gauvins

Two years ago I've tried rolling on TPU (tubolito, aerothan) instead of butyl, and the result was disappointing. I almost never get flats on butyl, and got three (slow leaks) with the TPUs over 2 000kms...

That was then, things may have improved. Reading reviews there are many negative feedbacks, but they seem to be older. On the plus side, TPU tubes take less than half of the space of butyl, so it's tempting to believe that their construction has improved.

Any experience?

cyccommute 

I dabbled with them last year and was severely disappointed. I used RideNow but upon installation, the tubes flatted from very small foreign objects in the tire that had not flatted the butyl tubes that the TPU replaced. I actually flatted 3 tubes as I only found out about about the small foreign objects after installing 2 more tubes in the middle of a ride. I replaced the tire but the stick on patches for the tubes were completely useless causing me to flat at least 4 more times after repairing and rerepairing the tubes. I got a better patch kit which seems to be working but I’m not impressed overall with the RideNow which makes me hesitant to spend money on something more expensive.

Just to be clear, I’m not all that thrilled with the performance of modern butyl tubes as I’ve experienced many, many flats that are the result of the tube being over-stretched towards the rim which causes them to tear and leak. However, I can fix those easily and butyl tubes are cheap.

And, no, I’m not going tubeless because those violate the conservation of mass.

randallr

I’ve been running Schwalbe Aerothans for the last 5000 miles inside Continental GP 4 Seasons. Quite pleased. One puncture. No quality issues.

gauvins

This is more of less than with butyl, in your experience? My average on TPU would also be 1 flat per 500kms, i.e. 10 times as much as with butyl...

TiHabanero

I well remember the fascination the performance minded enthusiasts had with latex tubes. It didn't last long, only a few years. I think TPO tube fascination will go the same route, albeit a longer period of fascination will exist.

theblackbullet

Latex and TPU are not being pushed out because they are not very good for performance, but rather that tubeless road tires have made large strides in performance. They have gotten lighter and they have gotten faster.

Personally, on my bikes that I run higher tire pressure, I've had fantastic luck with TPU, and so long as I can get them for between $2-$6 a tube, I will keep buying them. That is cheaper than butyl and well worth the weight savings.

jadmt

I have been using Schwalbe Aerothans and no issues in about the last 3000 miles. I have had a couple of flats from punctures but have patched them and they have continued to hold air. I have used both the Park glueless patches and the Schwalbe patches and no issues. One of the punctures was pretty big and I wondered if it would be patchable and I think I have at least 1500 miles on that patch with no issues.

robow

Started this summer with the "new and improved" Ride Now TPU's and now have several hundred miles on that bike with no punctures while riding. I did experience a single puncture when simply changing out tires and re inserting the tubes, a microscopic hole on the inside of the tube, from what I do not know. Personally I have never had great luck with Park glueless patches holding on standard butyl tubes but it sure worked like a charm on this TPU tube. I'm running them on my road bike, 30mm tires at 65 psi. I'm not convinced enough to tour with them but they are definitely faster on my road bike as they are only 36 grams and they have been proven to have less rolling resistance than butyl.

gauvins

Interesting. I've ordered Ride Now from Ali -- they are more affordable. May I ask which ones? From what I understand they have racing and regular models.

zandoval 

For me its much more a utility issue. Will my TPU tube have to be specific for my wheels? Can I jump from 27 1/2 to 700c? Can I go from 28mm to 34mm using the same TPU tube? Can I patch the TPU tube effectively. Of course next comes the cost. I do like the small foot print the TPU tube has. I do like its weight but for me as a clyde ridding a steel bike it is not a real important issue.

As the quality of Butyl tubes and the cost of TPU tubes decline I am soon to make TPU tube purchases...

zandoval 

Interested! How about a few sources for these 2-6 USD TPU tubes so I can give um a try. Thanks...

Trsnrtr

I’ve been using Ride Now from aliexpress and had every bit as much luck with them as butyl tubes and better luck than latex tubes. My main ride is tubeless but I have two other bikes and my wife’s with the TPU and very happy.

theblackbullet

I order from china via ali express. I've had good luck with RideNow (36g) at $6/tube, Newboler (28g) being my favorite at $3.50/tube with the caveat that the plastic valve stems can become brittle in the cold weather, and I recently purchased a brand called OFFBONDAGE (39g) on some flash sale for $2/tube. They look good, but have yet to install. Seems the normal price is a bit more expensive.

randallr

Oh, I think it’s about the same as butyl or somewhat better. Puncture resistance for me is probably more a function of the tire than the tubes. However, I had more issues flatting with early Tubolitos than with the Aerothans (non-puncture quality issues with the early Tubolitos) and the Aerothans have none of that. I don’t ride TPU tubes for flat resistance, I ride them because they are insanely light.

gauvins

randallr Thanks for the feedback. I've ordered some RideNows -- generally good reviews (hopefully genuine) and worst that might happen would be restocking with butyls. Perhaps an occasion to talk bikes with the locals

eja_ bottecchia

A quick search on the topic of latex inner tubes shows that their use is more than a passing fad. For many riders, including performance minded riders, latex tubes are a fairly inexpensive (relatively speaking) upgrade. This is especially true when compared to the cost of tubeless wheels. I have been using latex inner tubes for over ten years and I find them to be more comfortable over long rides than butyl. That additional comfort translates into longer rides. I am an old(er) rider so speed is no longer that important to me; comfort, however, is very important.

