Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: finch on 29 July, 2022, 12:15:02 pm
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Anyone here used them yet ? I’m not in the market for them myself I’m just wondering whether the hype is real
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Good question.
I was thinking of one as a packable spare (they are tiny and 1/4 the weight of a normal tube) but I am seeing mixed reviews. Problems around the valve area and difficulty repairing seem to come up regularly, so also interested to see if anyone is using them.
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Spendy.
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Yes, but for those with weight weenie tendencies (not looking at anyone in particular ;) the gram / £ saving is quite good.
But there’s no point in spending over £20 on a tube for the seat pack if it leaks around the valve when you come to use it.
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Closer to £30.00 :o
£27.99 when it comes through the Wiggle till
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I’ve been looking at this:
https://www.merlincycles.com/pirelli-cinturato-smart-inner-tube-700c-251966.html
But yeah, silly money really.
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I guess the absence of replies suggests that most people have chosen tubeless as the way forward rather than very expensive tubes.
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It would certainly appear that nobody has actually tried them yet - probably works out cheaper than an entire tubeless conversion since you don’t need new tyres but if it goes wrong ( whereas tubeless is proven ) it would have been an expensive experiment.
I was interested in any anecdotal evidence of quality because even though I’m still using butyl tubes I haven’t had a visitation in a very long time - if you knew that was going to be the case then the cost would be reasonably easy to swallow - it’s just that if it failed fast you’d be gutted or at least I would 😂
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I have stuck to high quality standard tubes for my riding. I have spent much time at the side of a road for a "problem" with tubeless tyres and have seen people nip latex tubes and cause two stops. to change.
Standard tubes are easy to change, easily repaired, cheap and do not make a mess, like latex.
All these discussions are about the possible very small gains from these options.
I have been round long enough to see many attempts at improving on the time honoured simple latex tube, this is just another one, and at a high cost.
ithinkisawyoucoming.com possibly?
BB
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I have spent much time at the side of a road for a "problem" with tubeless tyres and have seen people nip latex tubes and cause two stops. to change.
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I have been round long enough to see many attempts at improving on the time honoured simple latex tube
???
Anyway, this thread was simply asking if anyone had experience of TPU tubes.
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In the review I read for the tubolito ones the reviewer said the “feel” was similar to tubeless and after damaging a sidewall the tube stayed intact - apparently they’re much more durable than either butyl or latex BUT the caveats are the cost and that by all accounts they’re near impossible to repair IF they do get bitten - none of us have personal experience so far though so it might be a while before we know if they’re good enough to “catch on”
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In the review I read for the tubolito ones the reviewer said the “feel” was similar to tubeless and after damaging a sidewall the tube stayed intact - apparently they’re much more durable than either butyl or latex BUT the caveats are the cost and that by all accounts they’re near impossible to repair IF they do get bitten - none of us have personal experience so far though so it might be a while before we know if they’re good enough to “catch on”
I wouldn't say that is any kind of proof, I've cut right through sidewalls before and bog-standard inner tubes stayed intact too.
I know some people discard tubes rather than repair them, but if you can't repair them what do you do if you have multiple punctures on a ride? If the point of them is that they're light, surely patches are even lighter?
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I think the boon in terms of lightness is the rolling resistance and rotational weight gains as opposed to what’s in your pocket. Free m what I gather they’re lighter than tubeless whilst offering as supple a ride at lower pressures due to being harder to pop than butyl or latex and barely lose pressure over time - I’ll admit - repairability aside it all seems a bit too good to be true. Might just be a while before we have enough testing evidence because of the prohibitive cost. Chinarello ones that n Amazon are £15 and even that’s a hell of a lot for a tube
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Ok , so I may have gotten a couple of these off ali express for the Princely sun of £12 for two
They. Are. Light. and a bit strange , like a tube of “bag for life” out the supermarket , at the very least they’re staying way more inflated than previous dalliances with latex tubes - and have saved a good bit of rotational weight - any more than that ? Over a quick blast 20km I can’t say I “feel” much difference to be honest
I’d imagine the size would make them ideal to carry as spares - whether they’re enough of an improvement over normal tubes is way too early to say
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I was carrying a Cinturato as a spare and needed to use it, so one is in use. I was going to take it back out and return it to spare status (they are very compact) but haven’t bothered. I’m just running it at the same pressure that I would do for a normal tube, yet to be convinced that they are any less susceptible to a pinch flat. Can’t say I have noticed any difference when riding, but then I only have one fitted to the rear. Let’s see.
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It would certainly appear that nobody has actually tried them yet - probably works out cheaper than an entire tubeless conversion since you don’t need new tyres but if it goes wrong ( whereas tubeless is proven ) it would have been an expensive experiment.
I was interested in any anecdotal evidence of quality because even though I’m still using butyl tubes I haven’t had a visitation in a very long time - if you knew that was going to be the case then the cost would be reasonably easy to swallow - it’s just that if it failed fast you’d be gutted or at least I would 😂
More and more tyres are tubeless compatible (or tubeless ready, which I understand is technically not the same thing, though I can't remember the details) so new tyres aren't really the problem, it's the rims.
Anyway, now we have two people trying these tubes, it will be interesting to see what happens.
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More and more tyres are tubeless compatible (or tubeless ready, which I understand is technically not the same thing, though I can't remember the details) so new tyres aren't really the problem, it's the rims.
Even if the rims are OK, to convert you need to invest in valves, sealant and probably rim tape.
I have 2 bikes that are be ready to go, aside from buying sealant, as they are already taped, I have valves, and the tyres are tubeless compatible, but i just can’t bring myself to do it. Fear of sealant mess over bike and clothes is holding me back.
As a slight aside, most tubeless ready / compatible tyres are heavier than their non-tubeless equivalents, and as they become more common I suppose many people who don’t want to go tubeless will end up riding tubeless tyres but with tubes in - a heavier combination that is necessary.
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Agree with SP here , have rims which don’t need tape but tubeless tyres are heavier AND expensive - then there’s valves and sealant - it’s probably unfounded but I also don’t want a mess made of bike/clothes and possibly having to mess about with plugs and/or tubes at the side of the road in a tyre that has sealant in it.
I think a reasonably light tyre and TPU tube will be lighter than a tubeless set up by a small margin ( maybe )
“should” offer a similar ride quality to good latex tubes and is so far anecdotally more robust. The roads around here aren’t amazing but it’s been a while since I had a visitation so I may not be best placed to speak on said durability - however the weight saving over a crappy vavert tube is tangible , the pack size for spares is tiny and over 4-5 days the digital gauge reckons they’ve lost 4psi equally in each wheel - that’s a lot better than a latex tube and the consistency across 2 wheels so far seems pleasantly predictable.
