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I'm looking to try some TPU tubes but alas my budget is pushing me towards AliExpress, however on there there is quite a selection ranging from around £2.50 to £7.50 a piece, and they all look the same in the pictures. So my question is has anyone bought any from there and could you make a recommendation for a particular brand or seller.
Oh, and as a bonus question, I understand that these tubes aren't as expandable/stretchy as butyl, but would a tube that says it'll fit up to a 32mm tyre work in a 35mm tyre?
Thanks.
Not Ali express, but I’ve bought Chinese ones from eBay and they’ve been absolutely fine!
As regards 32 in a 35mm - no idea unfortunately, suck it and see, let us know how you get on!
After buying a couple of £20+ ones I've since bought quite a few TPU tubes from AliExpress - all RideNow updated ones though (metal valve). I've have them as spares for my tubeless bikes (MTB, road and soon gravel) so can't comment how well they perform but they get good reviews. I have seen the odd comment saying theirs arrived with a pin hole so wouldn't hold air (but that's been said about other brands to) so I'd advise testing them if just using as a spare (don't inflate above 5psi outside being mounted though as you'll wreck it).
As I understand it TPU doesn't stretch as well as butyl (and it permanently deforms if stretched too much) so personally I wouldn't run one under-sized. I have 32mm tires on the road bike but they measure up as 34mm so I use the next size up (gravel) version (32-47mm maybe) not the 18-32mm (although I have a couple of those to as spares for another road bike running 25mm tyres.
I bought some of these from Amazon. The same brand and similar are available on AliExpress a lot cheaper, but I wanted them in a hurry so was prepared to pay. I also feel more comfortable doing returns if necessary via Amazon as opposed to AE.
I bought them as lightweight spares for a gravel bike which is set up tubeless, so I haven't had chance to use them in anger yet. They are certainly a decent weight saving over rubber tubes which was my main aim.
Marvellous, that's all very helpful. Thanks.
I've use the ridenow tubes fairly extensively the last few years wit no specific issues. Tried a few other brands as well just to see, cyclami (green), offbondage (purple) and they've all been fine too.
Oh, and as a bonus question, I understand that these tubes aren't as expandable/stretchy as butyl, but would a tube that says it'll fit up to a 32mm tyre work in a 35mm tyre?
No, well maybe, it's complicated.
They're not elastic, they stretch to the shape of the tyre, and then stay that way. You can't re-use them in a different wheel/tyre as a result. And I've actually found that when installed a 2nd time in the same wheel ("road" 23-32mm tube in a 32c tyre)it developed dozens of micro punctures in a line around where the bead is. My suspicion is the tube gets forced into the small ridge between tyre and the rim and ither stretching or friction there destroys it.
Next time I'll try the 'gravel' version.
Patching in general has been hit-and miss. Even with scrupulously clean tubes and very careful re-installation It's far from guarenteed that the tube will hold air for more than a couple of days.
Unless you enjoy the will it / won't it stress I'd advise just treating them as disposable and only bother patching them in an emergency to get you home if you get a flat in your spare.
Ohh, and finding the hole is harder as well, because you can't over-inflate them to find it! If you inflate them outside the tyre, the tube will just stretch and bulge and it's scrap.
I'm tempted to go back to Conti Supersonics, their main issue was valves ripping out, which is far less of a problem in modern deep rims. They went down slightly over 48h but not as quick as latex. And could be repaired normally.
I was warned (By the STW collective) and yet still bought myself a pair of Gravel King Slicks earlier this year, to use as tubeless Road tyres. I had my third incident with the rear the other day which finally required a tube, and I shoved in one of the "Cyclami" TPU linked on that thread from earlier which I'd bought as a cheapy pair of emergency spares. the TPU tube Worked a treat TBF.
Ultimately I need a different set of tyres to address the GK slick's inherent issues, They're comfy but too delicate even for UK roads, never mind taking them off-road on gravel!... The G-One All rounds on my Gravel Wheels have been substantially more robust. My Winter road bike is still running Butyl tubes inside Rubinos very reliably...
I've previously used the infamous silly light Ridenow TPUs (19g) on my old road bike which worked well... Until they didn't, the suppleness and ride comfort was a noticeable improvement in a 25C tyre, but a 32-40C tubeless tyre is even more comfy (IMO/IME).
My own feeling is that Puncture resistance is mostly down to the tyre construction in pretty much all applications. whether run tubed or tubeless, that said TPU tubes do seem to stack up relatively well compared to Butyl on a weight/ride Vs Puncture resistance basis and are not far off tubeless for comfort. but if a tyre is prone to failure when run tubeless a TPU tube won't massively impact that risk a carcass that cuts easily it always the limiting factor.
For longer rides (both Road and Gravel) I now take a bonus kit along with both extra TPU and Butyl tubes, as well as patches, Best case the plug works, worst case I have to fit a tube, absolute worst I have to patch a holed tube...
@cookeaa oddly enough these are destined for a pair of Gravel king slicks, they've always been an absolute nightmare to inflate tubeless and I've just put them on a new set of wheels and they are not having it at all, so I thought I'd try TPU tubes. To be fair though I've never found them fragile, just a fraction too big, they just seem to go on too easily.
