3.00 x 20 inner tube...?

[dave.pitt]

Hi Guys
Have you tried to find a good quality 3.00 x 20 front wheel inner tube for your pre 54 Ariel lately?

The six big tyre manufacturers don't list them anymore.

I can find a "Wayfarer" on the Vintage Tyres website for £9 but I don't know the quality. I won't buy a non natural material product, usually sticking to Michelin Air Stops or Continentals.

I'm told a 19" or a 21", which are readily available won't fit without a problem.

So if anyone knows where you can buy a good quality 3.00 x 20 inner tube I'd be eager to know.

[Steven.Carter]

The last time Dave that i fixed the front wheel on my 51VH I used a 21'' inner tube and seemed to have no problems, unless its the reason my rear keeps going down
Steve

[Knud.Degnbol]

If you use a bigger innertube, it might crease inside the tyre. But why should it not be possible to use a slightly smaller tube? After all is it rubber and should be able to stretch a little, unless if you use one of the cheap ones which are "holy" already when new.

[adrie.degraaff]

Why don't you shorten a 21inch, in the early days innertires came of the role.

It goes like this; cut the tire opposit the valve, find a pole in the diameter of the tube, lay the tube against the side of the pole and fold the opening over the head like you would fold socs, than fold 2 cm back to the top.

Take the other end over the same top and fold 2 cm back, now clean and sandpaper both 2 cm and glue them, after drying fold the one over the other.

I have done the same when having a bigg hole in my tire, and tested it for thousends of miles.

[nevhunter]

I have the same problem with beaded edge tyres ( getting the right sized tube).
I would worry about creasing with the oversize tyre. Undersize tends to get under the edge and 'pinch" the tube and if you do get it in OK the tube is stretched and would it be more susceptible to puncturing? I hate doing tyre repairs on the side of the road, like I really hate doing tyre repairs at all.
Just another thought. Don't Vincents run a 20" front? Surely they wouldn't run anything but the correct tube. Nev

[andrew.chapman]

I would imagine that the reason why nobody makes a 20" tube any more is because there is little point. Either a 19" or 21" tube will do perfectly well. Dust it liberally with French chalk before fitting and you will have no problem with over-stretching or kinking.

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Perhaps ask the VOC spares company? Vincents also have 20" up front.

[dave.pitt]

OK Guys
Many thanks for your responses.
Steve, Knud and Andrew suggested using either a 19" or 21". Well, it sounds OK, but the reason why I posted in the first place was because I know of three people who had just this problem. One of them even tried one after the other and had a problem with both...
Adrie suggested I cut a section out of a 21 and re-sealed it. I couldn't live with that! In my motorcycling life (41+years) I have had a front wheel blow out once (Tiger Cub, M6, 1971, eek, help!) and two rear punctures caused by patches coming unstuck. The last one was on the VB going home from the Annual Rally in 2008. When I looked back through my service history I had repaired that tube on my way to work one mornin ten years earlier. Normally I take the view that a repair is a temporary solution. I must have forgotten, and I'd even replaced the tyre since without noticing the patch. Must be going loopy!
I've asked the Vincent community and got pretty much the same responses. But thanks for your replies guys.
Knud, I'll see you in Denmark 2013.
Cheers, m' dears.
DP