Tubes

Inner Tube Buying Guide

Inner tubes might feel outdated in the tubeless era, but they're still essential. Every tubeless rider should carry one — when a sidewall slash is too big for sealant to plug, a tube gets you home. And plenty of bikes still run tubed setups where tubes are the everyday consumable.

Size Matching

Tubes are labelled by wheel size and tyre width range, e.g. "29 x 2.0-2.4". The wheel size must match exactly — a 27.5" tube won't seat properly in a 29" tyre. The width range is more flexible — tubes stretch, so a tube rated 2.0-2.4" will work in a 2.5" tyre at a push, though it'll be thinner and more puncture-prone at the stretch. Buy tubes that match the midpoint of your tyre width for the best fit.

Valve Types

Presta (thin, threaded, with a locknut at the top) is standard on mountain bikes with modern rims. Schrader (car-tyre style, wider) is still found on budget bikes and some older rims. Your rim's valve hole determines which you need — Presta valves fit Schrader holes with an adapter ring, but Schrader valves won't fit through a Presta-drilled rim. If you're buying tubes for an emergency spare, match the valve to your rim.

Butyl vs Latex vs Lightweight

Standard butyl tubes are cheap, durable and hold air well — they lose about 1-2 PSI per day. Lightweight butyl tubes (Maxxis Ultralight, Continental Race) save 30-50g per tube by using thinner rubber — fine for XC, but more puncture-prone for trail use. Latex tubes are the lightest option with the lowest rolling resistance, but they lose air overnight and cost significantly more. For a trail-side emergency spare, standard butyl is the right choice — you want reliability, not weight savings, when you're fixing a flat mid-ride.

Carrying a Spare

A folded inner tube, tyre lever and mini-pump or CO2 inflator should be in your pack on every ride, even if you run tubeless. When sealant can't fix a cut, remove the tubeless valve, stuff the tube in, and reinflate. It's a five-minute fix versus a long walk home. CO2 inflators are faster but single-use — a mini-pump is heavier but works every time.