I may be unlucky I might be expecting a bit much, but three cuts requiring plugs inside of 870 road miles (according to Strava) is on the high side IMO.
The first incident was on their second outing when they were less than 60miles old.
perhaps I need to try a different sealant or pressures, only seems to have affected the rear so far, but that’s always been the case with flats for me, more of my weight goes over the back end hence that’s where I get them.
I might just try changing the rear tyre once it gets over 1000 miles, or running a TPU tube in the back like you’re considering OP, but the tread still looks very fresh at close to 900 and that’s not a great “flats per mile” rate compared to lots of other tyres I’ve used on the road.
They are comfy though, the ride is great, definitely not going back to sub 32c tyres…
I've previously used the infamous silly light Ridenow TPUs (19g) on my old road bike which worked well... Until they didn't, the suppleness and ride comfort was a noticeable improvement in a 25C tyre, but a 32-40C tubeless tyre is even more comfy (IMO/IME).
Oddly, my perception is the opposite, they're light but don't feel fast. I think it's because they don't stretch/rebound like rubber so damp the tyre somewhat.
What I really need to do is stick some identical tyres in identical wheels and give them a bounce to see if it's all in my head.
Oddly, my perception is the opposite, they're light but don't feel fast. I think it's because they don't stretch/rebound like rubber so damp the tyre somewhat.
I'm on the 36g tubes, having moved from Vittoria latex tubes. I was almost embarassed to admit it out loud but I'm sure the bike feels faster somehow, or at least sort of 'smoother' over the bumpier stuff. Perhaps 'muted' is the best way to put it but not in a boring or dull way, just in a sort of 'encourages you to put down more power way'.
This thread is sort of crossing over into my 'TPU for gravel thread' and the one thing I wondered was what the established heirarchy of puncture resistance was. I had always understood Latex was supposed to be more puncture resistant than butyl as it was supple enough to deform around thorns etc. (to an extent). This was sort of borne out by my early experiences using paper thin Conti CX tyres with latex tubes and occasionally being able to pull thorns out with no puncture.
The reinforced TPU tubes boast 2x or 3x the puncture resistance of Butyl, so, marketting aside, I'm hoping this puts them ahead of latex also but I guess this might be splitting hairs a bit...
Muted is maybe a good description. To me it feels like running soft compound DH tyres, except the rolling resistance data say's they're just as quick as other light tubes.
Puncture wise, you might be right. I think the big advantage is that they don't deflate instantly like butyl/latex as the hole doesn't get pulled open by their elasticity. Even with a massive piece of glass sticking through the tyre I probably managed a couple of miles before giving up and admitting it was going flat.
I have used Bostick soft plastics glue to repair ride now tpu with the patches supplied, works well but it's not a roadside thing, takes a good for hours under some books!!!
The punctures (3 in about a year and a half on road bike, so about normal) I have had are very odd though, they deflated really slowly. Last week I hit a pot hole hard, thought I might pinch flat but it stayed up, only softened about 5-10mins later...sure enough a snake but pair of holes in tube. Had that been a butyl tube it would have gone flat immediately
Are they more puncture resistant than butyl tubes?
Are they more puncture resistant than butyl tubes?
The reinforced versions (i.e. Pirelli Smartube, Tubolito CX/Gravel, Tubolito X-Tube) all claim durability in terms of 2x, 3x etc. more puncture resistance than butyl.
Muted is maybe a good description. To me it feels like running soft compound DH tyres, except the rolling resistance data say's they're just as quick as other light tubes.
Now you have my attention. Been thinking about TPU tubes with a butyl back up tube in the bag for a 'sport touring' road bike and that would be a welcome benefit.
Are they more puncture resistant than butyl tubes?
Who can tell, the tyre is the massive deciding factor not the tube.
Now you have my attention. Been thinking about TPU tubes with a butyl back up tube in the bag for a 'sport touring' road bike and that would be a welcome benefit.
TBH I´d just run TPU in the wheels and take TPU as spares, you´ll have twice as many spare tubes in the same space as a butyl equivalent, they seem to be no less puncture resistant than butyl and you´re saving maybe 80-100g a tube (IMO/IME).
I think the feel comes from both the thinner more flexible wall of the TPU tube, but also the surface finish being smoother and having a lower CoF so the tube slides more easily within the tyre meanong less friction and hysteresis. that lack of elasticity to the tube means you get less ´bounce´perhaps than either butyle or latex all of this means there´s potential efficiency gains (relative to butyl) as less energy is lost through friction and rebound, but also causes that "muted" feeling (my musings and theories only).
Yeah I´m starting to think I might be better off ditching the tubeless and going back to TPU on the Road wheels, they can´t exactly make those Gravel Kings worse...
Minor updates, was disappointed to find my road bike with a flat rear tyre this morning (RideNow 36g TPU).
However given the size of the staple I pulled out, and the fact that it didn't go soft immediately (I think I know roughly where I picked the staple up) I'm pretty pleased. Stan's has repeatedly failed failed to seal smaller holes at lower pressures on my gravel bike!
