Types of Bike Tires
There are a few different kinds of bicycle tires. To properly maintain your tires, be aware of the types of tires that you have on your bike. Bicycle shops will carry the different tires that you need, so don't be afraid to ask for help if you're unsure of the tire you're about to buy.
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Mountain Bike Tires
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Mountain bike tires are designed for off-road biking. They're very thick, knobby tires, making them suitable for rocky environments. Depending on your specific bike, you may not need to use tubes underneath your mountain bike tires.
Road Bike Tires
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Road bike (or racing bike) tires are usually much thinner tires, and require tubes. They are designed for speed and paved roads. The slick treads of road bike tires grip concrete better than the stumpy treads of a mountain bike.
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BMX Tires
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BMX tires are used for stunt bikes. These tires are thicker than road bike tires, comparable to mountain bike tires in their thickness. But these tires are usually much smaller than road or mountain bike tires, usually only 20 inches. They're designed so that they can be used off-road, but not necessarily in rocky environments. The thicker treads work better in dirt, but for the BMX bikers who like to do their stunts on the concrete, slicker treads are preferred.
Kids' Bike Tires
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Kids bike tires are very similar to BMX bike tires, in that they are small and have knobby treads. They do not require tubes, but rarely ever go flat due to the lightweight children who ride them.
Training wheels are two extra wheels that stick out on either side of the back wheel of a kids bike. These wheels are usually plastic instead of rubber, and never touch the ground at the same time. They are smaller than regular bike wheels.
Tire Tubes
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Road bikes require tubes underneath the tire. Without tubes, your tire will be flat. The tube is what you actually fill with air, and is what inflates in your road bike's wheels. When buying tubes, make sure that the size of the tube matches that of your bike tire.
BMX and mountain bikes may also contain tubes, but it depends on the bike. Some of them are like kids bikes and do not need inner tubes.
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