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• Bontrager Standard Presta Valve Bicycle Tube

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How To: Fix a Flat Bike Tire

Flat? Fixed. Our simple how-to video will show you how to get back on two wheels in no time flat.

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• Tires/Tubes

Tubes: All Sizes/Types

10 Best Bike Tubes for All Types of Cyclists

Whether you’re a mountain biker or you take your wheels on the road, a reliable bike tube—plus a spare—is a must.

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. How we test gear.

The Best Bike Tubes

Best Overall Road Tube

Vittoria latex road tube.

Most Durable Mountain Bike Tube

Schwalbe sv21 bicycle tube.

Best Do-it-All Bike Tube

Co-op cycles schrader tube 700c.

Best Budget Road Tube

Street fit 360 sunlight premium bicycle tube.

Best Spare Gravel Tube

Tubolito tubo-cx gravel tube.

Best Innovative Tube Material

Pirelli smartube presta valve tube.

Best Lightweight Road Tube

Teravail road superlight presta tube.

Best Race Day Tube

Challenge s.c. latex tube.

Best Fat Bike Tube

Surly ultra light fat tube.

Best Budget Fat Bike Tube

Roadup fat bike tube, what to consider, valve type and length.

Valves come in two different types—Presta and Schrader—and varying lengths. Presta is more common, so we’ve listed more of those options. Presta valves are longer and thinner, with a screw at the top that you can adjust when you inflate them. Schrader valves are shorter and wider, and look more like car tire valves.

Make sure you know which one your bike is compatible with before purchasing. The wider Schrader valve won’t fit through a wheel rim built for a Presta, and a Presta is too narrow to fit tightly in a Schrader hole.

→ No matter what you need to improve in your riding life, find it with Bicycling All Access!

Sizing of Tube

This can be confusing as there are a lot of metrics and numbers to keep track of. Be sure to read all widths and diameters, and remember there are several ways of measuring (650b or 700c versus 27.5- or 29-inch models). Know what metric you’re using so you don’t wind up on the side of the road with a tube that’s the wrong size for your tire.

Road bike and gravel bike wheels will usually be listed as 700c, so you’ll need 700c tubes. Conversely, mountain bike and commuter bike wheels are typically referenced in inches. Common sizes include 26-, 27.5- (also listed as 650b), or 29-inch wheels.

To make it even more confusing, 27.5-inch wheels are the same diameter as 650b, and 29-inch wheels are about the same size as 700c, though they’re usually wider, so it’s harder to use that measurement interchangeably.

Bike tubes come in a few different materials. The material or materials used will impact price, durability, and weight. Butyl rubber tubes are the most common and most affordable. They’re a bit heavier than latex, but also easier to repair.

Latex tubes are lighter and can be more puncture-resistant than rubber tubes, and the material creates less friction against the tire itself, so you'll have more efficiency during long rides or races. It’s important to note that latex is more porous, so these can leak more air and you will have to inflate the tubes more frequently.

How We Evaluated

We looked at the different types of bikes, sizing, and riding, then narrowed down the categories to find the best options at a variety of price points and for different intended uses. We checked with bike shops, road cyclists, mountain bike riders, and casual bike commuters for their recommendations, then chose our options based on first-person use, specs, and reviews. There are a variety of sizes, weights, price points, and materials, and purposes in our picks.

• Valve type: Presta
• Material: Latex

This tube may be pricey, but if you're looking for a lightweight latex tube that’s easier to replace than similar models, it’s well worth the cost. This model comes with a removable valve core, which allows you to put your own sealant inside the tube. Remember that latex tubes are more porous than rubber, so always check your tire pressure before leaving on a ride.

• Size: 27.5 inches
• Material: Butyl rubber

Schwalbe tires come in a variety of sizes and dimensions, and are both durable and puncture-resistant on the trail. These tubes are made with a higher-quality rubber than some more bargain-oriented models, though they're still available for a reasonable price at big-box stores and outlets.

We love these tubes’ resistance to both thorns and pinch punctures, and the overall tough feel of the tubes gives us confidence in their durability. These have a shorter Presta valve (32-40 millimeters) and a removable valve core.

• Valve type: Schrader
• Material: Rubber

Keep one of these reasonably priced, convenient bike tubes in your pack for all your gravel riding or road bike tire needs. These medium-width rubber tubes are easy to replace, and come with a less-common Schrader valve that can be harder to find on the fly.

Co-op Cycles makes their inner tubes in a variety of sizes (and with Presta valves, as well), so they're a good option no matter what size wheel you’re riding. These weigh 145 grams—approximately 5 ounces—each, so they are slightly heavier than other tubes.

These affordable tubes come in both one-pack and two-pack options and have fairly standard dimensions that fit most mid-range bike wheels.

They have a 32-millimeter Presta valve with a removable core, and offer solid quality at a wallet-friendly price, earning a 4.5/5-star average rating from nearly 800 reviewers. If you want more name-brand tubes as your main riders, these are a good option to keep as a spare in your repair kit.

These compact bike tubes roll up and fit nicely in a jersey pocket or small frame bag. They are made for 700c tires with widths between 30 and 40 millimeters and work equally well with rim brakes or disc brakes. These weigh a scant 54 grams (1.9 ounces) and are easy to swap out in the middle of a long ride. They have a 42-millimeter valve stem, are easy to patch, and you can ride the repaired tubes with as few issues as a non-repaired tube.

• Size: 29 inches or 700c
• Material: Polyurethane

As of last year, these tubes are made of TPU (a type of polyurethane), a newer material for tubes that compares in efficiency and durability to traditional butyl rubber, according to Pirelli.

These compact tubes pack down to almost nothing, rolling up tightly to take up significantly less space in packs or jerseys than traditional tubes. These tubes are smooth and low-friction, but we recommend being careful to not pinch or damage them as they can be prone to puncturing during installation. They are available in 29-inch and 700c sizes, as well as a variety of widths.

These lightweight road tubes manage to be high-quality, long-lasting, and affordable. The rubber tubes come in five convenient combinations of Presta valve lengths (from 40 to 60 millimeters) and three different widths to fit a variety of 700c tires. They have a removable valve core for easy sealant application, and make a good main riding tube, as well as a convenient spare.

Look no further for lightweight, low-rolling-resistance tubes for your next race. These latex tubes are incredibly durable and puncture-resistant while still clocking in at just around 3 ounces.

As with all latex tubes, don’t forget to inflate before the race, as the porous nature of latex means they can lose air if they sit for too long. These have a 47.5-millimeter Presta valve and are super flexible and smooth.

• Size: 26 inches

Surly’s top-of-the-line fat bike tube will hit your wallet hard, but you can bet you won’t have to replace it anytime soon. These burly rubber tubes are lightweight and incredibly rugged, fitting up to a 4.7-inch tire. These weigh 310 grams (10.9 ounces) each, have a short valve length (32-40 millimeters), and have a removable valve core.

Plus, Surly has fantastic customer service and warranty options for all of their bikes and accessories.

These beefy tubes weigh in at 530 grams each and fit wheels with a 26-inch measurement and up to a 4.5-inch width. These are a generic branded tube, but have proven durability—earning a 4.6/5-star average rating from customers—and are made of a thick, puncture-resistant rubber.

