The 28" Bicycle Inner Tube – An Overview of the All-Rounder
28 inches is the most common bicycle inner tube size and can be found on many bikes in the road, gravel, trekking, and city/touring categories, as well as on 28- and 29-inch tires in the mountain bike sector. A 28-inch tire offers the ideal combination of riding comfort, stability, and performance – a true all-rounder. Here we give you an overview of the 28" bicycle inner tube and which product is right for your bike.
CX/Gravel – ExtraLite Protect
Perfectly tuned for athletic use beyond paved roads – lightweight, puncture-resistant, low rolling resistance, and compact packing size.
CX/Gravel – ExtraLite Protect AL
The ExtraLite Protect with aluminum valve stem is perfectly tuned for athletic use beyond paved roads – lightweight, puncture-resistant, low rolling resistance, and compact packing size.
Road – ExtraLite Protect
For performance road cyclists: fast, light, puncture-resistant, with low rolling resistance, sporting a compact packing size.
Road – ExtraLite Protect AL
The Road ExtraLite Protect with aluminum valve stem is perfectly tuned for performance road biking – lightweight, puncture-resistant, low rolling resistance, and compact packing size.
The Right Tube Size
With a bicycle inner tube, you need to pay attention not only to the tire size, but also to your tire width – you can't simply put a 28-inch city bike tube into a 28-inch road bike. The tire width is usually indicated in millimeters on your tire, so you can quickly and easily compare this specification with the data on the tube packaging. The European standard, the so-called ETRTO table, also takes tire width into account and shows you at a glance which tube fits your needs. You'll also find ETRTO designations on your tires and tubes.
The Right Valve
There are three types of valves you can find on your bicycle:
- The Dunlop valve (DV), also called a Blitz valve, was the standard for many years, especially on city bikes. Today, the Dunlop valve is mostly found only on very basic bikes and children's bikes. It has largely been replaced by other valve types (see below).
- The Schrader valve (SV), also known as a car valve, is mainly found on city and touring bikes, especially on e-bikes. This valve has the major advantage that the tire can be inflated at gas station air pumps without an adapter.
- The Presta valve (PV), also called a French valve or Sclaverand valve, is by far the most common valve. The narrow valve features high sealing capability and can withstand up to 15 bar of pressure – significantly more than the other valve types. The Presta valve is also lighter, which is an important factor, especially for spare tubes and performance-oriented road cyclists.
Valve length is also something you need to consider. This depends on your rim depth. You can easily determine which valve length you need from the following table:
| Rim Depth | Valve Length | |
| 35 mm | 55 mm | |
| 40 mm | 55 mm | |
| 45 mm | 60 mm | |
| 50 mm | 60–70 mm | |
| 55 mm | 70–80 mm | |
| 86 mm | 110 mm | |
The Right Material
Finally, the material of your bicycle’s inner tube plays a major role in performance, puncture protection, and riding enjoyment. The classic 28-inch bicycle inner tube is made of the universally known black butyl rubber. This was the standard for more than 130 years, but is now outdated. Tubeless systems and, to a very limited extent, latex tubes have matured into alternatives. But there is another material that outperforms butyl in practically every area – Thermoplastic Polyurethane, or TPU for short. AERON/TPU tubes are made from this industrial material. They are created with multi-layer wall thickness and achieve a level of puncture protection that would require a butyl tube, even with the highest quality rubber compound, to have much more material and thus much more weight. Not only is TPU very puncture-resistant, but its air retention is also much higher, and less air loss means you need to reach for the air pump less frequently to keep your tire at the correct pressure. Add to this significantly lower rolling resistance and the fact that TPU, due to the material's purity, can be easily recycled at 100 percent.
If you want to learn more about AERON/TPU bicycle inner tubes, browse our website and read the interesting articles in our magazine.
ROAD SERIES
Ultra-light, super-fast and mega-compact: AERON/TPU road bike tubes are trimmed for maximum performance. Depending on the discipline and intended use, they guarantee you the perfect set-up with a focus on maximum weight saving and minimum rolling resistance or outstanding puncture protection.
CX/GRAVEL SERIES
TPU technology, perfectly designed for off-road use: Lightweight, puncture-proof, low rolling resistance and the smallest pack size. AERON/TPU offers high-performance tubes for gravel and cyclocross racers as well as variants with maximum puncture protection for bikepackers and ultra-riders.
MTB SERIES
Tech for trails: AERON/TPU provides the perfect tube technology for mountain bikers with the best compromise between lightness, puncture resistance and low rolling resistance. Specific models offer you the perfect tube for your favourite mountain bike discipline, depending on your preferred terrain or riding style.
CITY/TOUR SERIES
Developed for bikers who want maximum reliability in everyday use. AERON/TPU tubes for city and touring are characterised by optimised puncture protection. Their low weight and low rolling resistance also increase performance and the fun factor on every tour.
