Most mountain bikers run tubeless these days and stash a spare tube — either a standard butyl or TPU tube — for emergencies. However, installing a tube requires removing the wheel, which adds to the hassle.
BMX brand Fly Bikes caught my attention recently with a workaround. The Spanish brand’s Cobra Tube is a straight length of rubber rather than a closed loop, so it can be threaded around the rim between the wheel and the frame or fork without unbolting anything. Pop one side of the tire off, wrap the tube around, push the valve through the rim, and reinflate. The design has been around for years in BMX sizes, but Fly says more sizes and Presta versions are in the works, which means mountain bikers could see a version next year.
The concept will sound familiar to longtime mountain bikers. In a pinch, riders have been known to cut a punctured tube at the hole, tie a knot in each end, and inflate it to limp home. The Cobra Tube is a cleaner, purpose-built take on that trail hack, and with the valve basically stitching the ends together, it promises to be more secure.
Only BMX sizes for now, but more sizes are planned for next year
Right now, the Cobra Tube comes only in 20- and 26-inch sizes with Schrader valves.
Fortunately, a mountain bike version of the Cobra tube could be in the works. I asked Fly if Presta and/or 27.5 or 29″ versions were in the works, and a representative told me: “We are planning to make more sizes and Presta valve versions in the near future.” They added that the company expects to have them around the middle of next year.
Currently, Fly lists the 20-inch Cobra Tube weight at 160g. It uses a Schrader valve, sells for $10, and according to Fly, holds up to 110 psi, which is impressive considering the end seams.
Lineatube has a similar product with a slightly different take
Fly isn’t the only company making an open-ended tube. France-based Lineatube has been making its version since 2011 and has sold more than 1 million of them.
Lineatube’s ends are tapered and overlap around the valve, so a single tube fits several wheel diameters. Its widest model covers 20- to 29-inch wheels with 2.1- to 3-inch tires, and it already offers Presta, Schrader, and, in some sizes, Dunlop valves.
Your turn: Would you carry a linear tube in your pack to make emergency repairs quicker, or are you sticking with standard tubes?
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