City and Hybrid

A certain amount of air loss over a period of several weeks is quite normal for bike tubes, including hybrid tubes. Depending on the air pressure, thickness and material of the tube, there can be more or less air loss. However, if your tyre loses a significant amount of air within a few days, this either indicates a hole in the inner tube or a defective valve. In the first case, you can patch the tyre in the affected area. In the second case, you can replace the valve core for little money. Especially with Dunlop valves, the valve core can be removed easily and without additional tools.

Removing the rear wheel on a hybrid bike with hub gears can be tricky on the road. For this reason, special hybrid tubes with two ends that can be changed on the bike are popular with hybrid and city bikes. Changing the tube works in the same way as with a standard tube, except for a few differences:

• The wheel remains in the frame while you lever the tyre off the rim.
• To remove the old tube, it must be cut with a sharp object.
• Insert the new tube into the valve and press both sides into the rim base one after the other.

An alternative to this hybrid tube are puncture sprays, which you can find in the repair kit category.

To ensure that the inner tube fits your hybrid bike, you need to make sure you have the right size and the right valve. Important are:

• Wheel size & tyre width
• Valve type & valve length

For most 28-inch hybrid bikes, for example, a 700 x 32 - 47 C inner tube is sufficient, covering tyre widths from 32 to 47 mm. For wider tyres (you will find the information on the tyre sidewall), you need to choose a larger inner tube. When selecting the valve, you should stick to the previously used valve (e.g. Dunlop valve) so that the size matches the valve hole in the rim. The valve length is less important for hybrid bikes, as they do not have deep-section rims like road bikes. A valve between 40 and 47 mm should therefore usually fit.