User submitted reviews
Review by GaryA Noticeable Differenceby GaryCycling EnthusiastPortland, Oregon1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.My new bike came with Aerothan tubes installed in Schwalbe tires, and they work great. They are, as advertised, extremely light with excellent rolling resistance. They're also very compact (roughly half the size of a regular butyl tube when folded), so they fit neatly and easily in either a smaller saddle bag or a jersey pocket. They're not puncture proof, but they do at least as well as butyl tubes in resisting punctures.
When I got my first flat (rear tire), I put in a butyl tube, and noticed an immediate difference. It was harder to pedal, harder to accelerate quickly, and harder to hold speed on the road. After I got home, I ordered up some Aerothan tubes, and replaced the butyl tube in the rear tire. I was amazed at the difference the Aerothan tube made.
Are they worth the substantial price difference? Maybe not for a commuter or casual recreational rider, but for performance riding, they can't be beat. And contrary to reports from some reviewers, they CAN be patched, although you must use Schwalbe's glueless patch kit, which is readily available through WBW/BTD. Yes, they're expensive, but they make a noticeable difference on the road. I'm sticking with the Aerothans. The better ride quality is worth it to me.
Reviewed 11/30/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Gary was helpful/No, review by Gary was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
My new bike came with Aerothan tubes installed in Schwalbe tires, and they work great. They are, as advertised, extremely light with excellent rolling resistance. They're also very compact (roughly half the size of a regular butyl tube when folded), so they fit neatly and easily in either a smaller saddle bag or a jersey pocket. They're not puncture proof, but they do at least as well as butyl tubes in resisting punctures.
When I got my first flat (rear tire), I put in a butyl tube, and noticed an immediate difference. It was harder to pedal, harder to accelerate quickly, and harder to hold speed on the road. After I got home, I ordered up some Aerothan tubes, and replaced the butyl tube in the rear tire. I was amazed at the difference the Aerothan tube made.
Are they worth the substantial price difference? Maybe not for a commuter or casual recreational rider, but for performance riding, they can't be beat. And contrary to reports from some reviewers, they CAN be patched, although you must use Schwalbe's glueless patch kit, which is readily available through WBW/BTD. Yes, they're expensive, but they make a noticeable difference on the road. I'm sticking with the Aerothans. The better ride quality is worth it to me.
Review by Anonymous46g, not 41gby AnonymousCycling EnthusiastSE CT4 of 26 customers found this review helpful.After a lot of indecision, splurged and bought two of the Race 700 x 23/28 version. Disappointed to find that both weighed nearly 46g (45.7 and 45.9g to be precise). Substantially more than the 41g listed both in the specs and prominently on the box. Hoped that the scale was off. Fresh batteries, re-calibrated. Nope, not the scale.
Schwalbe tech rep says that lower weight is less important than reduced rolling resistance and greater puncture resistance. CyclingTips' posted data shows that Aerothans have slightly more rolling resistance than latex and slightly less than Conti Supersonic. As for puncture resistance, it's always seemed like that should be in the tires rather than the tubes (though resistance to tearing while mounting is always welcome).
Still, one expects that a product which is (a) made in Germany and (b) so expensive would be closer to spec. If that's impossible, a weight range should be given.
They're still in the box, so my one star rating doesn't mean much. Haven't decided whether to use them or return for credit.
Reviewed 3/19/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
After a lot of indecision, splurged and bought two of the Race 700 x 23/28 version. Disappointed to find that both weighed nearly 46g (45.7 and 45.9g to be precise). Substantially more than the 41g listed both in the specs and prominently on the box. Hoped that the scale was off. Fresh batteries, re-calibrated. Nope, not the scale.
Schwalbe tech rep says that lower weight is less important than reduced rolling resistance and greater puncture resistance. CyclingTips' posted data shows that Aerothans have slightly more rolling resistance than latex and slightly less than Conti Supersonic. As for puncture resistance, it's always seemed like that should be in the tires rather than the tubes (though resistance to tearing while mounting is always welcome).
Still, one expects that a product which is (a) made in Germany and (b) so expensive would be closer to spec. If that's impossible, a weight range should be given.
They're still in the box, so my one star rating doesn't mean much. Haven't decided whether to use them or return for credit.
Review by cfadaveThese tubes are worth the money!by cfadaveChessesheadland (WI) !Been using these instead of tubeless on my road bikes. One flat in 3 years and 15k miles. NUFF said. If you don�t want to mess w tubeless but want great ride quality, light weight, puncture resistance without the hassle of tubeless, this is it!