We like the threaded stem, which helps reduce the likelihood of a pinch puncture, as well as keeping the tube in place.

Maggie Slepian is a full-time freelance writer in the outdoor industry and has tested gear professionally for almost ten years—she is an avid backpacker, trail runner, bikepacker, and horseback rider and has thru-hiked thousands of miles on the Appalachian, Colorado, and Ouachita trails, along with backcountry travel on terrain including coastal trails, the desert, and high alpine peaks. Maggie has written for New York Magazine, Huffington Post, REI, and Outside. She is a columnist with Backpacker Magazine and is the co-founder of BackpackingRoutes.com. Contact her at MaggieSlepian.com.

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Trek 4300 Bicycle Inner Tube Replacement

Introduction.

Removing the inner tube from your bicycle is the same process for both the front and rear wheel even though this guide specifically demonstrates the front wheel. If you want to remove the tube from the rear wheel first see the guide demonstrating how to remove your rear wheel then follow this guide to remove the tube.

What you need

Step 1 front wheel.

Stand facing your bike and locate the brake calipers.

To lessen the tension on the brake wire, place one hand on each caliper and push them closer together.

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Unhook the brake wire in the metal tube from the brake wire holder on the brake caliper in your left hand.

Find the quick release lever located on the bikes fork to loosen the wheel from the frame.

Lift the lever from lock position 180 degrees until the open sign on the lever faces outward. Twist the lever while holding the pin on the opposite side of the wheel.

The quick release lever does not need to be completely removed.

Note which side of the bike the quick release lever is on for proper reassembly.

Pull the frame of the bike upwards to separate the front wheel.

Step 5 Inner Tube

To deflate the tire, remove the cap and attach the pump head to the valve. You should then hear air flowing out from the tire.

Push the valve upward through the hole in the rim.

Pull the tire away from the rim until you can insert your fingers under the tire coping to remove it from inside the rim.

Slide your fingers (still under the tire coping) around the circumference of the tire until you completely remove the tire from the rim.

It is easier to start removing the tire from the rim around the location of the valve.

Holding the valve, pull the tube out from the inside of the tire.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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Bike inner tubes: sizes, valve types and materials explained

Everything you need to know about what you pump up on your bike

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Inner tube sizes

Schrader vs presta valve, valve length and valve extenders.

• Rubber Vs Latex
• Buying inner tubes
• Tubeless tyres
• Puncture proof

It’s one of those bits of cycling equipment that looks simple and standardised. But there far more to the cycling inner tube than meets the eye. We pull back the rubber and delve in to what it takes to make the best cycling inner tube, and how to find your ideal match. 

There are lots of variables when it comes to the most concealed element of your bike. From size to valve type, weight to puncture resistance, finding the right inner tube will make a massive difference to your cycling.   

Before we go on to sharing our top pieces of advice when it comes to finding the perfect inner tube, it's absolutely essential that you become confident with how to fix a puncture and mend an inner tube , to make sure you get home from a ride safe and sound. 

When it comes to inner tubes, size really does matter. There are two sizes you need to know in order to ensure you buy the correct inner tubes for your bike wheels and tyres.

Inner tube size diameter: 

First up is the tube’s diameter. Most of the best road bikes will have 700c wheels and need 700c tubes to fit.

But, more recently there's been a bigger influx of other bike wheel diameters now, with some of the   best gravel bikes like the Specialized Crux  coming  with a  choice of 650b or 700c wheels. It’s also the size used on smaller sizes of the best hybrid bikes , because it allows space for a larger more forgiving tyre or a deeper tread pattern for muddier rides. 

Checking what size diameter wheel size your bike currently has is pretty straight forward as the rim, or existing tyres will have this imprinted on them somewhere, or you can check your model with the brand directly.  

If you can't see any labels, you can always measure, in millimetres, from the centre of the wheel to the edge of the tyre and then multiply it by two for the wheel diameter. 

If you didn't know your wheel size, then chances are that this exercise has got you up close and personal with the moving parts on your bike for the first time. You might now be wondering if you need to replace these too. 

Panic not, now you know what diameter wheels you have, you can read more about the best road bike tyres , or more on our reviews of the best road bike wheels for more hints and tips on replacing these. 

The rim width of your road bike wheels will play a part in determine your inner tube and tyre width. 

Inner tube size width:

Next is the tube’s width. Many 700c tubes come to fit tyres up to 25mm in width, which are often fitted to road bikes,  although it's increasingly common for even 28mm tyres, to be fitted to road bikes. 

Cyclocross and gravel bikes and many city and hybrid bikes with 700c wheels will have wider tyres still. 

It's important to use the correct inner tube width size as much as it is diameter size. 

Bike inner tubes for narrower tyres will usually fit these wider tyres; they will just be a bit more stretched out to fill the space. They're unlikely to burst, but if you get a flat they may go down more quickly. On the other hand, a wider inner tube may be awkward to get into a 25mm tyre.

By choosing the right tyre and tube combo, you can be sure of optimal performance, and no preventable flats. 

Word of warning, before you invest in that great tyre and tube bundle deal, you need to also be sure that your wheel rim is suitable for the width, and the wheel will still rotate in your bike without fouling the frame. 

This tyre tells you that it is 700mm diameter and 40c wide

Again, much like the working out the required tube diameter, the width of tube will be on your bike's existing tyre, normally with the diameter size. It will read something like 700x25c which means 700 diameter wheel with a 25mm tyre.

Our sister website MBR has lots of helpful information on the best mountain bike tyres , including their sizes, which are usually stated in inches. So a 29 inch MTB tube will have the same diameter as a 700c road wheel, while a 27.5 inch tube will be the same diameter as a 650b road wheel. You can also get 26 inch MTB tubes. But since MTB tyres are typically wider than road tyres, they may be too wide to fit, even on one of the best gravel bike tyres .

Mountain bike tyre sizes are usually stated in inches. So a 29 inch MTB tube will have the same diameter as a 700c road wheel, while a 27.5 inch tube will be the same diameter as a 650b road wheel. You can also get 26 inch MTB tubes. But since MTB tyres are typically wider than road tyres, they may be too wide to fit, even in a gravel bike tyre .

Most road bikes will come with presta valves inner tubes

Presta valve inner tube

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Most bikes come with wheels that use presta valved tubes. These valves are quite narrow and have a screw at their valve tip. You need to unscrew it to get air into the tyre. Although the tyre will stay inflated with the screw loose, it’s a good idea to close it up so that you don’t accidentally let air out of your tyre. And a valve cap will stop muck getting into it when riding.

Some presta valves come in one piece, while others have cores that unscrew from the valve body. You can often unscrew them by hand or by wrapping them in a piece of old cloth or rubber and delicately using a pair of pliers. There are also core removal tools available.

A removable core can be replaced if it gets damaged – the screw part is prone to getting bent. The disadvantage is that you can unscrew the core by accident when removing a screw-on pump, undoing all your hard work pumping the tyre up.

