Anyone tried out these expensive tubes?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2023
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 572
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 366 Post(s)
Liked 275 Times
in
176 Posts
Very cool. I've never tried them or heard of them.
The one for my bike were only $28 US, and they do have deals if you buy in quantity.
Hopefully, they are as good as they say they are. And hopefully, enough people buy them that the price comes down.
The one for my bike were only $28 US, and they do have deals if you buy in quantity.
Hopefully, they are as good as they say they are. And hopefully, enough people buy them that the price comes down.
#3
climber has-been
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 7,111
Bikes: Scott Addict R1, Felt Z1
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3432 Post(s)
Liked 3,567 Times
in
1,793 Posts
Likes For terrymorse:
#4
Thread Killer
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 12,455
Bikes: 15 Kinesis Racelight 4S, 76 Motebecane Gran Jubilée, 17 Dedacciai Gladiatore2, 12 Breezer Venturi, 09 Dahon Mariner, 12 Mercier Nano, 95 DeKerf Team SL, 19 Tern Rally, 21 Breezer Doppler Cafe+, 19 T-Lab X3, 91 Serotta CII, 23 3T Strada
Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3153 Post(s)
Liked 1,717 Times
in
1,036 Posts
We know not all TPU are the same in terms of performance characteristics, but it’s impossible to know which provide what, although all are certainly going to be lighter, have lower rolling resistance, and be more puncture resistant than regular butyl tubes. Start getting into lightweight variants of butyl and TPU, and there are permutations where butyl gets closer in one department, but TPU always has two feet up in other areas of comparison. Getting into the budget stuff, like RideNow previously mentioned, and it looks like buying butyl is straight up foolish.
I use both Aerothan and RideNow, and think they’re great. I prefer Aerothan because I know they’re durable, light, smooth, fast and repairable, but I’ve not tried patching RideNow yet and did have a failure at the base of the valve stem on one because I forgot to apply a little, ring-shaped sticker they provide to reinforce the area. Maybe not an issue on all rim types, but a slightly fussy solution I’d prefer not to have to deal with, which gives the advantage to Aerothan.
I’d say get some and give them a try.
Likes For chaadster:
#6
Sunshine
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,619
Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo
Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10971 Post(s)
Liked 7,499 Times
in
4,194 Posts
#8
bOsscO
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Vancouver
Posts: 746
Bikes: 2024 Spec Crux, 2015 Norco Search S1, 93 Mongoose IBOC COMP
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 296 Post(s)
Liked 355 Times
in
212 Posts
Not specific to the brands mentioned above, the Radavist has a recent article comparing two TPU brands; one cheap and one expensive. https://theradavist.com/ridenow-vers...r-tube-review/
Although tested on a MTB it's worth a read before deciding.
Although tested on a MTB it's worth a read before deciding.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,443
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 626 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 401 Times
in
277 Posts
Against my better judgment I tried out some Aerothan tubes a few years ago. The quicker seepage of air and the ify ability of being able to patch them, including how long it would take to do said job, did not impress. I am currently running Continental Freeride tubes in my 2"X26" Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires.
Likes For Rick:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2022
Location: USA - Southwest PA
Posts: 3,108
Bikes: Cannondale - Gary Fisher - Giant - Litespeed - Schwinn Paramount - Schwinn (lugged steel) - Trek OCLV
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1401 Post(s)
Liked 1,891 Times
in
1,087 Posts
this is year #3 using tpu tubes - currently on five bikes (#6 soon)
primarily Aerothan and RideNow - also used Pirelli Cinturato Smartube (?) on one bike for a bit
I have not experienced quick loss of air - if anything they appear to hold air as well or slightly better than lightweight / thin butyl tubes
primarily Aerothan and RideNow - also used Pirelli Cinturato Smartube (?) on one bike for a bit
I have not experienced quick loss of air - if anything they appear to hold air as well or slightly better than lightweight / thin butyl tubes
Likes For t2p:
#11
Senior Member
Skip the overpriced marketing profit middleman. Buy straight from the factory via AliExpress for a fraction of the cost. It's a simple bicycle tube. The middleman is a leech.