Reviewed 1/21/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by cfadave was helpful/No, review by cfadave was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Been using these instead of tubeless on my road bikes. One flat in 3 years and 15k miles. NUFF said. If you don�t want to mess w tubeless but want great ride quality, light weight, puncture resistance without the hassle of tubeless, this is it!
Review by PatTerrific tubes until you get a punctureby PatCycling EnthusiastDallas8 of 8 customers found this review helpful.Pros: lightweight, packs small, holds air very well, perfect for seat-pack spares
Cons: Cannot be permanently patched with any patch material currently on the market. I've tried Tubolito, slime, and Park patches. Nothing works. Schwalbe says you must use their patch kit, but I've never tried it because these are not available anywhere. Until Schwalbe makes their patch kits as widely available as the tubes, these can only used as a seat-pack spare (unless you want to throw away a $30 tube with each puncture). Note: Tubolito patches work great for a while, but after a few months they eventually fail.
Reviewed 3/12/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Pat was helpful/No, review by Pat was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Pros: lightweight, packs small, holds air very well, perfect for seat-pack spares
Cons: Cannot be permanently patched with any patch material currently on the market. I've tried Tubolito, slime, and Park patches. Nothing works. Schwalbe says you must use their patch kit, but I've never tried it because these are not available anywhere. Until Schwalbe makes their patch kits as widely available as the tubes, these can only used as a seat-pack spare (unless you want to throw away a $30 tube with each puncture). Note: Tubolito patches work great for a while, but after a few months they eventually fail.
Review by Lauren500light but not reliableby Lauren500Cycling EnthusiastBellevue, WaSame experience as Aaron below. These are light but not reliable. My valve blew out after pumping it about 80 psi and thread ruined and not able to hold air literally after 2 rides. Won't be buying this again.
Reviewed 12/7/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Lauren500 was helpful/No, review by Lauren500 was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Same experience as Aaron below. These are light but not reliable. My valve blew out after pumping it about 80 psi and thread ruined and not able to hold air literally after 2 rides. Won't be buying this again.
Review by KnightGame Changerby KnightMissouriI will never use a "normal" tube again! It is a phenomenal improvement. It frees up so much space in your Jersey or bag, and they really are puncture resistant. The also prefer them to their orange competition. Cannot recommend enough!
Reviewed 5/14/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Knight was helpful/No, review by Knight was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I will never use a "normal" tube again! It is a phenomenal improvement. It frees up so much space in your Jersey or bag, and they really are puncture resistant. The also prefer them to their orange competition. Cannot recommend enough!
Review by AnonymousTerrific ultralight durable tubeby AnonymousCycling EnthusiastDallas, TX5 of 5 customers found this review helpful.Lighter than latex, and it holds air better than butyl, with virtually no pressure loss between rides. Some reviewers have said they're hard to repair, but in my experience punctures are easily repaired using either the Schwalbe or Tubilito patch kits that are specifically made for thermoplastic tubes. They are great to carry in the flat kit since they are light weight and take up much less space than butyl or latex.
Reviewed 1/18/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Lighter than latex, and it holds air better than butyl, with virtually no pressure loss between rides. Some reviewers have said they're hard to repair, but in my experience punctures are easily repaired using either the Schwalbe or Tubilito patch kits that are specifically made for thermoplastic tubes. They are great to carry in the flat kit since they are light weight and take up much less space than butyl or latex.
Review by Jay AndersonNot sealant compatibleby Jay AndersonCycling EnthusiastTahoe & Santa Cruz Mountains5 of 9 customers found this review helpful.I bought this to use as a spare on my tubeless gravel bike. However, the paperwork that comes with it says not to get it in contact with sealant. So, it is useless for my purposes. I bought lightweight tubes from another company that do not have this issue.
Reviewed 12/10/2020Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Jay Anderson was helpful/No, review by Jay Anderson was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I bought this to use as a spare on my tubeless gravel bike. However, the paperwork that comes with it says not to get it in contact with sealant. So, it is useless for my purposes. I bought lightweight tubes from another company that do not have this issue.
Review by AnonymousRepeated valve core issuesby AnonymousCompetitive Racer4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.Big TPU fan. Use Pirelli's on my disc break, was pumped to find Aerothan's are rated for rim.
