Tubes to Tyre size

aFlabbyPanda

Sorry if this has been asked before (it probably has) but are you better going above or below with the tube to tyre size?

For example if the tyre is 35mm should I get 28/32mm tubes or 32/47mm tubes?

Or does it really matter?

Alek

I found that with oversized tubes, once I get a puncture, air usually leaks slower. It gives me more time to stop without riding on the rim ;-)

This is most likely due to less tube wall tension, which in theory may prevent some punctures as well.



They're heavier though, so if you're weight-obsessed go for skinnier ones.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Go with the bigger size as you want to be sure the tyre is fully inflated to its actual size and that the tube isn't stretched beyond its natural size making the bury rubber thinner and therefore more probe to punctures.

For 700/23 tyres I'd use an 18-23 or 28-25 as both are in range of the tyre size.

doozerie

One issue I've encountered with some combinations of (larger) tube and tyre is that the tube can be more prone to being pinched when actually installing it in the tyre. It depends on the tyre though, it's an issue I've encountered with snugger fitting tyres where even the sometimes modest extra bulk of a slightly wider tube can seem huge when trying to pack it under the tyre without it getting caught under the tyre bead. So I prefer narrower tubes where possible.