Inner Tubes

Which Inner Tubes to Choose for Your Bike

Bicycle inner tubes are the component that are filled with air once the tyres are in place, and that keep the tyre in a correct position, which will in turn make riding easier. They can be inflated and deflated thanks to a valve.

Normally inner tubes are made of rubber and require to be inflated at a given pressure, which depends on the cycling modality and the kind of inner tube you use.

There’s a wide range of bicycle inner tubes varying in size, material, with different kinds of valves and even some puncture-proof inner tubes. The most important thing about them, when buying a new one, is their size and what valve they feature.

At Santafixie, we have a wide variety of inner tubes. You can find the one that better matches your needs and that is compatible with your bike.

Different kinds of inner tubes according to use

Before buying a new inner tube, make sure it’s compatible with the cycling modality you practice. It’s a very easy task – just take a look at what size your current inner tubes are, and also check which kind of valve they feature. Once you know these two facts, you can buy the inner tube that better suits you. Bike inner tubes are very versatile and can be used for different disciplines.

• Inner tubes for road bikes: They can also be compatible with cyclocross and gravel bikes.

• Inner tubes for city bikes: They are also compatible with fixie and singlespeed bikes.

• Puncture-proof inner tubes: They feature a sealing liquid inside, that acts when the inner tube is slightly punctured. This liquid dries quickly when in contact with air and rapidly seals the puncture. These inner tubes are compatible with all cycling modalities, as they are manufactured in many different sizes.

Different inner tubes according to valve type

Valves are the part through which inner tubes are inflated and deflated. There exist two kinds of valves:

• Schrader valve: This kind of valve is thick, robust and very hard to damage. They are compatible with most floor or hand pumps. They are normally used to inflate 26” bike tyres, or children’s bikes tyres.

• Presta valve: They are the most common kind of valve on road and mid- to high-end mountain bikes. It keeps air pressure very well. Some pumps need an adapter to inflate inner tubes that feature this kind of valve.

Different wheel sizes

The first thing you should consider before buying an inner tube is the size of your wheel.

A great variety of inner tube sizes exists. The most frequent are 26” (650C), 28” (700C) and 29”. Amongst these different sizes, you must choose the one that fits your bike, both in size and valve type.

In order to know which inner tube size will suit you, take a look at your tyres’ size. There you’ll find a series of numbers that will tell you the size of the tyre, and knowing it you will know which inner tube size range will be compatible with it.

Tools for inner tubes

Changing your bike’s inner tubes is not an easy task. There are tools especially made to make this change easier and quicker.

The first tool you will need are tyre levers, which will help you remove the tyre from the rim, in order to remove the inner tube inside. Tyre levers can also be used to re-install the tyre after the change. Another tool that will help you repair your punctured inner tube is a puncture repair kit. You will be using it to repair your punctured inner tube and start rolling again.