On Sunday, April 1, 2018 at 8:04:51 AM UTC-7, Tim McNamara wrote:

snip

So, tire sizing is a confusing mess because there are multiple labeling
standards across the world.

Preaching to the choir : )

The one to pay attention to is the one that
says 37-622; that is the international standard labeling and all current
tires and tubes are marked with that. 37 is the width in mm for the
tire, and 622 is the diameter of the tire bead in mm.

This is the silliest aspect of bikes, IMHO. It happened from bikes
being made to local standards in multiple countries, then international
trade happened.

27" and 622 are close enough that the tubes are interchageable.

OK. Thanks

Available to me at Walmart a

Bell Inner Tube Standard 27" Asos fits 700c 28 x 32c Fits tire width 1
1/8 - 1 1/4

------or

Bell inner Tube Presta 700c ROAD ONLY Fits tire width 25 - 32c

And the other issue: there are two commonly used types of valves for
bike tires. The Schrader valve looks like the one used on car tires.
The Presta valve is more or less specific to bikes.

Right. That is the problem. On my generic mountain bikes all I have ever seen is the Schrader valve. This is my nieces bike that I am looking at and the flat tube does indeed have a Schrader valve but when I went into Walmart at first glance it seemed that the tube that they had that would best fit the bike was the one with a Presta valve which was new to me : )


They are sized
differently- the hole in the rim for the Schrader valve is much larger
than that for the Presta valve. You do need to match the valve to the
rim.

Well, that looks like a problem then since I am not going to be changing the rim out. It looks like I need to find a tube with another Schrader valve. You seem to indicate below that I can make this one work:

Bell Inner Tube Standard
27" Asos fits 700c 28 x 32c
Fits tire width 1 1/8 - 1 1/4

Both of those tubes are are a little too skinny for that width of tire
to be ideal. They'll both work with the tire, once you have the valve
choice selected, but the tube will be stretched a little thin and more
vulnerable to more punctures. You want one in a range that includes 37
mm (say, "fits 35/43 mm").

Also, patching your existing tube could be an option.

The flat tube when pumped up was leaking air from where it was already patched before. I think I want to go with a new tube.

If I decide to go with the Presta tube can I just stuff cloth say around the skinny Presta valve or is that just stupid?

The schrader/ presta fix I was referring to is here. Do you have any opinion? TIA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76AQ8RFvCX4&t=127s