Obviously cost is a factor but chinarello ones aren’t much more than good quality normal tubes - time will tell if they’re up to the standard of tubolito et al - but so far so good - s probably the valve core/bonding that will be the likely victim of substandard construction if there are any faulty tubes showing up
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I think for MTBs and low tyre pressures tubeless is definitely the way to go, well proven there and the sealants and repair methods hold up. Road pressures, not sure at all. Gravel, somewhere in between.
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Appeared on my FB feed today -
https://road.cc/content/tech-news/butyl-v-latex-v-tpu-inner-tubes-which-should-you-choose-295645?fbclid=IwAR0eb_pyIyTonEZ5uAm-1M980rCSICqHpbvKCFIaCeXVp7rg90CXqVgANqc
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Interesting read, thanks. I might stick one in the front too and experiment with pressures a little. Will also give me a better idea if it feels any different to ride, though I suspect changes in tyre pressure have more significant effect.
Inevitably they will come down in price which will swing the balance a little further in their favour.
The only part of the above review I can confidently agree with so far is that the TPU tube loses hardly any air at all - when you go to do a top up, it doesn’t need any*, while the normal tube wheel does. Also applies when you have blown it up with CO2, which normally needs replacing with air in a butyl tube or your will get latex-like behaviour.
*Except to replace the air you lost by checking the pressure... ::-)
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Interesting comment re. CO2. With “other” tubes it’s a get home solution but if it’s as you say it’s a keep going without knocking out the pump as well solution
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It still leaks out of TPU faster than the negligible losses with air but the rate is slower, based on my very limited experience anyway.
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I looked into these for the TCR, the much reduced size appealed cos I could carry a lot more of them.
But then I looked into repairs, and realised they are much much much more difficult to repair. Which is not ideal on such a ride.
I use the standard schwalbe butyl tubes.
J
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There are patch kits available
https://www.tweekscycles.com/uk/tubolito-tubo-patch-kit-euktl-33080002/
Apparently (https://road.cc/content/review/tubolito-flix-kit-patch-kit-284567)repair works well, but isn't quick, the patch needing to be properly pressed down for about half an hour, which may be OK at home, but isn't on the road.
Should I ever try them, I'd give Gear Aid tenacious tape (https://www.tauntonleisure.com/outdoor-equipment/proofing-repairs/gear-aid-tenacious-tape-repair-tape__1339) a go for roadside repair. It's supplied with NeoAir camping mats for puncture repair, and I usually carry some on tour for other repair duties (waterproof jacket, tent groundsheet).
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The Pirelli ones have a matching repair kit which contains that same adhesive, Tip Top Camplast. That’s the Cinturatos which have “Do not repair” printed on the tubes...
Long may I not have to use it.
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As much as I’m likely risking it by saying it I haven’t had a need for a spare in the last couple of years - not that my mileage is huge. If the TPU are as resistant to pops as the articles and blurbs seem to suggest then perhaps at Chinese prices it won’t really be that big of a deal replacing them when needed. The linked article suggests they’re very recyclable which is nice
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Agree with SP here , have rims which don’t need tape but tubeless tyres are heavier AND expensive - then there’s valves and sealant - it’s probably unfounded but I also don’t want a mess made of bike/clothes and possibly having to mess about with plugs and/or tubes at the side of the road in a tyre that has sealant in it.
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In the last month both my front and rear tubeless have had flint cuts that wouldn’t seal. I felt the air escape against my legs, but there wasn’t a big mess on me. I spent a while trying to coax a seal, and got quite a lot of sealant over the rims in the process. But, I was pleasantly surprised at how little mess was made when I actually took the tyre off to put a tube in. Maybe I’d already leaked most of the sealant by then? The wheels cleaned up easily enough.
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That was another 60km on Sunday , variable quality of surface. No problems , lost about 8psi over the week so quick to top up. No visitations , great ride quality as far as I can tell amd the spare in my pocket was tiny - along with a co2 inflator and no tyre lever ( Michelin ) felt like I could have carried 3 spare without really noticing - I… like them
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So far so good here after 2 or 300 km, including some unplanned off road. I do think the ride quality is better, all other things being equal. All being well I’ll keep them on this bike, as it is less frequently ridden than the commute bikes, rather than switch to tubeless.
One thing I did was to fit these valve guards. The (unthreaded) plastic valve stems on the Pirellis are quite loose in the rims I have - my thinking is that even though they don’t rattle (AFAICT) it would be best to avoid excessive movement of the valve stem.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/rapidracerproducts-anti-rattle-valve-guards
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Hmm - tempted to put one of those valve guard thingamydoos on the inside of a rim
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Another few hundred km on the TPU-tubed bike.
I’ve been experimenting with lower pressures, and doing some gravel rides. The off-road stuff has at times been of the type where I’ve been concerned about it being too much for the bike in general, and having thoughts such as “that bit really needed a MTB”. There have definitely been opportunities for pinch flats - bottoming out, not super hard, but hard enough to feel somewhat relieved to still have air in the tyres. Tree roots at the bottom of deep dips etc.
I am continuing to find that very little topping up is needed with these tubes - having said that, I run them at 38 - 40 psi.
So far so good...
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The trial of these tubes has come to an end for now, as I have switched to tubeless. When the tubes come out, it looks as if they permanently take on the shape of the interior, there is no elasticity. They look impossibly thin, membranous almost.
However, the tubes have been fine, no issues at all for I suppose 1000km anyway - lots of that off road.
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I’ve actually had one flat - to be fair it was a large sharp piece of glass , front wheel and red lacement tube have been fine but mileage has dropped off a cliff durning nov/dec cause my riding buddy broke his wrist
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Have any of you found any disadvantage (other than initial outlay) to using TPU tubes?
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Outlay is a non thing already 2x tubes for £7 on eBay - I put them in my boys bike and so far so good cause I’ve switched to tubeless
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More and more tyres are tubeless compatible (or tubeless ready, which I understand is technically not the same thing, though I can't remember the details) so new tyres aren't really the problem, it's the rims.
As a slight aside, most tubeless ready / compatible tyres are heavier than their non-tubeless equivalents,
Schwalbe pro one tubeless 622x30c is 25g heavier than non tubeless.
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Figures. The sidewalls need more rubber to prevent them from being porous which is a PITA to get airtight with sealant. I had a hell of a time back in the day to get Compass Jon Bon Pass (35mm) hold air.