However - I've repeated issues with valve core, which is loose and can be easily unscrewed. 1st tube couldn't hold high pressures. My 3rd tube held pressure fine using a floor pump, but any hand pump that screws on can easily unscrew the valve core, which releases all the air. I learned the hard way in the middle of nowhere on a ride.
I've superglued the valve core - hope that helps. But Schwalbe - why am I doing the engineering for you?
Reviewed 7/18/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Big TPU fan. Use Pirelli's on my disc break, was pumped to find Aerothan's are rated for rim.
However - I've repeated issues with valve core, which is loose and can be easily unscrewed. 1st tube couldn't hold high pressures. My 3rd tube held pressure fine using a floor pump, but any hand pump that screws on can easily unscrew the valve core, which releases all the air. I learned the hard way in the middle of nowhere on a ride.
I've superglued the valve core - hope that helps. But Schwalbe - why am I doing the engineering for you?
Review by SHBiker Lesson Learned...by SHBiker Cycling EnthusiastUpstate NY 11 of 13 customers found this review helpful.Bought 3 of them at the beginning of May. All 3, yes all 3, are toast now.
Tube 1 developed an air bubble in one spot during installation, stretching the material irreparably before the tire was even on (apparently there's a warning against overinflation prior to mounting,written in tiny print in the install guide??).Tube 2, mounted on the rear under a Conti GP5000 in 28mm, punctured after 150 miles.Tube 3, mounted on the rear under a Conti GP 4 seasons in 32mm, punctured after 200 miles (300 miles total on this tube, if you count the 100 miles when it was on the front before I switched it to the rear). As other reviewers have noted, the Schwalbe Glueless Patches can't be found anywhere! So I'm stuck with two broken tubes that I'll probably never bother to fix, given my lack of trust in these tubes now, and what I've heard about the Glueless Patches not always working well.
This was no scientific experiment, so my results are by no means objective, and I may have just had a run of bad luck (I think I was tempting the Flat Gods when I bought these tubes because I was on a 3000-mile no-flat streak with basic butyl tubes (Bontragers and Michelin Airstop A2s with different set-ups)). That being said, I will never purchase Schwalbe Aerothan tubes again. Schwalbe, if you're listening, lower the price by at least half and I will MAYBE consider buying them again, because, as much as I hate to admit it, I did like riding them and I feel like the lower weight and slightly lower rolling resistance was noticeable.
My next tire/wheel upgrade will probably be going tubeless (in which case my Aerothans, if I ever am able to patch them, will be even more useless, because, as Schwalbe notes in the fine print of their Aerothan packaging, the tubes can't come into contact with Tubeless sealant - so much for a light spare tube lol).
Reviewed 6/13/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by SHBiker was helpful/No, review by SHBiker was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Bought 3 of them at the beginning of May. All 3, yes all 3, are toast now.
Tube 1 developed an air bubble in one spot during installation, stretching the material irreparably before the tire was even on (apparently there's a warning against overinflation prior to mounting,written in tiny print in the install guide??).Tube 2, mounted on the rear under a Conti GP5000 in 28mm, punctured after 150 miles.Tube 3, mounted on the rear under a Conti GP 4 seasons in 32mm, punctured after 200 miles (300 miles total on this tube, if you count the 100 miles when it was on the front before I switched it to the rear). As other reviewers have noted, the Schwalbe Glueless Patches can't be found anywhere! So I'm stuck with two broken tubes that I'll probably never bother to fix, given my lack of trust in these tubes now, and what I've heard about the Glueless Patches not always working well.
This was no scientific experiment, so my results are by no means objective, and I may have just had a run of bad luck (I think I was tempting the Flat Gods when I bought these tubes because I was on a 3000-mile no-flat streak with basic butyl tubes (Bontragers and Michelin Airstop A2s with different set-ups)). That being said, I will never purchase Schwalbe Aerothan tubes again. Schwalbe, if you're listening, lower the price by at least half and I will MAYBE consider buying them again, because, as much as I hate to admit it, I did like riding them and I feel like the lower weight and slightly lower rolling resistance was noticeable.
My next tire/wheel upgrade will probably be going tubeless (in which case my Aerothans, if I ever am able to patch them, will be even more useless, because, as Schwalbe notes in the fine print of their Aerothan packaging, the tubes can't come into contact with Tubeless sealant - so much for a light spare tube lol).
