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Submitted by
Thomas
a Cross Country Rider
from Old Lyme CT USA
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Rocky Point Long Island NY | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$13.00 | | Purchased At: | Cambria Bike Outfitter | | Strengths: | really light.. you can notice it!! Loose air slower than latex. | | Weaknesses: | still loose air slowly, But less than Latex | | Similar Products Used: | Butyls, Vittoria Poly | | Bike Setup: | K2 Apache 5 with Mavic crossride wheels | | Bottom Line: | lighter, nicer tube than a regular Butyl. noticeable while riding.
they still loose air like all super lights do so you'll have to pump them up on a regular basis. ( loosing about 2-5 lbs in 24 hours, the Vittoria's went flat over night.) but if you check your bike over before a ride, like anyone who doesn't want to brake a bone should do, it's not that big a deal. But can be annoying if you're on a "trip" and only have a small pump.
haven't flattened it yet but patching from what I hear is near impossible! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | Bike Nashbar (1998) | | Strengths: | Super light weight and kool looking green compared to the rugular black butyl tubes. | | Weaknesses: | Inflated to 50-66psi for almost 6 months with Panaracer Fire XC Pro 26"x2.1" tires. They don't retain air too well or for too long, as I had to re-adjust pressure every week. The tube material got very thin at the rim eyelets with Velox rim tape and caused two flats one week apart. | | Similar Products Used: | Only butyl tubes - Cheng Shin, Kenda, Norco, IRC Torque, Bontrager SuperLight/Narrow, Maxxis FlyWeight/Narrow, Lambert Select SelfSealing. | | Bike Setup: | 2001 Trek Fuel 90 Disk/stock - tires changed to slicks.
1996 GT Ricochet/stock - tires changed to slicks. | | Bottom Line: | They look great at a "semi-transparent funky green colour" and super light weight. A bit pricey at over $10/CAN each and need the pressure checked atleast 1x/week.
Bottom Line: If you really want to save weight on your bike, these do the job. They do cost a little more, require
alot of pressure checking (I'd say not more then 50psi) &
don't expect them to act like a "green" version of butyl's. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Fenn
a Cross Country Rider
from Birmingham, UK
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | No favourites | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$19.00 | | Purchased At: | Don't remember | | Strengths: | Been running a pair for six years now in UK weather. They're fine. No probs, other than the obvious slow, gentle leakage you get from paper thin tubes. And I don't get a rash from 'em (allergic to rubber). | | Weaknesses: | Readies. They cost me £11 each when I got 'em, way back. But that's what the UK market is like. | | Similar Products Used: | None really, got these, never looked back. | | Bike Setup: | XT/LX all over, Univega STEEL frame (yeah, remember when they made them?) M230/LX front w/DT, FIR231/XT rear w/DT. Goes like stink at 24lbs for a 19.5" rigid. Cost me next to nowt to build, as well. | | Bottom Line: | Buy 'em, spank 'em. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Incline Village, Nevada
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything in Fruita, CO | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Purchased At: | Freewheel Cyclery | | Strengths: | Super light, run well at low pressure (for me), 100's of miles with no flats | | Weaknesses: | Really can't repair, so they are expensive when they fail, leak air - you need to re-inflate every few days | | Similar Products Used: | Butyl tubes | | Bike Setup: | '03 Titus Racer-X, Sram XO/9.0 drivetrain, XT everything else, Black fork | | Bottom Line: | I'm a bit surprised that some other reviewers had trouble with these at low pressure. I have run mine at 35 lbs or less for close to 5K miles on Colorado/Moab singletrack with 3 flats. I weigh about 165 lbs though, and the trails there weren't as rocky as in some places. Regardless, I really like this product, but with the light weight and pinch flat resistance comes a price: 3x more expensive than butyl, latex leaks air from the moment it is inflated, and the tubes shatter into ribbons when they fail. I regularly pinch flatted with butyl tubes, even when they were inflated to much higher pressures than these. In fact, the only flats (other than the 3 with these) that I have had in 3 years were on the 3 butyls that I put in until I could get more greens. If you are aware of the limitations of the greens, then get 'em. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from austin,tx
