I’ve had a tubolito tube for about 5 years that I use as a backup for MTB and gravel. It’s never been deployed and I figure it’s probably time to get a new one just in case. I am planning to test it later today just to see if it’s still solid, but I’d like to have a second tube anyway and some of my events probably warrant having a couple tubes on board any way. Any experience with how long these things last when stored on the bike? My tubolito is still in it’s original plastic storage bag, but has enduraced 10’s of thousands of miles of vibration, etc..
It looks like there are some cheap tpu options out there these days, but figured I’d spend a few extra bucks to get a known brand. Any suggestions on TPU brands? I’m considering another Tubolito, WTB, and Biketube (which has an option for longer stem).
I have some of the Tubolitos, Ridenow and recently picked up some Silca TPU Tubes for my gravel bike. I have only had to use Tubolitos and they both ended up going flat (one during the race) and the other the next morning after the race. The Silca TPU Tubes seem significantly nicer than the Tubolitos and Ridenow based on material but are more expensive. For me it is worth paying a little extra to make sure they work.
Side note the reason I got the Silca tubes for my gravel bike is a realized with the Zipp 303 XPLR SW wheelset that my current tpu tube valves might not be long enough. The Silca TPU Tubes have metal valves (also nicer) and I picked up on amazon some valve extenders that screw into the valve core to make sure they are long enough. That would be very frustrating to flat and have a tube only to find out you cannot fill it up.
Edit: I forgot the reason I got the valve extenders is that the Silca TPU Tubes were only available with the 50 valve stems
I carry a TPU tube for backup on my gravel bike. I’m not sure how effective it will be. Maybe to get me back to where I started is what I’m hoping. The issue I see with tubeless is ; the tire is collecting glass, wire and other things. The sealant takes care of that most times. When you put a tube in , those nasty things are still imbedded in the tire. They may not be visable. Feeling for them in a slimy tire is a bit of a hit or miss. I’m wondering if a std tube might be better?
It’s been hit or miss for me with RideNow. Some have been fine and others had small leaks straight out of the box. I bought some Conti TPUs and they’re definitely nicer quality. Expensive though. But I haven’t been prone to flats. I keep the rideNow I still have as my spares.
Yep, I find that to be a problem even with standard tubes. There is one place I ride/race that has so many of those little stickers that your tires are instantly ruined for running anything but tubeless. There can be hundreds of sharp spots sticking through the tire, really no way to fix it. I just have tires set aside special for that location and don’t even bother carrying a spare tube.
I did go ahead and install my 5+ year old tubolito on my gravel bike yesterday just to test it. Pumped it up to ~30psi (much higher than I run) and it held air fine for a couple hours. Not the same test as hard riding, but it worked. I’m still going to get a fresh tube and carry both at Unbound next week, but good to know that they last a while. From what I’ve read, the main thing that damages the tubes over time is when the edges rub through if thrown in a saddle bag (constant rubbing/vibration). I’ve always had mine in the original plastic bag, so maybe that helped prevent wear.
I think that’s the tricky question on all these TPU tubes. I think most people are just using them as lightweight/small emergency tubes for gravel/mtb, not being run for normal use. So, they really don’t get tested beyond making it home from a ride or finishing a race. I hope I don’t have to run that test. I did a little digging and it seems that it’s pretty common for these things to work for a while and then fail pretty quick. But if you are counting on it to get you home, that’s concerning when you don’t know if it’s going to last 1 mile or 100+ miles.
I would replace those Tubolito’s for Unbound and have a fresh set of TPU tubes…and maybe not Tubolitos as I have had bad luck with them.
I have only had to use a tube twice in the last 5 years and it was when I flatted in LT100 on Powerline Outbound. Put in a Tubolito and it got me to Columbine Climb and was losing air and completely flat by mid goat trail. Put a second Tubolito in which got me to the finish but the next morning the tire was completely flat. I don’t have a lot of faith in Tubolito’s after that experience.
Funny, I was also wondering how well/long tpu spares hold up when I was picking through my saddle bag last week. I did a 6mo stint with tpu in 2024 and while I was initially impressed started having more and more problems with them puncturing. I went back to tubeless and relegated a fresh one to my saddle bag. I sure hope if/when I need it I don’t find it already bad.
The only time I’ve installed a TPU tube was last year when I had to put in a Tubolito at the Austin Rattler. Filled it with a co2 cartridge and 10 minutes later it was going flat, leaking from the interface between the valve stem and the tube. Filled it again and barely finished the second lap without walking it home.
Maybe I got too handsy replacing it in a race and did some damage, but I wasn’t impressed with the durability. This tube was a race specific spare, this was maybe the 3rd time I’d carried it.
I bought a couple of Silca TPU, but haven’t needed to use one yet.
Both. They would just lose a significant amount of air overnight like 20+ psi so after a few days would be almost flat. And during rides they’d lose 10+ psi over the course of a 2-3 hour ride. So they likely had some small leak.
My continental TPU has been solid. Losing little air.
That is strange… i have 2 ridenow TPU fitted … one for 3 months … very little air loss, one for a week, so far so good. I have not yet used on the road, but by golly those pink valve stems make me feel fast on the turbo trainer!
FWIW: No experience with TPU tubes, but in the past I’ve had holes worn in lightweight butyl tubes from abrasion in a seat bag. A corner of the folded tube would get worn through. After that I wrapped them in plastic for protection.
I think the “how long do they last unused” question is completely dependent on how it is packaged in your saddle bag, and what is rubbing it. I would 1) Look closely at it and see whether it looks abraded anywhere, then 2) lightly inflate it overnight on the table and see whether it goes flat.
As a side note, I still carry a spare TPU tube, but with a rear insert, tubeless, plugs, and an electric pump, I haven’t had to use a tube for a long time. This only thing tubes are needed for now are big pinches and big sidewall cuts.
