Inner Tubes | The full guide

[@ViperXtreme]

Been using TPU for a while now and they are the best for me. Not going back to tubeless, the hassle far outweigh their advantages in my opinion and only really use them on certain situations. Also, TPUs are very repairable and i think it's much better than butyl in that regard. Im using ridenow TPU repair kit and it includes a glue that is the same glue that is being used on butyl, self adhesive TPU repair kits are the ones that has issues.

[@richardmulligan2540]

I’ve use them too but yeah the self adhesive ones I’ve had no luck with…I’ll try the patch with a little glue next time and see how that goes

[@virkelie2]

You convinced me to stick with butyl inner tubes.

[@fede1275]

Nice analysis, for me TPU all the way!!

[@michel0731]

Great overview! I've been using Ridenow TPU's as well as Cyclami from AliExpress for the last 6 moths. So far, I've been very happy with either brand. Installation on a new tire is a bit tricky. Therefore, I usually install a butyl tube first, pump it up until the wheel "pops". Then open up one side, remove the buty tube and replace it with the TPU. On the road obviously that's no issue. Other than that, I found that the air loss is slightly more as you point out. Ridenow keep the air better than Cyclami TPU's. However, either are fine to me as well, since I also pump my bike before riding it.

[@geo3802]

been running TPU now for a while with no issues. Didn't go with the cheapest but still less expensive that latex. If you aren't going tubeless, he really makes a good argument for TPU rather than latex.

[@herminio001]

Where I live, it's very rural, and it has Mesquite trees with 1 inch thorns that grow along the side of the road, so flats is commom. It's kind of funny. I don't remember seeing anything in the road, but I still get flats. That's why tubeless is a life saver on my gravel and mountain bikes. I only wish the technology for road tires is more robust and successful against flats.

[@davemolino-hn6rp]

Hi good video I ride everyday 30mile 8000 miles a year I have a BMC roadmachine all road e bike which is used all year round Tyres Schwalbe marathon+ with slime tubes So to my and you points and why I use this set up Yes 1.5 kg penalty No punctures at all for 5 years Do not carry any inner tubes tools Or pump Which off sets the weight penalty As for rolling resistance not much in it And I keep up with lighter bikes quite well So no puncture vs weight No punctures any day

[@theunknownone5663]

I do regular inner tube with sealant. It is more weight. Tubeless is way to messy. I don't enjoy having to fix a flat during summer when its 90 outcast.

[@garfishsmith9037]

How does a tube affect rolling resistance? As it doesn't touch the road.Not talking about rotational inertia due to the weight BTW.

[@cyclingunboxed]

I am not certain on this so happy to be corrected. but I believe it’s because the tube also has to move and flex with the road as it is pressed up hard against the tyre. Not only that, they’re can be frictional losses between the tube and tyre on the inside of the tyre. I hope that explains a bit more.

[@garfishsmith9037]

@@cyclingunboxed thanks for that reply, so does the tube affect rolling resistance by being more or less flexible. If its less flexible theoretically the Tyre would sink less into any imperfections in the road, and be faster or not.? I am just making this up, as I don't know so I am questioning a blanket statement about rolling resistance, has anyone actually measured this? I know it doesn't really matter,but there was a claim made without any reference. Cheers, maybe someone can point to a test

[@cyclingunboxed]

It’s more to do with the rebound rate of the elasticity of the tube. The faster it returns to its normal shape the better. It’s imperceptible to us In our hands but when happening 1000s of times a second over micro bumps on the road surface it adds up. In the links in my description you have the tested rolling resistance of all the tubes. Then I also have a podcast which takes a much deeper dive into to it linked as well. Hysteresis episode.

[@garfishsmith9037]

@@cyclingunboxed thanks for the reply , cheers

[@razorree]

2 Ridenow tubes exploded on my bike ! one during an ascent (I'd be on hospital for long if it happens on a descent), another one while I was sitting nearby and drinking a beer (there was no sun!). there are some weaker spots at tube joints which expand/get thinner, especially there are weaker spots close to the valve, on third ridenow tube i can see those spots very thin !! no probs with Tubolito though.

[@cyclingunboxed]

I know some batches can be quite poor with ride now but I do believe they are getting better. On one of my bikes I am over 7000km now with one of my pairs. Unfortunately it does seem a bit down to pick whether you get a good or bad pair.

