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
TPU Tube FAQ
Can TPU tubes be inflated with CO2 cartridges?
Inflating with CO2 cartridges is not recommended. The sudden pressure can break the tube, especially as the expanding CO2 is extremely cold, which makes the TPU material brittle. However, TPU tubes are safe to use in sub-freezing temperatures.
Can I run tubeless sealant in TPU tubes to seal small punctures?
Latex-based sealant will not react with TPU tubes, so it will not seal punctures. There are TPU-specific sealants—we are testing them right now to make sure they work in the real world.
Is there anything special to consider about inflating TPU tubes?
Apart from not using CO2, there are just the normal considerations that apply to all lightweight tubes. With tubeless-ready rims, the tire often seats at relatively high pressures, so the tube is pressed firmly against the sidewall. When the tire pops into place, the sudden movement can overstretch the tube and lead to unexpected failures—with all types of tubes. The solution is to inflate the tire in 10 psi (0.7 bar) steps—especially important if you use an air compressor. Once the tire pops into place, immediately deflate the tube so it can ‘relax’ its shape, then inflate it again to the desired pressure.
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.