AERON/TPU ROAD TUBE TYPES

* compared to corresponding butyl tubes

The cycling world is facing a kind of turning point, at least when it comes to bicycle inner tubes. The good old black butyl tube could - and probably should - soon be a thing of the past. This is because thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) can be used to make bicycle inner tubes that are particularly light, fast, robust or durable, depending on your requirements. Even a good mix of all these properties is possible!

What is TPU anyway?

TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is the new material for bicycle inner tubes. TPU replaces the well-known butyl rubber inner tubes. This is because TPU - thermoplastic polyurethane - has many advantages over the black butyl tube. But what is TPU anyway? Thermoplastics are plastics that deform when heated and solidify when they cool down. TPU can fulfil many different functions and has long been used in manufacturing for the automotive, transportation, aerospace, sports equipment and medical device industries. TPU combines the high durability of plastic parts with the elasticity of rubber, making it the ideal material for applications and use where repeated flexing or compression of parts is required.

Why TPU inner tubes for road bikes?

Thermoplastic polyurethane is an all-round performer, so to speak. Its properties - provided you have the right manufacturing methods - allow you to equip the inner tube with various capabilities. For example, AERON/TPU road bike inner tubes can be very fast and light and Aeron mountain bike inner tubes can be extremely robust. What's more, AERON/TPU inner tubes can even combine several desired properties thanks to their outstanding manufacturing methods.

Which road bike inner tube is best for you?

AERON/TPU bicycle inner tubes are available in many different sizes. The tyre width can also be selected so that they are suitable for most clincher tyres and rims. The valve length can also be selected from a range of common sizes and lengths. Now you need to analyse yourself, your riding style and your desired riding behaviour and then draw up an analysis of your requirements. If you don't want to compromise on speed and rolling resistance in a race, then you should take a look at the Aeron-Ultra-lite-protect. If, on the other hand, you are travelling on a long tour and want to avoid flat feet as much as possible, then the AERON-TPU Ultra-Protect is more suitable for you. Here you will find an overview of the most important features of each Aeron tube.

What makes a good TPU inner tube for road bikes?

A good road bike inner tube must be light (low rotating mass) and have low rolling resistance. Depending on the surface, the quality or nature of the tarmac or other surfaces, it also needs good puncture protection.

Are road bike TPU inner tubes better than classic butyl inner tubes?

Definitely. TPU tubes are significantly lighter than butyl tubes. While a road bike tyre made of the well-known material weighs around 120 grams, a comparably wide TPU inner tube weighs between 25 and 40 grams (including valve). Incidentally, the TPU tube also performs better in terms of weight when compared with a tubeless system in which between 30 and 60 millimetres/gram of sealing milk plus valve are used. But TPU tubes are not only lighter, they also rub less against the carcass of the road bike tyre and therefore have better rolling characteristics - whether on the road or on gravel. The TPU tube has further advantages in terms of puncture resistance, pack size and sustainability.

Tubeless or TPU inner tube for road bikes?

This question is not easy to answer. Let's take a closer look.

•  In terms of rolling resistance, a tubeless system is a tiny bit ahead of the TPU system, which in turn performs a tad weaker than latex tubes. In races, this may be an argument in favour of tubeless, but for normal training rides it is probably negligible.
• Weight: In comparison, the TPU system is probably ahead here. With a 30 millimetre wide tyre, the necessary sealing milk in the tubeless tyre in combination with its valve (and the tubeless patches "bacon strips", "flick sausages" or "tubeless salami") are already heavier than a TPU tube.
• Pack size: Regardless of which tyre sizes are used, replacement sealant and TPU tubes should have roughly the same pack size.
• Puncture protection: Tubeless has always been the measure of all things. If a small spike punctures the tyre, you pull it out and the sealant closes the hole. This happens quickly and lasts for hours, days, weeks, even months. Often you can't even find the puncture on visual inspection. Things get complicated when you don't have to repair a small puncture, but a larger hole that the sealant alone cannot manage. This is where the tubeless salamis come in. If you have some practice, this is relatively easy to do. However, if there is a large tear in the tyre casing, caused by a large shard for example, and even several tubeless patches no longer help, then you're out of luck. You're lucky if you have a TPU inner tube with you as a spare. However, to be honest, this is where the mess with the sealant begins. And at the latest when your hands and clothes are soiled with the sticky stuff, some road cyclists will ask themselves why they didn't opt for a puncture-proof TPU inner tube.
• Which brings us to the assembly. TPU hoses are available with Sklaverand valves (SV; with a small valve core). They are just as easy to fit as the old butyl tubes. Remove the tyre from the rim on one side, remove the old inner tube and valve, insert the new inner tube, pump it up slightly, lift the tyre onto the rim, inflate the inner tube completely and you're done.
• All in all - considering rolling resistance, lightness, puncture protection and cleanliness - we would recommend TPU tubes.

What advantages do road bike tubes made of latex or TPU have over butyl tubes?

This is quickly answered: Both latex and TPU tubes roll significantly better than butyl bicycle tubes and should therefore be the first choice for road cyclists. Latex is even slightly faster than TPU. However, this minimal advantage in puncture protection and air tightness (it has to be pumped up much more often) is quickly lost.

Can I repair a TPU inner tube on a road bike?

Yes, of course! In addition to many different inner tubes, AERON-TPU also offers a patch kit that can be used in the event of punctures. This contains glue and patches that can be used to repair the TPU inner tube quickly and easily.
 

How do I find the perfect tyre pressure for my road bike?

Tyre pressure on road bikes has its own history. In the past, racing cyclists and especially professionals pumped up to 11 or even 12 bar into their tubular tyres, which are only 18 millimetres wide (a tyre in which the tube is sewn directly to the casing to form a single unit. These tyres were and are glued to a fairly flat convex rim without clincher hooks). This was followed by times when athletes were also happy with 8 bar in the tyre. Today, it can ultimately be said that the pressure in the tyre depends on the rider's weight and the tyre width. The narrower the tyre, the higher the air pressure. The same applies to the weight of the rider: the heavier the tyre, the higher the pressure. If you ride tubeless, you can deflate your tyres considerably, if only because you don't have to worry about so-called snakebites (a double hole in the inner tube because it is pressed onto both sides of the rim when you ride over a kerb, for example). A rough guide: A rider weighing 100 kilograms (including clothing, shoes and helmet) should be riding on 32-millimetre-wide rims with an air pressure of around 5.7 bar. For lighter riders, around 0.5 bar of air pressure can be released every 10 to 12 kilograms less. Incidentally, TPU tubes are run at a similar pressure to the old butyl tubes.