lubricating the innertube

I'm mounting new tires with new tubes today. I've read that I should use baby powder between tube and tire to allow the tube to slide around into a good position without creasing. And to air it up, let the air out, and air it up a second time.

I've read that baby powder is now mostly cornstarch due to asbestos concerns, and not so good in tires anymore. Anything else to use? I have baking soda, blue chalk (from chalk string line), some graphite powder... I also wonder why I shouldn't just paint the inside of the tire with soapy water (I mix Dawn + water 50/50 and use that to lubricate the bead while mounting). I could make a run to the store, but am trying to avoid meeting too many people this month (coronavirus).

Baby powder. You wont die and it wont hurt your tubes.

If you have spoke tires I would not use soapy water, it promotes inside rust IMO
Baby powder is what I use too, do it out side because if you get some on the floor it's very slippery

For the past 55 years I've always mounted my own motorcycle tires and always used baby powder on the tubes. So far, so good. Ed

Baby powder on tubes improving fitment is an urban legend. As commonly discussed on bicycle forums as oil threads are on motor vehicle forums. Don't waste your time.

Speaking of inner tubes! I need a wider 18" for a small 5.5" slick on a 3.5 aluminum rim. Having a hard time finding one. Most are small 3.50/4.00. Or 120/130. Wonder how small I can go. Looking at the Harleys, they have 18" wide on some models but most are tubless on aluminum rims? Wonder if I can seal this spoke rim??? with a 1/2" of silicone bead?

I was into stockcar racing back in the late nineties.
Mounted my own tires with tubes, baby powder makes a hell of a difference.


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z1kzonly wrote: Speaking of inner tubes! I need a wider 18" for a small 5.5" slick on a 3.5 aluminum rim. Having a hard time finding one. Most are small 3.50/4.00. Or 120/130. Wonder how small I can go. Looking at the Harleys, they have 18" wide on some models but most are tubless on aluminum rims? Wonder if I can seal this spoke rim??? with a 1/2" of silicone bead?

Check out Jake the Garden Snake XR650 supermoto build on youtube if you want to convert spoke to tubeless.

I noticed that the rims Jake the Garden Snake used had the extra ridge that would help keep a tire in place if air was lost or the tire was bumped sideways. Unfortunately many tube type KZ rims don't have that ridge, so there's a risk that the tire without a tube could lose all pressure under certain circumstances. Ed

SpecialGreen wrote: I'm mounting new tires with new tubes today. I've read that I should use baby powder between tube and tire to allow the tube to slide around into a good position without creasing. And to air it up, let the air out, and air it up a second time.

I've read that baby powder is now mostly cornstarch due to asbestos concerns, and not so good in tires anymore. Anything else to use? I have baking soda, blue chalk (from chalk string line), some graphite powder... I also wonder why I shouldn't just paint the inside of the tire with soapy water (I mix Dawn + water 50/50 and use that to lubricate the bead while mounting). I could make a run to the store, but am trying to avoid meeting too many people this month (coronavirus).

I think he is looking for an alternative.

I think you kind of answered your own question. Since it is arguably noncritical lubrication I would just use cornstarch or other similar powder.

Use ground up chalk, will behave like talc, which is like having millions of microscopic ball bearings, allowing the surfaces to roll over each other, FDA still doing research into this matter, been using talcum since I were a baby, 58 years and ain't dead yet.

I would think using organic matter would act as glue or at least make a mess. Always used baby powder and always will.
Steve