Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

TPU tubes

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 53 Posts

masterofnone

· Registered
Joined
·
1,330 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
Am I one of the few that has tried tpu tubes and given up? I was an early adopter of tubeless way back when Stan's rimstrips were the only game in town. The past year or so I have shifted to wanting to changing tires at last minute to suit trail conditions, and tubeless hampers this, so I tried lighter tpu tubes for their lighter weight and ease.

Every tpu tube (all reputable brands) on every bike from my fatbike to the roadie and everything in between has failed. Admittedly the first one or two was from pinching during installation, but even following recommended manufacturer advice to the letter and being super careful, every single one has failed either right out the box, or the next day after a ride. Mysterious micro holes in every one. And I put just a tiny bit of air in them outside the tire to hold a little shape, they don't tolerate stretching at all. My theory is the material may be more puncture resistant than other tubes, but they cannot stretch. I even sized up to plus size in a 2.5 tire to prevent any stretching, but it still failed after a day or two, mysterious micro holes.

I cleaned the sealant boogers out of the tires and rims and checked carefully for tiny sharps.

I finally went back to butyl tubes and have not had a single failure yet, even using a few older tubes that had multiple patches from the past. I'm spoiled now from riding tubeless so long, I hate the wooden feel of butyl tubes. Waaay back when I started riding I was riding latex tubes, but for mtbs they are almost nonexistent anymore.

I've been riding bikes again for almost 30 years now and have installed countless tubes, I could be wrong but i doubt my techniques are to blame.
Has anyone else experienced such a failure rate of tpu's?
 
#2 ·
I tried them. I run sealant in my tubes (Rene Herse Extralights are known to be hard to go tubeless). But the sealnt didn't stick to the tubes, it came off inside (transparent RH tubes). I'm going to try Michelin Latex tubes for lightweight flexy tubes, and hope the foaming Cafelatex sealant will stop the Latex leakdown problem. Vitorrio Latex tubes both failed first day. The stem joint came unglued. So second attempt with this approach. The Michelins come in Schrader valve. I tried to find a leak in a TPU , and when I inflated the tube looking for the hole it permanently stretched out of shape in just one place. Not much luck so far with the lightweight tubes.
 
#3 ·
masterofnone said:
Am I one of the few that has tried tpu tubes and given up? I was an early adopter of tubeless way back when Stan's rimstrips were the only game in town. The past year or so I have shifted to wanting to changing tires at last minute to suit trail conditions, and tubeless hampers this, so I tried lighter tpu tubes for their lighter weight and ease.

Every tpu tube (all reputable brands) on every bike from my fatbike to the roadie and everything in between has failed. Admittedly the first one or two was from pinching during installation, but even following recommended manufacturer advice to the letter and being super careful, every single one has failed either right out the box, or the next day after a ride. Mysterious micro holes in every one. And I put just a tiny bit of air in them outside the tire to hold a little shape, they don't tolerate stretching at all. My theory is the material may be more puncture resistant than other tubes, but they cannot stretch. I even sized up to plus size in a 2.5 tire to prevent any stretching, but it still failed after a day or two, mysterious micro holes.

I cleaned the sealant boogers out of the tires and rims and checked carefully for tiny sharps.

I finally went back to butyl tubes and have not had a single failure yet, even using a few older tubes that had multiple patches from the past. I'm spoiled now from riding tubeless so long, I hate the wooden feel of butyl tubes. Waaay back when I started riding I was riding latex tubes, but for mtbs they are almost nonexistent anymore.

I've been riding bikes again for almost 30 years now and have installed countless tubes, I could be wrong but i doubt my techniques are to blame.
Has anyone else experienced such a failure rate of tpu's?
Click to expand...
Road riding for fitness now, and because Topanga State Park is still bordered by National Guard since the Palisades Fire. Most of the speedy endurance riders run TPU. Too expensive in legit brands, but over the past month I’ve tried generic, RideNow, and Innova.

There is a construction constraint common to all. A circling second layer is used as a seam to join the ends. That seam is constricting and hernias the edges.
The sizing needs to be just below that of the tire or the tube will fail.

For your application of changing tires, I think TPU is too fragile. Not great as a spare either, fixing on a trail there will be some trouble or another puncture which can’t be repaired like butyl.

However, it looks like the Innova are better. They make disc golf frisbees too. And my road tires at 28mm have been reliable with rim brakes and TPU. Two blowouts with because the generics were over stretched, rated 18-30c but 28c is a “stretch”

The Innova seem slightly thicker.
The weight saving is massive, the rolling resistance reminiscent of tubeless with its resonance.