The benefits of a presta valve inner tube are:

• They are lighter and smaller, so require a smaller hole in the bike rim to fit through, keeping rim integrity, and don't penalise the rider with uneven weighting of an inner tube. 
• Can withstand high air pressure and have a better air tight seal than alternative valve options. 
• They are extendable, so you can use longer ones if you have deep section wheels

Schrader valves are wider and require a bigger hole in a bike wheel rim to fit through. 

Schrader valve inner tubes

Some bike inner tubes have Schrader valves like those used on car tyres. These won’t fit into a wheel drilled for a presta valve. Likewise, if your wheel has a valve hole the right diameter for a Schrader valve, a presta valve will not fit securely and there’s a risk the tube will get pinched in the valve hole and blow out.

Schrader valve are large, and as above mentions, you'll need your rim to fit one. Not an issue on a mountain bike with much wider rims, but on a road bike it's not exactly ideal to put a large hole in your rim to fit it. 

That said there are still some perks to running schrader valves if you can:

• Schrader valves are industrial, as seen on cars and trucks, so assuming you don't get a unrepairable flat, they will keep going for years. 
• They are less vulnerable to getting bent/ needing the internals replacing. 
• You can get a large volume of air in quickly with the right pump, and use the same pump as you do for a car to inflate them.  

Woods, aka Dunlop, valves are a blend of both presta and schrader valves.  

Woods valve inner tube

There is in fact a third valve choice, the Woods valve, aka Dunlop valve. It's more of a rarity than both presta and schrader. This looks like a presta valve, but has a collar holding the valve core in place. 

Depending on your view point, this is either best or worst of both worlds. If you are considering, remember that your wheel will need to accept a valve the same size as a  Schrader, and not all modern pumps will fit onto a Woods valve because of the collar.  

There are limited benefits to a Woods valve inner tube:

• Less likely to bend than a presta valve when being pumped to high pressures
• Capable of letting a little air pressure out like a presta valve
• A comprise for presta loving riders, but who have schrader size holes in rims. 

Valve extenders can be a lifeline if your valve doesn't extend long enough out of the wheel rim to attach a bike pump securely. 

The last thing to think about when buying an inner tube is valve length. If you’ve got deep section wheels, you’ll need bike inner tubes with longer valves to make sure that they protrude through the rim. Some valves can be as long as 8cm. And you don’t want to get a flat out riding and find that your spare tube’s valve isn’t long enough to attach a pump – believe us, we’ve been there.

If you are thinking this might apply on your next pair of wheels, and are wondering how do you choose the perfect rim depth for you? head over to the page via the link to read a lot more about selecting your perfect pair. 

If your valve is still not long enough for your deep section wheels, you can buy valve extenders. These screw onto valves and can add enough extra length to fit the deepest aero wheels.

You can get these for easily for presta valves, but they're rather rare for schrader valves, and I've personally not come across one for a wood valves, but I'm sure if you searched hard enough some one has made one.  

Rubber Vs Latex bike inner tubes

The majority of inner tubes will be made of butyl rubber. It’s the least expensive material and also the most robust. A butyl tube will be black and is repairable with a standard puncture kit if you get a flat.

Inner tube manufacturers often also have lighter weight butyl tubes in their line-ups. These are just made of thinner rubber. The weight saving comes at the expense of a bit more fragility though, so you need to be more careful not to pinch a lightweight tube when fitting it. They are also likely to be more prone to punctures.

The lightest bike inner tubes are made from latex

Finally, there are latex tubes. These are the lightest option and also roll faster than butyl. But they are even more fragile than lightweight butyl tubes and harder to fit. And they leak air more quickly than a butyl tube, so you need to re-inflate them before each ride. They can’t usually be repaired if they do get a flat either.

We've dedicated a page specifically pondering the question of are latex inner tubes worth the hassle? which is well worth a visit if you are thinking of making a purchase. 

Also be careful using latex tubes in rim braked carbon clincher wheels. Because carbon rims don’t transmit heat as quickly as alloy ones, prolonged braking on descents can lead to hot spots on the rim, which in turn can damage the tube leading to failure.

If you don’t drag your brakes on a descent this is unlikely to be a problem, but if you’re an inexperienced descender it’s something to be aware of.

Where to buy bike inner tubes

You can pick up inner tubes from any bike shop, and the staff will be more than capable of helping you find the right size, width, material and brand. If you feel a little more confident then you can easily order on line too. 

In the USA we find that stores such as Wiggle  offer a great deal of choice and you order any extra bits like valve extenders or sealant in one go.

Competitive cyclist has a great range of performance bike inner tubes, so the place to head to if you if you are searching for latex inner tubes. 

REI has a good value house brand of inner tubes in both presta and schrader valve options, as does Decathlon . 

If you are after options of the more gravel and off road variety, JensonUSA is a great one stop shop for all your needs.  

Of course, if you are needing some in a hurry and can't get to a bike shop, then Amazon is always worth a visit for a super quick delivery. 

But we absolutely love Mikes Bikes for their recycling inner tube scheme.  

The best bike inner tube shops are similar in the UK, with Wiggle and sister brand Chain Reaction Cycles both offering a good selection to choose from. 

Decathlon has a good range of house brand bike inner tubes with both Presta and Schrader valves on offer. 

If you are looking for something performance wise Sigma Sports has a great selection of fast rubber and latex. 

Again, Amazon is probably the best bet for a bike inner tube in a hurry if you can't make it to your local bike shop. 

Tubeless bike tyres

While this page is dedicated to all things inner tubes, it would be remiss of us not to mention doing away with them all together in favour of going tubeless. 

They’ve been around for a while for mountain bikes and there are an increasing number of tubeless tyres available on road bikes. 

To run tubeless, you need a tubeless ready wheel and tyre. More new road bikes are coming equipped with tubeless-ready wheels and most aftermarket wheelsets you can buy are tubeless compatible too. Don’t try to set up tubeless if you don’t have both of these, as you risk the tyre blowing out when riding. It's worth giving our tubeless tyres: are you doing it properly? advice page a read to help you with any conversion issues. 

Tubeless tyres use a separate presta valve that screws into the rim and has a rubber end to make a seal. Having put the valve in the rim, you mount the tubeless tyre. This has a tighter bead than a normal tyre, so it can be hard work to get it onto the rim.

You also need to invest in some of the best tubeless sealant to ensure that you stay as inflated and puncture free for as long as possible. 

Getting an airtight seal to the rim can also be tricky. You need to add sealant to the tyre. This helps with getting the tyre airtight and usually deals with small punctures when out riding.

But it may not seal a larger hole successfully, so it’s a good idea to still carry a spare tube, tyre levers and a pump just in case of a major leak.

No matter what tyre and tube or tubeless set up you use, always carry a spare tube an pump out riding. 

Sealant tends to dry out over time, so you may need to top up. This is where the removable valve core comes in. Most sealants come with a nozzle to let you squirt sealant through the valve once the core has been removed. Milkit also sells an inner valve kit which lets you check you sealant level and top it up through the valve, which you can buy on Amazon direct.

