TPU Tubes

Instructions

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More Information

The sizes of Rene Herse TPU tubes overlap. Which size should I use?

You can use both sizes. The smaller size will be lighter. The larger size will stretch a bit less and thus be a little stronger. If you run wide rims, use the larger size, since the actual width of your tires may be a bit wider than what’s printed on the sidewall.

What tires and rims are Rene Herse TPU tubes compatible with?

Rene Herse TPU tubes are compatible with all tires—tubless-compatible or not—and all rims—hookless or with hooks.

My pump connects via a hose. Can I inflate the smooth valves of TPU tubes?

No problem: The hose connects to the threads of the valve core, not the larger threads found on some valve stems. Details are here.

Can I run TPU tubes with rim brakes? Are they heat-reistant?

TPU tubes have a higher melting point than butyl tubes. They are safe with rim brakes.

Can TPU tubes be inflated with CO₂ cartridges?

Inflating with CO₂ cartridges is not recommended. The sudden pressure can break the tube, especially as the expanding CO₂ is extremely cold, which makes the TPU material brittle. However, TPU tubes are safe to use in sub-freezing temperatures—the tire insulates the tube from sudden temperature changes (unless you inflate the tube with freezing CO₂).

Can TPU tubes be patched?

Patching TPU tubes is simple: Wipe the tube with alcohol, then apply a self-adhesive Rene Herse patch. (Alcohol wipes are included with the Rene Herse patch kit.) That’s much easier than patching a butyl tube, where you roughen the surface with sandpaper and deal with messy vulcanizing fluid.

Can Rene Herse TPU tubes be used on gravel bikes?

Rene Herse TPU tubes have slightly thicker walls, so they are extra-strong. They resist pinch flats far better than butyl tubes. We’ve raced them in Unbound XL and set FKTs on ultra-tough bikepacking routes with Rene Herse TPU tubes, without any problems.

Is there a maximum pressure or maximum rider weight for Rene Herse TPU tubes?

The maximum pressure is determined by your tire and rim. Rene Herse TPU tubes themselves do not have a rider weight limit.

Can I run Rene Herse TPU tubes on aero wheels?

Rene Herse TPU tubes are available with 50 mm and 70 mm valves, so they work on most aero rims. However, we don’t recommend using valve extenders if your rim requires an even longer valve stem. Screwing on the extender can put too much stress onto the valve/tube interface. If that happens, the valve can separate from the tube.

Can I run tubeless sealant in TPU tubes?

Latex-based sealant will not react with TPU tubes, so it will not seal punctures. That’s why we’ve developed the Rene Herse TPU Sealant, which seals small punctures.

There are many performance claims about bike parts. How did you test the performance of your TPU tubes?

We tested Rene Herse TPU tubes against ultralight butyl tubes in carefully controlled roll-down tests, on a real road with a rider on the bike. These test results translate directly to the real world. In the past, we’ve tested latex tubes against butyl tubes, and the performance advantage of the TPU tubes was the same for latex tubes.