Short discussion of my experiences with TPU tubes In the video I mention I purchased 5 tubes for $50. Not only is that bad math!, it was not correct. It was 6 Tubes for $34 on Aliexpress
Why don't folks realise that when using self adhesive patches, the pressure of the tube against the tyre is what holds them in place and keeps the air where it belongs. Putting air in the tube and hanging it up to see if it holds ain't gonna work. Happily, my experience over 3000 miles this year on RideNow has been 100% positive. If it continues this way, will never go back. It's also worth noting that quality control on the early RideNow tubes was less stringent and they would slowly lose air from the valve. This I am assured, is now fixed. European brands need to stop ripping us off. Thanks to RideNow for sensibly priced option....
Thanks for sharing your experience. A few people have mentioned what you did about the glueless patches. You make a valid point. If I did road side repairs I would have had that success. I will be sticking with them as well as I work through my learning curve. Thanks for viewing
My ride nows are great..i did tear 1 installing but that was my error. Didn't notice the extra vibes but local roads are not supper smooth lol As far as holding air my road wheel seemed fine after about a week but i didnt check pressures to verify...on my gravel wheels i havnt ridden yet but after checking since install they do seem to have lost some air
Not sure if I believe the glueless patch being held on by the pressure of the tube against the tire because that hasn't been my experience...at least with butyl tubes and glueless patches. I used a poor quality glueless patch that held for about a week, then the patch started to let go, and when that happened the tire went flat, and that was with a tire using 90 psi, that has happened several times to me, once I went with a better glueless patch that problem disappeared, but the point was is that the tire psi will not hold the patch against the tube.
I haven't experienced a TPU puncture "in the field" yet. However, my strategy is to carry patches, but *replace* the tube with a spare. It's always easier for me to be patient and precise when I patch tubes after I get home and take my time.
@@Rekmeyatathis is a different ballgame with butyl tubes and glueless patches. Material science will tell you as such. With thermoplastics like TPU it cannot be vulcanized and bonded to the patch so “glueless” adhesive patches are the only way. The pirelli patch just uses a different adhesive.
I’m 240lbs and ride 22g Tubolito S-Tubo. Minimizing the rotational weight at the outer most part of the wheeelsets is noticeable. No issues with flats in the past 200 miles on 28mm GP5K clinchers so far. New York suburban/urban hilly roads, 45-50mph decents. 23mm internal rim width, 80/75 PSI
yup, the correct pressure is essential. The higher the better is a thing of the past when it comes to pressures. Sram tyre pressure calculator is the best imho to find your correct pressures.
So glad I stumbled on to this video Kenneth! I just bought the "pink" TPUs a couple of weeks ago and have decided to just use them as on-road repair items for now. You video content on the subject is perfect, real-world honest experience and I can't thank you enough for sharing it with us! - Bob (Toronto, Canada) (FYI, I have also subscribed so keep it coming!)
Thank you for sharing your experience . I haven’t been on a bicycle in years and am educating myself on all the things that are now available in cycling . It’s an eye opener! lol
I’m literally thinking about trying TPUs at the moment. Found this articulate, informative and objective. Hence I watched to the end, am leaving this comment and will subscribe.
I purchased the Ride now TPU, for over a year now no issues. They ride smoothly with my Continental 5000. He stated they ride rough but it’s the $25 dollar tires he purchased will make it ride rough .
Thanks for viewing. I had already switched to the fusion 5 before switching to the TPU tubes. So went directly from Butyl to TPU in that same tire. That's where I could feel the difference in roughness. I am still using the TPU tubes, As long as I air up every ride no issues really.
@@simonwarmer8777 TPU tubes are substantially lighter than latex. You can even get butyl that's lighter than latex, Conti Supersonic butyl are 50g which is around or a bit lighter than the lightest latex and much lighter than typical latex (which is around 80g). Latex is lighter than "standard" butyl, and it's faster than either butyl or TPU.
I wanted to try TPU tubes out so I got the cheapest ones I could find on eBay - 2 for about £12 delivered. So far, gotta say, amazing - the bike feels so much more alive, I can run lower pressures and I’m defo faster, on my first ride out with them I got new PR’s on every segment I went through. Crazy. I am converted.
