TPU Tubes Back in Stock
A new shipment of TPU tubes has arrived in Seattle. The new tubes have been so popular that each of the first production runs sold out in less than a day. The tubes are made in small batches. We rigorously check each tube for quality. That’s why those batches aren’t exactly huge…
Now we have most sizes in stock again, but many are spoken for through pre-orders. As I write this, all sizes from the current shipment are still available, but some are running low already.
The remaining sizes will arrive in early July. Once that shipment is on the way, and we have a more accurate ETA, we’ll make them available for pre-order. Watch this space, and also sign up for back-in-stock notifications on the product page.
New with this shipment are black valves for all sizes: not just the long 70 mm (left), but also the short 50 mm (center).
The 50 mm valves are also available in polished aluminum. (The 70 mm valves come only in black.)
All our valve stems are smooth, without threads. Some customers may wonder: Is it OK to eliminate the valve nuts? For tubeless setups, valve nuts are necessary: They pull the rubber cone on the inner valve end against the rim. That seals the valve.
With tubes, there is no reason for valve nuts. The smooth valve stems are easier to insert into the rim, and they work better with press-on tire pumps. What about pumps with screw-on hoses? The hoses attach to the threads on the valve core—the same threads that hold the valve cap in place—so they work just as well with our smooth valve stems.
The blue valve caps are a nice touch, but you don’t really need them on the road. Presta valves are self-cleaning—before inflating them, you push down to loosen them, and the escaping air blows away any debris that has collected on the valve. If you’re riding in deep mud, the valve cap does keep the valve clean.
All Rene Herse products are only released after they’ve proven themselves in rigorous testing in the lab and on the road. Our testing continues all the time—because we ride our bikes all the time. Two weeks ago, I ran the TPU tubes in the 355-mile Unbound XL across the infamous Flint Hills of Kansas (above), with zero problems.
Why didn’t I run my tires tubeless in this challenging gravel race? Speed, mostly—TPU tubes are significantly faster than tubeless. (They are also faster than butyl tubes, and about as fast as latex.) There’s a weight advantage, too: TPU tubes are lighter than the sealant you’ll need to seal your tires. I find tubes more convenient: They eliminate the hassle of dealing with sealant. TPU tubes also pack so small that they make perfect spares. I’ll admit that, at the last moment, I threw another spare tube into my handlebar bag, just in case. Why not, when they are so light and small? (I was glad I didn’t need any of them.)
This weekend, I’m racing my OPEN in the Bon Jon Pass Out race that goes over its namesake pass—twice. I’m running TPU tubes on that bike, too.
It’s not that I dislike tubeless, but tubes are just less hassle for the riding I do most of the time. My road bike is set up tubeless, though: It’s still shod with prototypes of our 31 mm Orondo Grade tubeless tires. They’ve been so trouble-free that I haven’t got around to taking them off, and I appreciate the flat prevention the sealant provides when I’m riding on highway shoulders during the legs that connect quiet backroads. I’m carrying two TPU tubes as spares, just in case. (Haven’t needed them so far.)
We support tubes and tubeless, because we know that our customers’ riding styles, terrain and preferences vary. It’s our goal to provide you with the equipment you need to make your cycling more fun—no matter how you ride!
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