Tubeless is great for many applications, but it comes with the hassle of having to top up sealant frequently. If you don’t ride on debris-strewn highway shoulders (where the sealant will seal small punctures from glass and steel wires) and if your tires are wide enough (so you don’t get pinch flats), tubes are a great choice. TPU tubes take the performance of your tires to the next level.
TPU stands for thermoplastic polyurethane, a material that is far stronger than butyl, the black rubber traditionally used for tubes. That makes TPU an ideal material for bicycle tubes. TPU tubes have many advantages:
- Lighter than butyl and latex tubes; lighter than tubeless sealant
- Faster than butyl tubes or tubeless; as fast as latex tubes
- More puncture-resistant than butyl or latex tubes
- As airtight as butyl tubes.
- Packs very small—ideal as a backup for tubeless tires
However, most TPU tubes use plastic valve stems, and the plastic deforms when the (metal) valve core in screwed in. Then the tube leaks, not because the material is porous, but because the valve doesn’t seal. Rene Herse TPU tubes use an all-metal valve with patented technology for leak-free performance.
Rene Herse TPU tubes are superlight, but not excessively so. Rather than pushing the tubes to the absolute limit, we’ve increased the wall thickness a little bit to increase the resistance to punctures and pinch flats—and also to make installation easier, especially with tubeless rims. Rene Herse TPU tubes have proven themselves in challenging events like Unbound XL, the 350-mile race across the Flint Hills of Kansas. They are suitable for disc and rim brakes.
Presta valve, 50 mm (polished) or 70 mm (black). Smooth valve stems make it easier to attach and remove press-on pump heads.
Pro Tip: Patching TPU tubes is much easier than patching butyl or latex tubes. Simply wipe the tube with an alcohol wipe (included in Rene Herse patch kit) and stick on a patch. There’s no need to roughen the tube with sandpaper.
TECHNICAL SPECS
- Suitable for rim and disc brakes
- Presta valve
- 50 mm or 70 mm valves
- All-metal valves
- Smooth valve stems
- Removable valve cores
- 700C x 20-32 mm, 32 g
- 700C x 30-48 mm, 53 g
- 700C x 45-60 mm, 63 g
- 70 mm valve adds 2 g
- Made in Germany
Kevin (verified owner) –
Have tried TPU tubes before, with mixed results. I love the ride feel but reliability was a bit random; total deflation over a couple of days with no obvious puncture to repair. I’ve used Herse tyres in the past and been very happy with them, so these tubes are my last fling with TPU before throwing the towel in. The metal valve stem is a game-changer if you believe the marketing blurb. So far, so good….They feel good to ride on (better than even light butyl tubes) and have stayed fully inflated for a couple of weeks. This should be a ‘given’ but I’ve discovered it ain’t necessarily so. I’m finally beginning to believe the TPU tube hype. Impressed so far!
Derrick (verified owner) –
Have had other cheaper TPU tubes before and reliability was hit and miss; they seem to be ok at the start but after a few weeks would fail but some were ok. Have used the Rene Herse one for a month now and it has not had any issues so hoping it will stay that way.