[@playandteach]

If Latex or TPU does puncture, do they behave the same way that a butyl puncture would? No difference in blow out, more sudden deflation etc.? I have also heard that TPU feeds buzz to the hands more - any truth in that? And lastly, what is the best TPU compromise make for value / reliability? Lastly, where do you buy your Ride Now TPUs, I can't see them anywhere in the UK for anything close to that price?

[@cyclingunboxed]

Good questions! Yes they do behave very similarly when you puncture. The air loss speed is like butyl. Just depends on how big of a hole is made. I can’t say I personally have had a higher level of buzz/ vibration through the bars with tpu. Most of my friends now run TPU and none of them have reported it. Personally I have felt way more difference in tyre widths for vibration than the tpu inner tube. I am more than happy recommending the RideNow. Over the last year the reliability has gone up a lot. If they are a dud, they go down slowly over night like in the video and usually 1 in 10 at the most. The thinner 19g ones I find are less reliable so I always buy the 34g tubes. (+ they fit more tyre widths) As for buying, don’t be afraid of Ali express. The only downside is that they can take 2-4 weeks to arrive so it’s more of a buy ahead of time thing. This link should sort you out: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005531607940.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.4e501e9faUYqJj&browser_id=81a933265ef64df1979a48c9c94e9e07&aff_trace_key=8d54166c66d44641a92f530683c324fe-1724618662776-01196-UneMJZVf&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=rpihvzitcazhgtbv1918fe51f731d3319392913ef1&gclid=&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21GBP%214.73%214.73%21%21%2143.16%2143.16%21%40210385db17246960433642669efb3f%2112000033436624142%21sea%21UK%213860611378%21X&algo_pvid=5ce575db-2c05-4205-b20d-1acc7db7334a

[@playandteach]

Thanks for the help. Ordering some now. It looks like there is an upgraded valve version but it seems limited to 1 per customer at the moment. Upside is that the old stock is even cheaper.

[@herminio001]

My experience with TPU tubes is not very good. In the last six months, 6 of them failed on me since I started using them in December. 4 if them due to punctures and 2 of them leaking at the valves. I haven't been successful in repairing them, and I they are not reliable in my experience. I'll stick to tubless on my mountain and gravel bike and butyl rubber for my road bike and keep TPU as spares since they don't take a lot of space, but once I get back home, I'll put back the butyl rubber tube once it gets patched.

[@cyclingunboxed]

I think tubless suits gravel and MTB better just like you ride and then yes, they work well as spares. For road, for me they seem to be the superior tube. As far as I am concerned, once something has gone through the tyre, no inner tube stands much of a chance. That being said, I have run a pair on my main road bike for 6000km now without punctures or problems

[@Arsenalcycling]

Tubular was goated

[@ShawnIsBatman]

Latex tubes for me (Silca) with TPU tubes for spares. I hesitate to run the TPU as my primary tubes given some previous issues w/quality control. I am sure that will (and has changed) as the tech and companies mature.

[@cyclingunboxed]

I believe the silca tubes are just Vitoria tubes but rebranded? I do like that little speed shield that comes with it. I do like the set up that you are running. Fast with good back ups.

[@TheBigCheeese85]

what brand have you used that you feel have quality control issues?

[@cyclingunboxed]

Ride now. For me it has been 1 in 12 so far. And had a few comments on older videos saying the same things. Same goes with cyclmi. But that 1 in 12ish is still more than worth the money for me

[@ColourRevolution666]

What you fail to say is diference between tyres setup. 25mm gp5000 clincher weights 215 gramms(lighter) Tire Thickness Center 2.8 mm (will last longer) they also cost about 10 bucks less. 25mm gp5000 s tubeless weights 250 gramms(heavier) Tire Thickness Center 2.3 mm(will last less) you need extra valve where a good one costs as much as whole latex tube. Also the difference of the material in colder temperatures, where TPU will be stiffer when it gets cold while latex doesnt change much. You can use regular patches to fix latex, so no need to carry extra spare tube.

[@cyclingunboxed]

These are all valid points! Thank you

[@claudiosamuelmachadoazeved1775]

Have been using tpu inner tubes and love the feel and ride advantages. I don't recommend Chinese brands and plastic stems. I had a flat in my Pirelli tpu and placed my Chinese brand to tryout but the stem broke on both. Had to phone the misses to pick me up

[@benschuttenbeld]

Thanks for the comparison. But what about comfort? I ride my roadbike tubeless because of the lower tire pressure it allows. Can the same low tire pressure be used with TPU and Latex inner tubes? Or do these need the same higher tire pressure as butyl tubes?