Butyl and Tubeless for my mountain bikes tho.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
I did figure out that when they state the size range, the upper limit is really pushing it. The plastic material cannot stretch, even what we would consider minimal. As I had said earlier I tried a plus tube in my 2.5's, the "plus" size supposedly up to probably 3". I did the same, just a wisp of air, it shouldn't have stretched much at all in that tire. That day it was running perfect, no leaks, I thought I had finally figured it out. When I put the bike away, still perfect. The next day, dead flat, wouldn't even inflate at all. That was the last nail in the coffin.

I would even consider trying latex tubes again to get the smooth ride feel similar to tubeless again, but there just aren't any mtb tubes bigger than 2.1 to 2.3. I don't care about the daily leak down so much since I usually check the pressure before each ride anyway, but I wouldn't trust stretching them too much in a bigger tire.

Does anybody remember way back there was a semi tubeless tire, a tire mated permanently to a half of a tube? Kinda like a tubular without the specific rim and tape clusterf#@k. Sealant in an easy swappable tire/tube sounds like it would be a win win, repairable trailside with a plug.
 
#5 ·
Never used on a MTB, but I do have ride now tpu tubes on my commuter bike for 2 years (28 x 35c).

My transition is seamless.
  • The wheels are lighter
  • Puncture resistance is on pair, only one puncture in two years.

I do have barbieri 29 x 2.4 compatible one, but unfortunately I have never used it. I keep it in the backpack, just in case, if tubeless setup fails on longer rides.
 
#6 ·
I own several TPU tubes from Pirelli and Tubolito. I bought them as lightweight and compact spares to carry on rides and in races (mtb and gravel sizes).

All but one of them has failed even though they have never been inside a tire…. I’m fairly careful with them - I carry them inside my downtube, in a pocket etc. They aren’t strapped to my frame in the mud for years.

All of them developed several tiny holes along the edges where the tube is flattened and folded. Like, the way they’re packaged from factory. It’s not like they had holes worn in from friction.

I was able to patch the ones with the least holes and now store them with a couple pounds of pressure to keep them round. This is kinda ridiculous and I would not recommend them anymore.
 
#8 ·
maxtorque said:
There is a construction constraint common to all. A circling second layer is used as a seam to join the ends. That seam is constricting and hernias the edges.
The sizing needs to be just below that of the tire or the tube will fail.
Click to expand...
I recently picked up a classic Motobecane road bike for a lark (about 1/3 the price of a nice new MTB hub) and it gives me two thoughts about this. One is, I could try TPU's with this bike, because it definitely needs tubes and it could use some weight off. Premium 27" tire options are slim to none. The other is, how soon til one of these TPU makers remembers about long triangles (like pointed lugs) for spreading out strain?
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#9 ·
Rne Herse sells their 27.5 TPU tubes for their 26" tires. Seemed to fit OK. The Michelin Aircomp Latex comes in 559x47-60mm- my size, and Schrader. So I'm waiting for them. RH sells a flat repair kit for TPU. But I destroyed the tube trying to find the leak (I'm a retired truck mechanic), I might have been a little heavy handed. or just didn't care if it was such a PITA to fix a leak. Waiting for Latex tubes from the UK.

Mtb Bicycle Inner Tubes | MICHELIN Mtb Bicycle USA

Ride with confidence on any terrain with Michelin's MTB bicycle tubes. Find the right tubes for your mountain biking needs on the Michelin website.
www.michelinman.com www.michelinman.com
 
#10 ·
I haven't ridden TPU tubes, but I have fit a few at the shop and they at least held air long enough of the customers to pick up their bikes and not come back within a few days complaining of flat tires. Yeah, I know, that's not much help...

If you're running butyl tubes, try to get some lightweight tubes. Maybe even size down in diameter. Before tubeless, I often ran lightweight tubes (for like 20 years) without issue. I even ran 26" tubes in 29" tires when 29" was new, because light 29" tubes didn't exist yet. Perhaps this will help regain some tire compliance.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
PlanB said:
I own several TPU tubes from Pirelli and Tubolito. I bought them as lightweight and compact spares to carry on rides and in races (mtb and gravel sizes).

All but one of them has failed even though they have never been inside a tire…. I’m fairly careful with them - I carry them inside my downtube, in a pocket etc. They aren’t strapped to my frame in the mud for years.

All of them developed several tiny holes along the edges where the tube is flattened and folded. Like, the way they’re packaged from factory. It’s not like they had holes worn in from friction.

I was able to patch the ones with the least holes and now store them with a couple pounds of pressure to keep them round. This is kinda ridiculous and I would not recommend them anymore.
Click to expand...
Ya, it's baffling how some people rave about them and then there's stories like this. I don't get it.

