Inner tube

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Two bicycle inner tubes: A larger mountain bike inner tube and a slimmer race bike tube. Fahrradschlaeuche.jpg
Two bicycle inner tubes: A larger mountain bike inner tube and a slimmer race bike tube.

An inner tube is an inflatable torus that forms the interior of some pneumatic tires. [1] The tube is inflated through a valve stem and fits inside the tire casing. The inflated inner tube provides structural support and suspension, while the outer tire offers grip and protects the more fragile tube.

Contents

Use

Nowadays, most bicycle tires use inner tubes. They are also used in items such as dolly carts, wheelbarrows, and many motorcycles. While car tires used to have inner tubes, most cars have switched to tubeless tires that rely on air without an inner tube. Inner tubes are now less common in cars[ clarification needed ] due to the benefits of tubeless tires, which can operate at both low and high pressures without the risk of pinching or bursting, unlike tube tires. [2] Large inner tubes are used for various recreational activities, such as flotation devices in tubing.

History

Two 1930s/1940s red inner tubes for car tires. 1930s red innertubes.jpg
Two 1930s/1940s red inner tubes for car tires.

Inner tubes were invented in the 1800s for use with pneumatic tires, as standard wheels at the time were not air-filled, making them uncomfortable to ride on. Over the years, inner tubes were manufactured in various colors beyond the typical black, including red, white, and gray. These colored inner tubes were often made from more natural rubber compared to the standard vulcanized black tubes, making them more flexible. Inner tubes were used in tires for cars, trucks, and bicycles, but from the 1950s to the 1970s, tubeless tires began to dominate for cars and trucks.

Material

Inner tubes are typically made from a mix of natural and synthetic rubber. [3] Natural rubber is less prone to punctures and is often more pliable, while synthetic rubber is cheaper. Racing bikes often use inner tubes with a higher percentage of natural rubber compared to regular bikes. Some manufacturers have also developed other types of bike inner tubes, such as those made from latex and TPU.

Performance

Inner tubes generally make tires slower than tubeless versions due to the friction between the casing and the inner tube. Tubes are often lighter on average, as they can be made relatively thin. However, latex and TPU inner tubes are designed to be lighter and more comfortable to ride on. Bead tires, whether with an inner tube or tubeless, cannot be ridden flat, as the tire may separate from the rim. In contrast, tubular tires have the tubing sewn to the tire, allowing them to be ridden flat if punctured. [3] Tubeless tires are reported to be more comfortable if properly installed. [1] [2] [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tire</span> Ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheels rim

A tire is a ring-shaped component that surrounds a wheel's rim to transfer a vehicle's load from the axle through the wheel to the ground and to provide traction on the surface over which the wheel travels. Most tires, such as those for automobiles and bicycles, are pneumatically inflated structures, providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock as the tire rolls over rough features on the surface. Tires provide a footprint, called a contact patch, designed to match the vehicle's weight and the bearing on the surface that it rolls over by exerting a pressure that will avoid deforming the surface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain bike</span> Type of bicycle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tire iron</span> Specialized metal tool used in working with tires

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle wheel</span> Wheel designed for a bicycle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inflatable</span> Object filled with pressurized gas to maintain its size and shape

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle pump</span> Air pump used for inflating bicycle tires

A bicycle pump is a type of positive-displacement air pump specifically designed for inflating bicycle tires. It has a connection or adapter for use with one or both of the two most common types of valves used on bicycles, Schrader or Presta. A third type of valve called the Dunlop valve exists, but tubes with these valves can be filled using a Presta pump.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racing bicycle</span> Bicycle designed for competitive road cycling

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schrader valve</span> Motor vehicle and bicycle tube valve

The Schrader valve is a type of pneumatic tire valve used on virtually every motor vehicle in the world today. The Schrader company, for which it was named, was founded in 1844 by August Schrader. The original Schrader valve design was invented in 1891, and patented in the United States in 1893.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Presta valve</span> Bicycle tube valve

The Presta valve is a type of tire valve commonly found on high pressure bicycle inner tubes and is commonly used on tubeless setups. It consists of an outer valve stem and an inner valve body. A lock nut to secure the stem at the wheel rim and a valve cap may also be present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BFGoodrich</span> Brand of tires produced and sold by Michelin

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rim (wheel)</span> Outer part of a wheel on which the tire is mounted

The rim is the "outer edge of a wheel, holding the tire". It makes up the outer circular design of the wheel on which the inside edge of the tire is mounted on vehicles such as automobiles. For example, on a bicycle wheel the rim is a large hoop attached to the outer ends of the spokes of the wheel that holds the tire and tube. In cross-section, the rim is deep in the center and shallow at the outer edges, thus forming a "U" shape that supports the bead of the tire casing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tire manufacturing</span> Process of tire fabrication

Pneumatic tires are manufactured according to relatively standardized processes and machinery, in around 455 tire factories in the world. With over 1 billion tires manufactured worldwide annually, the tire industry is a major consumer of natural rubber. Tire factories start with bulk raw materials such as synthetic rubber, carbon black, and chemicals and produce numerous specialized components that are assembled and cured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flat tire</span> Deflated pneumatic tire

A flat tire is a deflated pneumatic tire, which can cause the rim of the wheel to ride on the tire tread or the ground potentially resulting in loss of control of the vehicle or irreparable damage to the tire. The most common cause of a flat tire is puncturing of the tire by a sharp object, such as a nail or pin, letting the air escape. Depending on the size of the puncture, the tire may deflate slowly or rapidly.

A tubeless tire is a pneumatic tire that does not require a separate inner tube.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunlop valve</span> Bicycle tube valve

The Dunlop valve, is a type of pneumatic valve stem in use—mostly on inner tubes of bicycles—in many countries, including Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, most European countries, and a number of developing countries. The Dunlop valve has a wider base than a Presta valve, similar enough in size to a Schrader valve to use identically drilled valve holes in rims, but it can be inflated with a Presta valve adapter. The inner mechanism of the valve can be replaced easily, without the need for special tools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle tire</span> Tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle

A bicycle tire is a tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle or similar vehicle. These tires may also be used on tricycles, wheelchairs, and handcycles, frequently for racing. Bicycle tires provide an important source of suspension, generate the lateral forces necessary for balancing and turning, and generate the longitudinal forces necessary for propulsion and braking. Although the use of a pneumatic tire greatly reduces rolling resistance compared to the use of a rigid wheel or solid tire, the tires are still typically the second largest source, after wind resistance, of power consumption on a level road. The modern detachable pneumatic bicycle tire contributed to the popularity and eventual dominance of the safety bicycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tubular tyre</span>

A tubular tyre, referred to as a tub in Britain, a sew-up in the US, a single in Australia, or just a tubular is a bicycle tyre that is stitched closed around the inner tube to form a torus. The combination is then glued onto a specially designed rim, referred to as a "sprint rim" in Britain, and just a "tubular rim" in the US, of a bicycle wheel.

References

  1. 1 2 "Inner tube buying guide". Wiggle Guides. 2019-11-05. Archived from the original on 2023-08-29. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  2. 1 2 Smythe, Simon (2018-11-26). "Why don't the pros use tubeless tyres?". Cycling Weekly. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  3. 1 2 3 "TEN THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INNER TUBES". Motocross Action Magazine. 2020-01-15. Retrieved 2020-07-10.