Solid rubber tyres

There's also the option of puncture proof solid rubber tyres, which will rid you of inner tube problems for ever, although at the expense of ride quality, which we found when we tested the Tannus Aither 1.1 25mm solid tyre . 

Are all solid tyres worth a try? We weighed up the pros and cons especially for winter riding and found there will be some limited appeal, but until the construction and feel of the ride is developed, solid rubber tyres won't be your bike's first choice. 

Puncture proof bike inner tubes

If your tube has a removable core, you can get additional puncture protection by adding sealant to it. You take out the core, add around 25 to 30ml of sealant and refit the core. Again, this may not deal with the largest holes, but may help keep you going. But if you do flat, the sealant may stop a patch from adhering to the tube, so it's a good idea to carry a spare to get you home.

We've picked our favourites in our best puncture proof tyres buyers guide, and included lots of helpful hints and tips for how to find the best option for you.  

Watch out if you have latex tubes though, as some sealants can degrade the latex over time, causing it to fail. This can also be a problem with tubular tyres, where the tube sewn into the tyre is often thin and made of latex.

Finally, you can buy bike inner tubes already filled with sealant, for an easy way to get some additional puncture protection.

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Hannah is Cycling Weekly’s longest-serving tech writer, having started with the magazine back in 2011. She has covered all things technical for both print and digital over multiple seasons representing CW at spring Classics, and Grand Tours and all races in between.

Hannah was a successful road and track racer herself, competing in UCI races all over Europe as well as in China, Pakistan and New Zealand.

For fun, she's ridden LEJOG unaided, a lap of Majorca in a day, won a 24-hour mountain bike race and tackled famous mountain passes in the French Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Himalayas. 

She lives just outside the Peak District National Park near Manchester UK with her partner, daughter and a small but beautifully formed bike collection. 

Specialized is named in a recent workers' rights investigation claiming that the cycling garment company owes $659,000 in unpaid wages and severance to former factory workers.

By Cycling Weekly Published 1 April 24

We undertook a comprehensive tasting of the commonly available energy gels, and did our best to find something nice to say about each of them.

By Tyler Boucher Published 1 April 24

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Inner tube buying guide: common sizes, materials, valve types and more

Our in-depth guide to the humble inner tube; what it does and why you need them, even if your bike is set up tubeless

Simon Bromley/Immediate Media

Paul Norman

An inner tube is an inflatable rubber ring that sits inside your bike tyre. In a standard bicycle tyre, this is what you inflate and holds the air when you pump up your tyres.

While being one of the simplest parts on your bike, inner tubes come in a wide range of sizes, valve types and a choice of materials. This makes choosing the right tube harder than it sounds.

Bikes feature different wheel sizes depending on discipline, with inner tubes coming in various widths and diameters for road bikes , gravel bikes and mountain bikes .

There was a time when every bike had an inner tube in each tyre, but the advent of tubeless tyres has changed this with many mountain bikes and road bikes using a tubeless setup.

In a tubeless setup, there’s no inner tube; the tyre itself has an airtight seal to the rim and holds the air, without an inner tube.

But even if you’re happily riding your tubeless tyres, it’s a good idea to carry an inner tube with you, just in case you get the mother of all flats, which the sealant in your tyre or a tubeless repair kit can't. In this scenario, you'lll need to fit a tube to get going again. Trust us, it happens.

So, whether your bike is fitted with inner tubes or not, read on for our guide to the bike part every cyclist loves to hate.

What is an inner tube?

In a conventional clincher tyre setup, the tyre has a bead on each side which ‘locks’ onto the rim when inflated but doesn’t create an air-tight seal. It’s the inner tube, sitting inside the tyre, that holds the air.

The inner tube has a valve, used to keep it pumped up . Most inner tubes have either a Presta or Schrader valve, which we’ll come on to. Ensuring you have the right valve type for your bike’s wheels is essential.

What size inner tube do I need?

The simple answer is: one that fits inside your tyre. But like many bike-related things, it’s a bit more complicated than this.

Your inner tube needs to fit the wheel’s diameter and also the width of the tyre fitted, so there are two significant measurements to get right.

Let’s start with diameter – make sure you’ve got the right size inner tube for your wheel’s diameter or you’ll find it difficult to fit.

Road wheels are usually '700c' sized (622mm in diameter, when measured from the bead seat to bead seat) and will need 700c tubes to match. These are sometimes referred to as 28in tubes, but that's relatively uncommon.

Meanwhile, mountain bike and commuter bike wheels and tyres are typically sized in inches.

26in was long the standard for mountain bike tyres, but with the introduction of 27.5in and 29in wheels it is now more common to see them on children's bikes.

27.5in mountain bike wheels are the same diameter as 650b , the smaller wheel size you’ll sometimes find on gravel bikes in place of 700c wheels that you would usually see on a road bike.

29-inch mountain bike wheels are the same diameter as 700c, though they're naturally wider than road or gravel tyres.

Smaller kid's bikes will have smaller wheels, usually 16in, 20in or 24in, and need smaller diameter inner tubes and tyres. The same is true of most folding bikes .

While it’s vital to match wheel diameter with the diameter of your inner tube, there’s a bit more leeway in tyre width, typically measured in millimetres (sometimes confusingly expressed as “c”, e.g. 25c) for road bikes and inches for mountain bikes.

All inner tubes will come with a recommended range for tyre width – for example 700 × 20–25 for traditional road tyres, 700 × 25–32 for wider road tyres.

A narrower inner tube will balloon out to fill a tyre a few millimetres wider than its recommended width – but don’t take it too far as it might explode.

Likewise, a tube rated a bit wider than your tyre will usually fit, although it can be awkward to fit one that’s a lot wider than the tyre.

Common inner tube sizes

Inner tube sizes vary by maker, so once you’ve decided on a brand you need to check the options it sells, but typically they’ll include options similar to those listed below:

Road, gravel, cyclocross and hybrid (commuter) tyres: 700c wheels

• 700 × 20–25mm – for traditional road bikes with 700c wheels and 20 to 25mm tyres
• 700 × 25–32mm – for road bikes with 700c wheels and 25 to 32mm tyres
• 700 × 28–37mm – for road, cyclocross, gravel and hybrid bikes with 700c wheels and 28 to 37mm tyres
• 700 × 32–47mm – for road cyclocross, gravel and hybrid bikes with 700c wheels and 32 to 47mm tyres

Mountain bike tyres: 26in, 27.5in (or 650b), 29in diameter wheels

The following sizes are common for mountain bike tyres, regardless of whether your bike has 26in, 27.5in (650b) or 29in wheels.

There is some overlap in sizes between 650b gravel and mountain bike tyres, but gravel tyres are usually sold in metric sizes as listed above.

• Up to 2in width – narrow, old-school MTB tyres
• 2–2.3in – typical XC (cross-country) MTB tyres
• 2.3–2.6in – trail, enduro, all-rounder MTB tyres
• 2.6–3.0in – ‘plus’ sized MTB tyres
• Over 3.0in – fat bike MTB tyres

Presta or Schrader valves?

As we’ve already alluded to, your bike’s wheels are most likely to be compatible with either a Presta valve or a Schrader valve, with Presta the more common of the two standards on enthusiast bikes.