My velomobile is now on TPU (from aliexpress) on all wheels. First 600km without issues (didn't expect any yet as also new tyres). For PBP I'll also bring a couple of regular butyl ones in 406 size just in case.
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I used my first one yesterday. It was an emergency repair following a sidewall blowout on a tubeless tyre.
I was a bit aprehensive as I had read that care was needed in using them, and having to boot the tyre was an additional complication, and it was a tandem as well. But it was fine, and got us home no problem.
I look forward to taking the tyre off to see what shape the tube is, given the boot. Not sure if it will be reusable. Maybe it would be in an other tyre of the same size...?
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When the tubes come out, it looks as if they permanently take on the shape of the interior, there is no elasticity.
That's why I've held off from TPU tubes.
The first rule of putting a new tube in is to make sure that whatever punctured the last tube isn't there any more, and in the case of non-obvious causes, that means finding the hole in the tube.
Small holes are very much easier to find if you inflate the tube to jumbo size, so the hole leaks faster, but with a TPU tube it would subsequently be unusable even if patched, due to being too big for the tyre.
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Has anyone seen these in 28-559 (presta)? I put one in the front wheel of the Red Baron (28-406) for SCIENCE, and concluded it was a marginal gain without any of the problems associated with tubeless, so now I'm looking to save a few grammes on the rear, where I couldn't get tubeless to work in the first place.
All I seem to be able to find in 26" are MTB widths...
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Have any of you found any disadvantage (other than initial outlay) to using TPU tubes?
They form to the outer tyre. I planned to put 28mm Schwalbe Pro One tyres on the front wheels for PBP, but the TPU tubes would not fit (too large) after a 2000km in the 32mm tyres. Could have used my spare TPU tubes, but <shrug/>
Other than that they're still fine (front and rear) after 4000km.
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Have any of you found any disadvantage (other than initial outlay) to using TPU tubes?
I've used schwalbe aerothan tpu tubes...
I could not use thread on mini pump, also had issues with my track pump. It would blow off the pump head around 5 bar due to the smooth plastic stem. My solution was to lightly sand the valve stem to provide more grip for the pump head.
Schwalbe aerothan tunes are easy to repair using schwalbe glue less patches.
I normally cut patches in halves as I find them rather large for a simple puncture.
Aerothan seem to have gone up in pricing, so I'm not planning on buying them at current prices.
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one of the disadvantages is that it is difficult to find the puncture hole, as they don't stretch. no problem at home by submerging it in water, but tricky outside. best to have the spares to swap and do the repair at home.
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one of the disadvantages is that it is difficult to find the puncture hole, as they don't stretch. no problem at home by submerging it in water, but tricky outside. best to have the spares to swap and do the repair at home.
Not finding the hole until you get home will give a higher rate of repeat punctures.
You'd check the tyre, but if you don't find anything, what do you do? Put in the new tube anyway, and hope? Spend the 15 or 20 extra minutes that a thorough tyre check would take?
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one of the disadvantages is that it is difficult to find the puncture hole, as they don't stretch. no problem at home by submerging it in water, but tricky outside. best to have the spares to swap and do the repair at home.
Not finding the hole until you get home will give a higher rate of repeat punctures.
You'd check the tyre, but if you don't find anything, what do you do? Put in the new tube anyway, and hope? Spend the 15 or 20 extra minutes that a thorough tyre check would take?
I carry a lightweight spare tyre (about 200g), it's nearly worn out but good enough to get me home. This is on my commuting bike with thin racing tyres, one of which has damaged threads on the sidewall repaired with a tyre boot.
If I get a puncture and can't find the hole in the tube or what caused the puncture in the tyre, I would fit the spare tyre rather than risk getting a repeat puncture, although I do carry a puncture kit.
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I just got a couple of these, off of Amazon, for a total of about £24 including some patches.
For me it's not about the weight or the rolling resistance, it's about the volume. The bike I'm using at the moment has 650b×47 tyres, and the inner tubes are quite large to carry. The two TPU tyres are in a box which is less than half the size of the single 'normal' tube!
I haven't used one yet, and hopefully won't for a while, but I normally get a handful of visitations every year, so it's only a matter of time. London commuting isn't friendly to tyres and inner tubes. :)
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I am now awaiting delivery of some TPU tubes, some for my 1950s steel roadbike and some for my 29er.
The roadbike is equipped with a very small (period) saddlebag, it will not accept tools and two conventional innertubes. So that was a no brainer.
The 29er... have you seen the size of a 29er 2.4" innertube (if you can find one)? They are massive... one only just fits in a large saddlebag.
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Bought some RideNow TPU 700C inner tubes from Aliexpress late summer. Arrived as expected, nicely packaged, bright pink colour, no quality concerns, tube weight varied, some were 36g others a little under or over. The bulk buy included repair kits, each comprising two small wipes and two self-adhesive patches.
First impressions, the tubes are impressively light and much smaller than a conventional inner tubes although I’m not sure I noticed any major difference when riding.
Care is needed when fitting as they are one size 700x18-32C, more tube to push up into the tyre to avoid pinching.
Downside as mentioned is that puncture repair is not so easy and little if any long term real life experience on how reliable repaired tubes are.
My repair method, identify puncture, wipe area, apply patch and apply pressure for an hour or so. (I now place a piece of stiff cardboard either side of the tube patch and gently squeeze in a vice, bonkers).
Overall great value, impressive size and weight, I will certainly ride these tubes in the summer.
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My repair method ... and gently squeeze in a vice ...
Not entirely practical for a repair mid-ride, but I'd imagine that the pressure of the inner-tube against the tyre would behave similarly, once minimal adhesion holds things together adequately.
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My repair method ... and gently squeeze in a vice ...
Not entirely practical for a repair mid-ride, but I'd imagine that the pressure of the inner-tube against the tyre would behave similarly, once minimal adhesion holds things together adequately.
But what is the point in carrying repair kit, when the tubes are less than a third of the volume and less than a quarter of the weight of the old tubes, that we would happily take two spares on every ride? IE Take half a dozen spare tubes instead of two, and still save weight and volume.
The road tubes I ordered arrived and are also 18 -32mm 700c, but weigh just 26g each, and 4 take up the space that one of the old butyl ones takes. Incredible. Total game changer. My rear wheel is 98g lighter than it was yesterday, and all the weight saving is at the rotating extremity. Not a bad performance modification for £6!
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If you don't repair them at the time, do you take them home and repair them? How much space does one take in your saddlebag once it's removed from the rim – I understand they don't shrink back to pre-inflated size like butyl?
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My repair method ... and gently squeeze in a vice ...
