Bicycle tubes - the heart of your tire system
Bicycle tubes are one of the most important components on a bicycle, as they keep the air in the tire and ensure an optimal riding experience. Whether on a road bike, mountain bike, gravel bike or trekking bike - the right tube is crucial for performance, comfort and puncture protection. However, there are several aspects to consider when choosing the right tube: the material (e.g. butyl, latex or TPU) and the right valve type (Schrader, Dunlop or Sclaverand).
Here we show you what types of bicycle tubes there are, what they are suitable for and how to choose the best tube for your bike.
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Bike tubes: an overview of the most important materials
When buying a bicycle tube, the material plays a decisive role as it influences the properties of your tire such as weight, rolling resistance, puncture resistance and maintenance. The most common materials are butyl, latex and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane).
1. butyl tubes - the versatile classic
Butyl bicycle tubes are the most commonly used option and are considered an all-rounder among inner tubes. The material is a synthetic rubber that is durable, puncture-proof and easy to handle.
Properties of butyl tubes:
- Puncture resistance: butyl is robust and therefore ideally suited for everyday use and off-road routes
- Air pressure: Butyl tubes retain their air pressure over a long period of time, so you don't have to inflate them as often
- Versatility: Suitable for almost all bike types (MTB, road bike, gravel, trekking bike)
Range of use: Perfect for recreational riders, commuters and touring cyclists who value stability and low maintenance.
2. latex tubes - for performance lovers
Latex tubes are particularly popular with riders who value minimum rolling resistance and maximum speed. Made from natural rubber, they are lighter and more flexible than tubes made from butyl.
Properties of latex tubes:
- Weight: very light, which reduces rolling resistance and improves acceleration
- Comfort: Due to their greater flexibility, latex tubes offer a smoother ride
Tip: As latex tubes lose air pressure more quickly, they should be checked before every ride and pumped up if necessary.
3. TPU tubes - lightweight and innovative
Thermoplastic polyurethane tubes (TPU) are the modern alternative that combines weight saving and durability. They are extremely lightweight yet robust, making them a popular choice for weight fetishists.
Properties of TPU tubes:
- Ultralight: TPU tubes are significantly lighter than tubes made of butyl or latex
- Puncture resistance: Despite their low weight, TPU tubes offer good puncture resistance
- Repairability: TPU tubes require special patch kits, as standard vulcanizing solutions do not adhere
Tip: TPU tubes are often compact and are ideal for transporting as spare tubes.
Valve types: What bicycle valves are there?
In addition to the material of the inner tube, the valve type plays an important role in the selection process. There are three common valve types, all of which have different advantages and disadvantages: Sclaverand (Presta), Dunlop and Schrader (auto valve).
1. sclaverand valve (Presta valve)
The Sclaverand or Presta valve is the favorite for road bikes, gravel bikes and modern mountain bikes. It is narrow, lightweight and suitable for high-pressure tires (up to 15 bar). This type of valve is used on most modern bikes.
Advantages:
- Low weight, ideal when lightweight construction is required.
- Slim design, ideal for narrow rims.
- Unscrewable valve core facilitates filling with tubeless milk or cleaning
2. Schrader valve (car valve)
The Schrader valve is robust and particularly wide, which makes it popular for mountain bikes, city bikes and children's bikes. It works in the same way as a car tire valve. This type of valve is rarely used in the performance sector.
Advantages:
- More stable and durable than Sclaverand
- Compatible with gas station compressors
Disadvantage:
- Wide design, often unsuitable for narrow road bike rims, suitable hole in the rim required
3. Dunlop valve (lightning valve)
The Dunlop valve is the classic bicycle valve, which is mainly found on simpler trekking or city bikes. It is robust, but not as technically advanced as Sclaverand or Schrader.
Advantages:
- Easy to use and widely used.
- Compatible with many standard air pumps.
Disadvantage:
- Rather limited suitability for high air pressures.
Which tube is right for your bike?
Choosing the right inner tube depends on your bike type, the area of use and your individual requirements:
- everyday use and touring: go for butyl inner tubes with Schrader or Dunlop valves. They are robust and easy to maintain
- competitions and performance: Latex or TPU tubes with Sclaverand valves are ideal as they are light and flexible, but require a little more maintenance in the case of latex
- mountain bike adventures: Butyl or TPU tubes with Schrader or Sclaverand valves offer stability and puncture resistance on trails
Conclusion: The right inner tube makes all the difference
Bicycle inner tubes play a decisive role in the comfort, performance and puncture resistance of your bike. Whether you opt for a robust butyl inner tube, a lightweight latex tube or the innovative TPU version - make sure that the inner tube suits your individual riding style. Complement this with the right valve type to ensure that your bike is optimally equipped. Discover our extensive range of bicycle inner tubes now and find the perfect tube for your bike - for carefree rides on any surface!
How do I find the right tube size for my tire width and wheel size?
Choosing the right inner tube size is crucial to ensure that the bicycle tire can be fitted securely and functions optimally. Each inner tube is designed for a specific combination of tire width and wheel size. The ETRTO (European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) specification, which you can find on the tire sidewall, will help you here. This is made up of two numbers, e.g. 37-622:
- 37 stands for the tire width in millimeters
- 622 indicates the inner diameter of the tire or the rim diameter (also known as 28 inches for trekking bikes)
When purchasing the tube, you must ensure that it is suitable for your tire and rim diameter. The product specifications usually specify a range for the tire width (e.g. 28-37 mm) and the appropriate rim diameter (e.g. 622 mm). For the MTB sector, you will often find size specifications such as 29 inch or 27.5 inch. A typical ETRTO specification here could be 50-622 for a 29-inch tire, for example, where 50 mm refers to the tire width. For wider tires, such as 2.40 inches in the metric specification, this corresponds to approximately 61 mm for the width. In this case, the tube could be described as 27.5 x 2.40 or 29 x 2.40, for example.