Date Reviewed: June 28, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | emma long | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$13.00 | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | light weight | | Weaknesses: | pinch flat easy with low pressure | | Similar Products Used: | all others | | Bike Setup: | mavic rims | | Bottom Line: | I like this tube. I have had no problem with this tube as long as the pressure is 40lbs or higher. the only time I rode with less (forgot to pump it up) I ended up with a pinch flat. I dont use any special extra rim tape or anything like that. Just keep up the pressure and it should be fine. I ride technical X-country. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andreas Klauser
a Cross Country Rider
from Feldafing
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$10.00 | | Purchased At: | hibike | | Strengths: | low weight, durability | | Weaknesses: | latex specific slow leakage of air | | Similar Products Used: | Conti Latex, Schwalbe Butyl | | Bike Setup: | TREK 9900 OCLV, good plastic rubber band, 2.1 Ritchey Z-MAX and Z.E.D. each WCS/bluewall | | Bottom Line: | Very low weight, low rolling resistance, no punctures. Keeps air better than the Conti latex. Valve seems to be very sound construction, too. The best thing for XC, absolutely. The price is o.k. for a quality product like this. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shane Dosser
a Cross Country Rider
from Kingwood, TX.
Date Reviewed: May 5, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$13.00 | | Purchased At: | cambria | | Strengths: | Very light | | Weaknesses: | None found yet | | Bike Setup: | LiteSpeed Obed FS, XT, XTR, & Billet Proshift components | | Bottom Line: | I use them for races only, but have not recieved a flat yet, (I do run the spin skins liners in the tire but the math of both added together is still lighter than other tubes) while i'll see plenty of other riders with flats right off the starting gate. I little pricey. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Charlie Devine
a Cross Country Rider
from Oak Ridge TN U.S.A.
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Haw Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$12.00 | | Purchased At: | Frankford | | Strengths: | Very light
looks cool (but you don't see it inside the tire)
rides just like any other tube, even 400 gram LBS specials | | Weaknesses: | Pump your tire every day. | | Similar Products Used: | Lightweight butyl rubber tubes. | | Bike Setup: | Al hardtail. Marzocchi fork. | | Bottom Line: | Wow, 105 review! I guess everyone has gone through the latex tire phase. I am over it. It was light. It didn't hold air very well. It lasted a lot longer than I thought it would. Really, I had that thing for at least a year. It saw tires come and go. When it finnaly did fail it sort of jsut split open. It had a four inch split. I would race these. The rotating weight reduction is definitely worth it. A pair of these can take 200 grams off a bike. Go for it!
Four steaming horse flops for value because you get exactly what you pay for.
Four overall because I couldn't tell what finnaly did this tube in. It looks like it just popped. I think that maybe it got caught between the tire bead and the rim. That would have done it. Be careful. Always (unless you're racing or otherwise using a cartrige) inflate to pressure, deflate, reseat tire, check for tube caught under tire bead, and then inflate to final pressure. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a
from Tempe, AZ
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Light, neat looking | | Weaknesses: | Pinch flats Very easily- make sure you're running at least 40-45 PSI. When mine did pinch, it wasn't just two tiny snakebite holes- it was a big split in the tube that was nasty enough to make me wonder if I had torn my tire sidewall (I hadn't.) Glueless patches suck, and they're all you can use. Too expensive. | | Similar Products Used: | So many | | Bike Setup: | trials- used this tube in the front tire | | Bottom Line: | The weight was nice while it lasted. I'm back to butyl, and plan on staying here. I'd imagine this tube would be pretty good if you could avoid puncturing it, but once you do you've got to rely on pre-glued patches, which are very unreliable and don't last very long. 3 chilis because they're so light, if you ran them at high PSI they'd be pretty neat. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeremy
a Racer
from Ohio
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Ceasar Creek State Park | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$12.00 | | Purchased At: | Wilmington Bicycle Company | | Strengths: | Light, the lightest!!! | | Weaknesses: | A bit on the pricy side of the tube spectrum. | | Similar Products Used: | Schwinn Superlight tubes | | Bike Setup: | Homegrown (XTR, SID, Sun rims) | | Bottom Line: | These are probably the best tubes for XC racing. Light as they come. I,ve raced on these for two months now and haven't had any problems with them. Adds great acceleration and handling to your rig. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rockohaulic
a
from CA
Date Reviewed: February 21, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Bottom Line: | These tubes are iff at best. Quality control seems to be an issue.
