Is $9 a lot to pay for a new innertube?

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy on May 6, 2013 at 10:07am

This is not a shop endorsement by any means, but the Kozy's on Erie has 700c tubes for $7 a piece but if you get three it's only $17.  Not quite as good as buying in bulk perhaps, but better to have an extra than not.

I've bought tubes all over the northside depending on where I've lived and when I've flatted and not had a spare, and I always find myself cringing when I wait to hear how much someone is charging for them.  $9 seems on the high end but not unreasonably so, especially if you're in a pinch.  Someone should start a price tracking app for tubes like for gas prices. 

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on May 6, 2013 at 11:11am

Last week I got two for $10 at Blue City Cycles a couple of blocks north of that hardware store. 

If you are interested in conserving money and rubber though, the thing to do is get a patch kit and use it repair your existing tubes when possible. A patch generally kit costs less than a tube and includes supplies to patch 6 - 10 leaks. For the super frugal, get a box of bulk patches since the glue that comes with a patch kit has enough glue for, well I don't know really - upwards of twenty repairs.

Fixing a leak in the field can be a pain though, so what I usually do is carry a spare tube, use that for the fix on the road and then patch the leak at home.  

Michael Perez said:

I got one for 6 bucks at windy city hardware right by 33rd and halsted and he carries the good stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on May 6, 2013 at 2:53pm

Thanks for clarifying. Is the wholesale price increase due to scarcity of materials or manufacturers trying to capitalize on consumer driven demand, or both? I've never had a flat fixed for me at a shop but when I read what one local shop was charging for this service I couldn't believe it. Maybe that's because I know how easy it is to swap a new tube.

It's not like I think shops should perform a flat fix for free or I'm against making money, but 8 or 9 bucks for a tube is hard to stomach. 25 bucks and upward for a new tube swap is hard to stomach, too. 

Bailey Gene Newbrey said:

For what it's worth, the wholesale price of a basic tube has nearly tripled in the last decade. The price most bike shops charge for tubes has (typically) less than doubled.

As for the comment about what bike shops charge for tube & install, I will state that most Chicago shops base their labor charges off a $60 hourly rate which breaks down to roughly $10 for labor on a flat fix. Although it isn't a particularly specialized skill to have in comparison to other aspects of bicycle mechanics, it does take time. In some cases it is less than ten minutes, but in others (think dutch bike or any variety of IGH/drum brake/roller brake, & etc.) this simple task can take a considerably longer amount of time and most shops prefer to charge a fixed rate regardless of bike.

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Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on May 6, 2013 at 2:59pm

$4 tubes at Upgrade Cycle Works, 3 for $10!  I was shocked when I stopped by for a tube on Friday. 

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Permalink Reply by S.Presley☠ on May 6, 2013 at 3:26pm

$5 tube and, if you like, $5 to change it at Working Bikes.

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Permalink Reply by Davo on May 6, 2013 at 3:51pm

I think that deflation was the problem.

Eric Roach said:

Sure does make you feel deflated.

peter moormann said:

Seems like inflation is affecting everyone these days

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Permalink Reply by Z Maz on May 6, 2013 at 9:58pm

Performance always has a deal for their 'Forte' brand tubes.  Something like 5 for $15.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 7, 2013 at 9:02am

Tires and tubes use rubber and rubber requires petroleum to make so both have increased in price as the price of oil has gone up.  Oddly enough both tubes and tires have seen a similar price increase when it comes to the cost to the shop but only tires have maintained margins while tubes have increased very little.  Nobody seems to complain about the more expensive tires but they have fits over the price of tubes.

Tire changes are not easy for everyone or with all tire/rim combinations.

Zoetrope said:

Thanks for clarifying. Is the wholesale price increase due to scarcity of materials or manufacturers trying to capitalize on consumer driven demand, or both? I've never had a flat fixed for me at a shop but when I read what one local shop was charging for this service I couldn't believe it. Maybe that's because I know how easy it is to swap a new tube.

It's not like I think shops should perform a flat fix for free or I'm against making money, but 8 or 9 bucks for a tube is hard to stomach. 25 bucks and upward for a new tube swap is hard to stomach, too. 

Bailey Gene Newbrey said:

For what it's worth, the wholesale price of a basic tube has nearly tripled in the last decade. The price most bike shops charge for tubes has (typically) less than doubled.

As for the comment about what bike shops charge for tube & install, I will state that most Chicago shops base their labor charges off a $60 hourly rate which breaks down to roughly $10 for labor on a flat fix. Although it isn't a particularly specialized skill to have in comparison to other aspects of bicycle mechanics, it does take time. In some cases it is less than ten minutes, but in others (think dutch bike or any variety of IGH/drum brake/roller brake, & etc.) this simple task can take a considerably longer amount of time and most shops prefer to charge a fixed rate regardless of bike.

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