Re: Patching TPU innertube

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

On 12/26/2024 5:32 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:

 
The issue for me is that while Gravel tires absolutely do feel more supple
with TPU tubes, these are tires while some claimed sidewall protection,
these aren’t like Trail etc MTB tires which have reinforced noticeable
stiff sidewalls is aren’t floppy, each tire is 1kg or so.
 
Hence I wonder if a upgrade to TPU tubes would be noticeable...

 
 
I'd be interested in people's personal measurements of differences. If
someone here had access to some long, gentle downhill and kept track of
terminal coasting speed using different tires, different tubes, but
otherwise identical equipment, terminal coasting speeds might be good
information.
 
It would be best to test in consistent temperatures and with negligible
wind, of course.
 

The difference I was talking about was feel, than any speed/rolling
resistance gains which apparently one does also gain.

Don’t know if you can tell feel with ultralight butyl tubes, or latex as I
never explored those.

<https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/tpu-inner-tubes> they
tested most TPU tubes plus some latex and lightweight butyl ones.

 Clearly is a drum than real world, though does show that for all its
fragility and lack of air keeping latex rolls like no other, though TPU
isn’t far behind it.

TPU can be very light but at those weights will like latex leak air, aka
will need pumping after each ride.

Unlike butyl or even tubeless which will loose air over time but certainly
don’t need to pump back up before each ride etc.

Roger Merriman