Presta valves are longer and narrower than Schrader valves. They have a screw at the tip that you unscrew when attaching a pump for inflation. You can also press down on the unscrewed tip to release air.

Some Presta valves have a removable core, which can be replaced in the event of damage.

Removable cores unscrew from the valve stem – there’s a little tool available to grip the sides of the core – so you can replace a faulty one or squirt sealant into the tube (more on that below). They can sometimes unscrew by accident when you’re using a pump, though.

Schrader valves are shorter and stubbier, and will look just like the valves on your car tyres.

When buying inner tubes, make sure you get the right valve: a Schrader valve won’t fit through the valve hole in a wheel rim drilled for a Presta valve. And a Presta valve is too narrow to fit securely in a Schrader valve hole. Try to use this combo and the rubber around the valve will be exposed and rub against the valve hole, risking a puncture.

Most pumps work with both valve types. Some pumps will require you to partially disassemble the head to switch between Presta and Schrader while others feature separate holes for either valve.

What about the Dunlop valve?

Aside from Presta and Schrader, there's also a third type of valve – the Dunlop valve (sometimes referred to as a Woods valve), more common on urban bikes in mainland Europe. It's very rarely seen in the UK/US, or on road and mountain bikes.

The base of a Dunlop valve is similar in diameter to a Schrader valve, but is inflated with the same pump head as a Presta valve.

Inner tube materials

Inner tubes are typically made of rubber: either butyl or latex.

Butyl rubber tubes are the most common being the most affordable and easiest to repair using a standard puncture repair kit, giving you more life out of it than other materials.

Some manufacturers sell lighter-weight butyl tubes with thinner walls alongside their standard range if you want to save a few grams.

For even more weight saving, latex tubes are significantly lighter than butyl tubes, plus there’s less friction against the tyre, resulting in lower rolling resistance.

On the other hand, they’re much more fragile and more awkward to fit as they’re floppier than butyl tubes.

If you have carbon rims on a bike with rim brakes, you also need to be careful not to drag your brakes on long descents because overheating can cause latex tubes to fail. Some wheel makers recommend against using latex tubes with their rims.

Another drawback of latex tubes is that they leak air more quickly, so you may need to pump them up before every ride.

If you do get a flat, they’re difficult to repair too and you need a different type of repair kit. They’re an option you might choose if you’re seriously into racing or time trials to give you that extra edge in place of everyday practicality.

What about TPU tubes?

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) tubes have become more popular in recent years thanks to their light weight and small pack size.

TPU has characteristics similar to rubber and plastic, and is said to have the least rolling resistance compared to butyl and latex tubes.

Tubolito , for example, sells tubes that are claimed to be lighter, more flat-resistant and more compact than a standard butyl tube, and more robust than latex. Schwalbe's Aerothan tubes make similar claims.

At more than ~£25 each, both are an expensive option, but might suit the weight weenie or help save space and weight if you keep one as a spare.

Inner tube valve lengths

Presta valves come in different lengths too. With deeper section rims becoming more common, it’s important to make sure that your valve is long enough to protrude through the rim and let you attach a pump to it.

We’ve been on rides where we’ve got a flat and found that the spare inner tube kept in a saddlebag as default didn’t have a long enough valve for the wheels we were riding. Fortunately, we were carrying a few patches and could fix the punctured tube.

Presta valve inner tubes are available from a range of makers with valve lengths up to 80mm. There’s no harm in using a valve longer than you need, although it might look a bit odd to use a particularly long valve on shallow wheels.

If your wheels are even deeper than the longest valve you can find, you can buy valve extenders to add length to your valve. There’s a range of lengths available: Zipp for example makes extenders from 27mm up to 98mm long.

Valve extenders screw onto the top of the Presta valve. Some are just hollow tubes, others include a valve at the top, which means that you need to remove the valve core from your inner tube before screwing on the extender.

The former are simpler to use, but add a dead space above the valve, making inflation harder, while with the latter you need to make sure that there’s a fully airtight seal to the inner tube’s valve stem, or your tube will leak air.

Also look out for valve rattle with deeper section wheels. It’s an annoyance rather than a problem and can usually be stopped by taping around where the valve stem protrudes from the wheel rim (this is a classic trick used by pro team mechanics ).

Puncture protection

One of the big advantages of a tubeless setup is that the sealant inside the tyre should seal many of the flats that typically bedevil the bike rider.

If you don’t want to go tubeless, or you haven’t got the components on your bike to go tubeless, you may reduce your chances of getting a flat tyre by using inner tubes like those from Slime, which come filled with sealant.

Fitted exactly like a normal inner tube, they’re a bit heavier and more expensive but should self-seal if you get a smaller puncture.

Another option is to put sealant into a normal inner tube. It’s a job that’s easier if you can remove the valve core: the sealant can gum up the valve, making it tricky to get air into your tube.

And some sealants will weaken latex tubes, causing them to fail, so make sure that your combo is compatible.

Or, if you’ve really had it with flats, there are solid tyres from the likes of Tannus and inserts such as Vittoria’s AirLiner .

Both brands also sell anti-puncture liners that sit between the inner tube and the tyre tread. We’d recommend upgrading your tyres or trying tubeless first, though.

Or go tubeless

If all this seems like hard work, and you’ve got tubeless compatible rims and tyres, there’s always the option to go tubeless.

To recap: a tubeless setup removes the need for an inner tube (the clue is in the name). Instead, the tyre creates an airtight seal with the rim to hold pressure, just like a car tyre.

Tubeless tyres are used in conjunction with sealant, added to the tyre during installation. The sealant should fill the kind of small cuts that could otherwise cause a flat with an inner tube.

With that in mind, a tubeless setup should result in fewer punctures. You can also run tubeless tyres at a lower pressure because there’s no risk of pinching the tube, potentially improving comfort and grip.

On the other hand, getting an airtight seal can sometimes be tricky when setting up tubeless tyres, especially on road tyres . And there’s the cost of upgrading your setup, too.

If you do go tubeless, it’s still a good idea to take an inner tube (and a tyre boot and plug kit) with you, so you have the option of adding a tube and making it home in case you get a serious flat.

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Best bike inner tubes 2024 — save weight, ride faster and prevent flats

First Published Apr 29, 2021

Prices, retailers and selections updated for 2023.

The best bike inner tubes do quite a lot more than just hold the air in your tyres. They can make your bike faster, lighter or – by preventing punctures – more reliable. The road.cc team have ridden hundreds of thousands of miles on a vast range of inner tubes, so these are the ones we recommend above all others.

• Best overall inner tube: Schwalbe SV15 Road Tube — Buy Now for £4.00 from Merlin Cycles | Find out more
• Lightest inner tube: Tubolito Tubo Road 700C — Buy Now for £20.90 from Mantel | Find out more
• Best on a budget: LifeLine Road Inner Tube — Buy Now for £2.49 - £2.99 from Wiggle | Find out more
• Best rolling resistance: Michelin Air Comp Latex — Buy Now for £10 or 5 for £40 from Mantel | Find out more
• Best puncture resistance: Slime Smart — Buy Now for £14.50/2 from Amazon | Find out more

Choosing the best inner tubes is a surprisingly cheap way to improve some aspect of your bike's performance, be it speed or reliability. If all that matters to you is going fast, the best inner tubes — and the choice of fast riders for many decades —are made from natural latex rubber, but read on: they have downsides.