Not entirely practical for a repair mid-ride, but I'd imagine that the pressure of the inner-tube against the tyre would behave similarly, once minimal adhesion holds things together adequately.
But what is the point in carrying repair kit, when the tubes are less than a third of the volume and less than a quarter of the weight of the old tubes, that we would happily take two spares on every ride? IE Take half a dozen spare tubes instead of two, and still save weight and volume.
The road tubes I ordered arrived and are also 18 -32mm 700c, but weigh just 26g each, and 4 take up the space that one of the old butyl ones takes. Incredible. Total game changer. My rear wheel is 98g lighter than it was yesterday, and all the weight saving is at the rotating extremity. Not a bad performance modification for £6!
Yes, for all the fanfare about integrated cables, electric gears, disc brakes, aero frames and dimpled rims... these humble TPU inner tubes have by far made the biggest difference to my riding experience... they transform some pretty unremarkable low end tyres like the Zaffiro into top end racing slicks
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If you don't repair them at the time, do you take them home and repair them? How much space does one take in your saddlebag once it's removed from the rim – I understand they don't shrink back to pre-inflated size like butyl?
The Schwalbe Aerothans go back to almost the same size once you have let the air out. Been using them for a little while and impressed so far. I carry 3 (still less weight and size than 2 butyl tubes).
I do also carry a Park tools GP-2 patch kit which works fine on the aerothans. It is also tiny and weighs next to nothing but gives me a back up.
Owen
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People earlier were saying they permanently take on the shape of the tyre, but perhaps that depends on the quality of the tubes. I note the Schwalbes are almost £30 each whereas some no-brand ones on eBay are less than £3 each!
But I already have a GP2 patch kit so might be worth a try.
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Looks like TPU tubes would be a good back-up to carry in case of non-sealing punctures in tubeless tyres (which in my case I have tried but couldn't make work – probably needed new tyres).
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When TPU tubes first came out making use you had the right size (larger than the tyre) was important to stop them popping, is that still an issue?
its hard to tell what the actual size of some are.
How do the generic orange TPU tubes size up? I have 32mm tyres on wide rims so dont want to risk putting the tube under any stretching.
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Looks like TPU tubes would be a good back-up to carry in case of non-sealing punctures in tubeless tyres (which in my case I have tried but couldn't make work – probably needed new tyres).
That's what I carry one for. Yet to be called upon (touches wood).
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... I do also carry a Park tools GP-2 patch kit which works fine on the aerothans. ...
That's interesting, since Park themselves say "Not compatible with tubeless tire bodies or latex inner tubes" (https://www.parktool.com/en-int/product/super-patch-kit-gp-2), so I assumed that any non-traditional inner tubes would be unsuitable. However, in the comments section they do reply to a question with "Best Answer: Our test showed that a GP-2 will adhere to a Schwable Aerthon (sic) tube. There is no need to rough the surface with sandpaper, but it is important to make sure the surface of the tube is clean."
Since Aerothans appears to be made from BASF’s Ellastollan, which is their brand-name for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), then they will probably work with other types of TPU inner tube.
I used to use the GP-2 patches, when I was cycling more minimally, with just a pump, a set of tyres levers, and the patches velcroed under my seat. I found them less reliable than 'proper' vulcanised repairs, so typically removed them when I got home, and repaired the inner tube more traditionally.
Useful to know. :thumbsup:
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I have the Aerothan and the cheaper pink RideNow from Ali Express. They are as good as each other. They take the size of the tyre, so if you use a 28, they will get quite large and you won’t be able to use them for a 23 afterwards…
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Just read a road cc review on aerothan inner tubes, thinking you could write much the same about a dozen RideNow tubes.
https://road.cc/content/review/schwalbe-aerothan-inner-tube-277797
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Unlike the reviewer at road.cc I've successfully repaired punctured aerothan tubes with schwalbe glueless patches more than a handful of times (I was insisting on getting a few more km out of old gp4000s).
I find it easy and dependable enough. Clean the area around the puncture with alcohol, let dry, apply.
Since the patches are quite large, I cut them in halves.
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I've taken the plunge on these to the extent of £10.82 for two. They are purple, if the photo on ebay is to be believed. I'll see what colour (and quality) they are when they turn up. At least, I hope I will.
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They've just turned up. They appear to be the right size. They are purple. And they do, as someone said, feel like they're made from "bag for life". Disturbingly, they have a lateral seam with a flap of overlapping material. I shall put one in and see what happens, keeping the other for spare.
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My initial experience with tpu tubes was disappointing. I had two (orange with black plastic valves) ultralight 28g tubes from amazon. Both were use as on road replacements and both got me home (about 10km ride). The first was deflated the next day and burst whist being reinflated. The second was also deflated the next day and would reinflate but did not hold pressure for more than 20 minutes.
The tubes were rated upto 18c - 32c and I was using them in a gp5000 32c tyres. My suspicion is that was a 'stretch' too far for the weight of innertube.
I did notice an nice improvement in ride quality (very subjective observation) using the tpu tubes hence decided to try a different brand.
I subsequently obtained two Cyclami Tubes 38g (green with with metal valves). The tubes were wider and felt likek they were made from a heavier guage material. The first one I used mid ride was still inflated the next day. I can't report any further than that as I decided I was getting too many shark tooth flint punctures on the GP5000 so swapped to a pair of 40c Marathon Almotions I had.
For the Almotions, I now have two tubes rated 35-45c on order that I will try and report back.
I'm also wondering if the chill from CO2 cylinders may have adversely affected the stretchability of the original innertubes around the value area.
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I'm also wondering if the chill from CO2 cylinders may have adversely affected the stretchability of the original innertubes around the value area.
Yes, that is an interesting observation, as TPU is thermoplastic (polyurethane), I could well believe that the Joules Thompson effect of refridgeration of the expanding gas would cause temporary embrittlement of the tube, near the valve, just when it is moving to fill the gaps.
Interested to hear if others have had the same observations.
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I’m just wondering whether the hype is real
All I know is Facebook thinks I really really need them, and will probably insist even if I try to hide the ads.
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VERY Noticeable improvement on the handling of my 29er, today, when I fitted one in the front wheel, mid-ride, quicker to change direction, quicker to accelerate, softer on the hands over bumps.
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Sounds interesting - ordered a couple from AliExpress. My road bikes have a variety of 25 and 28 tyres so I got the ultra-light 24g ones which fit 18-28 supposedly.
