How to choose road bike inner tubes?

How to choose road bike inner tubes?

You'd think that choosing the right inner tube is simple. But there are a few subtleties to note when it comes to finding the right one. Here are a few tips on the subject.

THE STANDARDS

  • Wheel size, for an adult bike: 700 or 650
  • Tire width
  • Valve type: Presta, or more rarely Schrader or Dunlop
  • Valve length
  • Shell type: removable or not

TUBE TYPES

The size of an inner tube is made up of two figures: the first value corresponds to the diameter of your inner tube. tireThe second is a range of use based on the width of your tire. For example, a 700x20/25 tube is designed for a 700-diameter tire 20 to 25 wide, so you can use it for a 700x23 tire, for example.

There are three types of inner-tube valve. Make sure you choose the one that's compatible with your rim.

  • They are either Prestatype, mainly used on the road but also widespread on mountain bikes;
  • or Schraderwhich is wider and identical to the one used for cars;
  • or Dunlopusually reserved for Dutch city bikes.

The room itself is mostly made of butyl but you can also find them in latex which, despite a poorer seal, is less susceptible to punctures and up to twice as light (these latex chambers are not compatible with carbon fiber rims).

For butyl chambers, you'll have the choice between the simplest models, or reinforced versions to limit punctures. If it's the weight you're after that will make your wheels ultralight" versions are generally thinner, but beware of punctures with this type of chamber!

In addition, there are different valve heights for tubes to suit your wheel profile. By default, on a classic low rim, you need at least 32 mm.

Note that some tubes allow you to remove the valve shell to fit an extension tube.

WHICH INNER TUBE FOR MY RIDING?

Cycle touring

If you're simply looking to get some fresh air, standard butyl tubes - a guarantee of reliability - will do just fine.

Cyclosportif

For a good compromise between leisure and performance, top-of-the-range butyl chambers - generally thinner and lighter, known as "light" - will give your wheels more dynamism while maintaining good resistance.

Time trial / Triathlon

Last but not least, the best performance gains will be achieved with particularly thin chambers that offer little resistance to punctures. The alternative is to use latex chambers, which are much more resistant to punctures, but which have difficulty maintaining pressure to the point of needing to correct it each time out.

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