TPU inner tubes- any experience?

[Ming the Merciless]

No idea, not had to do that, I repair them when I get home, for touring 1 carry 2 TPU spares as they don't take up much room.

I’ve had replacement tubes puncture a few times. Plus I prefer to patch if a puncture occurs in nice weather. Patch kits being much lighter and more compact than even more tubes. Thus patching on the road would be an important consideration.

 

[VinSumRox]

I’ve had replacement tubes puncture a few times. Plus I prefer to patch if a puncture occurs in nice weather. Patch kits being much lighter and more compact than even more tubes. Thus patching on the road would be an important consideration.

I carry some of the self adhesive patches as a get home option as well.

 

[Pinno718]

How easy is it to find holes in TPU out in the road?

Carrying spare tubes has been standard practice since Dunlop introduced the clincher rim in 1889.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Carrying spare tubes has been standard practice since Dunlop introduced the clincher rim in 1889.

For some, I used to always patch before 2010. But even so, spare tubes puncture, how easy are TPU for find the hole and patch?

 

[Pinno718]

For some, I used to always patch before 2010. But even so, spare tubes puncture, how easy are TPU for find the hole and patch?

No idea. Never fitted them.

 

[Binky]

Think only advantage of TPU tubes is lightness and ability to pack them really small so if weight and/or space a big consideration then maybe look into them. From speaking to a few mates who use them they are repairable but I'm not sure how robust they are once done. I've ridden on a repaired butyl front tube for a few years down some steep descents at speeds of 50mph+ and not worried, this on a rim braked bike. Not sure I'd have such confidence in a TPU tube repaired or not.
I carry a spare butyl tube and a pack of instant patches so if I should get multiple punctures I can get myself back on road.

 

[Fredo76]

I've been using TPU tubes in 28mm tires for about a year now, with an ordinary number of goathead punctures, and satisfactory repair using Park Tools patches. The 28mm tubes are Pirelli P-Zero. One recent RideNow tube in a 48mm tire was discarded after three succesful slow-leak patches in two days when we found a fourth leak without a discernable cause.

 

[Pinno718]

I've been using TPU tubes in 28mm tires for about a year now, with an ordinary number of goathead punctures, and satisfactory repair using Park Tools patches. The 28mm tubes are Pirelli P-Zero. One recent RideNow tube in a 48mm tire was discarded after three succesful slow-leak patches in two days when we found a fourth leak without a discernable cause.

I've had zero punctures in over 2 years with latex. Just loosening valve cores, now solved with thread lock.

 

[Pinno718]

Anyhoo - ordered 3 latex tubes from Wolf cycles on Thursday, arrived this afternoon.

 

[Pblakeney]

I've ridden on a repaired butyl front tube for a few years down some steep descents at speeds of 50mph+ and not worried, this on a rim braked bike. Not sure I'd have such confidence in a TPU tube repaired or not.

Speed itself is not an issue.
Heat introduced by sustained heavy (rim) braking is.

 

[Binky]

Speed itself is not an issue.
Heat introduced by sustained heavy (rim) braking is.

Yep and after going down said steep descents I like to reduce my speed by applying my rim brakes. Hence reference to rim brakes in my post.
Don't know where you ride but any very steep descents I've gone down always require brakes applied to ensure I don't smash into a wall etc on a corner. There aren't many that enable a rider to just reduce from say 50mph to 20mph in a straight line or gentle enough corners to do so without braking.

However, purely from a psychological point of view descending at speed with a repaired inner tube is different. Don't know about you but there have been times when I've hurtled down a mountain and the thought has occured about front tyre popping. As it happens it did happen once in Mallorca. Fortunately I was only doing about 30mph and managed to stop without too much trouble before I hit the hairpins. This was on a hire bike and tube had not previously been repaired.
So, to bring this back to point on TPU tubes, not sure I would trust a repaired one.

 

[Pblakeney]

Yep and after going down said steep descents I like to reduce my speed by applying my rim brakes. Hence reference to rim brakes in my post.
Don't know where you ride but any very steep descents I've gone down always require brakes applied to ensure I don't smash into a wall etc on a corner. There aren't many that enable a rider to just reduce from say 50mph to 20mph in a straight line or gentle enough corners to do so without braking.

However, purely from a psychological point of view descending at speed with a repaired inner tube is different. Don't know about you but there have been times when I've hurtled down a mountain and the thought has occured about front tyre popping. As it happens it did happen once in Mallorca. Fortunately I was only doing about 30mph and managed to stop without too much trouble before I hit the hairpins. This was on a hire bike and tube had not previously been repaired.
So, to bring this back to point on TPU tubes, not sure I would trust a repaired one.

I could engage in a lengthy debate but it is easier to simply refer you to my first post on the subject.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

How easy is it to find holes in TPU out in the road?

Very easy, due to the nature of the material it will usually be a very clear puncture that is easily visible. With most tubes being orange or pink this makes a void even easier to spot.

 

[Dan Lotus]

Late to the party.

I have ride now tubes, the super light ones, but as yet have not had to fit any.

My best bike has the Pirelli version, I thought it deserved the best, AND I know they are bright yellow, which is always a good thing.

Plus Amazon semi frequently have them on sale for around £15 each, still not cheap, but even a common all garden butyl tube is around £4 now isn't it?

Plus points for me:
Much less weight and space - I like to carry two spares, plus the two on the bike of course, and the reduction in space means I can get rid of the saddle bag altogether, and just go with the rear pocket cycle wallet thing that I would use anyway. On the old BR forum I did tot up what the weight saving was, and if memory serves it was something like 450g.
I believe they also have less rolling resistance than butyl, and similar to latex (I also have latex tubes)
As they are on my best bike, it doesn't get used for a large portion of the year, the beauty with the Pirelli tubes at least, is that they REALLY like to hold their air in. I'm talking months here, and it will be nowhere near flat, maybe 70psi down to 40psi after 4 months, it's incredible.

In contrast latex loves to shed air, and starts to drop psi as soon as you look the other way
I have some pirelli fixing patches, ride now ones, and some tubolito ones I think, but none of their tubes - perhaps because they are orange.

 

[Dan Lotus]

On Saturday I removed the 25mm tyres from my Scott Foil, with a mind to put them on my CR1 - they'd covered just over 2000km, but the front still has a fair amount of life in it, so am planning to ditch the well worn rear, fit the front to the front, and fit a new 5000 to the rear.

Anyway, I digress - I took the opportunity to fit the (rim brake) Foil with some (the only ones available I believe) 100mm TPU tubes.
I've never fitted any before, as the last set of Pirellis were fitted by the bike shop.

I popped a small amount of air in them, and went about it as I would with a butyl tube - I was also thinking the brand new 5000s might give me a headache as well, having battled with them in the past, but on both wheels it only took a bit of tyre lever, one go per tyre - so probably more down to the wheels I suspect.

I was a bit more cautious with them than I normally would be, did the usual full check around the wheel looking for sticking out tube on both sides, and then did the same again at around 20psi - then pumped them up to 90 to make sure they seated properly, and then this morning I let some air out, before putting them to a normal riding pressure - I tried 77/69, but in hindsight this was a tad high, think I should have stuck closer to what I use on the Addict, but I thought it was worth an experiment.

I also had a moment of fear during the night, recalling it being posted on here, or perhaps on the BR forum about someone having the Ridenow tubes blowout on them on a descent - and of course this is a rim brake bike.
However, upon looking up the tubes, I was delighted and relieved to see the following:

• Extremely heat resistant - certified for rim brakes

Phew!

I'm 99% sure I would have checked this at the time I bought them, but it was some time ago, and I have a brain like a sieve.