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Yes, for all the fanfare about integrated cables, electric gears, disc brakes, aero frames and dimpled rims... these humble TPU inner tubes have by far made the biggest difference to my riding experience... they transform some pretty unremarkable low end tyres like the Zaffiro into top end racing slicks
Just think, you could've been getting the exact same benefits (maybe better actually) from latex tubes since forever, with the exception of packed size. Also, imagine you had top end racing tyres AND nice light tubes...
Nice tyres can be expensive nowadays, but give more benefit per quid spent than anything else. Latex/TPU tubes or tubeless sealant 2nd.
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I finally got around to fitting my TPU tubes yesterday. Or at least, I tried to. I encountered a problem that's brand new to me: the valve stem, which is smooth plastic, was marginally too large a diameter to fit in the valve hole in the rim. It's definitely not just an overhang of tape, as I tried it from the inside out, so to speak, to make sure. And I'm sure it's the valves being out of spec not the rims, as I've never had this problem before, with any brand of tube. I suppose I should have tried the other tube just to make sure (I only intended to fit one, just to see how they held air etc) but I didn't. I guess I'll have to try and return them via Ebay. Gustavo brand, purple colour in a yellow box, for you to avoid.
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That's not good. I'll remember to test out the valves in rims before packing these as spares.
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I guess it's a hazard of buying unknown cheap brands off Ebay rather eg Schwalbe. Or even something like Lifeline off Wiggle.
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I have some ridenow TPU tubes for use as spares for a tubeless setup, so as with many of you haven't used them yet.
I concur with the worries over the valve and stem quality, and I've especially seen complaints over issues with the stem joining the tube on the weightweenies forum, across many AliExpress brands of TPU tubes.
Do any of your TPU tubes have a removable valve core? Mine don't.
In my experience with normal butyl tubes of various price points, it's very much does not indicate good quality when the valve core can't be swapped out.
I wish there was some reliable European brand with middle of the road prices for TPU rather than 10x prices - these must be the most profitable thing that Schwalbe or Tubolito make.
I've just seen the Pirelli Cinturato ones down to 13.99 so more doable, but still a bit too much given I might not use them ever, and I'm more likely to give them away to someone having a puncture nightmare on an audax.
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Why would TPU tubes need a removable core? Additionally the Continental Ride 28 and other butyl tubes I have don't have removable cores and I wouldn't call them low quality. I think the main complaint about plastic valves is that they are too prone to damage when inflating the tube. I've been selecting TPU tubes with metal valves because of this although I also have a few with plastic.
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If your pump has a screw-on head, it can sometimes accidentally remove replaceable cores when disconnecting, leading to instant deflation.
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If your pump has a screw-on head, it can sometimes accidentally remove replaceable cores when disconnecting, leading to instant deflation.
Very much so. I discovered that at near the end of a 300 audax on a particularly nasty bit of dual carriageway - in the pissing rain ::-)
For that reason I prefer non-removable cores, alternatively I glue the cores in any I take with me. I reality, I've never wanted to actually remove the core of any tube deliberately.
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I wish there was some reliable European brand with middle of the road prices for TPU rather than 10x prices - these must be the most profitable thing that Schwalbe or Tubolito make.
Barbieri?
https://www.barbieripnk.it/en/tpu-inner-tubes/camera-piuma-ultraleggera-tpu-700x23-32-peso-29g-presta-45mm-made-in-italy-100
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I wish there was some reliable European brand with middle of the road prices for TPU rather than 10x prices - these must be the most profitable thing that Schwalbe or Tubolito make.
Barbieri? (https://www.barbieripnk.it/en/tpu-inner-tubes/camera-piuma-ultraleggera-tpu-700x23-32-peso-29g-presta-45mm-made-in-italy-100)
There must be people who consider 16 euro (+ shipping) for a tube a steal.
I consider it daylight robbery.
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There must be people who consider 16 euro (+ shipping) for a tube a steal.
I consider it daylight robbery.
That is as maybe, but if you can think of another way of saving 100g at the rim for 16 euro, please let us all know!
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If you buy two Ridenow TPU tubes on aliexpress you save 200g at the rim for 16 euro (and that likely includes shipping).
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If you buy two Ridenow TPU tubes on aliexpress you save 200g at the rim for 16 euro (and that likely includes shipping).
:thumbsup:
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I wish there was some reliable European brand with middle of the road prices for TPU rather than 10x prices - these must be the most profitable thing that Schwalbe or Tubolito make.
Barbieri? (https://www.barbieripnk.it/en/tpu-inner-tubes/camera-piuma-ultraleggera-tpu-700x23-32-peso-29g-presta-45mm-made-in-italy-100)
There must be people who consider 16 euro (+ shipping) for a tube a steal.
I consider it daylight robbery.
Not a steal, but half the cost of tubolito et al. and made in Europe.
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If you buy two Ridenow TPU tubes on aliexpress you save 200g at the rim for 16 euro (and that likely includes shipping).
My pair of Ridenow arrived and fitted. No issues so far. The valves (smooth plastic 65mm) fit through the rim fine and they seem to be holding their pressure. Yet to be ridden.
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If you buy two Ridenow TPU tubes on aliexpress you save 200g at the rim for 16 euro (and that likely includes shipping).
But as related here and elsewhere, the various aliexpress tubes including Ridenow have a random non-zero chance of defects at the valve stem junction, so packing them as your only spares feels perilous.
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On my "best" bike I'm thinking of using the RideNow's as the fitted tubes (for the weight advantage at the rim as mentioned, and the supposedly better ride feel) but taking a conventional tube as a spare.
BTW the RideNow's came with repair patches and even an alcohol wipe for cleaning prior to patching.
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Craft Cadence have become the UK importer for RideNow and claim only to ship the latest iteration of each tube, with a warranty. The issue with the valve seam has seemingly now been overcome - new bonded valve design using high frequency welding technology. This means no more seams around the valve area, minimising occurence of bulges and slow flats.
https://craftcadence.com/products/ridenow-ultralight-tpu-inner-tubes-road-or-gravel-36-45-grams?_pos=1&_sid=78af87ff9&_ss=r
I'm tempted to try them now.
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i've got some green cyclami ones, 26g 18-28mm with 45mm brass valve, to try out. they've installed fine, inflated them to 100psi (i'll ride them at ~80psi). all good so far, and the same price as the "old skool" butyl inner tubes (£4.60 including two repair patches) from ae.
i'll be getting some more, for other bikes and saddle bags.
p.s. it says for disc brakes only on the box, but they'll work fine on rim brake wheels too (save for extreme cases + v.heavy riders).
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...
p.s. it says for disc brakes only on the box, but they'll work fine on rim brake wheels too (save for extreme cases + v.heavy riders).
