TPU Inner tubes

[Cudzoziemiec]

If your pump has a screw-on head, it can sometimes accidentally remove replaceable cores when disconnecting, leading to instant deflation.

[toontra]

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.

[perdido]

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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[Zed43]

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?

There must be people who consider 16 euro (+ shipping) for a tube a steal.

I consider it daylight robbery.

[JefO]

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!

[Zed43]

If you buy two Ridenow TPU tubes on aliexpress you save 200g at the rim for 16 euro (and that likely includes shipping).

[JefO]

If you buy two Ridenow TPU tubes on aliexpress you save 200g at the rim for 16 euro (and that likely includes shipping).

 

[perdido]

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?

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. 

[toontra]

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.

[wooger]

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.

[toontra]

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.

[Horizon]

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.

[zigzag]

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).

[JefO]

...
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.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

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.

[JefO]

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.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

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.

[JefO]

I wasn't previously aware of heat resistant rim tapes. 

[perdido]

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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[toontra]

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.

[zigzag]

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.

[JefO]

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.

[perdido]

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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[Frank9755]

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?

[perdido]

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