Appreciate the real life experience. Good presentation. I recently ordered a set from Amazon and waiting their arrival from China. So we'll see. Also, I agree 100% on your comments re tubeless. Tried it for a year and a half and went back to tubes. Too much messy set up and maintenance not to mention relatively high air loss.
I just ordered 8 on AliExpress around 2 Euro each. I am still on the fence for tubless although I just taped the wheels today in case I go that way. As you find the time to change a tube not near as messy as sealant, and the weight and space savings make TPU a good choice for my dry road riding. Glad to see an honest user review!
Been using CyclAmi TPU tubes for most of the year and they have been great. No flats and I could feel a difference right away in acceleration on climbs. The weight reduction is also realized in the saddlebag, which is also lighter now. CyclAmi valves are metal, just like regular tubes.
@@jeffwilson824 I have yet to add any air after a month... 38 g Cyclami, too. Maybe that's because it's winter here, even the butyl tubes that I had to top sometimes are holding well.
Thanks for sharing! Very helpful. I bought a cheap two pack off of Amazon. I also bought the Pirelli patch kit on your recommendation. I’ll be carrying them as insurance during the Kenai 250 bikepacking race in Alaska! Cheers, Christian
Great video. Thanks for your description of your experiences. Of course everyone will have a comment, just like a belly-button (everyone has one). This being said, ... we switched to 28 ... 29 ... 30 mm (c) tires over the past few years and have reduced our flats to almost zero. Also, our comfort has increased by a factor of 100 (at least) given our tire pressure is now reduced significantly. Are they slower or faster? Who knows? Who cares? ... because I am not beat to smithereens at the end of a ride. PS: yes, I too added TPU tubes to my wife's bike and love the smaller size.
Thanks for sharing and viewing. I am also going to make the change next season to 28s and I suspect the same. I have not had any flats since posting this mainly because TPU forced me to be much more diligent about my tire pressure. I air up almost every ride and it has been fine. With butyl’s I could get away with airing up once or twice a week with out worry.
I used Vittoria latex for years but recently switched to Silca latex - they hold air a lot longer. My recently purchased Vittoria's were only holding the same pressure for about 8 to 10 hours and completely unrideable even the morning after, fine for most people especially since latex is really a competitive application. The Silca's easily hold workable pressure well into the next day. Again not a biggie since most of us on latex are pressurizing daily.
I think FMB also sells the tubes they use in their tubulars. FMB tubulars are glorious to ride, but I don’t know how much the their inner tube contributes.
Thank you for this. Hadn’t considered these lately. Been keeping “Slime” tubes as spares. I haven’t had near the flats that I used to get. I attribute that to riding bike specific trails instead of the urban, ghetto, and industrial areas that I used to. I do ride several miles, 15-25, so extra doo dads for repairs is a must. I don’t nit pick weight either, but lighter options can keep the overall sum from becoming a burden. I’m unlikely to switch to these, but will try them as spares. 👍😎
Ive been riding the pink ridenow tpu tubes on 4 wheelsets and over 3,000 miles combined and they have been great. I have only had 1 leaking tube and replaced it. No issues afterwards.
All good. I deflate the tyres after each ride anyway. Habit I had been doing for years to avoid bulge... ensures correct pressure every time. Not sure if just me but reckon there was a bit more road hum with these bad boys
I installed my Ridenow tubes inside 28mm Gatorskin Black Labels. So they are well protected and ride very smooth and I noticed the weight difference. I will be keeping the tpu tubes for the longterm.
Is the Gators protection a must for your riding? These are among the slowest road tires out there, you give up a lot of ride quality, grip and rolling resistance just to get that puncture protection. If you noticed an improvement with TPU tubes which is marginal, going to suppler tires will make a world of difference.
I have been thinking about getting TPU tubes but mainly because they take up so little space, and as you said, you can carry two or maybe even three for the space of one regular one. I think I would probably just use them in a similar way to 'spare tyres' on cars, where you use them if you should get a flat when out and about, but change back to your regular one when it has been patched and pack the 'spare tyre' away for next time it might be needed.