Butyl tubes are the same - they work fine on rim brake wheels (save for extreme cases + v.heavy riders). I found out about the problems of the heat from rim braking destroying front tubes on my first attempt at tandem touring, going down Kent and Sussex 'mountains'. I adjusted my braking philosophy and destroyed rear tubes instead. Disc or hub brakes are a must on tandems if using inner tubes.
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Deep section aluminium rims are big enough heat sinks and heat dispersers to avoid blowouts on rim brake tandems. Shallow section rims get really hot though. I don’t have any issues on tandems since swapping to deep section rims.
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Deep section aluminium rims are big enough heat sinks and heat dispersers to avoid blowouts on rim brake tandems. Shallow section rims get really hot though. I don’t have any issues on tandems since swapping to deep section rims.
Is this on huge descents and fully laden? I have still managed to blow out a rear (back side of Beachy Head) when my disc brake failed, on a deep section rim.
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In my experience of huge descents, yes. You need a heat-resistant rim tape (e.g. Velox) as some rim tapes melt or soften, causing a flat on the rim side.
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I wasn't previously aware of heat resistant rim tapes. :thumbsup:
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i've got some green cyclami ones, 26g 18-28mm with 45mm brass valve, to try out. they've installed fine, inflated them to 100psi (i'll ride them at ~80psi). all good so far, and the same price as the "old skool" butyl inner tubes (£4.60 including two repair patches) from ae.
i'll be getting some more, for other bikes and saddle bags.
p.s. it says for disc brakes only on the box, but they'll work fine on rim brake wheels too (save for extreme cases + v.heavy riders).
I wouldn't use them with carbon rim braked wheels....
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i've got some green cyclami ones, 26g 18-28mm with 45mm brass valve, to try out. they've installed fine, inflated them to 100psi (i'll ride them at ~80psi). all good so far, and the same price as the "old skool" butyl inner tubes (£4.60 including two repair patches) from ae.
i'll be getting some more, for other bikes and saddle bags.
p.s. it says for disc brakes only on the box, but they'll work fine on rim brake wheels too (save for extreme cases + v.heavy riders).
I wouldn't use them with carbon rim braked wheels....
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Ah - that's where I've fitted them (not ridden yet though). Any reason/experience for avoiding carbon rims? Does deep section make a difference? Thanks.
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ime, the hottest wheel rims i touched after a heavy prolonged braking were "quite warm", 50-ish degrees perhaps. i think there's a large gap/margin before inner tubes start becoming unsafe.
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ime, the hottest wheel rims i touched after a heavy prolonged braking were "quite warm", 50-ish degrees perhaps. i think there's a large gap/margin before inner tubes start becoming unsafe.
I have given this problem a LOT of thought and 50degC is plenty to cause the problems that I have witnessed first hand on too many occasions, while tandem touring fully laden.
Inner tubes if looked at like a huge number of rubber bands (rather than a tube) stretched near their limit then heated in one eighth of their circumference, will thin at the point that is warmest as the material becomes more flexible, as the cooler part of the band is trying to return to its original length with greater force than the part that is being warmed. As the material thins, it becomes even more susceptible to the heat, thins more etc, and rapidly reaches the point that tiny holes appear.
So think about the temperature difference in the length of the band rather than the total average temperature of the tube.
Maybe I am wrong, but I think, if the innertube were heated equally to 50degc within the confines of the tyre and wheel rim, it would happily continue to contain the gas, all the time the pressure does not increase over and above the recommended maxima for that tyre's size.
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i've got some green cyclami ones, 26g 18-28mm with 45mm brass valve, to try out. they've installed fine, inflated them to 100psi (i'll ride them at ~80psi). all good so far, and the same price as the "old skool" butyl inner tubes (£4.60 including two repair patches) from ae.
i'll be getting some more, for other bikes and saddle bags.
p.s. it says for disc brakes only on the box, but they'll work fine on rim brake wheels too (save for extreme cases + v.heavy riders).
I wouldn't use them with carbon rim braked wheels....
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Ah - that's where I've fitted them (not ridden yet though). Any reason/experience for avoiding carbon rims? Does deep section make a difference? Thanks.
Carbon does not dissipate heat like alloy, so it will get very hot on long descents. Hot enough to be an issue with uberlightweight tpu tubes that specify disc only ? I don't know.
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I wouldn't use them with carbon rim braked wheels....
Carbon is a much poorer conductor of heat than aluminium so less heat will get through the rim wall to the tubes, no?
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If the rims were placed between the tube and the heat source, then yes. But it's the carbon rim itself that is getting very hot. It can't dissipate heat through convection, so heat builds up from prolonged braking. It transfer heat to the rim through conduction.
Wood is a good insulator but friction between wooden sticks has been used to start fires through millennia.
The same heat issue applies to latex tubes, see this article,
https://velo.outsideonline.com/gear/technical-faq-tape-for-tubulars-latex-tubes-and-more/
Of course it would be much of an issue riding down alpine cols in July than riding flat terrain in 5° rainy weather.
Edited: spelling
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pre-preg and modern methods when it comes to epoxy baking and preparing the brake surfaces of carbon fibre wheelsets , at least from reputable manufacturers have advanced significantly. the braking surface will withstand heat in excess of 250degC. Whether that temperature can even be achieved is another matter.
I realise we're talking about the tubes here and not the rims themselves but the braking performance is very close nowadays to what you get with an alloy brake surface. I'm not sure how effective compared to alloy a carbon rim is in dissipating heat , surely not as good at cooling down as metal ? I'm sure there's probably a study somewhere.
In my opinion , and you do get TPU tubes that are sold "For rim brakes" they'll probably be fine in most situations , however personally if I was intending to ride down some prolonged descents in summer heat I'd probably be switching out my tubes for nice thick butyl ones OR just running tubeless.
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I wouldn't use them with carbon rim braked wheels....
Carbon is a much poorer conductor of heat than aluminium so less heat will get through the rim wall to the tubes, no?
You are correct. In ancient days, wood rims never had a problem with tubulars coming off on steep descents (unlike aluminium rims) because the heat from the brake tracks was not transferred to the glue. On the other hand, brake pads tended to melt/ char because the heat of braking had to be accommodated only by the braking surface of the pads.
https://wheelfanatyk.com/blogs/blog/advice-for-building-wood-rims notes "Wood won’t absorb heat so the energy of braking can attack the brake shoe. But it won’t be able to migrate to the rim cement and soften it." and "Wood consumes brake pads because it won't accept the heat that braking generates. The pad melts at contact and makes a mess of the rim."