[@cyclingunboxed]

The TPU have a fairly supple ride. More similar to latex and tubless than they are butyl. You of course can run any set up with lower pressure for comfort but these I find are less susceptible to pinch flats when running softer than butyl and latex. I think it’s because there is less material to pinch?

[@s.j.5850]

How can any inner tube be faster or have less rolling resistance when the tube is inside of the tire which is in contact with the road? The tire is the interface with the road primarily so how does the tube effect friction?

[@cyclingunboxed]

I am not fully certain on this so happy to be corrected or adjusted on my explanation. It’s not about friction but losses occurred by the tyre and inner tube deforming. I believe it’s because the tube also has to move and flex with the road as it is pressed up hard against the tyre. Not only that, they’re can be frictional losses between the tube and tyre on the inside of the tyre. It’s more to do with the rebound rate of the elasticity of the tube. The faster it returns to its normal shape the better. It’s imperceptible to us In our hands but when happening 1000s of times a second over micro bumps on the road surface it adds up. In the links in my description you have the tested rolling resistance of all the tubes. Then I also have a podcast which takes a much deeper dive into to it linked as well. Hysteresis episode. I hope that explains a bit more.

[@s.j.5850]

@@cyclingunboxed I appreciate your response. Sometimes the popular wisdom regard cycling is nitpicking over miniscule differences such as weight. Unless you are a racer those differences are minor. The joy of riding does not come from the lightest bike. The emphasis on weight saving is for a small percentage of riders who are willing to pay extra for that fraction of time that they gain.

[@wimpie031]

⁠@@s.j.5850I agree partially about weight savings for us normal riders. Spending ridiculous amounts for just a few grams here and there is, imho, not worth it. That said, I personally run PTU inner tubes (cyclami) as well when I needed to replace them and for the same cost as regular butyl tubes it was just over 300 gram weight saving for me. That’s with having a spare with me as well. Easiest bang for buck and less room taking up in my toolbaggie.

[@RylHango]

@@s.j.5850 the difference is not minor, you have to try 20g inner tubes, they are so incredibly fast due to much lower moment of inertia, *a light weight tpu tube will save more effort than any other weight upgrade*. Also rolling resistance has nothing to do with friction, it's a funtion of non-elastic effects; that is, the difference in energy needed for deformation of the wheel recovered when the pressure is removed

[@JamesMcKinven]

Hey mate! Love your vids. Random Q, somewhat not related to this vid. I think I remember seeing you do a cycling brands tier list? I remember enjoying it and wanted to go back as I buy my new summer kit (you’ve tried so many brands!) but I noticed I can’t find it on your channel. Assuming you might have taken it down for reasons but wondered if you could share your top few brands (or share the vid privately)?

[@cyclingunboxed]

It’s the first video I have had to take down. It was just too controversial. I can share the vid privately still though if you would like. If you message me on Instagram so your email remains private: @jasons_cyclingunboxed

[@JamesMcKinven]

@@cyclingunboxed Jason that's too kind of you! Have sent message on IG.

[@airgee878]

I'm surprised you somewhat think latex is less puncture resistant than the other options. My experience on large-ish all-road-sized tires (>=32mm) with corresponding pressure is that latex is more puncture resistant than TPU or butyl.

[@cyclingunboxed]

My personal view is that once something has gone through the tyre. It doesn’t matter the set up you are probably going to puncture. It’s just generally said that latex is less puncture resistant. From my experience it felt like I had more punctures back in the 23/25c days. I still prefer the tpu for myself for the weight and how many you can carry as spares. I haven’t used latex on a tyre that wide yet. All my bike I have a 28 which blows out to 30 on my wheels

[@TheraPi]

Anything but tubeless. Tubeless tires are stiffer than non-tubeless + TPU tubes combined. Same for the latex. Butyl tubes on the training wheels. Not to mention the messy sealant

[@cyclingunboxed]

I think it has its uses. As i said in the video, it’s as fast a set up for latex and for racing it at least has a chance of sealing if it punctures so it doesn’t impact your race. That’s why i run it for triathlon and time trial

[@nadsim154]

The quality of the Ridenow tpu tubes is still suspect. You can get some that work pretty well for some time, but they can still pop at any time even with no damage to the tyre and the price to pay may vary...

[@cyclingunboxed]

They do still have some dud tubes here and there. I do believe they are getting better. The randomness of them popping in not so sure about. I get a lot of comments on my inner tube videos and if they are going to go, you tent to know in the first week. I have 7000km on a pair of ride nows on my road bike. Madness no punctures in that time! I agree, the prices do vary but they are all very close to £5 a tube.