I am carrying a green TPU tube instead of a bulky rubber tube now in case of punctures. It is so compact. But have to remember to add some air to it before inserting into the tyre (thanks for the reminder).
I’ve used tubilito TPUs for 2 seasons nota single flat yet. My wife uses Vitoria latex with good success as well. The latex loses a significant amount of pressure compared to the Tubilitos. I carry two as spares but haven’t had to use either one yet. I do hear a little road buzz through them.
I have been using Schwalbe Aerothon tubes & Tuboloto tubes for over about 1 1/2 years. I also use tire liners. I inflate to 85 psi. The Aerothons have had NO flats. I got one flat on one of my Tubelito’s. I used Tubelito’s adhesive patch kit and it worked. I have not had an issue with the patched tube for the past 3 months. I have never tried patching my Aerothons. I was extremely skeptical about the cost……..but I have changed my mind and am pleased with my experience with BOTH brands of tubes.
I had 3 Aerothan TPU tubes and tried patching but nothing held. There doesn't seem to be a glue made for thermal plastic urethane, I've Googled for it. They must be using some type of heat method in the production of these tubes. I gave up looking and decided I will just replace the tube when it goes flat. Unlike Butyl tubes TPU is recyclable.
@@charlesmansplaining so the Pirelli patch kit comes with glue. I am pretty certain it is not rubber cement. I did they same and tried to find just the glue. Seems any pool floaty type patch kit might work. Here is one I found that might work. Just Google Kokopelli PVC or TPU Glue
The patch kit that came with my tpu tubes (glueless patch kit) worked Great for me. Had a major puncture (large staple) right through the back and the front face of the tube. Used two patches, still holding air months later. Also ive been running TPU tubes for 6 months and about 1000 miles and I am not experiencing air loss like you are.
Thanks for sharing! In all fairness I did not put the clueless patch and immediately back in the tire. The back pressure would like allow them to work much better. A few commentators mentioned that. Thanks for viewing.
Hi Kenneth. I've switched over to TPU. I started with Tubolitos and have since bought similar looking tubes on ebay from China - $40 vs $8 (Australian). I can't say I've experienced harshness with them although I'd that latex is a little bit 'nicer'. WRT repairs, TPU's appear to be hopeless for an on the roadside fix but I've had a 100% success rate at home. I use a small spring clamp and 2 small, thin flat pieces of wood to clap the patch on after gluing for a bout 15mins. It's important to apply the glue and let it dry the suggested time before patching. My view is that the TPU's can be sourced cheaply enough and are so much smaller and lighter than butyl that any cons are far outweighed by the pros..Cheers. (I believe it is important to buy tubes rated for rim brakes if that's what you're using.+
Thanks for sharing your insights. I too had success with the glue over the self adhesive that come with them and I have not done a road side repair in years. Also agree with you that the weight and size savings are worth the learning curve for me. So I will be sticking with them for now especially getting the price point down to reasonable. Thanks for viewing!
I'm sorry, but I will not buy anything made in China IF at all possible, and since there are other places I could buy a tube from then that's where I'll go. Chinese hacking, stealing intellectual property, no regard for international rules and laws, making all sorts of counterfeit products, no warranty should something go wrong, or legal recourse should a product of theirs fail and cause injury, bullying their neighbors, child sex trafficking, illegally importing fentanyl, and the list goes on. I cannot in good conscience buy stuff made in China if at all possible.
For the last number of years I have been running Pirelli tires on my road bike with rubber tubes. I am running lower pressure than I was, when I was using cheaper tires. I have had no pinch flats and spent less time pumping up my tires. The money I have spent on the cheaper tire and the replacement tubes, is pretty close the cost of buying the bretter tires. It doesn't matter how fast the tires ride over smooth pavement. It's the average speed. Tthat includes the crack up and damaged roads. You can alsoo add the the time for fixing your flats. Thanks for the video. I think I will stick with rubber tubes for now.
I currently use ridenow. they have been pretty good so far. Switched from latex. If i had to compare i would say you can run slightly higher psi in latex for the same comfort. That slight edge in suppleness is probably what gives an advantage in rolling resistance to latex. Latex 90 psi compared to tpu 85 psi. gp4k2 25mm rear gp5k 23mm front. 165 lbs.