Try Maxxis Flyweight.
The Maxxis are better. They are just as light. They are regular rubber. Hold air better. Don't flat as often. Patch easier. Don't split at the seam. And you don't have to baby them with talcum powder (get it?).
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J
a Racer
from NE
Date Reviewed: February 6, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$12.00 | | Strengths: | Light, durable | | Similar Products Used: | Performance LunarLites, Chin Shin Extra Thin | | Bike Setup: | Velox cloth or Michelin plastic rim strips
Continental ExplorerPro Tires | | Bottom Line: | If you have been biking enough to realize the pressure you need to run your tires at in order NOT to get pinch flats -- these will be a great tube to run. I have ridden on a tube for about 2 years before I got a thorn in it. LunarLites and other lightweight butyls ALL flatted within weeks (split seems, broken valvues, unexplained punctures (not a pinch flat or thorn or rim invoked flat). I was super skeptical about these at first but they seems to be the only tubes that survive after my stock weeds out through the year. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marc Peot
a
from Golden
Date Reviewed: November 25, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | One that goes UP! | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$12.00 | | Purchased At: | Pricepoint | | Strengths: | Light Weight and Reliable. | | Weaknesses: | Other than cost, none. | | Similar Products Used: | Torelli, Specialized. | | Bike Setup: | Racer-X | | Bottom Line: | I have put over 1400 miles on a set of these this year(!)
I run Panaracer Fire XC Pros' at 55 lbs. I'm at max.pressure- maybe that is why I've not had a single failure. I make sure to put a lot of talc in the tire and take great care not to over-tighten the lock ring. I read all the reviews here with failure after failure and can't believe we are using the same product. As to the fact that they leak, I always check my tire pressure before every ride so as to maximize tire life and minimize the chance of failure, due to a pinch flat.
These things are amazing in that they make the tires feel sooo supple -- I'll never go back to butyl. Happy Trails! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marcel Frenk
a Cross Country Rider
from Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Rijk van Nijmegen | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$18.00 | | Purchased At: | Rose Radsport Bocholt (GER) | | Strengths: | The lightest of `m all, holds air better than latex, rides as comfortable as latex | | Weaknesses: | You`d better not use `m on long Alpine downhills with your rimbrakes on. As well as Latex, these tubes are not made to withstand very high temparatures. After one day of Alpine riding in Switzerland I checked them and could see some deformations because of the heat they were exposed to. For safety I changed to Specialized superlight butyl tubes (125 grams, also light), slightly less comfortable but still OK. | | Similar Products Used: | Air-B, Specialized superlight, Pariba Latex | | Bike Setup: | Specialized S-Works FSR-XC framekit, Rond/Magura fork and rimbrakes, lots of Tune stuff, SRAM | | Bottom Line: | The lightes tubes I could find, never had a flat on `m (I always use lots of talcum powder, and sufficiënt tire pressure). They can be repaired, must be clean though, when you buy `m ask for the right repairpads as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Allen Jacobs
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas
Date Reviewed: November 4, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Grapevine N Shore/Cedar Hill | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$16.00 | | Strengths: | Light Weight | | Weaknesses: | flat flat flat. also a little hard to get situated in tire before pumping. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized turbo | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight w. all the best and lightest stuff | | Bottom Line: | I'm averaging a flat per day's riding and it appears to be unrelated to thorns.. looks like seams, but I can't be sure. I'm reading these reviews looking for an alternative. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan Gray
a Cross Country Rider
from Auburn Hills, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: September 20, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | the Grinder | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$15.00 | | Strengths: | Light Weight | | Weaknesses: | Do not let them set out of the box in heat or sun it will weaken them and deform them, leave them in the box until you need to use it. | | Similar Products Used: | Torelli superlights | | Bike Setup: | F3000SL RaceFace, SRAM, Mavic, Conti | | Bottom Line: | These tubes have worked great for me so far. I've had 2 flats all season one on a Torelli superlight and one on a Greenlight, both were pinch flats that would have flatted just about any tube. I've swapped tires many times on the same tubes I just use baby powder in the tire to help the tube move around without pinching. I've raced 4 races with them without a problem. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vernon Lee