Review by Anonymouspoorly made product with great potentialby AnonymousDaily Commuterchicago, il2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.There are plenty of reviews here that express the issues that I have had with these - the valve stems are made from plastic rather than metal and are absolutely not up to the task required of them. I've ridden approximately 200 miles with them at this point, and I have to say the tube itself is incredible and provides a great ride quality while also noticeably reducing rolling resistance, but the valve stems immediately started letting air out (even at ~80psi). I probably WOULD buy them again, but I think the first thing I'd do would be to replace the valve core with a higher quality one (the threading on the original valve is VERY fine which I think exacerbates the problem) wrap that in pfte tape, and then dab a very small amount of glue around the valve core threads so it couldn't go anywhere.
Reviewed 7/17/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
There are plenty of reviews here that express the issues that I have had with these - the valve stems are made from plastic rather than metal and are absolutely not up to the task required of them. I've ridden approximately 200 miles with them at this point, and I have to say the tube itself is incredible and provides a great ride quality while also noticeably reducing rolling resistance, but the valve stems immediately started letting air out (even at ~80psi). I probably WOULD buy them again, but I think the first thing I'd do would be to replace the valve core with a higher quality one (the threading on the original valve is VERY fine which I think exacerbates the problem) wrap that in pfte tape, and then dab a very small amount of glue around the valve core threads so it couldn't go anywhere.
Review by PhilGreat tube - Horrible stemby PhilCycling Enthusiastcentral NYS3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Generally, I agree with other reviews, very light, easy to install, great ride, excellent air retention.
I have ridden several hundred miles and had no flat issues on two bikes.
The valve stem is absolutely terrible!!!
Difficult to add air with a standard hand pump. valve core can easily dislodge and make the tube unusable. I don't know if I would purchase again due to the almost dysfunctional stem, but I would definitely buy if they had a quality stem, even if they were slightly higher cost over their already high price.
Reviewed 5/14/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Phil was helpful/No, review by Phil was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Generally, I agree with other reviews, very light, easy to install, great ride, excellent air retention.
I have ridden several hundred miles and had no flat issues on two bikes.
The valve stem is absolutely terrible!!!
Difficult to add air with a standard hand pump. valve core can easily dislodge and make the tube unusable. I don't know if I would purchase again due to the almost dysfunctional stem, but I would definitely buy if they had a quality stem, even if they were slightly higher cost over their already high price.
Review by AnonymousGreat tubesby Anonymous1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.I had been using latex tubes but was tired of the constant air loss so I decided to give the Aerothan tubes a try. So far I'm impressed by the feel and they don't loose air like latex. They are a bit pricey but so far seem to be a little more resistant to flats. Longer use will determine their true value. So far so good.
Reviewed 9/21/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
I had been using latex tubes but was tired of the constant air loss so I decided to give the Aerothan tubes a try. So far I'm impressed by the feel and they don't loose air like latex. They are a bit pricey but so far seem to be a little more resistant to flats. Longer use will determine their true value. So far so good.
Review by SWF RiderI love you, TPUby SWF RiderCycling EnthusiastSW Florida1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.The Schwalbe Aerothan 700c tube is pricey, but it is a huge bicycle upgrade! I save on space, weight, and have a more puncture resistant tube. It is easy to inflate and install. I carry a 27 mm extender in my bag for aero higher profile wheels.
Reviewed 9/12/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by SWF Rider was helpful/No, review by SWF Rider was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
The Schwalbe Aerothan 700c tube is pricey, but it is a huge bicycle upgrade! I save on space, weight, and have a more puncture resistant tube. It is easy to inflate and install. I carry a 27 mm extender in my bag for aero higher profile wheels.
Review by SG_BMCNo more puncture prone than regular butyl tubesby SG_BMCCycling EnthusiastSG4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.Expensive but I was surprised it felt a noticeably better/smoother ride with these tubes. I did have a pinch flat but it was from a pothole. Didnt think a cheap butyl tube could do better in that situation. I used the Park Tool GP-2 patch since the Schwalbe patch is impossible to find and the patch is holding up well after 2k miles. Just make sure surfaces are super clean before applying the patch. I also had 30mm valve extenders fixed on these tubes and no leaks whatsoever. Will get couple more spares when they are back in stock and on sale.
Reviewed 2/21/2022Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by SG_BMC was helpful/No, review by SG_BMC was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Expensive but I was surprised it felt a noticeably better/smoother ride with these tubes. I did have a pinch flat but it was from a pothole. Didnt think a cheap butyl tube could do better in that situation. I used the Park Tool GP-2 patch since the Schwalbe patch is impossible to find and the patch is holding up well after 2k miles. Just make sure surfaces are super clean before applying the patch. I also had 30mm valve extenders fixed on these tubes and no leaks whatsoever. Will get couple more spares when they are back in stock and on sale.