After several months of riding TPU tubes of different types, including Tubolito, RideNow and some other no names brands (i.e. Wanban), I don't see myself going back to butyl tubes. TPU are definitely NOT more resistant to punctures but, on the other hand and IMO, they do pick up speed quicker than rubber tubes and maintain that motion longer. Perhaps this is subjective but I am getting PRs on certain climbs and I am not in the best shape (as I was 2-3 years ago.) I do love the compactness but I prefer a metal stem/valve TPU tube so I can use my portable Cycplus inflator. Otherwise, my Cycplus will destroy my RideNow valve. The ride is harsher and sometimes feel a weird tube shift or slip when taking curves at high speed. Just a weird sensation as its a very brief sensation. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for viewing and sharing your experience, great info! I too am sticking with them using Cyclami tubes primarily. I am fully on board with your analysis. I have mostly eliminated the punctures by simply airing up every ride. That was definitely part of my learning curve.
Here is my experience with TPU Ridenow tubes (pink ones) in my Bontrager 32mm clinchers. Since it isn't rideable here in winter, I have tested them without riding and get to the conclusion that I will never get far outside with those tubes. Super lightweight is appealing for sure at 36g, that's 1/3 of a butyl tube. Saving 150g for both tubes is awesome but what about reliability? I installed 4 TPU's, none of them was satisfactory. 4 failed out of 4 ! Without pinching it at the installation, 2 got pinholes (so tiny, almost invisible) after inflating, the other 2 were leaking at the valve. Problems were observed not instantly but overnight or several days after with dramatic lost of pressure. I wouldn't go out with such unreliable tubes and probable lack of pressure through a 2-3 hour ride. I didn't test other TPU brands but the ones with metal stem may be better, I don't know?
I had the same experience when I ordered two of them for my gravel bike. I have two of the ride now TPU is in my rim brake road bike , size 25c , so far so good they hold the air and I like them. The problem is the gravel bike. I decided to buy another brand that’s a little bit heavier of a TPU material from Australia.. I installed those yesterday. I haven’t really rode the bike for a normal gravel ride yet. My big problem is trying to fit and see the bead with tubeless tires. That’s the time wasting struggle. I dread having to get a flat with any tube with a very tight fitting Continental gravel tire, and a hook, carbon rim, and then trying to see to be out there I’m gonna have to get 20 g CO2 cartridges. that’s my concern. I just am using the TPU tubes in the gravel bike because the tubeless sealant is drying up because I’m not riding enough otherwise I’ll go back to tubeless sealant that way. I don’t have to unseat a bead . What a pain
@@shirtlessGraveler305 Riding shall be fun not pain in regards to equipment. I got back to tubes because valve was always stuck with sealant making it very difficult to add air. Continental tires are a pain mounting them to most rims. Why doing complex when you can easy ;) TPU reliability is like tossing a dice: sometimes fine, sometimes bad.
That's why they say always look where you want to go and not where you don't want to go.... this is taught in automotive defense driving... thanks for the video... I was thinking of getting them but don't think so now... maybe for emergency on the road....
Thanks for watching. Like I say I am going to stick with them now that I know I can order them direct on Aliexpress. And as I navigate how to best live with them, the size and weight are big wins. They are definitely worth a try at the right price.
Thanks! Very useful. Considering to take those on a ride as a safe option in case tubeless will fail (witch didn't happen for 3 years) so I looking for some light and small solution.
Thanks for viewing. I am doing the same on the MTB and Gravel bike. Carry the TPUs just in case Those bikes are tubeless. Can’t say I ever needed a tube on the MTB either. Gravel bike I have unfortunately. Happy riding.
The spare shouldn't be a repaired tube, unless it has been ridden. Repair the tube, when you get home and put it back into the tire as your main tube. If it fails discard it. When you have a flat on the side of the road, you don't want the spare tube to fail because the repair wasn't thoroughly tested.
Another point to note is that the TPU tepair patches need a completely clean surface so they can adhere to the tube properly, they sometimes come with alcohol wipes or you can always spray with isopropyl alcohol and wipe off
Rolling resistance is real and can be felt! Butyl tubes are sluggish and slow. Latex and TPU have equal faster rolling resistance. Latex and TPU do lose air faster than butyl though....
