Buying the correct inner tubes

PolyphonicBoy

Sorry, noob question. I think I've bought the wrong inner tube for my Boardman Hybrid Comp. :oops:

The bike has 700x28 tyres.

I've bought Continental Race 28 tyres, but noticed they say "700 x 18/25c".

I'm thinking I should have bought "700 x 25-35c" tubes, right? (like the Continental Cross 28?)

The Continental Race will fit my soon-to-be-delivered Cube Streamer road bike so no biggy, but just wanted confirmation. Thanks.

meanredspider

Yes - 25-35c would have been correct. I've just ordered those as they will fit either of the wheel/tyre combos on my CX

bails87

I would have thought the 18-25s will be fine with a 28mm tyre though. I'd just use them.

The Rookie

I'd just use them, many MTBers I know (self included) use 26x1.0-1.5 tubes inside MTB tyres as they are lighter, a friend uses 29er tubes inside his 36er tyres as the 36er tubes weigh over 0.5Kg EACH.

Simon

CraigTheBiker

I went to Evans Cycles to buy some new inner tubes the other day for my commuter bike. The tyres are 26 x 1.6, and I was searching for the correct size when the sales assistant pounced. When I told him the tyre size he looked at me as if I'd said the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. He then proceeded to question if I knew what I was talking about. :roll:

After I had finally manged to convince him that I really do have a bike with 26 x 1.6 tyres, he then tried to sell me a 26 x 1.1/1.5 inner tube. Needless to say I completely ignored his 'advice' and took the 26 x 1.5/2.2.

The Rookie

I'd have taken the 1.0-1.5 myself, they work fine in my MTB (upto 2.1 tyres) and going small makes them easier to fit as gently inflated they still sit loose inside the tyre, also they will be lighter - you'd spend a lot of money on tyres or wheels to save the 60+g the smaller tube would have given you for free.

Simon

Blue Meanie

Normally you can get away with a 'small' tube, and as everyone above alludes to, they're lighter! If you fit a tube that's too big it can fold over itself inside the tyre and abrade through friction every revolution, giving you an unfixable puncture.

Aside: Once helped a young kid on a 20" wheeled bike by fitting a 700x23 tube with a knot in it. Told his dad to replace asap, but they were very chuffed at not having to walk the final 5 miles home.

Tube Roulette: Track Pump and a 'spare' tube, everyone sits in a circle and gives the pump 5 strokes in turn. 700's explode when they're about the size of a tractor tyre :-)

Ouija

PolyphonicBoy wrote:

Sorry, noob question. I think I've bought the wrong inner tube for my Boardman Hybrid Comp. :oops:

The bike has 700x28 tyres.

I've bought Continental Race 28 tyres, but noticed they say "700 x 18/25c".

I'm thinking I should have bought "700 x 25-35c" tubes, right? (like the Continental Cross 28?)

The Continental Race will fit my soon-to-be-delivered Cube Streamer road bike so no biggy, but just wanted confirmation. Thanks.

The 18/25c innertubes will work on your 28, it's simply that they'll stretch out a little further so the rubber wall will be pulled a tad thinner, which in theory makes them a little easier to penetrate and puncture. Fitting 28's to 25's also work, but as mentioned above, the innertube doesn't fully stretch out so that it can sometimes crease and fold inside the tyre, causing lumpy tyres.

saladdays

These are bargin tubes that I use: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=58741