Review by DanSlow leak then burst (please read)by DanIllinoisFull disclosure I re-installed the tire using a tire lever and did not use talc so it is probable I caused damage during install. One of the tubes had a slow leak over 2-3 days and subsequently burst when I went to refill it.
They are very light and compact.
Reviewed 10/23/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Dan was helpful/No, review by Dan was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Full disclosure I re-installed the tire using a tire lever and did not use talc so it is probable I caused damage during install. One of the tubes had a slow leak over 2-3 days and subsequently burst when I went to refill it.
They are very light and compact.
Review by JeffLight and suppleby JeffmissoulaWeighs 50g and rides nice inside my Schwalbe tires
Reviewed 10/10/2023Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Jeff was helpful/No, review by Jeff was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Weighs 50g and rides nice inside my Schwalbe tires
Review by AaronFirst good, then very very badby AaronLos Angeles9 of 12 customers found this review helpful.Look, I put these tubes in for a race, and they were a dream. Very light, and they rode unbelievably, I couldn't believe what a difference they made in the ride. Then a couple rides later I get TWO PINCH FLATS IN THE SAME RIDE 15 miles apart, leaves me with a 2 mile walk of shame. That was just the beginning. I can only use their special patches, right? For TWO MONTHS I look everywhere, nobody has them in stock. TWO MONTHS! So I finally give in last week and my the Park Tools glueless patches. They actually seem to work pretty well, but I'll never know because as I'm getting everything repaired and ready to ride, my valve literally BLOWS OUT of the plastic (yes, plastic) valve stem. Threads are ruined, won't hold a valve or an extender in the stem. Trash. Waste of money. Don't think I'll waste my time trying to install the other aerothan that I repaired.
Reviewed 11/16/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Aaron was helpful/No, review by Aaron was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Look, I put these tubes in for a race, and they were a dream. Very light, and they rode unbelievably, I couldn't believe what a difference they made in the ride. Then a couple rides later I get TWO PINCH FLATS IN THE SAME RIDE 15 miles apart, leaves me with a 2 mile walk of shame. That was just the beginning. I can only use their special patches, right? For TWO MONTHS I look everywhere, nobody has them in stock. TWO MONTHS! So I finally give in last week and my the Park Tools glueless patches. They actually seem to work pretty well, but I'll never know because as I'm getting everything repaired and ready to ride, my valve literally BLOWS OUT of the plastic (yes, plastic) valve stem. Threads are ruined, won't hold a valve or an extender in the stem. Trash. Waste of money. Don't think I'll waste my time trying to install the other aerothan that I repaired.
Review by Anonymouslight and durable!by AnonymousCycling EnthusiastSan Francisco, CA1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Obviously a little pricy, but they do seem to last longer than standard tubes. A great way to save on rolling resistance and weight!
Reviewed 7/19/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by Anonymous was helpful/No, review by Anonymous was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Obviously a little pricy, but they do seem to last longer than standard tubes. A great way to save on rolling resistance and weight!
Review by kook43Much better stem than other thermoplastic competitionby kook43Competitive RacerSt. Louis, MO6 of 6 customers found this review helpful.Been running Latex for racing/training since I can remember, great feel, fast, light, etc. Switched to the competition, to shed a few grams and have a more compact spare, let's call them "Orange" and was happy until I realized their fatal flaw, the stem.
Touch it with anything, add extenders for deep carbon rims, change the valve for any reason, and bammm instant failure, leak, crack, non-seal. These Aerothan's are waaaaaay different. The stem is actually the focus, and works 100% so far in my usage. Just as light, just as good, with far better engineering.
I'm a fan of the Schwalbe Aerothan.
Reviewed 7/16/2021Was this review useful to you? Yes, review by kook43 was helpful/No, review by kook43 was not helpfulThank you for your feedback.
Been running Latex for racing/training since I can remember, great feel, fast, light, etc. Switched to the competition, to shed a few grams and have a more compact spare, let's call them "Orange" and was happy until I realized their fatal flaw, the stem.
Touch it with anything, add extenders for deep carbon rims, change the valve for any reason, and bammm instant failure, leak, crack, non-seal. These Aerothan's are waaaaaay different. The stem is actually the focus, and works 100% so far in my usage. Just as light, just as good, with far better engineering.
I'm a fan of the Schwalbe Aerothan.