[@richardwhalen4624]

Well done!

[@TheWitness4444]

We love latex in this house. Fast and comfy? Yes pls

[@oliverskinner8962]

Have you tried going raw ? A bit messy but removes the need for latex, however you might run into problems 9 months later 😂

[@rayF4rio]

Unless you have recycling company which you can guarantee actually recycles plastic, there is very high chance it's just be sold to some third world country as waste.

[@cyclingunboxed]

True but I think it’s the case with most “recyclable” stuff isn’t it.

[@rayF4rio]

@@cyclingunboxed absolutely.

[@simonwarmer8777]

Latex, Vittoria

[@oOoACFREEMANoOo]

TPU Race Butyl Butyl-> good in heat hot cars Latex Tubular Tubeless

[@raulfernandezperez73]

problem with TPU its durability, if u snake bite one, you are done, its trash for the bin, yes lighter and feel are way better, that's, butyl its all year long usage, latex too much faff, u get a flat ur done, and u have to re-pump them way too often.

[@NathanBradley-w1z]

Why would you clean tubeless tires of sealant, when the very purpose of sealant is to seal the tire? Just run dry, take a tube, or a small bottle and attend to a puncture when it happens, instead of having that crap flying everywhere.

[@cyclingunboxed]

With the tubless sealant running dry, it will solidify against the wall of the tyre. you can just put more sealant in but it gives the sealant somewhere to coagulate so it reduces the lifespan of your sealant, meaning so you will have to add more over time. Building up a thicker and thicker layer, it will change the properties, rolling resistance and balance of the tyre. (If you don’t clean the old stuff out) I don’t really understand the second half of your comment, please could you clarify that further for Me?

[@NathanBradley-w1z]

@@cyclingunboxed I think the effect you'd feel in rolling resistance is not even worth raising. I find it laughable that people are acting like they are on a pro tour when it comes to this stuff. Just get out and ride your bike. I ride tubeless, because I love the ride feel and the very point of tubeless is to seal the tire, as there is not a purely sealed tubeless tire on market. So I wont be removing old stuff, when that is its purpose, Initially I install the new tires with sealant for a couple of weeks and than suck out the old stuff when the tire starts to hold pressure (to my satisfaction). I pump up quickly before every ride anyway. I dont ride with sealant in my tires. I carry a bottle and fix the tire on the spot and pool over the hole to be repaired, facing the ground. I let gravity do the work. Never an issue.

[@cyclingunboxed]

Interesting way of doing it but if it works it works. For me I like tubless on my TT bike. I think for those situations RR does matter even if you aren’t a pro, when you physically can’t push anymore watts. For most people though I understand what you mean RR doesn’t matter as much.

[@NathanBradley-w1z]

Yeah that method works well for me. Gets me home for the patch job haha. Dont get me wrong, I love a good tire. My point is, the rolling resistance we're probably talking about (at identical pressures) is minuscule. If anything tire pressure is king and I think that is where you make significant gain.

[@cyclingunboxed]

Tyre pressure is the cheapest of all upgrades isn’t it. It’s part of my essentials list on my TT bike upgrades vid.

[@StopTheRot]

2 x random blow outs with Latex for me. Never again.

[@cyclingunboxed]

Not good. Do you remember the brand you were using?

[@alwynbo]

Nice YouTUBE video 🤦🏻 Found TPU tubes slightly harder to fit and kept pinching, but recently made the tubeless switch. Haven’t had to take the tyre off yet so will see how it goes…

[@jeremyemilio9378]

You forgot solid tyres😅😂

[@cyclingunboxed]

This is true! I’m surprised no one else has mentioned this. I totally forgot them.

[@paulas2610]

You and talking negatively about butyl tubes in relation to their weight and size as if there is only one type of butyl tube. For a road bike wheel, there would be a massive difference between a cheap butyl tube and an ultra lightweight branded tube. Ultralightweight butyl tubes have a very small and no low rotational mass. A Schwalbe 700c ultralight butyl tube weighs a mere 70g. Spread this weight over the full area of the rim and you are talking about a very small amount of added weight to the rotating mass. If you want to lose weight and therefore have less rotating mass, you’d be better seeking this from lightweight tyres and more importantly, lightweight rims. To improve ride quality, lower rolling resistance, there are more gains to be made from rim type, tyre type and tyre pressures, not tubes.