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Inner Tube Angle Stem Types

Inner tubes are created from elastic rubber to prevent air leakage within a tire. Created from soft rubber and shaped like doughnuts, they have one purpose, which is to inflate a tire. Outside of a tire, inner tubes expand two or three times normal size. Most motorcycle, bicycle, tractor, bus, electric scooter, mobility scooter, dirt bike and heavy truck tires require inner tubes. Inner tubes have various valve stem types to fit their corresponding tires.

Straight-Angle
- Wheelchairs use straight stem angle systems.
  
  Electric dirt bikes use straight-angle stem types. Straight-angle stem systems are also used on motorcycles, gas scooters, all-terrain vehicles, front wheels of lawn tractors and various street bikes. This type of inner tube stem is used when tires have problems holding air.
Bent-Angle
- Electric scooter tires have bent-angle inner tube valves.
  
  Bent-angle valves are used on inner tubes for stand or sit-down gas scooters, electric bikes and lawn and garden equipment. Bent-valve systems also fit most dirt bike brands, including Mongoose, Currie and Freedom.
Clincher
- Clincher-type tires are used for 99 percent of bicycles.
  
  Clincher-type valve systems are also called wire-on. These valves have spring tab washers. Clincher-type tire valves consist of an outer tire with a U-shaped cross section with a separate inner tube, according to SheldonBrown.com. The air pressure, according to the site, is what holds everything together. The valve has a stem nut, a lockwasher and a handle, moving in both opening and closing positions. These valves are placed on bicycles used for recreational or racing purposes.
Valve Types -- Schrader, Presta, Woods/Dunlop
- Schrader valves are used on most children's bicycles.
  
  The Schrader valve is what is considered the standard automotive-style air valve, according to SheldonBrown.com. This valve is the one used on most utility bicycles. It is a bit shorter and thicker than the other valve types and has a flattened, squared-off end at the top.
  
  The narrow Presta valve, also known as the French valve, is used on many high-performance bicycles. These valves have built-in valve caps that must be removed when inflating. If the caps are not replaced after inflating, the air will slowly leak out.
  
  The Woods or Dunlop valve is uncommon in the United States but popular in Asia and the Great Britain. The Woods valve is the tallest valve, according to SheldonBrown.com. Unscrew a knurled ring on this valve to pump air into the inner tube, using a Presta pump. Woods or Dunlop, Presta and Schrader valves are usually on clincher-type tires.

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