Fed up of flats? Inner tubes with built-in sealant can fix punctures for you as you ride, often before you even know they've happened.

Every few years a new inner tube technology pops up, usually involving high-strength exotic plastic; we discuss the latest one below.

The best inner tubes you can buy

Best overall inner tube: schwalbe sv15 road tube — buy now for £4.00 from merlin cycles.

To be fair, the mid-priced tubes from the likes of Michelin, Continental, Schwalbe, Specialized, Hutchinson at al are all pretty decent. We're going for Schwalbe here because they're a very sensible price, good quality, have removable valve cores so you can put sealant in them if you want and come with a cool transparent valve cap. As with all removable-core tubes you do have to make sure the core's screwed in nice and snug or some pumps can unscrew it.

Lightest inner tube: Tubolito Tubo Road 700C — Buy Now for £20.90 from Mantel

They may be expensive, but compared to a tubeless conversion – or a new wheelset – the 38g high-tech thermoplastic Tubo Road tubes from Tubolito are a cost-effective way of shedding some weight. They promise some puncture resistance benefits as well.

Compared to a random butyl 700C tube grabbed from the garage, the Tubo offers a saving of 60-70g. That's per tube. So for an outlay of about £40 you can shave 120-140g (4-5oz) off the weight of your bike.

Read our review of the Tubolito Tubo Road 700C Find a Tubolito dealer

Best on a budget: LifeLine Road Inner Tube — Buy Now for £2.49 - £2.99 from Wiggle

The market for inexpensive standard inner tubes has become very competitive in the last couple of years. With a weight of around 120g, these tubes are good value at around two-fifty each (£2.99 for the longest-valve version).

They hold air perfectly adequately but their manufacturing tolerances are surprisingly wide. I bought four recently and they weighed 110g, 116g, 118g and 131g, and we've seen the occasional Lifeline tube exhibit random bulges when inflated off the bike, but for £2.49 who's really complaining?

Best rolling resistance: Michelin Air Comp Latex — Buy Now for £10 or 5 for £40 from mantel

If you want to get into latex (stop sniggering at the back), then Michelin's highly-regarded tubes are your most widely-available option.

At a claimed 75g they're a bit lighter than a standard tube, which is a good start. Being latex they're more flexible than butyl and will therefore reduce both rolling resistance and frequency of punctures.

Find a Michelin dealer

Best puncture resistance: Slime Smart — Buy Now for £14.50/2 from Amazon

With a payload of Slime sealant inside a butyl tube, Slime's Smart tube weighs 170g, so the very effective self-healing capability has a penalty of about 70g over a standard tube.

Our tester experienced no punctures while using the Smart tube, but that might just have been the Puncture Fairy looking the other way for a few weeks.

So he deliberately ran over a drawing pin, then took it out straight away and found the sealant stopped air escaping after the pressure had dropped by about 30psi, leaving enough air in the tyre to get you home, and of course it's rather easier to add 30psi to your tyres in the field than to replace a tube.

Read our review of the Slime Smart tubes

Michelin AirComp Ultralight — Buy Now for £6.00 from Chain Reaction Cycles

For around six quid these 75g butyl tubes will knock off a few grams without breaking the bank.

Continental Supersonic — Buy Now for £10.00 from Sigma Sport

The lightest butyl rubber inner tubes currently available, these are amazingly thin-walled. That makes them a bit fragile — you need to be careful installing them — but if saving weight is your aim, these are the best butyl inner tubes you can get.

Find a Continental dealer

Schwalbe SV20 X-Light — Buy Now for £7.00 from Merlin Cycles

If you want to stick with butyl tubes for their air retention, but still lose a bit of rotating weight, these 65g tubes from Schwalbe are well worth your consideration especially as they're not as fragile as the Conti Supersonics.

Vredestein Race Latex Presta — Buy Now for £11.70 or £46.70 for 5 from Mantel

At just 50g each, Vredestein's latex inner tubes are as light as Continental Supersonics, but being latex will be more flexible and therefore make for tyre/tube combinations with lower rolling resistance. The porosity of latex means you're going to have to inflate your tyres every day, so these are tubes for a special pair of race or time trial wheels, to be rolled out when every second counts.

Kenda Thorn-resistant inner tubes — Buy Now for £9.99 from Winstanleys Cycles

There are situations — like thorn-strewn farm lanes and city streets infested by broken glass — where the simple barrier of an extra-thick inner tube can help reduce the frequency of punctures. As tester Shaun found, "made from 4.6mm thick butyl, they’re four times thicker than your bog standard tube. Aboard my four-seasons fixer with 38mm rubber they’ve laughed at flints,and thorns. Riding through shards of glass may have nicked the tyres but it’s never touched the tubes."

Read our review of Kenda Thorn-resistant inner tubes

Everything you need to know about inner tubes

Inner tubes affect the rolling resistance of your tyres, how easily you can end up sidelined with a puncture and the rotating weight of your wheels. If you care about performance — whether you mean by that speed or robustness and reliability — it’s worth thinking about the best inner tubes you could use and not just where you can get 10 for £20.

Rolling resistance

The rolling resistance of tyres comes from the force needed to bend the tyre where it contacts the road. But the inner tube has to bend too, so if it’s thick, then the rolling resistance of the whole combination goes up.

The flexibility of the inner tube material makes a difference too. Inner tubes are made from either synthetic butyl rubber or natural latex rubber. Latex is more flexible and thinner too, so if you want to reduce rolling resistance then latex is the way to go . According to Jarno Bierman at bicyclerollingresistance.com, you’ll save 4-5 Watts using latex inner tubes over butyl tubes . That’s probably not a difference you can feel, but it’s one you can measure with a stopwatch.

So latex inner tubes are the best inner tubes? Not necessarily. The big disadvantage is that they’re more porous than butyl tubes. That means that they leak air sufficiently quickly that you’ll need to pump them up every day.

A wrinkle to all of this is that thinner and lighter butyl inner tubes have become available in the last few years. Bierman tested a 100g butyl tube against an 80g latex tube, but you can get butyl tubes as light as 50g. Because they’re thinner, they have lower rolling resistance but won’t lose air like latex, but their increased fragility means they need more care in handling and puncture more easily.

Tyre maker Challenge cautions against the use of latex inner tubes with carbon fibre rims. It says: “Carbon rims do not dissipate heat as well as aluminium and prolonged braking, such as on long descents, may lead to hot spots along the braking surface. This increased heat can damage the latex material leading to a failure.”

Puncture resistance

Latex inner tubes have been claimed to be more puncture-resistant, because the rubber is inherently stretchier. Whether that makes a difference on the road is debatable as a tube held in place by a tyre may not be able t stretch as much as a tube being pressed against a broken bottle in an advert. For everyday riding you probably don’t want fewer punctures to come at the expense of daily inflation anyway.