#12
Full Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 401
Bikes: 2016 Masi strada vita due, 2019 Kona Dew Plus
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 268 Post(s)
Liked 80 Times
in
55 Posts
go to amizon, list all bicycle inner tubes; list by average customer rating; all top rated tubes are butyl
jus sayin
jus sayin
#13
Super Modest
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 23,469
Bikes: Trek Emonda, Giant Propel, Colnago V3, Co-Motion Supremo, ICE VTX WC
Mentioned: 107 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10965 Post(s)
Liked 4,623 Times
in
2,125 Posts
I've been using RideNow TPU tubes for a couple years with no problems at all.
__________________
Keep the chain tight!
Likes For Trsnrtr:
Likes For tempocyclist:
#17
Senior Member
I have experience with Schwalbe, Pirelli and RideNow TPU varieties in MTB, gravel, and road sizes. In 4 years, I haven't had any notable problems with any brand of TPU tubes. I am mostly riding tubeless these days, but still have tubes in a few bikes. I go back and forth between tubeless and TPU, but will never go back to butyl.
TPU tubes are very thin, so careful installation is a must, but once installed they are better than butyl in every way. They are lighter, hold pressure longer, roll better, and, as far as I can tell, have similar puncture resistance. When punctured, the TPU tubes seem not to deflate as rapidly as butyl and on occasion I have gotten a puncture and not even noticed it until after I got home and noticed the tire was a bit low.
I have had good luck patching TPU tubes with the Tubolito patch kit and the Ridenow glueless patches. Swabbing with alcohol before applying the patch is key.
The cheap Ride Now tubes are just as good as the premium branded ones IMO. I'm not a huge fan of AliExpress, so I order mine in bulk from Panda Podium.
https://www.pandapodium.cc/product-c...s-tubes/tubes/
TPU tubes are very thin, so careful installation is a must, but once installed they are better than butyl in every way. They are lighter, hold pressure longer, roll better, and, as far as I can tell, have similar puncture resistance. When punctured, the TPU tubes seem not to deflate as rapidly as butyl and on occasion I have gotten a puncture and not even noticed it until after I got home and noticed the tire was a bit low.
I have had good luck patching TPU tubes with the Tubolito patch kit and the Ridenow glueless patches. Swabbing with alcohol before applying the patch is key.
The cheap Ride Now tubes are just as good as the premium branded ones IMO. I'm not a huge fan of AliExpress, so I order mine in bulk from Panda Podium.
https://www.pandapodium.cc/product-c...s-tubes/tubes/
Last edited by mihlbach; 03-29-24 at 07:35 AM.
Likes For mihlbach:
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,399
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1563 Post(s)
Liked 1,739 Times
in
976 Posts
Not specific to the brands mentioned above, the Radavist has a recent article comparing two TPU brands; one cheap and one expensive. https://theradavist.com/ridenow-vers...r-tube-review/
Although tested on a MTB it's worth a read before deciding.
Although tested on a MTB it's worth a read before deciding.
Likes For icemilkcoffee:
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,849
Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque
Mentioned: 106 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2339 Post(s)
Liked 2,832 Times
in
1,545 Posts
looks like Jan Heine and Rene Herse is getting on the TPU ride https://www.renehersecycles.com/rene...ces-tpu-tubes/
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
#21
The Wheezing Geezer
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Española, NM
Posts: 1,063
Bikes: 1976 Fredo Speciale, Rivendell Clem Smith Jr., Libertas mixte
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 414 Post(s)
Liked 934 Times
in
450 Posts
I've had success with Pirelli P-Zeros that I got on sale for $16.
FWIW, the Park Tool Pre-Glued GP2 patches seem to work well.
FWIW, the Park Tool Pre-Glued GP2 patches seem to work well.
#24
Newbie
While we're on a subject of patching TPU tubes, does anyone have PERSONAL experience doing it? I see a lot of people talking about how it's totally easy since their neighbor's dog had success using the Park patches, but I've tries Topeak Flypaper (which seems similar to Park?) and it did literally nothing for the micropuncture I was trying to seal. The Flypaper came apart when the tube was inflated... Perhaps it was just old and I need to refresh my kit but first I'd like to know what ACTUALLY works.
#25
Senior Member
While we're on a subject of patching TPU tubes, does anyone have PERSONAL experience doing it? I see a lot of people talking about how it's totally easy since their neighbor's dog had success using the Park patches, but I've tries Topeak Flypaper (which seems similar to Park?) and it did literally nothing for the micropuncture I was trying to seal. The Flypaper came apart when the tube was inflated... Perhaps it was just old and I need to refresh my kit but first I'd like to know what ACTUALLY works.
Last edited by mihlbach; 03-29-24 at 07:34 AM.