Tubolito tubes
#1
Sr Member on Sr bikes
Thread Starter
Tubolito tubes
Anyone tried these tubes? How'd you like them? There's really only one review, and it's not conclusive.
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/t...EFcMhx6Q8w9ezY
Dan
https://www.competitivecyclist.com/t...EFcMhx6Q8w9ezY
Dan
#3
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It's expensive, difficult to patch, permanently stretches to the specific width of your tire, and has unknown sticking characteristics when left inside a tire for a long time. All to save... 28g per tire over a Challenge latex tube. Seems like a colossal waste of money. Where would you use it? In an MTB tire? Those have been tubeless for at least a decade now. In a road clincher? Most roadies either want the minimal hassle and cost of a butyl tube or the ride characteristics and weight savings of a latex tube (me). Others still have gone tubeless for the same reasons and puncture resistance.
$70 for a set of tubes? I don't think so!... I don't think so.
$70 for a set of tubes? I don't think so!... I don't think so.
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Last edited by Ferrouscious; 02-19-20 at 11:58 AM.
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#4
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I've had them on my road bike with compass 700x28 tires for almost a year now.
You can patch them if you get the patch kit made for them. (sold separately ) I have the kit though I've not had to use it because I haven't had a flat yet. They seem tougher than latex and don't leak down quickly like latex does, which is nice.
"permanently stretches to the specific width of your tire" should only be an issue if you take it out and try to install it in a narrower tire.
Besides the weight savings the Tublito is much more compact then a standard tube when new, allowing for a smaller size flat kit.
The plastic valve stem is the weak point. While detaching my clamp on pump head the plastic split and the metal valve core blew out. No way to fix, but Tublito did send me a new tube free of charge. Now I'm more careful and have not had this issue again. If you use a pump head that screws on, it may also unscrew the valve core when you remove it. After this happened to me on a new tube I epoxied it back in so it's not coming out.
Both of my issues happened when new. Since then they've been issue free. Unless I start having problems with them I'll likely continue to use 'em.
You can patch them if you get the patch kit made for them. (sold separately ) I have the kit though I've not had to use it because I haven't had a flat yet. They seem tougher than latex and don't leak down quickly like latex does, which is nice.
"permanently stretches to the specific width of your tire" should only be an issue if you take it out and try to install it in a narrower tire.
Besides the weight savings the Tublito is much more compact then a standard tube when new, allowing for a smaller size flat kit.
The plastic valve stem is the weak point. While detaching my clamp on pump head the plastic split and the metal valve core blew out. No way to fix, but Tublito did send me a new tube free of charge. Now I'm more careful and have not had this issue again. If you use a pump head that screws on, it may also unscrew the valve core when you remove it. After this happened to me on a new tube I epoxied it back in so it's not coming out.
Both of my issues happened when new. Since then they've been issue free. Unless I start having problems with them I'll likely continue to use 'em.
#5
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I am intrigued with them for being light and roll up small in my commuting stuff but I have not bought them because the are so expensive.
#6
Senior Member
I decided to try them out after determining that I wouldn't be able to find latex tubes for my Compass 32mm tires. One of the two Tubolitos that I bought had a defect out of the box where air slowly leaked out from the base of the valve stem, so after a few days (where I had to pump an unreasonable amount of air in each day) I removed it, and was refunded for it by the retailer. I confirmed the leak in the sink with water.
The other Tubolito is still in my rear tire, and it's got around 750 miles on it so far. No flats, but I don't get a lot of flats with butyl tires either, so that doesn't mean much.
It's definitely light, and I believe the thermoplastic they make these from absorbs less energy during flexing than butyl tires do. All in all riding with the Tubolitos in both tires felt very, very much like riding latex, which I've done in the past with narrower tires. Yes, these were expensive, but if they last a long time and are more resistant to flats I think it may even out in the wash. The lighter weight at the rim and lack of energy loss due to flexing, with the very latex-like road feel, I think, are nice.
I'll go ahead and order a new one and put it back in my front wheel. I think I'll ride these until and unless something happens. If nothing ever happens then they were a good deal, and if it does, then at least I'll learn something. I do think these may be a more durable alternative to latex, and for folks riding wider tires like me (32mm, and possibly soon switching to 35mm), may be the only way to get a latex-like road feel. They do seem to be far, far less fragile than latex.
The other Tubolito is still in my rear tire, and it's got around 750 miles on it so far. No flats, but I don't get a lot of flats with butyl tires either, so that doesn't mean much.
