Printable View
I just bought some new tires at the LBS that were on sale... When I got home I noticed they are a different size from what is on my bike - 700x25 vs 700x23. My spare tube says 700x23 on it. I pulled one of the old tires off, and it's tube says 700x23-25 on it. Are the tubes really that specific? i.e. do I need to get a new spare?
You will be fine with the one you got. Most tubes fit several sizes, even if they say 23, they will be good for 25. My touring bike tires say 28-32 and my tires are 32. So don't worry, the one you got will work fine.
Glad you asked this question. I recently got a new tire which is 700x35 and just realized the tube I put in it is 700x28/32.
It works okay, but I'm wondering if I should change it. I didn't think about the discrepancy when I put it on. And I hope it's okay because it's one of those Armadillo tires which are hard to remove.
Don't worry, Pam. That tube size is pretty ideal for your tire size, despite what the numbers say. in general, err on the side of getting a tube a bit smaller than whatever your tire size is. Smaller tubes usually work fine in larger tires, but larger tubes in smaller tires are a p i the a to install.