Old 09-08-22, 02:22 PM
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cyclezen
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so, UPDATE on the UPDATE...
1st attempt at TPU repair was a 'fail'. blame on the tube? nah, it is what it is... blame the materials or procedure? maybe blame the workman, prolly...
not being a 'give up' kinda guy, I reviewed the options... different patch? some revision on 'technique', improved work method ? possible...
the 'air' was escaping at the very edge of the patch, so it could be leaking from under the patch or there was another v-small puncture...
State of the RideNow TPU tube as noted by others, it's VERY Light and Thin, and very glossy, and has a very slight appearance of a 'ribbed' structure - as if rings of TPU material were molded to each other to form the tube. it's a visual thing, not a textural thing, but it could have a micro 3D affect..

The Park Tools GP2 patch was quite 'firm' on the TPU tube, I've had this patch kit for about 4 yrs and used on patch before, out of the 5, on a butyl tube (which worked great).
I had just ordered another 2 pk of the GP2 patches/kit. I compared the Kit and patches from the Older kit to the Newer Kit - they seem identical.
BUT, I did NOTICE on the package containing the recent bought kits, the product label besides name and what seemed some sort of SKU # all has a note = 'NEW' in caps.
Maybe they looked the same, but maybe Park Tools altered the patch in some fashion - maybe a different adhesive on the NEW.
In any case I had a bear of a time pulling the 1st patch off the TPU tube - it was firmly in place. Being careful to not damage the tube, it took 15 minutes to remove the 1st, leaking patch.\
Then cleaned off the adhesive residue with isopropyl, and 'roughed' up the tube a bit more. It's a very thin TPU material, so I was aware to not 'over-rough' the material.
Cleaned again with isopropyl, and applied a patch from the 'New' Kit...
mounted to wheel/tire and pumped to close to running pressure, which is 72 psi.
This was done yesterday early evening, so now, 18 hours later, the Patch is working and holding air with no perceptible air loss.
So, maybe the Old GP2 patch from 4 yrs ago won;t work on TPU, whereas the NEW patch does/will work...
maybe the workman needs to improve procedure and work...
in any case, the RideNow TPU tubes can be successfully repaired/patched with all considerations for technique, material and workmanship...
so I'm still on-board with TPU and the cheaper Chinese RideNow versions.
Ride On
Yuri
One thing to add - The TPU material, besides being thin, also seems to develop a static charge much easier than butyl. In a very dry environment I could see the tube attracting and picking up dust and small grit, due to this static charge. I believe a critical element is very clean handling of the tube to assure it doesn't hold small grit. Given the thin nature, small grit remaining on the tube could cause a 'wear' puncture much easier than on butyl. So careful handling of the tube, whether at the homework area and at roadside repairs, will be a important part of my procedures.

Last edited by cyclezen; 09-08-22 at 02:29 PM.
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