Tubes

I have tried several different brands of TPU tubes and I prefer the Schwalbe Aerothan. My perception is that TPU tubes in general provide a lower rolling resistance and are much lighter weight than standard tubes. I have a little more than 1,000 miles on the Aerothan tubes and have only flatted once. The time I did flat, no other tube would have done any better. Flat resistance seems to be the same, maybe better than a standard tube. The Aerothan tubes have a good quality valve and the valve stem is well reinforced in its connection to the tube in comparison to some others. The Aerothans hold pressure about as well as a typical tube. So it comes down to price, which is a lot. If you want a slightly faster wheel and are willing to pay for it, here you go.

I've been using these tubes on my go-to road bike for about 1.5 years now, and overall, I really like them, and will continue to use them. They're reasonably light, roll very nicely, and are quite puncture-resistant.

However, I do not quite trust the valve cores. They are loose when they come shipped, and you have to tighten them before the first use, which is not a deal-breaker, but still worth noting. I use Leyzyne pumps, which are threaded, and with these tubes you need to quickly re-tighten the valve cores every time you inflate your tires, which, again, is not a deal-breaker, but still annoying. I have not yet had a valve failure, but these things are apparently 3-D printed, not metal, and I can imagine a total valve failure happening if you're not attentive.

If they came with non-removable valve cores, I'd be a lot happier with them, but, overall, they're very good: they perform almost as well as latex, but are even lighter, and they're more durable and retain air better than butyl tubes.

I have these TPU tubes on my gravel bike - Trek Checkpoint, DT Swiss Wheels, Schwalbe G-ONE RS 700c X 45mm. I inflate these to 30 PSI (I'm 165 lb). No issues with pinching the tube. Rolling resistance is really good compared to a butyl tube. I stay away from Tubeless because I don't want to deal with the mess. Furthermore, I have only ride gravel twice a week only in the winters (winter training in Vancouver, Canada). In the spring and summer, I ride my road bike. So, the gravel bike will be stationary for 8 months a year. So, it does not make any sense to set the Schwalbe G-ONE RS as tubeless - i.e. I will end up changing the sealant once a year - or 20 rides!! Also, I never loose air. There is 30 PSI in the tire for 2 to 3 weeks!!

For the past ten years I have been riding with tubular wheels/tires on my road bike, which means the tubes have been latex. I have now switched to traditional wheels and tires and since I swap tires regularly, I decided to not use sealant but use tubes, but which type? Butyl tubes are cheapest but I have found them to be more puncture prone. Latex tubes are more compliant, I've had fewer punctures, they cost more than butyl, but with latex tubes I have to add air pressure daily. I started using Smartube TPU tubes last spring, they are lighter, do not lose air, I've had no punctures, but they do cost more. I have now switched my road and gravel bikes to TPU tubes, and I recommend SmarTubes as they have performed flawlessly.