The patch needs tire inner wall pressure to seal effectively, if you just stuck it on there of course it’ll go flat over time unlike butyl cemented patches. I’m not sold so I just use latex tubes-no issues there.
Great review and good you pointed out the size saving, until you get them in your hands next to a butyl tube can you appreciate how small they are. I had a snakebite flat after around 1000km, but it was my fault as I hadn't checked the pressure before I went out. I now religiously top them up, even if its just one day. Having the right tyre pressure is the easiest way to avoid most flats. I'll repair mine once, but do watch out for that ballooning that happens if they twist or are squeezed, they look like one of those party balloons that magicians turn into animals....
ive heard from others that tubes purchased from amazon are factory seconds, as a classical violinist i know not to buy strings from amazon due to lower quality and knock offs sold as name brands. do you think that could be happening with these tubes? thank you for any response
I used ridenow for a few months then also had a double, front & rear pinch flat. I found I couldn't corner as hard as the tyre would skip on the surface. I'm back on tubeless now.
Possibly going back to latex. I bought a ten pack of the ride now tpu tubes on Ali last summer, only have 2 left. I ride 150-200 miles weekly on fairly clean roads. The last 4 rides, 3 rear flats with new tubes. (no patching) Latex or butyl give you a softer ride and have better puncture resistance IMO.
I have to tend to agree with you which is what prompted me to make the video as everyone was praising these TPU tubes in online reviews. I am still using them and found as long as I keep the pressure topped off they are pretty good. Not too many issues. Thanks for viewing!
I use them as emergency tubes for my tubeless tires. Light and small to carry two and a mini pump to get me home if I get a catastrophic puncture that won't seal.
Nice video. I use TPU tubes as spares for all the reasons you say. For now, I am sticking with tubeless to avoid your other problem: Pinch flats! With any type of tube, I get around 2 pinch flats a year. FWIW - my sample size: that's an average of 2 pinch flats per year over 52 years of riding. With tubeless - that I don't necessarily like thanks to the mess and inconvenience - I have had zero pinch flats (or any flats) in 3 years.
@@lenkomsa1399 70 psi for 28 mm tubeless. I must use 120 psi for 28mm clincher tubes to avoid pinch flats. I am not interested in any tire larger than 28mm.
My issues- I stopped using C02 cartridges because C02 leaks through inner tubes 10x's as fast as air. Look it up if you don't believe me, this is a fact and documented quite extensively. I didn't know this until researching after a few flats and my tires would lose a ton of air after the repair. I purchased a really nice Lezyne mini pro hand pump and roll with that from now on. It's very compact and works well. Although it does take some pumping, I love the size and carry it in my jersey saving room in my saddle bag. Now my issue is that my fancy pump threads on to the valve and my expensive Pirelli TPU tubes don't offer a threaded option. So I wasted quite a bit of cash on nice Pirelli TPU tubes that I cant use because of my preference on using the hand pump. I'll keep them around for a friend in need, but will continue to use my $6 Continental race 28 inner tubes. They are the most compact I've come across so far (Much smaller than the one Kenneth is holding @10:39) Thanks for the video and your experience.
I still stick to butyl tube because they are so affordable and easy to patch when they are punctured. It is true their size is bigger when pack in the saddle bag but i usually don't need to carry more than 1 when i ride.
I have been riding 2 sets for a year. No issues in one bike for 10.000km. Really impressive. The other bike fit with them had 2 flats in a row and replaced them, then had 2 other flats the same ride. Frustrated, I started trying to find the issue and found that GP5000 are not great with puncuture resistance at all. I change the tires to GP GT, as my main bike, and fix them with patched TPU tubes, repaired with the patches that came with the set(same box you threw) and been flawless for 3 months and 2000km in. I bought a replacement 10 tpu 29grams set, but I haven't been able to try them as the patched ones are still holding since late July. The "issue" I have with them is they are really bouncy, so pebbles and pot holes make me jump a lot. But man, they are nice in smooth roads.
