How to choose tubing for comfortable riding
Miscellaneous / / April 04, 2023
With Lifehacker's advice, the cheesecake will last more than one season, and hiking on the hill will become safer.
What is tubing and how it works
Tubing (from the English tube - “pipe”) is an inflatable rubber circle for riding from snow slides or on water. It is also often called cheesecake because of its shape.
Usually tubing consists of two parts: a rubber bladder, similar to a car, and a protective cover that is worn on top. The cheesecakes also have handles to hold on while riding. The tubings can be supplemented with a tow rope, a backrest and a seat belt.
The inflatable chamber of the cheesecake softens shocks and collisions, and the large bottom area makes it stable.
What are tubing
Cheesecakes can be divided into chamber and tubeless. The former consist of a camera and a case, as we described above. The second ones do not have a rubber chamber, you need to inflate the shell right away.
Outwardly, both of them are similar, but the chamber ones are much stronger. However, they are bulkier and more expensive. If you are planning with the whole family actively
ride more than one season, it is worth stopping at this option.Tubeless tubings are cheaper, much lighter, inflate faster and take up less space. Their main disadvantage is low wear resistance. These cheesecakes are more likely to deflate and tear. But they are well suited for riding on water, so you can also use them in the summer. In winter, tubeless cheesecakes should not be heavily loaded.
Cheesecakes also differ in the number of seats. In addition to the standard for one, there are double and triple. Riding with a group can be more fun, but we would advise taking individual ones. On them you will not collide with your tubing neighbors and will not get injured.
Still cheesecakes come in different forms. In addition to the standard round ones, you can buy triangular and oval ones. The former are a little faster and more maneuverable, while the latter are safer due to their larger area and streamlining. But a significant superiority from tubing of an unusual shape is still not worth waiting for. You can roll over on any cheesecake, if you do not follow the safety precautions.
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Round tubing. Photo: Losgala/Shutterstock
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Oval tubing. Photo: Alexey Belyaev / Shutterstock
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Triangular tubes. Frame: AVT-Sport/YouTube
How to choose tubing
In order for the product to serve for a long time, and for riding to be safe and comfortable, at the time of purchase, you need to check the tubing in several ways at once.
By height
To pick up a tubing, the easiest way is to come to the store for a fitting. Size perfect if you:
- you can sit in a cheesecake without assistance and get out of it;
- being in a cheesecake, you easily reach the handles, but do not reach the floor with your hands and feet;
- sit securely in the cheesecake and do not fall sideways when rocking.
If you buy a product in an online store, check the diameter of the cheesecake and match it with yours. growth according to this table:
Height | Cheesecake diameter |
up to 100 cm | 60–75 cm |
100 to 120 cm | 75–80 cm |
120 to 140 cm | 80–90 cm |
From 140 to 165 cm | 90–100 cm |
From 165 to 190 cm | 100-120 cm |
From 190 cm | From 120 cm |
When choosing a tubing of a non-standard shape, be guided by the load capacity indicated by the manufacturer. It is often marked on the packaging. It will not be superfluous to check this indicator for a round cheesecake. That way you can be sure it's the right size for you.
By material
Cheesecake chambers are made of rubber, there are no variations here. But covers can be made of nylon, polyester, PVC and other materials. PVC tubing is perhaps the most common. They are durable and resistant to low temperatures, do not absorb water and glide well on the snow, so they are an excellent choice. The only disadvantage of this material is that it is impossible to print on a cheesecake.
PVC has several varieties. It is not necessary to memorize their names, just focus on one characteristic - density. Usually it differs at the top and bottom of the case. For the first, PVC with a density of 600 g / m² is needed. There is a large load at the bottom of the cheesecake, so the material for it should be more reliable. Here look for a density of 800-900 g / m² and above. The higher the indicator, the longer the product will last. Reinforced PVC is even better, it is more resistant to damage.
Tubings made of high-quality PVC have a high cost. If you don't need a super-durable cheesecake for frequent use, get one made from backpack fabric and thick nylon. Give preference to materials with water-repellent impregnation.
What else to pay attention to
Pens
Cheesecakes quickly pick up speed and are poorly controlled, so check the handles that you will hold on to. They are made from different materials, with foam or plastic overlays for greater comfort. But this is of no fundamental importance. The main thing is that the handles are firmly attached to the case.
Just sewing them on is not enough. Handles on high-quality and safe tubing are additionally glued, rolled by a machine or sewn under strong transverse slings. An additional plus if the area to which the handles are attached is made of compacted material.
