njkayaker

They weren't his.

icemilkcoffee 

Does anyone else notice that it seems to take more strokes to pump up the TPU tubes? Seems like there is a higher volume of air inside these tubes. On my Look bike I have a TPU tube in one wheel and a regular butyl tube in the other. I can say for sure that the butyl tube loses more air over time. Or I should say the butyl loses more pressure over time. Maybe they both leak the same amount of air, but since the TPU tube held more air to begin with, that same leakage amounts to less pressure loss.

livedarklions

Learning about TPU tubes for the first time from this thread, and thanks, but......

Yayyyy! LOL indeed. That's wonderful.

jmm77

I have them on 3 bikes for about 6 weeks now. No issues and glad to have the weight savings of 200g. I'll be ordering more.

smd4

Isn't the volume of air in a tube ultimately determined by the volume of air the tire can contain?

icemilkcoffee 

The TPU tubes are really thin. Feels kind of like plastic shopping bag. Whereas butyl tubes have a certain thickness to it.

smd4

But how many extra strokes could that result in? Admittedly, I'm basing these comments on my 700 X 23s, which don't have a huge volume to begin with.

jonathanf2

My RideNow tubes are holding up great. I use them specifically for my hill climbing wheels. Unlike latex, the TPU tubes hold air with very little to no leakage. I hope these become more popular, I do see these as the go-to for road clinchers especially over latex and butyl.

terrymorse 

The tube takes up some of that volume. The thinner the tube, the bigger the air volume. Tubeless has the most volume.

cyclezen

I'll agree with that.
Ran the wheels with the TPU again yesterday's longer ride. checked tire pressure before, it was identical to pressure when I last used them, the Monday before - 6 days back.
I don't use CO2, only footpump air...
As my butyl tubes become used up, I'll be shifting over to TPU.
Ride On
Yuri

jonathanf2

Another benefit to these RideNow TPU tubes is that they're much more compact as a spare. You can carry 2 and still take up less space than 1 butyl or latex tube.

prj71

I try to get tubes and stuff online...

It's usually cheaper than the bike store and allows me to keep more money in my pocket. Plus I don't have leave the house and burn up gas and wear on tear on my car...So I save even more $$$ by not going to the bikes store.

smd4

How do TPU's compare to latex?

I just bought one of the cheapie TPU tubes, but I won't have it for a few days. The latex tubes I'm running now deflated by probably 1/2 their pressure or less in a week. Are the TPUs lighter? More flat resistant?

terrymorse 

TPU tubes vs latex:

• lighter (as much as 60 grams per tube)
• thinner
• more resistant to pressure loss
• slightly higher rolling resistance

A review of TPU inner tubes.

smd4

Great article, thank you!

Wildwood

Waiting for a tpu tubular tire.
Did I miss it?

hankj

I like the Aerothans in my road tires. Roll and road feel similar to when I had them tubeless, seem tougher than latex and don't lose air. Knock on wood, did a full season with no flats.

Tubilito makes a TPU in an interesting variety, for touring. It's double thick, 90 grams, tough AF, and still rolls better than butyl.

I will say that the slick plastic valve stems suck. The manufacturers have to know that pump heads blow right off them. They should make them rougher or put some ridges on them for my pleasure

martianone

Usually ride my bike to local bike shop,
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BIKE SHOP !!!,
while you still have one !

jmm77

Anyone know if it is safe to move a RideNow tube from a larger tire after some use to a smaller one? In this case the gravel version (32-47C) from a 36c to a 34c tire. I thought I read somewhere this is a no no as the TPU cannot shrink back and can only be used in the same size or larger tire.

t2p

My Silca pumps worked on any and every tube - until I got the Aerothan tubes ; the chuck/head kept blowing off.

So I got a Hiro chuck/head - $ expensive - but never did try it because I began to use another method.

Now I use a schrader/presta adapter and a battery powered portable inflator.

First screw the shrader/presta adapter on to the Aerothan valve stem - and then screw the hose of the inflator to the adapter. Inflate the tire - and then when tire is inflated unscrew in reverse. Takes seconds. Have not used a hand pump since I began using the portable inflator.

t2p

Probably not a good idea - because the TPU tubes are not as elastic as a butyl or latex tube. But 36 to 34 jump is relatively small - so might not be a problem.

cyclezen

my view - if you're staying in a 700c - 622 diameter (or other same diameter move), and not going smaller, and the 'width' was within a few mm - even like going from 36 to 32 - I can't imagine how that would be a problem.
only reference I could find for TPU re-use was in this online article:
TPU Inner Tubes Part II: characteristics and market overview
Quote: " Re-using tubes: TPU Tubes can only be reused with tires of equal width or wider than the previous one (this has to do with the limited elasticity of the material)"
which was comprehensive, but also not a study, nor referencing evidence on many of the statements - focusing mainly on performance comparos and such...
so where did the 're-use statement evidence come from? manufacturer - CYA and also revenue booster?
I'd prolly think 2x before re-using a TPU in a 32mm, which was in a 45mm tire before... But I think this is a matter of degrees... 'Hand Grenade Close" should apply here.
I wouldn't lose sleep... especially at the pressures I run my tires...
Ride On
Yuri

EDIT: I'm actually thinking of going from 'Tubeless' to TPU on my MTB - I ride it so seldom now (when riding local I mostly use the gravel...) that paying attention to the Tubeless sealant re-charge is just another 'maintenance' thing... So when I forget, and the tire loses pressure and sealant gets dry... TPU will go on...
It's not like I do massive air or charge rock cliff faces for Mountain goat-like Gnar... I ride to survive.... LOL!

smd4

The one I ordered as a spare came in today. It is shockingly light, and the material shockingly thin. The analogy to grocery bag plastic isn’t far off—maybe Hefty garbage bag plastic is a little closer. I won’t get a chance to use this until I get my next flat, though. I am intrigued.

cyclezen

UPDATE:
It is now 'O-Fish-L thorn season in my area...
picked up a very small thorn - about 3mm long - which went thru the thread, just below the normal riding surface, so a thinner area on my Rubino Pros...
I had TPU tubes.
On removal of the tube/ I was able to determine where the puncture was - it was almost undiscernable... tiniest puncture I've ever had - but a puncture, none the less.
Replaced with Butyl backup tube.
On getting back to the yurt, I proceeded to do the repair... cleaned the tube, lightly scuffed the TPU tube in the area of the puncture, then cleaned again with isopropyl alcohol.
Placed Park Tools GP2 adhesive patch (claimed to work with TPU...) centrally over the puncture.
Mounted TPU tube to wheel and pumped to riding pressure - 72 psi.
Seemed to hold pressure - but not for any length of time - became quite soft in 2 hours...
not good...
so I might go to LBS and see if they have the tubolito patches...

Has anyone else had to patch their TPU tube ??? Sucessful ??? What did you uses/do???
Ride On
Yuri

Maelochs

So the final word on these tubes, according to regular users: "Better than chemo."