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If the rims were placed between the tube and the heat source, then yes. But it's the carbon rim itself that is getting very hot. It can't dissipate heat through convection, so heat builds up from prolonged braking. It transfer heat to the rim through conduction.
Wood is a good insulator but friction between wooden sticks has been used to start fires through millennia.
Edited: spelling
It looks like you are misunderstanding that the bit that is getting hot is not the entire rim uniformly but the outside / braking surface of the rim.
The body of the rim will then conduct heat from the hot outside surface to the inside surface, where the tube is. An aluminium rim will do this job much more efficiently than a carbon one so will heat up the tube a lot faster.
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I wouldn't use them with carbon rim braked wheels....
Carbon is a much poorer conductor of heat than aluminium so less heat will get through the rim wall to the tubes, no?
In ancient days, wood rims never had a problem with tubulars coming off on steep descents (unlike aluminium rims) because the heat from the brake tracks was not transferred to the glue. On the other hand, brake pads tended to melt/ char because the heat of braking had to be accommodated only by the braking surface of the pads.
https://wheelfanatyk.com/blogs/blog/advice-for-building-wood-rims notes "Wood won’t absorb heat so the energy of braking can attack the brake shoe. But it won’t be able to migrate to the rim cement and soften it." and "Wood consumes brake pads because it won't accept the heat that braking generates. The pad melts at contact and makes a mess of the rim."
Fascinating - so the (non-tube related) problems of carbon rims on descents are nothing new!
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In ancient days, wood rims...
When I first joined a cycling club in the early 80s, in Northern Ireland, some members were still using wood rimmed wheels.
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Fascinating - so the (non-tube related) problems of carbon rims on descents are nothing new!
Burning up brake pads and wearing out the rim braking surface = yes.
Deforming rim cross sections due to resin softening = not so much, though wood rims tend to warp a bit, mostly depending on moisture content.
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Wood rims pose all sorts of questions: grain, species, a huge variety of appearance v a huge variety of qualities – surely a thread in itself!
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Only a limited number of species were ever employed for wood rims, all laminated AFAIK. Beech is common.
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If the rims were placed between the tube and the heat source, then yes. But it's the carbon rim itself that is getting very hot. It can't dissipate heat through convection, so heat builds up from prolonged braking. It transfer heat to the rim through conduction.
Wood is a good insulator but friction between wooden sticks has been used to start fires through millennia.
Edited: spelling
It looks like you are misunderstanding that the bit that is getting hot is not the entire rim uniformly but the outside / braking surface of the rim.
The body of the rim will then conduct heat from the hot outside surface to the inside surface, where the tube is. An aluminium rim will do this job much more efficiently than a carbon one so will heat up the tube a lot faster.
With all due apologies, I am just trying to explain why manufacturers of both, carbon rims and inner tubes advise against the use of latex tubes and very lightweight tpu disc only tubes and carbon rim brake rims. If you want to proof them wrong, then please do as you wish and come back here to report your findings.
Alloy will cool down quicker due to convection. Carbon rims will heat up and hold the temperature longer allowing all of the rim to become hotter, outer to inner which may cause latex or very thin tpu tubes to fail.
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Not quite! Aluminium braking surfaces will cool down quicker by conduction, while carbon braking surfaces will stay hotter. The hotter surface will lose more heat via convection, as the difference to the air temp is greater, but it will still stay hotter because of poor conduction.
I thought your point about what manufacturers say was interesting so I googled it, but found most results said the opposite. For example schwalbe say 'Extremely heat resistant - certified for rim brakes'
https://www.schwalbetires.com/blog/news/innovation/aerothan/ (https://www.schwalbetires.com/blog/news/innovation/aerothan/)
They tested it against various tubes including their own Extralight butyl ones, and found their tpu one performed best for heat resistance from repeated braking. They also say a heat-related failure would be a slow puncture rather than a blow out:
'The dynamic test winner is the Aerothan Tube; and this is the only tube that can withstand a sequence of seven emergency brake applications. All Aerothan tubes are approved for use with rim brakes.
Good to know: Aerothan tubes do not suddenly burst. Any air loss oxxurs slowly as a worst case, while the bicycle normally remains easy to control.'
Other sources said similar. I also googled the heart resistance of butyl vs tpu and got similar figures, with different sources saying 85-110 degrees for both materials.
Based on all of that I would now be more comfortable using tpu tubes than butyl in carbon rims in the Alps. However I would still have some concerns about braking surface overheating, and would be riding tubeless anyway - but with a tpu tube as my back up.
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As somebody stated above, tpu tubes rated for rim brakes should be fine with carbon rims. TPU tubes rated for disc only, the extremely light tubes, may be an issue on long descents due to rim heat build up. YMMV.ĺ
https://www.tubolito.com/product/s-tubo-road-700c/
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As somebody stated above, tpu tubes rated for rim brakes should be fine with carbon rims. TPU tubes rated for disc only, the extremely light tubes, may be an issue on long descents due to rim heat build up. YMMV.ĺ
https://www.tubolito.com/product/s-tubo-road-700c/
I wonder how stable those tubes are if the wheel is left in the heat of the sun. You sometimes hear of exploding tyres when someone has left a bike out in direct mid day sun, and regularly hear of tyres popping when left in the boot of a car on a sunny day.
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Carbon rim-brake wheels are a really bad idea on several counts. The actual braking is poor, even more so in the wet. Expensive rims get trashed, and you've the problem of overheating on long descents.
Disc rims are brilliant on all counts.
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The actual braking isn’t poor at all nowadays
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Better braking= more heat though.
Surely by now carbon rim braked wheels are becoming niche?
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First ride with TPU tubes yesterday. Really nice ride feel even at quite high pressures.
As Finch says braking on modern carbon rims with the right blocks is pretty good - indistinguishable from alloy rims in the dry at least.
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Better braking= more heat though.
Surely by now carbon rim braked wheels are becoming niche?
I don’t know if I’d consider them niche quite yet. Lots of very well priced options out there, and I imagine lots of people with perfectly serviceable non disc compatible frames. I’d suggest that anyone buying a new bike now would likely be looking at discs just because that’s the standard.
There’s probably a lot of people who want to eke out as many years as possible out of existing older bikes.
I have one of each( rim brake bike with carbon wheels and disc brake bike) and like Toontra says the braking in the dry is indistinguishable from rim brakes on an alloy rim and in in many cases considerably better than cable actuated discs.
For me personally my summer bike never intentionally gets wet , and is as pristine as a 2012 frame can be so although my next summer bike would be disc for obvious reasons, I hope that’s several years away yet. I mean how long does a carbon brake track last ? 20000km ? Double that ?
