In 1888, the first air-filled tire was developed by John Boys Dunlop, ushering in a new era for cycling. The bicycle tube required for this is the core of your tire and is particularly important for an accident-free and safe ride. Its material, size and valve should therefore be well matched to your bike, your personal riding style and the intended area of ​​use. This allows ideal control and gets the best out of you and your bike.

What criteria should be considered when purchasing a bicycle tube?
If you want to buy a new bicycle tube, you should consider a few factors to find the right model for your bike. With this important bicycle accessory, you can choose from a variety of variants that are ideal for all different tires. The tube must not only be compatible with the tire itself, but also with the bike, your riding style and the preferred terrain you are on. For example, if you ride a lot off-road, you need a more robust tire than for occasional city rides. A more sporty riding style also requires a tire that is air pressure-safe and durable. Once you know your riding style and terrain, you can use the following criteria to find the right bicycle tube:

• Materials
• Size
• Valve
• Air pressure

Above all, you should adapt the material to the intended use. You can choose between a bicycle tube made of butyl or latex. In addition to the right material, the right tube size is also crucial. It must be perfectly matched to your bicycle tire to avoid overstretching it and preventing cracks. In addition, the valve and air pressure also play a role, as not every valve fits through every rim hole and the air pressure is important for minimizing tire wear.

What material is a bicycle tube made of?
A bicycle tube can be made of either butyl - a further processed form of rubber - or rubber (latex) and is the core of a bicycle tire. Butyl tubes are the more common variant in professional cycling, but latex tubes also have their advantages.

Buyl hose

+ fine-pored
+ cheaper
+ durable
+ air pressure stable
+ little elastic

While butyl tubes score points with good air pressure stability and durability, the advantage of rubber or latex tubes is their low weight and reduced rolling resistance, which saves energy and reduces material deformation. Ultimately, you should adapt the material to your personal needs and preferred activities. In our range you will find butyl tubes.

Choose the right size tubes for your bike
A bicycle tube is available in different sizes and widths, and the width, like the tire, also depends on the type of bike you have. Racing bikes have much narrower tires, whereas a mountain bike needs a wider model. Info: The ETRTO value (European Tire and Rim Expert Organization) describes the width and inner diameter of a bicycle tire and is given in millimeters. If you want to buy a new tube, the value tells you whether the bicycle tube fits the rim and tire. The size of the tubes depends on the type and quality of the bicycle tires and should be selected accordingly to prevent cracks and punctures. It is always given in inches and refers to the diameter and width. Common tube sizes are 26, 28 or 29 inches. There are also smaller tubes for children's bikes from 8 to 24 inches.

The valve variants for your bicycle tube
The valve is also an important component of the bicycle tube. It is used to inflate it again if air is lost. A valve consists of the tube that protrudes from the outside and a valve core that is screwed onto the tube. Valves differ in shape and length and should be tailored precisely to your bike, as not every valve fits through every rim hole, for example. The different valve variants are as follows:

• DV (Dunlop valve)
• AV (car valve)
• SV (Sclaverand valve)

The Dunlop valve is probably the classic and, just like the car valve, is suitable for a rim hole of 8.5 millimeters. The Sclaverand valve, also known as the French valve, is designed for a rim hole of 6.5 millimeters. While the car and Dunlop valves are mostly used on trekking bikes, city bikes and touring bikes, the Sclaverand valve is more commonly used in the racing bike and MTB segment. The valve length is also given in millimeters and can be changed if the valve core can be replaced or unscrewed. If you have decided on a new valve, also pay attention to its compatibility with your bicycle pump. As a rule, most common pumps fit the three valve types, but if in doubt, an adapter for the valve is required.

The right air pressure ensures more stability
In general, an air pressure of between a minimum of 2 bar and a maximum of 9 bar is recommended in the bicycle tube. However, it should be based on the width of the bicycle tire and the area of ​​use. The surface plays an important role here. If the bike is only ridden on asphalt roads, the air pressure can be correspondingly high in order to provide low rolling resistance. On hilly trails, the risk of potholes and the like is significantly higher, which is why you should save on tire pressure here in order to make better use of the tire's dampening effect. In principle, this means that the air pressure should be lower as the tire width increases, for example for MTBs and enduro bikes. If you take a small pump with you when you go biking, you can easily increase or reduce the air pressure in the bicycle tube as needed. Alternatively, you can also use tubeless tires, especially in off-road areas. Although these are a little more expensive than conventional tires, they reduce the overall weight and rolling resistance.

The right bicycle tube for your tire
Whether you're just doing your daily trips to the supermarket, going on longer bike rides at the weekend or pedaling over hill and dale in nature - with the right bicycle tube you can enjoy every ride to the fullest. Bicycle tubes in a wide range of designs and sizes also offer the right addition for your bike and the optimal interaction of all components lets you perform at your best.