Tube guard

A tube guard for protecting air filled inner tubes of relatively narrow tires of a bicycle, said tube guard being located when in use between the inner tube and an outer rubber tire casing and comprising a singular annular guard member made entirely from a non-compressible, flexible solid plastic material having a high resistance to penetration, said guard member having a generally U-shaped arcuate cross-section and including a central section integral with two spaced apart, generally parallel peripheral sections which extend radially inward from said central section, the cross-sectional thickness of said central section being greatest at the midportion thereof and being least at the end portions thereof, the cross-sectional thickness of said guard member being less than the cross-sectional thickness of the tire casing, and wherein the cross-sectional thickness of said peripheral sections gradually tapers from the junction with said central section to the end thereof such that said peripheral sections have the smallest cross-section at the end portions thereof, said guard member further including an outer surface which, when in use, abuts the inner wall of the tire casing and a smooth inner surface which, when in use, abuts the outer surface of the inner tube.