How to Buy the Correct Bicycle Tire and Tubes for Your Bike

If you ride your bike long enough, you'll eventually have to replace its tubes or tires. Generally, the bicycle tubes will be replaced much more often than the tires, as tubes tend to be more fragile than tires and are easily ruptured. No matter if you have a road bike or mountain bike, you need to know certain numbers and information when looking for tire or tube replacements.

Instructions

    • 1

      Determine your dimensions. Every tire is stamped with a dimension or a diameter. Generally, mountain bikes and hybrids will have tires made for 26- to 27-inch rim diameters. Road or touring bicycles, meanwhile, will have tires stamped "650" to "700," indicating the diameter in millimeters. BMX bikes tend to use 20-inch rims. The diameter measurements will usually be followed by the tire width in either inches or millimeters, as in "700 x 23."

      If you're buying tubes, remember that a smaller tube will not work in a wide tire. The tube needs the tire's sidewall to maintain pressure, so make sure to look for the width of the tube in millimeters and then compare it to the width of the bicycle tire.

    • 2

      Choose the right valve on your tubes. Presta valves, which are seen often on more expensive bikes, are more narrow and allow simple tire inflation. Schrader valves are wider and look like car tire valves. Make sure you get the right valve for your rim.

    • 3

      Determine your tread type. How you use your bicycle will indicate what kind of tire you will need. Smooth surfaces require a smoother tire and rough surfaces require a more aggressive tire with more tread. Sometimes you may need a mixture of both, so you might choose a semi-slick for a hybrid bike, with a smooth center and tread toward the sides of the tire.

    • 4

      Choose what materials your tire should be made of. Some companies now make Kevlar tires for harsh road or mountain conditions. Whichever tire or tube you decide to purchase, understand that better-quality tires will cost more but will give you peace of mind when you're off the beaten path.