It's definitely light, and I believe the thermoplastic they make these from absorbs less energy during flexing than butyl tires do. All in all riding with the Tubolitos in both tires felt very, very much like riding latex, which I've done in the past with narrower tires. Yes, these were expensive, but if they last a long time and are more resistant to flats I think it may even out in the wash. The lighter weight at the rim and lack of energy loss due to flexing, with the very latex-like road feel, I think, are nice.
I'll go ahead and order a new one and put it back in my front wheel. I think I'll ride these until and unless something happens. If nothing ever happens then they were a good deal, and if it does, then at least I'll learn something. I do think these may be a more durable alternative to latex, and for folks riding wider tires like me (32mm, and possibly soon switching to 35mm), may be the only way to get a latex-like road feel. They do seem to be far, far less fragile than latex.
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Well I just bought me a few of these to take with me back to Sri Lanka hoping I stand less of a chance from a puncture with these... What is the cheapest people have seen these guys..700X23..? $34.00 here..
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#8
Full Member
I carry one in my repair kit for a tubeless gravel bike because the extra $30 for a tube half the size folded up, and half the weight seemed like a no-brainer.
#9
Luke
There's definitely pros and cons.
I've used them on a few sets of wheels so I'm fairly familiar with them.
first, the price. They're expensive. Unless you can get them cheaper than rrp, I can't really recommend them for training unless they're your spare tube, in which case, they are very very compact, or if you don't care about the price of inner tubes/don't flat much that could potentially justify it for this...
They are really fast.
if you've ever swapped training wheels for race wheels you know the feeling. It's that big. While I'm not a weightweenie, they ride quality and responsiveness this brings could make it worth it depending how much cash you've got. It always surprised me just how big this difference is. I personally tried them for my race wheels since I can get a good deal on them and they're easier to get for me than latex.
Keep in mind that while Tubolito claims they are 3 times puncture protective than butyl (I think something like that) it does NOT mean you will puncture x3 less. I feel that while this may be the case outside the tire that it is a pretty useless stat considering if something gets through the much thicker tire, the tube will get punctured no matter how good it is.
All of my tubolitos are toast now. My mtb ones are mysteriously flat (dented rims --> tubeless no go) and my road ones, one flatted out on my bunchie before race day to check the newly built wheels out, and the other left me with a flat tire an hour before Nats road race, soooooo not sure whether this was bad luck or not but i'll leave you to decide.
I know some older fellas who've had great results and swear by them. And I think I may have pumped them up too much outside the tire while installing them; something Tubolito strongly advises against. Unfortunately it could have been user error for me
EDIT: I didn't go mental pumping them up outside the tire, no more than I would with butyl, it just pays to read the instructions sometimes.
Also Schwalbe made a similar product but its clear instead of bright orange. I'd check both out.
I've used them on a few sets of wheels so I'm fairly familiar with them.
first, the price. They're expensive. Unless you can get them cheaper than rrp, I can't really recommend them for training unless they're your spare tube, in which case, they are very very compact, or if you don't care about the price of inner tubes/don't flat much that could potentially justify it for this...
They are really fast.
if you've ever swapped training wheels for race wheels you know the feeling. It's that big. While I'm not a weightweenie, they ride quality and responsiveness this brings could make it worth it depending how much cash you've got. It always surprised me just how big this difference is. I personally tried them for my race wheels since I can get a good deal on them and they're easier to get for me than latex.
Keep in mind that while Tubolito claims they are 3 times puncture protective than butyl (I think something like that) it does NOT mean you will puncture x3 less. I feel that while this may be the case outside the tire that it is a pretty useless stat considering if something gets through the much thicker tire, the tube will get punctured no matter how good it is.
All of my tubolitos are toast now. My mtb ones are mysteriously flat (dented rims --> tubeless no go) and my road ones, one flatted out on my bunchie before race day to check the newly built wheels out, and the other left me with a flat tire an hour before Nats road race, soooooo not sure whether this was bad luck or not but i'll leave you to decide.
I know some older fellas who've had great results and swear by them. And I think I may have pumped them up too much outside the tire while installing them; something Tubolito strongly advises against. Unfortunately it could have been user error for me
EDIT: I didn't go mental pumping them up outside the tire, no more than I would with butyl, it just pays to read the instructions sometimes.
Also Schwalbe made a similar product but its clear instead of bright orange. I'd check both out.
Last edited by FTB; 10-27-20 at 04:11 AM.
#10
Newbie
I have them, and as some of you mentioned, it's the valve that's the weak point! Be very careful when inserting and pulling off your pump head!
Has anyone here tried the new Schwalbe Aerothan tubes?? Looking to try those next!
Has anyone here tried the new Schwalbe Aerothan tubes?? Looking to try those next!
#11
Luke