Sealants are a better solution. Preparations such as Slime contain small rubber particles suspended a liquid that dries on exposure to air. It’s pretty effective at sealing holes up to about 3mm across. However, it’s hard to squeeze a sealant through a standard Presta valve so sealant makers offer tubes with the fluid already inside. If you want to roll your own, then you want tubes with removable valve cores.

Sealants aren’t perfect. If you get a big enough cut, the sealant won’t work and you’ll need to install a regular tube. Sealant-filled tubes are difficult to repair because the sealant stops the patch from sticking.

Sealants also add weight, but for the kind of everyday cycling application where you’d use them to prevent flats, you’re probably not going to mind an extra few grams.

If you’re not aiming for everyday riding puncture prevention, then a weight reduction is nice to have. A typical inexpensive inner tube — like the ones your bike probably came with — weighs 100-110g; Continental’s Supersonic tube weighs 55g (all weights for inner tubes with 60mm valves).

A 100g weight saving isn’t huge, but a pair of Supersonics is less than £20. There aren’t many places on a bike where you can get a weight saving of 5g/£. If you’re replacing a bike’s stock tyres with lighter rubber, it’s worth getting better, lighter tubes too.

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The aim of road.cc buyer's guides is to give you the most, authoritative, objective and up-to-date buying advice. We continuously update and republish our guides, checking prices, availability and looking for the best deals.

Our guides include links to websites where you can buy the featured products. Like most sites we make a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on one of those links. We want you to be happy with what you buy, so we only include a product if we think it's one of the best of its kind.

As far as possible that means recommending equipment that we have actually reviewed, but we also include products that are popular, highly-regarded benchmarks in their categories.

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road.cc buyer's guides are maintained by the road.cc tech team. Email us with comments, corrections or queries.

John has been writing about bikes and cycling for over 30 years since discovering that people were mug enough to pay him for it rather than expecting him to do an honest day's work.

He was heavily involved in the mountain bike boom of the late 1980s as a racer, team manager and race promoter, and that led to writing for Mountain Biking UK magazine shortly after its inception. He got the gig by phoning up the editor and telling him the magazine was rubbish and he could do better. Rather than telling him to get lost, MBUK editor Tym Manley called John’s bluff and the rest is history.

Since then he has worked on MTB Pro magazine and was editor of Maximum Mountain Bike and Australian Mountain Bike magazines, before switching to the web in 2000 to work for CyclingNews.com. Along with road.cc founder Tony Farrelly, John was on the launch team for BikeRadar.com and subsequently became editor in chief of Future Publishing’s group of cycling magazines and websites, including Cycling Plus, MBUK, What Mountain Bike and Procycling.

John has also written for Cyclist magazine, edited the BikeMagic website and was founding editor of TotalWomensCycling.com before handing over to someone far more representative of the site's main audience.

He joined road.cc in 2013. He lives in Cambridge where the lack of hills is more than made up for by the headwinds.

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I'd be a no on the Slime* approach as it causes as many problems as it solves.

I thought the range of ratings on the Scwalbe 18/28 622-630 was instructive - good for 29'er, 700c, 27" and many 28" set-ups.

Au sujet de wall thicknesses, presumably running let's say the Scwalbe SV-15s at the bottom, or the top of the width range will make a significant difference? 

Wiggle /Lifeline are doing well on price, but a shout out from me also for Planet X / Vavert. 

If your roadside pump is a screw-on/ off unwanted valve core removal is a major risk IME. If any pump you use is push-on/ off, I find the valve stems are quite flimsy and prone to bending, so the ability to replace is useful.

Michelin - no threading on the valve stem. 

* except on my Gravel build where one of my Gravel Kings was such a tight fit that I doubt I could repair it trailside, so I've got a Zefal inflator/sealer tube packed. 

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Ah, the replacement valve dilemma.

On a pump that does not have a length of hose, and needs considerable speed and effort to use, it is highly unlikely that users will avoid breaking valve stems, yet the screw on valves are very easy to unscrew with the likes of a Lyzene pump.

I carry a core removal tool with me, but that doesn't rescue you when the valve insert has snapped in half inside the valve.

Agreed on slime, it rarely works. Whatever the trick is that gets sealant to seal on a tubeless tyre, it seems to be reluctant to do the same on an inner tube. I suspect, in part it will be that a thorn will be moving around if it pierced the inner tube, sort of like scratching a scab, while in a tyre the thorn is fairly stable - the relative movement increases as pressure drops.

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Time for another reminder of the bafflement of some MPs that their cheerful consultancy and lobbying work is disturbed by requests to come and...

Yes because, as good egotists, they want to be able to say "everybody does it" to absolve themselves.

…which rather begs the question of (1) how hard she had intended to apply the brake, and (2) how hard she actually pressed the accelerator.

Another good example of where direct action via a just a minute type protest would be justified.

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Tires/Tubes

Your Bicycle Size Guide

Bike Inner Tube Sizes Chart (Easy Guide With Images)

I know finding your bike tube size can be somewhat confusing for the beginners. Fret not, I’ll make it super easy with images and charts. First step, you need to know the dimensions of two things – the diameter or size of the wheel and the width of the tire. Both can be found on the sidewall of your bicycle tire.

Example – 27.5 x 2.30: the first figure here refers to the diameter or size of the bicycle wheel, while the second figure is the width of the tire. Bike wheel comes in different sizes, such as 24″, 26″ , 27.5″, and 29″. And the tire width can vary according to the bike type, ranging from 1.4″ to 3″. Look at the image below –

When selecting the right tube size, you need to consider the exact number/measurement of the wheel diameter. For the tire width, the exact number isn’t required as bike inner tubes stretch or expand . When you see a bicycle tube with this number – 26 x 1.75 – 2.4 , the numbers 1.75 – 2.4 mean the tube will fit a tire width in the range of 1.75 to 2.4 inch. Got it?

Bike tube size chart

According to manufacturers, sizes on tires can be given in inches, mm, or ‘c’. A 700 x 28c tire (French system) has the same width as 700 x 28 mm tire (c = mm) . Below is the inner tube size chart for different bike tires – for road, mountain, kids, gravel, hybrid, touring, and so on.

ISO/ETRTO tire sizing

Most bike tires found in the US and UK are marked with either Imperial or Metric sizing. But, in some countries, you may also come across a tire size like – 28-622 (same as 700x28c ), which is called an ISO / ETRTO sizing. Unlike the English sizing, the first number here ( 28 ) is the width of the tire in mm , the second one (622) is the diameter/size of the tire. Pretty odd, right?

Below is the ETRTO wheel size converted to English system:

Inner tube valve types – choose the correct one

Now as you know the size of your bike tube, the next thing is to know the valve stem types of the inner tube. There are usually two common bicycle tube valves – Schrader and Presta. Let’s see the differences in the table below:

People also ask

Are all bike inner tubes of the same size?

No. Bicycle inner tubes come in variety of sizes according to the wheel circumference and width of the tire. You need to select the tube size depending on your bike’s wheel sizes and tire width. Eg. 27.5 x 1.75″ to 2.1″, the first dimension (27.5) indicates the wheel size while the second figures (1.75″ to 2.1) indicate that the tube will fit tires within the range of 1.75″ to 2.1″.