Exactly the same experience as myself, I immediately noticed they ride much harsher, and they ALL suffer pinch flats, the only ones that don’t ride harsh are Tubolito S TPU Tubes, I’m back on Continental Grand Prix Supersonic tubes, they are heavier at 50 grams per tube but I have never had a pinch flat with them and I’ve been using them fir 10 years, they are also way cheaper and tested to roll just as fast as the very best TPU Tube, and better than most TPU Tubes.
Park Tool do a self-adhesive patch kit that works really well on tpu. Have used them twice and both holding fine. I noticed the harsher ride with tpu vs butyl, but I also think I notice the weight reduction on climbs. Will probably depend on the weight of the tubes that you're switching from. My old tubes were around 120g each vs the tpu at around 28-29g each. I have no idea about the rolling resistance side of things. I'm just assuming that any performance gain is mostly related to the reduction in the rotational weight.
I thought that rotational weight had been debunked. Could it be down to be better flexibility in the side walls - I know he said that they feel rougher, but maybe the thinner combined side walls of tyre and tube make the rolling resistance better. Has anyone tried the 'race' versions of butyle?
Cool yhea I ride them also same problems pinch punches & sometimes they bubble round the valve & puncher there those you have to bin. Must say I have ridden many tires in my life, sponsored & not sponsored & those tires you riding they cheaper but much more punchers with them. I say go back to Conti I swear by them. Thx for the vid. And yhea they don't feel as nice rolling on them like Latex tubes or tubbies. I also ride the other type of tubes they lighter more puncher resistant I found & they don't pinch punch like those the light blue "Foss" tubes. I have even put a silk made tubular in my tire and rode it. lol Yes the ones you only ride like few km on the track with & cost a small fortune.
I missed this comment month back but just want to say thanks for sharing your insights and experiences. To your point I’ll be going back to Conti’s once I have used up these others.
@Kenneth Toscano The problem with keeping air could be connected with the valve, not the tube itself. I think I spotted a similar comment from a user of a TPU tubes somewhere.
Yes agreed there is some talk here and online else where that the early versions of these ride now tubes hade valve issues. Supposedly that has been resolved. Having run these for a year now and mixed and matched between TPU and butyl. The TPUs definitely do not hold air as long. For a bit I had a butyl in one tire and a TPU in the other and could clearly see the change in pressure daily. You have to check or air up every ride, if not your risk of puncture goes way up compared to butyl. Thanks for viewing and sharing.
Started running pirelli p zero smart tubes over a year ago, immediately noticed a smoother ride. Had one tube fail post ride at the spoke hole after a few months. Replaced with a butyl tube, felt like I was riding on a cheap tire. After gettig another smart tube ride was once again butter smooth. Tpu tubes have me spoiled
I had to switch back to butyl tubes because my RideNow got flats from steep down heat from my rim brakes. I still carry them as my spares but only to get me home.
Tip.. the patch holds far better once reinstalled in the tire and inflated .. the high pressure inside and the tire kinda sandwiches it all together. Someone told me the patch kits for swimming pool liners work really well for tpu. Haven’t tested this
Ken, I noticed you are riding on RIm brakes: Ride Now recommends not to use them s such due to the rim heating up therefore affecting the physical structure of the TPU (they don't say but this could lead to not so nice situations), have ordered them for my RIm bike as well but after reading the instructions I decided to install them on my other road bike which has disk brakes. Honestly I was thinking to installing on my Rim brakes bike as a test, what are your thoughts?
Hi and thanks for viewing. So it took me a while to find a source stating what you mentioned. I did finally and that only holds true for RIM brakes using their 19g ultralight ultra thin tubes. I have not actually seen these for sale anywhere but I am sure they are. The ones I bought from Amazon are 36g tubes, the heaviest they offer and several sites say they are compatible with rim brakes. So if you have the heavier ones you should be fine. They also make a 24g option which is also good with Rim brakes. The 36g tubes seem to be the most readily available from several sources. Until you brought it up I didn’t even know they made different options for the same size haha. Happy riding.
when you do get a flat on a rough road , the tube gets full of holes and the stick on patch kits dont work. also they do get snake bikes easily so you have to avoid any small pot holes and bumps
I bought same brand and for same reason, which was space saving. For me one noticable difference was handling. I didn't felt difference in ride quality, but what I felt immediately was that they are way lighter then normal tubes and as such wheel have less mass to rotate, therefore my bike feel more agile, more nimble. I don't have a clue whether they are faster though..