After checking the fastening, grab the handles and check if it is comfortable to hold. Please note that there should be enough space for hands in thick mittens or gloves.
Cable
Most models have a tow rope. It is needed to pull the cheesecake uphill. Assess its reliability. The requirements are the same as for the handle: the cable must be sewn into a sealed insert, additionally glued and secured with straps. To prevent the tape from coming off, always lift the cheesecake without a passenger.
Case
Check the cover carefully. The seams on it should be strong and even. It’s good if they were also reinforced with slings for strength.
Now evaluate the valve on the case through which the camera is inserted. It is better to choose a tubing with a closing opening, for example, with a zipper or lacing. So it won't get inside the cheesecake snow.
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Drawstring cover. Frame: Sergey Romanov / YouTube
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Cover with a zipper. Photo: Dmitriva Irina / Shutterstock
If you buy the version with a zipper, make sure it has a protective strip, like a pants fly. Without this, rust will quickly appear on the clasp.
Camera
Examine the camera separately. It will be noticeably smaller than the cover - this is normal. When inflated, the chamber will expand to the desired size. Make sure it is flat and free of scratches or other damage. Ask her to inflate. On a quality one, bumps and distortions will not appear.
Sometimes cases for cheesecakes are sold separately from the cameras. To avoid unpleasant surprises, check in advance whether it is included in the price of the product.
How to use tubing correctly
Follow simple recommendations so that the cheesecake lasts longer.
How to inflate a tubing
If you have a chamber tubing, follow the instructions below.
Find a nipple on the chamber - a thin tube for connection to the pump. Make sure it fits snugly. If not, tighten the nipple with a special wrench. This way you will be sure that the chamber will not let air through.
Push the deflated camera into the hole in the case and straighten it. The nipple should look down and be located in a place where you will not come into contact with it, for example, behind your back. Otherwise, the stretched fabric of the friction cover may tear.
Attach the pump to the nipple and inflate the chamber. Suitable foot cycling or automatic, pumping manually will be long and tiring. During the process, adjust the camera, it should be in the center of the cover and evenly fitted with material.
When the camera is inflated to the desired volume, close the opening on the case. It's not worth pushing too hard. The tubing should feel tight to the touch. At the same time, small folds will remain on the sides of the cover, and the depth of the seat will not decrease.
To be sure, check the pressure with a pressure gauge. It should not exceed 1 atmosphere. The first time the bladder can be tight and difficult to inflate, but then the rubber will stretch and be easier.
As the temperature rises, the air expands and can rupture the chamber. Therefore, you need to inflate the tubing only indoors.
Preparing a tubeless cheesecake is much easier. Proceed in the same way as with circles for swimming: simply insert a foot or hand pump into the valve and inflate the product. It is better not to use powerful devices for cars, there is a high risk of pumping and damaging the tubing.
How to ride tubing
In order not to spoil the projectile and not get injured, follow these rules:
- Ride only with special slides and in open space. There should be no trees, buildings or other obstacles on the route.
- Make sure that there is enough space at the end of the hill for braking - the tubing cannot be stopped on its own.
- Do not try to brake with your feet or hands.
- Do not ride in a combination of several tubings.
- Do not attach the tubing to the snowmobile or vehicle. The cable may not hold up.
- Do not place more people in one tubing than provided by the manufacturer.
- Do not use tubing in severe frosts, many materials can withstand a maximum of -30 ° C.
- Drive down the hill only with your feet forward.
How to store tubing
Before taking the tubing indoors or car, deflate the air slightly to prevent the camera from bursting in the heat. If the season is in full swing and you plan to ride regularly, store the cheesecake in this form. It is enough to wipe the cover from dirt and choose a place away from sunlight and objects that can pierce the product.
If you are putting away the tubing before next winter, deflate the tube completely and remove it from the casing. Clean the cover with a damp cloth and dry completely. Check the tubing for damage. Roll up the deflated chamber and cover, place in bags or boxes and store separately in a dry and sun-protected place.
What tubing to buy
- Triangular tubing from "Pull-Push", 2,406 rubles →
- Round tubing in the form of a car with a diameter of 95 cm, 5 842 rubles →
- Round tubing with a diameter of 99 cm from Bestway, 1,808 rubles →
- Round tubing with a diameter of 100 cm from VeloSmile, 2 999 rubles →
- Oval tubing with a diameter of 100 cm from MSN Toys, 3,550 rubles →
- Round tubing with a diameter of 105 cm from Sweet Baby, 2,190 rubles →
- Round tubing with a diameter of 110 cm from Igloo, 3,020 rubles →
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