What is the standard road bike tube size?

Most road bikes use 700c x 23mm/700c x 23c tires. So, we can say that the standard tube size of a road bike is 700 × 20 – 25mm. However, high-end performance road bicycles mostly use 700x28c inner tubes.

Can I use 1.75 tube in 1.95 tire?

Yes, normally a 1.75 tube should be compatible with a 1.95 tire. As long as the number is within the range of the width of the tire, the inner tube will easily fit in.

What size inner tube do I need for 700x38c ?

For a 700x38c tire, you’ll need an inner tube labelled within this size range – 700×32-47mm. It’s even perfect if you find a tube with this exact number – 700 x 35-38”. A good rule of thumb is that the second numbers should be fairly close to your tire width.

Wrapping up

If you are a cyclist, it’s certain that your bicycle tube will be punctured at some point of time. Also, keeping a spare inner tube at home is also a smart choice. The thing is, you cannot get it wrong while determining the correct tube. So, to know the right tube size of your bike, use our chart and guide given above. With the right tools, it isn’t difficult to replace the tube by yourself at home.

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Can I use a 26×1.75-1.95 tube inside a 2.3 tire without problems? Will the tube be stretched too thin to take a hard ride?

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Bike Inner Tube Size Chart (Simple Solution)

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Updated: August 7, 2023

Disclosure: I may receive referral fees from purchases made through links on BicycleVolt. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’ve been searching for the correct inner tube for your bike, then I feel your pain.

It’s a job that should be so simple and yet it can feel incredibly complex and frustrating.

So, I’m going to give you two things today:

• A chart which shows my recommended bike inner tubes for all of the commonest tire sizes (with links to go direct to Amazon and get one straight away), and
• A simple guide to easily find out what your tire size is and your bike tube measurements

Ready? Then let’s go take a look.

Bike Inner Tube Size Chart And My Recommendations

Below is the list of my recommended inner tubes.

Once you know your tire size (see the method at the bottom of this page), scroll down below until you get to your tire diameter (e.g. “16” tires: Recommended inner tubes”).

Look through the table for your tire diameter and you’ll see the most popular tire widths for each of those diameters (e.g. “16×1.5 tube”).

Beside each of these is a BUY NOW link which will take you to the product page for my recommended inner tube.

Struggling with bike repairs?

What size inner tube do i need for my bike, how do i know what size inner tube i need.

With most bicycles these days this is (thankfully!) a simple and straightforward task.

If you crouch down by the side of one of your bike wheels and take a look at the sidewall you’ll be able to get all the information you need – simple as that.

The sidewall is the rubber tire section that is an ‘O’ shape and sits between the metal rim of the wheel and the (usually) black tread section of the tire. It’s mostly smooth, and sometimes (say with beach cruiser tires), it can be a different color to the rest of the tire.

If you follow the sidewall round with your finger you’ll notice that there will be words and numbers embossed.

There’s often the name of the tire manufacturer (for example, Schwalbe). Plus, there should be the tire code. This will either be metric, imperial, or ISO/ETRTO .

Metric codes will look like “700 x 28c” Imperial codes look like “27.5 x 2.1” ISO/ETRTO have codes like “37-622”

This might seem confusing, but don’t fret.

Whichever code you find, just make a note and then compare it to the chart above. Find the line with your tire code and you’ll see a link to the Amazon page with my recommended inner tube.

Inner tube dimensions explained

You would’ve thought that tire manufacturers could all just sit down together and come up with one simple system for classifying bike tires, wouldn’t you?

Well, actually, they have and it’s the ISO system (which was previously known as ETRTO). It hasn’t been universally adopted though and you’ll see tires which have both ISO numbering and either metric or imperial.

Before the ISO/ETRTO system pretty much every country seemed to have their own system.

That’s one of the reasons why you’ll see the “c” in some metric tire codes. It’s a hangover from the old French system which categorized tire widths from “a” narrowest to “d” widest. For some reason manufacturers still include this on the tires.

And don’t think that the imperial system is so simple either.

You would expect that a tire listed as “29×2.5” would be a good replacement for a tire that said it was “29 x 2 ½”. Weirdly though these two are unlikely to be the same size of tire.

Whilst you need to use a replacement tire that is the exact same size as the existing one, you have a little more wiggle room when it comes to tubes.

The diameter needs to be the same (e.g. 700 or 26”) but the tube’s width will vary depending on the amount you inflate them (like a kid’s balloon).

This is the reason why you see inner tubes listed with one number for the diameter and a range for the width, e.g. “26 x 1.75-2.25”. So, this tube would be fine to use with tires of between 26×1.75” all the way to tires of 26×2.25”.

Inner tube valves

Quick point to note about valves before I let you go.

Inner tube valves are the little metal bits sticking out the side of inner tubes which you fit the pump to in order to blow your tube up.

There are two main valve types: Schrader and Presta.

Lots of bike tubes and virtually all car tires will use Schrader valves. Presta valves are slimmer and longer than Schrader.

This means that, if your bike pump is designed for Schrader valves, you’ll need to buy a little adaptor to use it with Presta valve tubes.

These are inexpensive and super-simple to fit and use – you just screw them by hand and away you go. After that you’ll be able to use your pump with either Presta or Schrader tubes, so they’re very handy to have. You can get more details on the one I recommend here.

Fitting a new inner tube

Don’t worry if you haven’t done this before. It’s a real simple process and should take less than an hour.

Have a watch of this video and you’ll see what you need and what steps you should follow.

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Recyclemore.com : your guide to reducing, reusing and recycling in west contra costa county..

Bike Inner Tubes

Alternative Ways to Recycle

Alchemy Goods Bike Tube Recycling

You can bring your bike inner tubes to any REI bike shop or Trek dealer who participates in Alchemy Goods’ recycling program . This program upcycles clean, intact inner tubes into bags and wallets, even using the valve stems to make zipper pulls.

Green Guru's Recycling Program

Green Guru Gear collects bike inner tubes along with other hard-to-recycle outdoor gear and upcycles them into bike gear. You can mail your items to them or drop them off with one of their recycling partners. Find out more .

Ways to Reduce

Patch Small Punctures

If your bike inner tube is punctured and the hole is small enough, try patching it before throwing it out. The Global Cycling Network has an easy-to-follow video on how to patch holes in an inner tube.

Ways to Reuse

Use as Protective Covers

You can use your bike inner tube as a slip-resistant cover on the handle of a tool, or as a protective cover on a chain or rope, like those found on swing sets.

Make a Door Draft Stopper

Turn your bike inner tube into a draft stopper to place under a door. Cut a length of tube that’s a little longer than the door’s width, fill it with sand, and seal the edges.

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Monday, February 20, 2012

• Moscow Bike Mapping

2 comments:

Good to know. I have a folding bike and love to travel. I'd never really considered Moscow, figuring it would be too busy/crowded/dangerous (especially since I don't read Russian, I've been worried about making out the street signs). But this makes me reconsider...maybe I'll get the chance to head out there this summer.

Thoughtful blog thanks for sharing.

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