I've used both of those tpu tubes over the past 6 months. I've had only one flat which was a shard of Glass that protruded the tyre and the tube. I have noticed that that my 50mm windpace hyper wheels there's a lot more Road noise passing through the tyre. But the rims now feel very lively from a a complete stop to go. And with another set of thicker and heavier carbon rims the tpu's have definitely made the rims noticeably livelier. You're virtually riding on a cushion of air now made up of the tyre and the rim now. Maybe Only anecdotal, that slight weight-saving may equate to energy saving at the end of the long ride? I would be interested to see how you feel when you switch back to a butyl tube?
Thanks for viewing and sharing your insights! For now I am going to stick with the TPU tubes and monitor my tire pressures more closely. I will also switch back to 5000s after I use up the Hutchison Fusions. That too I suspect will make a difference as they are wider taller and thicker.
The combination of a medium weight tire (Conti's Gatorskin) that has great puncture protection and these very light weight 28 gram polyurethane tubes have worked well for me and the deflation rate is far slower than my old Conti 5000's. If i were racing my carbon rim profile allows me to go tubeless. But putting sealant in apparently isn't much fun.
Apart from the obvious observation that the tyre is critical to all patches, not just self-adhesive versions, working. I recall learning to repair my bike back in the early 1970s that you always put a little air in the tube before you install them. I could even unstitch, patch and restitch the old singles, and even then I still put air it the tube before stitching them back up again. That's just basic tube installation 101. Evidently it's bow an optional step these days.
I think you get what you paid for. A friend bought a cheap one (not sure if it’s the same brand as the pink one) and got punctures 3 out of 4 times I rode with him. I’ve been using the Pirelli smart tubes and no punctures so far, even after rolling on rocks.
Having the same experience with tpu tubes. My experience with Thinkrider, Liteskin & Newboler (all China tpu tubes). Totally agreed on the useless no-glue patch. Finally bought Ridenow patch and used all of them to patch my tpu tubes. Hoped they work. I normally inflate 90-100psi on my Vittoria Corsa Control tires with these tpu tube, but have not felt harsh as what you experience. Maybe tire compounds make the difference. My 2 cents.
I tried a set of ride-now on 35 mm cyclocross tyres, butyl tubes weighed in at 300g and the TPU was about 60g. My perception was that were marginally quicker (totally unscientific), and my ride was less hash. Unfortunately I had the same experience with puncture repairs not holding, and because I had some glass that penetrated the tyre and I missed it when I replaced the tube, I ended up ripping two pairs. I have now switched to tubeless and I am using the TPU as a spare in case this fails.
Great video, Ken - thanks for sharing your experience! I’ve been using RideNow TPU for a while with great success, but still trying to figure out about patching them. you mentioned the Pirelli patch that comes with the camplast glue, but you didn’t say whether you put them back in to see if they held up. have you put any of the ones you repaired back in and how do they hold up? my concern with any of the ones that use a glue is that you have to wait a while for the glue to set, so not practical for doing roadside repair. however, they’re small enough and cheap enough to keep a couple spares with you, which seems like the best solution overall.
Thanks for viewing. So I have used 1 patched tube with the Pirelli patch and glue system and it has held up fine. Yes doing it on the roadside would be time consuming for sure. I have not done a road side repair in a very long time. I usually carry 2 tubes, butyl in the past TPU now. Since I have been checking my tire pressure before every ride, I too have not had any issues with the TPU tubes. They simply lose air faster allowing them to pinch flat easier than Butyl in my experience. Thanks for sharing and happy riding!
I ran the Cyclami tubes for 6 months on my rim brake bike. they were great til we went into summer and after a long decent I left my bike in the sun at a coffee stop. Suddenly we heard a tyre blow and it was mine. Surely enough the tube failed. I went tubeless the next week and they now live in my saddle bag… probably not a problem with disc brakes
