TPU tubes for #cycling - Yay or Nay? Sources?
Anyone using TPU tubes? Would you recommend them?
I note online Chinese vendors (Temu/Ali) are about half the price of my local bike store for them. Anyone have experience with purchasing/brands for Chinese TPU tubes?
@pete @wav3ydave @voiceofunreason @adamrice @MrAndrewD @bicycling
I used Slime tubes for a couple of years until it failed. I thought I had a minor puncture that sealed because it went down a coupe of times on the commute but then stabilised
I then did the King Alfred’s Way and it let go half way around. When I took the tyre off I saw the split and it was a mess. Sealant everywhere.
I binned off the other one and won’t be using again. Bloody nightmare imho & enough to put me off tubeless too
@Pionir @wav3ydave @voiceofunreason @adamrice @MrAndrewD @bicycling Yeah, Slime tubes were horrible things. Tried them before tubeless was a thing, early 2000s I think, and soon gave up thanks to perpetually clogging valves.
Edit: The ARE horrible things: I didn’t know they were still around. :-)
@pete @wav3ydave @voiceofunreason @adamrice @MrAndrewD @bicycling yeah. I made the mistake of getting a slime repair kit for the car (plug and gunk) but then it got recalled for containing toxic chemicals. I didn’t have the bike valve clog though, but just the though of trying to find a thorn in a tyre full of gunk is enough.
Oh and with tubeless, remember to take out all the multiple objects that successfully sealed before putting a tube in folks!
@Pionir @pete @wav3ydave @adamrice @MrAndrewD @bicycling
Since we’re veering into discussing puncture sealant for butyl tubes, I’ll share this anecdote:
I used to work in bike shops. Someone brought in a bike with a fast-leak puncture they tried to fix with butyl sealant.
They figured if a little sealant would help with a slow-leak, a lot of sealant would help with a fast-leak.
@Pionir @pete @wav3ydave @adamrice @MrAndrewD @bicycling
They, apparently, got a huge can of sealant meant for cars and shot that into the valve.
Likely a liter+ in total.
The butyl tube had a 6cm tear so the tire was basically completely filled with sealant.
It didn’t work.