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: September 5, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Weight
| | Weaknesses: | Leaks air horrendously
Have to pump up tires b4 every ride | | Bike Setup: | 97 Joshua XO, Spinergies, LX/XTR mix, Speedplay Frog pedals, RS Indy LT, RS Rear Shocks, White cranks, Avid levers, XTR Vs | | Bottom Line: | After the initial fad about their weight, I got tired of them because I had to pump them up b4 every ride (very inconvenient). Other than being quite durable, they are hardly worth their weight savings unless of course, if you are a weight weenie. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Schwinnman
a Cross Country Rider
from Massachusetts,USA
Date Reviewed: August 16, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | light weight | | Weaknesses: | Cost and they leak if not blow out at the seems | | Similar Products Used: | Maxxis flyweight | | Bike Setup: | schwinn s9five race face xtr king/mavic 517's panaracer fire xc pro's | | Bottom Line: | These tubes where great last year, didn't have a blow out till this spring then I purchased tubes this year and have had nothing but blow out after blow out! Figured it had to be something in the tire or a burr on the rim! Nope nothing! So one week later and another greenlite later I decided to see exactly where the leek was! Bingo 3 small breaks in the seam that runs along the rim side so I checked for burrs again! Nothing but I re volex taped the rim anyhow! One week later another dead soldier and big shocker leaks along the same seam! Might wanna check your quality control dept. panaracer! I loved em last year but I switched to the maxxis flyweight since due to this problem! At 12 bucks a pop I'm not up for a one a week blown tube! They are light and fast but only for a week! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from Madison, WI
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Light weight | | Weaknesses: | Can't patch, expensive | | Similar Products Used: | air-b latex, lots of butyl tubes | | Bike Setup: | Mavic 217 rims with specialized team control/master tires and velox rim strips | | Bottom Line: | I have only blown one of these tubes, and that was because some dumb*** wasn't paying attention and went right in front of me. My front tire hit his bike and the tube blew. Otherwise I have not had any problems with them, and I run them at about 45-55psi. They hold air pretty well too, I have to pump them up again every 7-10 days. My only complaint is the price, but I can't complain too much considering how long they have lasted me.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a Cross Country Rider
from Klagenfurt, Austria, Carinthia
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Jew Jump | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | -light
-green | | Weaknesses: | -explode a few minutes after installing....
-very expensive | | Similar Products Used: | -Schwalbe
-Continental
-Michelin
-Specialized | | Bike Setup: | FSR XC; Formula Evoluzione 00; Easton handlebar | | Bottom Line: | DON'T BUY THESE TUBES BECAUSE THEY EXPLODE SOME MINUTES AFTER INSTALLING!!! Their green colour is the only reason why you can buy them....!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Cross Country Rider
from Altamonte Springs, FL
Date Reviewed: June 21, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | light
holds air well | | Weaknesses: | not as light as they claimed (110g to their claimed 90g)
hard to patch | | Similar Products Used: | specialized
cheap butyls | | Bike Setup: | Fisher with SX-Ti and Bonti revolt st tires | | Bottom Line: | I got 2 of these and put them on each wheel. It is a great way to lose rotating wieght. On my 3rd ride I pinched the front one at 50 psi. Even with park gp-2 patches( which are supposed to work on this tube) it was very difficult to get a patch to stay. I am not saying they flat much easier than regular tubes, but when they do, you might as well throw it away. 2 value chilis because they are practiclly disposable. 4 overall becaus they are light. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mike
a
from new jersey
Date Reviewed: May 31, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Lightweight | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | all the usual suspects | | Bottom Line: | I finally got a flat after a year of riding on the same tubes. And I'm blaming it on my new sucky IRC semi-slick tires which don't have any sidewall strength! These tubes are great and I agree with J who did the review before mine. Coat 'em with baby powder, run 50 psi and no worries. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
J
a Racer
from NE
