Inner tube size

[DRM]

I decided to fettle my bike a bit last night with a quick clean up of the frame & drive train,then top up the tyre pressures, however the rear tube let go with an impressive bang, I replaced the shredded tube after my ears stopped ringing, I had two spares, but both were 20 to 25mm ones, my tyres are 28mm, will this combination end in tears/road rash or will they be ok, anyone else done the same? I'm guessing that the tube can only inflate within the space allowed by the tyre & rim so I'm thinking it should be ok

 

[ianrauk]

It will be fine.

 

[DRM]

Cheers Ian

 

[toontra]

As many others I've migrated to 25 & 28 tyres but have a stockpile of Continental tubes with a rating of 20-25mm which I have been happily using.

A word of caution, however. I've noticed that tubes that have been patched, whether "instant" or properly glued, are far more likely to fail when inflated in a 28 tyre.

 

[davidphilips]

What i have found is seems ok to use a slightly thiner tube yours should be fine but not so great to use a slightly larger tube ie a 28 into a 23 tyre, it inflates ok and seems fine but will cause a flat after many months/miles if part of the tube is folded over on its self and rubs no massive bang or anything but best avoided.

 

[Globalti]

I use latex tubes, which seem to come only in two sizes. The larger 25-28 size are difficult to stuff into a 23mm tyre as being so flexible the latex just bulges out somewhere else. That also means they crease inside the tyre and it's easy to trap them outside the bead when refitting. I recently fitted the smaller 10-24 size in my 23mm tyres and the whole job was a lot easier and more satisfactory.

 

[DRM]

As many others I've migrated to 25 & 28 tyres but have a stockpile of Continental tubes with a rating of 20-25mm which I have been happily using.

A word of caution, however. I've noticed that tubes that have been patched, whether "instant" or properly glued, are far more likely to fail when inflated in a 28 tyre.

Cheers Toontra my other bike has 25mm tyres so if I get a puncture I can use a repaired tube on that one, & fit the spare out of the saddle bag to get me home, I I will get a correctly sized tube anyway & keep that one on the bike.

What i have found is seems ok to use a slightly thiner tube yours should be fine but not so great to use a slightly larger tube ie a 28 into a 23 tyre, it inflates ok and seems fine but will cause a flat after many months/miles if part of the tube is folded over on its self and rubs no massive bang or anything but best avoided.

Thats what I suspected but just thought I would make sure

I use latex tubes, which seem to come only in two sizes. The larger 25-28 size are difficult to stuff into a 23mm tyre as being so flexible the latex just bulges out somewhere else. That also means they crease inside the tyre and it's easy to trap them outside the bead when refitting. I recently fitted the smaller 10-24 size in my 23mm tyres and the whole job was a lot easier and more satisfactory.

I must admit the tube did go in a lot easier than I would have expected with a 25mm tyre