If I could trust running tubeless without sealant indefinitely I would go back, like the early UST standard, but lighter tires and rims. I've read they were heavy as hell. Then we could fix punctures with plugs and rubber cement like in automotive.
 
#13 ·
masterofnone said:
Ya, it's baffling how some people rave about them and then there's stories like this. I don't get it.

If I could trust running tubeless without sealant indefinitely I would go back, like the early UST standard, but lighter tires and rims. I've read they were heavy as hell. Then we could fix punctures with plugs and rubber cement like in automotive.
Click to expand...
Here is the idea of gluing a split tube to the tire - https://www.mtbr.com/threads/burp-proof-ghetto-tubeless.1096738/
 
#14 ·
Polk said:
If you're running butyl tubes... Maybe even size down in diameter.
Click to expand...
No, don't recommend that. An undersized tube has to herniate like a balloon animal to fill the space and if punctured might pop, leaving it with a rip a few inches long you can't patch. And patches on a too-small tube make the same problem in more locations and don't hold up. BTDT DAMHIK

William P said:
That seems to be 630mm in ERTRO system. Schwalbe NA has a couple of Marathon touring tires in 27x1 1/4. 32x630.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but they're not exactly GP5000's, are they? 670 grams for ostensibly a road bike tire. Heavy duty. Not gonna talk about that in a thread about ultralight tubes, I think. Most of the rest are "keep it running" quality not "make it fast & light." There are now very few 27" that are lightweight casings or folders. Panaracer Paselas are nice and by far the most popular, coming in around 300g depending on model and size. The other best options are all from Continental.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#16 · (Edited)
I've have installed for someone a 20x1.9-2.5" for a foldable bike as well as a 29x1.9-2.5" from RideNow. The 29" has Vittoria Mezcal 29x2.6" and these are true 2.6" tires. That person does not ride too often, but after a year they still hold up. It might not hold the air as well as butyl, but im not sure. The only thing i might be worried about is heat. The foldable bike is in a car and in the summer it can get kinda hot in cars, but so far no issues. At the end everything can fail. Personally i will stick with tubeless, unless there is a good reason not to. I think butyl is fine for bikes that you only use very occasionally, or bikes that you leave outside in the sun.
 
#17 · (Edited)
William P said:
When was the last time anybody actually raced on that size wheels?
Click to expand...
Oh, never. People raced on tubulars. I'm not advocating anyone ought to make modern tires this size. There are no modern rims. It's niche now and getting niche-er. This thread is about tubes. But threads drift...
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
Discussion starter · #18 ·
maxtorque said:
Here is the idea of gluing a split tube to the tire - https://www.mtbr.com/threads/burp-proof-ghetto-tubeless.1096738/
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I completely forgot about ghetto tubeless. In fact I probably still have a box of unused Fatty stripper latex rimstrips. I used them on the fatbike with great success, they would seal even without sealant. The latex would bond to the tire and peel off as one. Sometimes they would tear when removing, but they are cheap enough to just stretch a new one on. On a fatbike at low pressures they were fine, I don't know how they will perform on 2.5's under hard cornering and hard hits. I think I will look into these again, worst comes to worst I'll put a tube in again trailside if needed.
 
#19 ·
Darth Lefty said:
I recently picked up a classic Motobecane road bike for a lark (about 1/3 the price of a nice new MTB hub) and it gives me two thoughts about this. One is, I could try TPU's with this bike, because it definitely needs tubes and it could use some weight off. Premium 27" tire options are slim to none. The other is, how soon til one of these TPU makers remembers about long triangles (like pointed lugs) for spreading out strain?
Click to expand...
Interesting thought on the triangles. Something needs to be done because the constricting band is also a trouble with expensive name brand tubes.

These things barely stretch and I really don't see it working in a 27" wheel unfortunately.

27" wheels roll really well off road with a 27x1 1/4 tire.

But long reach brakes and 700c with big tires is likely the sensible route if TPU is needed . . . Maybe just enjoy the challenge of riding the Motobecane as is?
 
#20 ·
masterofnone said:
Has anyone else experienced such a failure rate of tpu's?
Click to expand...
I run tubeless and carry a thick rubber tube as a spare. However, I have friends that carried those tubes that look like they belong on your kid's tricycle. I've NEVER seen one work out for an entire ride. I can think of three incidents where I ended up needing to donate my own spare tube to get them back to the trucks.
 
1 - 20 of 53 Posts
About this Discussion
52 Replies
17 Participants
Last post:
William P
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
posts
16M
members
534K
Since
1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion Downhill - Freeride California - Norcal Shocks and Suspension Passion