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Tubes come in a variety of different types and it's not always obvious which tube you need. We have dozens of different tubes available for almost every application. Our Tube finder makes it easy to find the tube you're looking for. If you're not already on our Tubes Page, you can get there by clicking on Tubes above. On the Tubes Page, you can view this article at any time by clicking on the Our Tube Finder allows you to search for tubes using many different parameters. The first step in selecting a tube is to determine the rim size of the tires you are using. Since tubes can be stretched a little, the exact size is not as critical as it is with tires, but you should use a tube size that is within a few percent of your tire size. As with tires, the common sizes used for tubes are sometimes not specific enough to get the correct size. For example, 26" tubes (and tires) come in five different diameters. (See our article on 26 inch tire sizes for help figuring out the correct size). We therefore also use the International Standards Organization (ISO) tire sizes which indicates the diameter of the tire in millimeters measured from tire bead to tire bead (where the tire touches the rim). All our tubes are listed using this ISO metric measurement in addition to the more common size descriptions. If you're also purchasing tires from us, you will see a button that says View Compatible Tubes when you add a tire to the shopping cart. If you click on this button, it will take you to the Tube Finder with the choices already narrowed to show compatible-sized tubes only. The most popular sizes used on modern bicycles are:
Other common sizes are:
We also stock many other sizes for children's bikes, folding bikes, recumbents, and older cruisers and road bikes. If you need help figuring out your size, Click Here.
To select the rim size, click on the small down-arrow to the right of the Rim Size selection box on the left. This will expand (or collapse) the selection box to allow you to select the tire size (or sizes) you are interested in. This Expand/Collapse button works the same for other selection criteria as well. Once you change a selection criteria, the list of available tires will be automatically updated. To see more detail about a tire or to order the tire, simply click on the tire listing. Since inner tubes are made of materials that will stretch easily, a single tube size will fit tires of several different widths. Therefore, the tube width is specified as a range. For example, a tube size of 700C x 18/23 is designed to fit 700C tires (ISO 622) with widths between 18mm and 23mm. This particular size is the most commonly used for road bicycles.
There are two other parameters that are important in choosing a tube are the valve type and the stem length. Bicycle tubes are available with two different kinds of valves. These are shown in the photo to the left. The presta valve is used on most modern bicycles. If your bicycle uses a Schrader valve tube and a tube of the correct size is not available with this valve, a presta valve tube can be used since the narrower valve will fit through the rim hole. However, to reduce the chance of damaging your valve stem as it moves around inside the wider hole, it is a good idea to use a Presta Valve Saver. This is a small metal sleeve that fits over the presta valve providing a snug fit with the larger hole in your wheel rim. Presta valve tubes come in different valve lengths. The standard length valve (32 or 34mm - about 1 1/4") will fit most bicycle wheels. Some higher performance racing bicycles use wheels which have a higher rim profile (taller rim) for better aerodynamics. These wheels require a longer valve to fit through the rim. It's a good idea to chose a valve length which will allow at least 1/2" of valve to stick through making it easier to secure the pump for easy inflation. | |
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