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.. and I imagine lots of people with perfectly serviceable non disc compatible frames.
Indeed. I'm not in the market for a new frame as mine is as good as you'll get for £3k these days - just no disc mounts. Then a like-for-like disc wheelset would be another £1.5k.
As with Finch, this is my "best" bike so doesn't get ridden in shitty weather or on gravel.
So carbon rim brakes it is.
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.. and I imagine lots of people with perfectly serviceable non disc compatible frames.
Indeed. I'm not in the market for a new frame as mine is as good as you'll get for £3k these days - just no disc mounts. Then a like-for-like disc wheelset would be another £1.5k.
As with Finch, this is my "best" bike so doesn't get ridden in shitty weather or on gravel.
So carbon rim brakes it is.
I've still got a few rim braked bikes that I intend to keep for the rest of my riding life...but I do wonder what the options will be for high quality lightweight wheels etc in a decade (I mean top spec factory wheels etc like Campag Shamals etc) I see them disappearing.
Choice is great, but it is dependent on having a viable market. Recently I was looking for lightweight alloy rims and I'm pretty sure the range we had a decade ago is no longer there.
I've got about 8 bikes, but it is interesting to see the ones I tend to choose to ride. The only rim-braked one that gets used is a fixed. It's not highly conscious calculated thought that goes into.the choosing, but I suspect the thought of 100% consistent braking in all weathers comes into it.
Like you I have a really good rim-braked summer bike, a Look 585. But I also have a Supersix di2 disc. It tends to be the latter I use in part because I know that the Shamals on the Look will be unserviceable by the time the rims wear out. I do think there is a difference in braking in the dry however.
Of course, rim brakes offer cheaper and easier servicing, even if they eventually cause a need to re-rim a wheel.
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After a couple of weeks the tubes are still holding pressure as you would expect from butyl. Difficult to say with certainty but the ride quality feels smoother. I'm using the same tyres as always (Michelin Pro4 Endurance). No p*'s yet so can't comment on repairability.
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after a successful trial of tpu tubes i've got a further dozen, for the bikes that may need/use them. i've been also trialling tubeless tyres without sealant (or with a bare minimum, if they didn't hold pressure dry) for the past year, done the pbp qualifiers and other long rides with tyres like that. the reason behind it is, if there's a puncture, there's no mess to deal with when putting the tube in. if a puncture is small, there's still an option to put sealant through the valve, which is quicker vs inner tube.
looking after multiple bikes with tubeless tyres is a bit tedious, having to track and check when the sealant was last added and topped up. so this new approach works quite well for me and tpu tubes are a welcome addition to the system, along with the tyre plugs, sealant, valves/cores, glue, patches and boots.
i'd still be running 50-60ml of sealant for very important rides/races where stopping is best kept to a minimum.
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I’ve got a bike that has carbon wheels & brake surface along with caliper brakes - to be fair they are the new ultegra brakes which are very very good the stopping power and modulation are both , in terms of what you hear about the performance in this context , astonishing. It’s very easy to lock up both wheels. Obviously this performance is diminished a lot in the wet , which to be fair this being my summer bike hasn’t happened very often.
I have another bike that has cable actuated hydraulic discs , they replaced pure cable discs which were pants ( I’m 90kg ) I’ve tried as many things as my budget will allow , new cables , compressionless housing , new discs and pads of a material specified for the discs. I’ve made sure the pistons are clean and work properly, the brakes are properly aligned and the lever throw is both good and responsive - I am in no position to spend anything more , in fact I’m really struggling at the moment and here’s the thing - the braking is objectively terrible - the bike slows down a little but it just doesn’t stop - there’s no “bite” and a lock up would be impossible - I’m starting to think that it’s actually dangerous and I’m not confident on the bike. There’s absolutely no way that I can meet the ultra prohibitive cost of hydro shifters and calipers so I’m just going to have to retire the bike for the time being - it’s honestly that bad !
My MTB on the other hand has “nutt” hydros which I’ve never heard of before and stops near instantly - but MTB hydros are super cheap compared to the road stuff which is quite the opposite
So going back to some of the stuff that was being discussed earlier - I’m so much more confident with “good” rim brakes over “crap” disc brakes - even on carbon rims - I have no experience of road hydros to compare this to so my ostensible work horse bike is going in the shed not to be used until I can do something about it which is super depressing
Also i remember in the 90s , pros descending on early gen Boras with a carbon brake track and can’t recall anyone suffering because of it or blowing a tube up
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I’ve got a bike that has carbon wheels & brake surface along with caliper brakes - to be fair they are the new ultegra brakes which are very very good the stopping power and modulation are both , in terms of what you hear about the performance in this context , astonishing. It’s very easy to lock up both wheels.
Astonishingly bad modulation, if you are finding it very easy to lock up the wheels.
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The wheels I've put the TPU tubes in are carbon rim brake (Progress A-Prime). They are my first set of fully carbon wheels. I was put off for years by worries about braking. All I can say is, with SwissStop Black Prince blocks, braking is as good as any ally-rim wheels I've ever used and better than some. Can definitely lock up if applied too forcefully (don't ask) but really good modulation.
Done a few longer rides and and really liking the weight/comfort of the TPU tubes. Carrying a butyl and patches as spares though.
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I have to say my experience had been the same and MTB aside my experience of discs had been rubbish - that being said I won’t argue that road hydros are awesome as I’m sure they are - I’m just priced well out of them trying to eke out as many years out of my bikes as I can
The TPU tubes combined with my set up have also been great and carrying spares takes up bigger all space - they do get well deformed though so reusing them in a new tyre or wheel would , I imagine , be tricky
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- the braking is objectively terrible - the bike slows down a little but it just doesn’t stop - there’s no “bite” and a lock up would be impossible - I’m starting to think that it’s actually dangerous and I’m not confident on the bike.
If I can help, I will where (approximately) do you live?
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East Lothian
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:'( :'(
Too far for me sorry. I would be looking to see if something is stopping the movement of the pads (other than the disc).
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When the disc isn’t present they close up nicely - Clark’s CHM-08. Initially I thought they were much better than the promax ones but in real world conditions they’re just as bad. I’ve now got a bunch of pads and a second set of discs that have all been basically useless. I spent ages trying to bed them in properly and on one set even tried brake goo that’s supposed to both speed up the process and increase friction. Had a couple of quite scary moments out there today so the bike - which isn’t old - is being retired until I have the bits or resources to try again.
Generally if I’ve had an issue I’ve been able to fettle it back to good but I’m utterly defeated - I feel like chucking the whole thing in a skip - which I’m obviously not going to do