes very little difference!:(

That looks like an expensive bum bag.

I think i'll pick up a bum bag, or 'fanny pack' from poundland or a charity shop and give that a go! I reckon I could place one under my topbox but above the number plate, on the rear fender too.

Hmmm don't know what was wrong with mine then.. Although, I didn't have the actual Wolfman one. Mine was something cheaper.

It did block my headlight which worried me and it was very awkward to get on and off.

One tip though. File or cut out about 2mm out of your fender where the straps sit. They will stop them moving about.

That's if yours move about like mine did.... :eek3:

I carried a couple of tubes in army webbing pouches I bought from a local surplus sture. I strapped the pouch on just above the rear footpegs (I was riding solo). It soon got mucky and no-one ever fiddled with it, even when I was away from the bike over night. I guess everyone just assumed no-one would put anything of value in a grubby old canvas pouch and leave it there, even if they did notice it.

Cheap, light, easy to fit anywhere on the bike, maintenance free! :)

On some bikes (like mine) it's room for a set of tubes under the seat if you pack them tight.