Inner tubes go inside your tyre to provide a sealed container for air. Standard BMX inner tubes are 20" but read below for a bit more info on varieties available on our site.
1. Pressure and Flexibility:
- Inner tubes hold air pressure ranging from 30 psi (pounds per square inch) in mountain bikes to over 120 psi in BMX racing bikes. The higher the pressure, the less rolling resistance, but higher pressures can also make the ride bumpier. Check the side of your tyre for optimum pressure settings before pumping up your tube.
2. Size Variety:
- Inner tubes come in various sizes to fit different tyre diameters and widths, from small, compact 12" inner tubes for kids' BMX bikes to 29" for cruisers. Having the right size is crucial for performance and safety. When checking which size you need simply look at your tyre. On the side it will have a diameter and width such as 20" (diameter) and 2.2" (width). The standard full size BMX bike is 20". To get the correct width simply purchase an innertube that contains your width within it's range eg if you have a 2.2" wide tyre then any inner tube with that size in it's range will fit such as 1.75-2.2", 1.9-2.5", 2.125-2.4" etc
3. Valve Types:
- Inner tubes can come with different valve types. The two most common are:
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Presta Valves: Mainly found on road and high-performance MTB bikes, they are thinner and require a smaller hole in the rim.
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Schrader Valves: Similar to those used in car tires, they are more robust and are the type of inner tubes that we sell at Backyard to fit your BMX bike.
4. Materials and Composition:
- Most modern inner tubes are made from either butyl rubber or latex. Butyl rubber is more common due to its durability and resistance to air leakage. There is a new type of inner tube that we sell called TPU inner tubes. These are made from Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU), a type of plastic that features the characteristics of both plastic and rubber. They are more expensive than rubber inner tubes but they durable and flexible and much more lightweight than rubber tubes. This reduction in weight reduces rolling resistance but also lowers rotational weight which is extremely advantageous for park riders during tailwhips, backflips and other rotational movements.