Latex tubes are getting better so that is a plus.

But as they say, YMMV.

Rick

I have had more flats on butyl rubber tubs from the bad tube and not the punctures. I immediately replace tubes on new bicycles with tubes made by Continental or Schwalbe. I run the largest width tube that will fit the tire diameter. like you I tried some quality TPU tubes and found them lacking in durability and I haven't even tried to patch them I just went back to the butyl rubber.

robow

For me Latex won't work while touring as they lose air more quickly than other materials and I'm not one to want to top off daily.

Bafanguy

We have to top off daily with these Chinese TPU tubes too, or at least check the pressure daily.

This whole "you don't need to air up daily with TPU compared to latex" thing isn't true, or at least, it does not result in less work. I have to stick a pump on my tires every day to make sure that one of my TPU's didn't suddenly drop 20psi in 24 hours due to a random failure where the TPU material becomes porous in one spot. It already happened to me once. Even my perfectly functioning TPU tubes lose a few PSI a day, so I will not go even 2 days without putting a pump on them.

Then of course there's the "TPU blew a hole randomly when bike wasn't being used, tube goes in the trash" moment that users have experienced. That also happened to me once. And I'm not even running high PSI's. That tube had 60psi in it when that happened, on a 32c tire.

This is why I'm going to switch to latex. Same amount of work but a lower failure rate. I would try a good TPU brand like Pirelli, but the Vittoria latex tubes are cheaper, so it's kind of a no-brainer for me at this point.

gauvins

I've tried TPU again this year. 4 flats : three consecutive within 20kms, on the first day of my trip, a fourth, slow leak, apparently from the valve after deflating/inflating the tire, the next week.

Back to butyl. TPU are tantalizingly small but, my experience, unreliable on tour.

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stevepusser

Another data point--600 mi so far on a new gravel bike with them (Cyclami brand, green, from Aliexpress on sale), mostly paved, and about 160 of those on a couple lightly loaded overnight trips. No flats, but I swapped out the stock 40mm Kenda gravel tires for some cheap and heavy Schwinn urban 38mm tires that have the solid tread thicker than goathead thorn spikes--I've pulled out a few. I weighed the wheels before and after the tire/tube swap, and they ended up lighter overall.

Also have a Schraeder valve (Baen brand...?) one in rear tire of an older hardtail Giant Iguana with a lighter semiknobbby tire, quite thin rubber between the knobs, so I added a cheapo Ali-X PU tireliner to that tire. About 300 mi street riding with no flats yet either. Peak goathead season here is just beginning with the heat, though.

Tried one in a 20x4 fat ebike rear tire, but that was a bust...literally. Maybe a tighter tire would not come off the rim in the first half mile. Yes, I semi-inflate them when installing per the instructions.

djb

noted, and in my mind, just not worth the hassle.
Multiple flats like that would really piss me off.
Is it possible you were not careful with tire levers when installing the tires?
Could the tubes have been treated roughly in your bags--poked with something, or chaffing or something?

gauvins

Flats in close succession where caused by a small glass shard that had penetrated the threads. I removed the shard and got a second flat, 9kms later. No shard this time, but perhaps gains of sand. I've glued a boot inside the tire. Got a third flat 4kms later. I was close to a Decathlon by then, and purchased a new tire and butyl tubes. No flat 2500kms later.

The tire was a 3-year old (10 000 kms) Almotion. Plenty of threads left, but the rubber looked past its prime with several tiny cuts.

BUT the flat on the rear wheel did it for me. Here again, the tire is not new, but the flat occurred after I had to remove the wheel - the tire is too wide to slide between the brake pads unless deflated. Post inflation there was a slow leak. Replaced with butyl. No issue since.

So... I'd think that inside a fresh, undamaged, tire, TPU will work. Unfortunately, glass shards and other detritus will eventually penetrate the skin. Butyl, being thicker, is more tolerant. TPU is not.

I remember 6 flats with TPU tubes over the past 3 years. None with butyl.
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djb

All very interesting points. Thanks merci. I'll remember all that.

str

I am wondering, nobody uses tubeless? worked great for me since years!