Do BMX Tires Have Tubes? (All You Need to Know!)

Those who love adventures of off-track racing are familiar with BMX bikes. These bikes are built in different models. And the versatile nature of the tires of these bikes makes them stand out. The tire of BMX bikes are knobby and comes with tubes.

Do BMX tires have tubes?

BMX tires have tubes in them. These tubes are known as inner tubes. These tubes seal the rim of your BMX to make it airtight. They are replaceable. You can pump air inside this tube using an air pumper. And you can also make your BMX tubeless by removing the tubes from it.

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Are BMX tires tubeless?

BMX bikes are the most popular off-track bikes. You can ride a BMX bike on rough surfaces and terrains.

BMX tires are not tubeless. They come with an inner tube. These bikes have knobby tires for better grip on dirt, rocks, or uneven terrains.

These knobby tires have an inner tube. Inner tubes are the structures inside tires that inflate and deflate like balloons. You can find them inside the rim structure of the tire.

Inner tubes make your bike’s rim uptight. That is, it makes the rim airtight. They inflate with a pump. There is a valve in it that is in use to aerate the tube using an air pump.

There are spoke holes in a tire. The spoke hole run along with your tire’s beads. The air in the tire can pass through the tires through these holes. Inner tubes can prevent that.

You will get flat tires whenever inner tubes encounter a cut or open somehow.

What size is a BMX inner tube?

BMX tires come in different sizes and designs. The size and design of the tires determine the size of the BMX inner tube.

Manufacturers use rubber as well as latex to produce inner tubes. These tubes work like an air cushion for the tire.

Inner tubes should be of the perfect size to fit in the inner lining of your tire.

These inner tubes must have to be strong enough to avoid punctures if you are racing downhill.

Factors that determine the size of the inner tube are the width and diameter of the tire. You can find this information written on the walls of the tire.

For the diameter of the tires, common sizes are 20, 24, 26, 27.5, 29, or 700cc. The width of the tire varies from 1 to 3 inches.

The diameter needs to be exact for selecting an inner tube. But the width can vary owing to the elastic nature of inner tubes. That is, inner tubes can stretch.

A 27 x 1.95-2.125″ tire means the inner tube has to fit a 27-inch diameter wheel whose width can vary from 1.95-2.125 inches.

So, the size of BMX inner tubes depends on the size of the BMX tires in use.

BMX tire tube size chart:

WEIGHT OF THE RIDER	AGE OF THE RIDER	SIZE OF THE WHEEL	TOP TUBE
Less than 60 lbs	Below 5 years	18 X 1’	Less than 18’
75 – 110 lbs	5 – 10 years	20/24 X 1 – 1.8’	18’
80 – 130 lbs	10 – 13 years	20/24 X 1 – 3.8’	19’ – 19.5’
115 – 145 lbs	12 – 14 years	20/24 X 1.5’	19.5’ – 20’
145+ lbs	14+ years	20/24 X 1.75’	21’ – 21.5’+

What psi should BMX tires be?

The air pressure of tires is denoted in the metric of psi. Psi stands for ‘pressure per square inch.’

Different BMX tires have different psi. The recommended psi for your tire comes along with your tire. You can find this psi value written on the wall of the tires.

The range written on the tire is the maximum pressure your tire can take before it fails to function.

65 psi- 110 psi is the typical range for BMX race bikes. But this range can vary from tire to tire.

Various models and designs of BMX tire denote its psi. When your tire has 110 psi, it means it can tolerate an air pressure of a maximum of 110 psi. It does not mean that the air pressure has to be kept at 110 all the time.

Higher psi makes your BMX tires rigid and stiff. It helps in rolling by reducing friction. But it decreases the traction power of the tires.

Lower psi decreases the rolling power of bikes but increases traction. So, the main concern is to gain the exact pressure which works best for your purpose of riding.

Best BMX tire tube?

The perfect tire tube for your tire can increase your bike performance.

To determine the best BMX tire tube, you have to consider the purpose of your ride. Your riding style has to be taken into consideration as well.

Some of the all-purpose best BMX tire tubes are Continental Bicycle Tubes Race 28, good year heavy-duty, street fit 360 tube, etc.

These tubes are all-purpose. They are easily replaceable, user-friendly, light in weight, and durable.

How do I know if my tire has a tube?

Tires come with all the information you need to know along with them. You have to find the spot of their inscription.

Usually, the information of a tire being tubeless or not is written in its body. That is, it is stamped on the wall of the tires.

Say there is no information of such in the tire. Then you have to deflate the tire fully. Check the valves of the tire after that.

If it is a tubeless tire, the valve remains intact in the valve hole or location.

If it comes with a tube, the valve will come through the hole of the tire.

You can also check the bead of your tire. If you can push it all the way out, you will be able to see the tire’s inside. If there is no tube, it is tubeless.

Are clincher tires tubeless?

Clincher tires are the tires that hold on to the rim of your bike. That is, they grasp onto them.

Clincher tires are not tubeless. They require an inner tube to function. That is, the inner tube in a clincher tire is indispensable.

The inner tube surrounds the rim of the tire. It secures the bead lock of the tire. These tubes generate pressure in the tire by holding the air inside it.

The pressure of the tire makes the clincher tires operable. The inner tube pressure makes a clincher tire stable and functional.

So, inner tubes are an in-built structure in a clincher tire. And these tires have a specific valve or opening for refilling. This opening facilitates the task of replacement as well.

You actually pump the inner tube in a clincher tire when you pump the tire. The tire structure sits upon the inner tube. The mechanism of the inner tube is the working basis of the clincher tire.

Are tubeless tires better?

Tubeless tires are tires that do not come with an in-built inner tube. You can make tubed tires tubeless by removing the tube from the tire following some easy steps.

Tubeless tires have their own advantages and disadvantages. Whether they are better than tubed tires or not depends on the purpose of their use.

Flat tires are a common dysfunctional issue for bike riders. You can solve this problem by going tubeless. Because tubeless tires automatically seal small punctures using a sealant.

You will get a smooth ride with proper traction in a tubeless tire. Tubeless tires can operate well at low pressure. So, lower psi can help tubeless tires work equally well by maintaining momentum.

The liquid sealant used in a tubeless tire fills the punctures immediately and thus allows longer rides. They make the tires durable.

If a deep puncture occurs in a tubeless tire, the air will leave the tire at a lower speed. It saves you from abrupt accidents at high speeds.

Tubeless tires give you some time to pull over after you face a puncture. It lets you take the time to decide to act effectively.

The problem with tubeless tires is that they are really expensive and not so easy to repair.

If you have a puncture anyhow on a tubeless tire, it will take an expert to repair it. Moreover, the sealant application process is messy.

Despite its advantages, a tubeless tire can be your choice if your purpose of riding is durability and firmness.

How to make a tubeless BMX tire?

You can make your BMX tire tubeless if your wheel and rim structures support going tubeless. You will require extra tapes to make your wheel go tubeless if it is not tubeless-ready.

You will need a rim sealing tape, a tire level, and a sealant.

You can make a tubeless BMX tire following some steps. They are:

Step 1: Insert and tighten into the rim, the valve stem. Use hands for this purpose. Attach valve nut or seal ring to the valve stem.
Step 2: You have to check the direction of the tire next. Then mount the entire tire upon the rim of the wheel and let the rim sit.
Step 3: Next, aligns the beads on the rim by pushing in the rim deeper. You can use the hand lever for this purpose.
Step 4: Now apply the sealant on the mounted wheel, removing the valve core. 80-120 ml sealant can be used.
Step 5: Then inflate your tire by tightening the valve core. And bounce and slide your tire to spread the sealant.