Date Reviewed: May 6, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Light weight | | Bottom Line: | Longest lasting tubes I have EVER owned in 6 years. Bought 2 in Feb 99 and they are still rolling again this season. Coat your tires with some baby powder and run pressures around 50 psi and they will last forever - NO FLATS. I suspect that all the other people who had problems with these tubes ran them at 35 or 40 psi. At those pressures you are just begging for flats no matter what type of tube you are using. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
schwinnintzkyer derab
a Weekend Warrior
from london
Date Reviewed: April 11, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | city | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | flat flat flat | | Similar Products Used: | maxxis there are much better | | Bike Setup: | 18 pound | | Bottom Line: | i can't understand why many peoples for these product give moer than 2 stars this tube is very very very bad( 2flats after 10mi riding on the street
0 stars when possible | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chee Kwang
a Weekend Warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Was skeptical about how much can a 90g tube do! Now I can pop a wheelie higher, my Big Sur appears to have more bounce, too. | | Similar Products Used: | Ordinary tubes | | Bottom Line: | Try this one or any other brands. You can really feel the difference! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James McLellan
a Cross Country Rider
from West Harford CT
Date Reviewed: January 22, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Nepaug | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Light weight @98, thats the name of my game | | Weaknesses: | Leak, slow but sure | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Lights @125 | | Bike Setup: | AMP B4F4 with Hutchinson Python Golds, net 22 lbs 8 oz's | | Bottom Line: | No pinch flats, did experience steady slow leak week to week of about 5 lbs, not a problem during rides, just check presures before each ride. Combined with the Python's, a super combination. Running at 30 lbs for supper grip and soft ride on the AMP.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
T.R.
a Cross-Country Rider
from Germany
Date Reviewed: January 7, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
These Tubes are lightweight, mine weight about 94 gr. For this weight you got a reliable tube, it's durable and performs well. I got one flat on the first ride, but I rode with low air pressure. After riding with high pressure 3,5 bar, I did not get a pinching flat till this time. | | Weaknesses: |
You can't fix the tube with the parktool patch for a long time, after 3 months of riding the tube, which had lost air the first ride, lost air a second time. After controlling the tube, I recognized that the parktool glueless patch peeled off the tube.
Moreover the price is very expensive, for a tube that you can't fix reliable. | | Similar Products Used: |
Schwalbe Extralight Tubes, it weights 130 gr and performs well. Did not get much flats in 4 years of using them. | | Bike Setup: |
Ti - Hardtail with 98 er SID. | | Bottom Line: | I like the ride with this tubes, with the right air pressure they perfom well and I did not have problems with flats. I dislike, that you can't fix the tubes with the glueless patches. I recommend you to buy a new one, if you flat this tube. Use the patches only for short time and replace the tube soon. Therefore I give three stars. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from Victoria, BC
Date Reviewed: January 6, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
Light | | Weaknesses: |
patching | | Similar Products Used: |
specialized ultalight tube | | Bike Setup: |
Cannondale F2000SL, Proflex 957 | | Bottom Line: | These tubes are a great why to save wieght, you just have to accept there limitations.
1. They do loose air faster than butyls
2. They are hard to patch(park glues will temporarily for pinches and permenently for pucntures on the tops.
3. Good stiff rim strips like michelin are necessary
4. They do die after a year or so.
5. Overall I love them. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross-Country Rider
from Traverse, Michigan
Date Reviewed: November 11, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Vasa, north country | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Very Lightweight | | Weaknesses: |
lose a little air over a few weeks | | Similar Products Used: |
Torrelli | | Bike Setup: |
Klein Attitude, Sid xc | | Bottom Line: | A great very lightweight tube, I run about 45 psi in some Michelin Comp S and have not had a flat all year long, and I ride about five times a week. Over the course of about 2 weeks they lose about 5 psi or so, but the lightweight is well worth it. The biggest recomendation is have some high quality rim strips installed, I'm using the ones tha |
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$ 15.00
