After using them for several weeks now I can report that although they lose air slower than a standard rubber innertube they do still lose air. And they are made for 18 to 32 mm tires which means they move around a bit in a 28 mm tire and so can rub a hole in the tube if you have any rough spots in the rim liner.

One thing that made them attractive was that they were as cheap as $2 a tube but after the release of the Vittoria tubes at $37 a copy and they actually sold the Chinese price doubled for the cheapest one's you could get and went as high as $20 per tube - simply because they are light.

They are a bit difficult to install because the TPU material is very slippery and it is difficult to get it to remain in the tire as you are fitting it to the rim.

I just finished pumping up the rear tire on my Ridley and I have already had one friction flat. Perhaps talc would reduce the friction since the TPU material is so thin. But the flat I got was a tear on the rim face of the innertube and it was clearly a tear that made a rather gapping hole.

The only reason that I could see for using these tubes is if the price again falls back down to cheap and certainly not Vittoria's $37 per copy.

On Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 4:42:19 PM UTC+1, Tom Kunich wrote:
> After using them for several weeks now I can report that although they lose air slower than a standard rubber innertube they do still lose air. And they are made for 18 to 32 mm tires which means they move around a bit in a 28 mm tire and so can rub a hole in the tube if you have any rough spots in the rim liner.
>
> One thing that made them attractive was that they were as cheap as $2 a tube but after the release of the Vittoria tubes at $37 a copy and they actually sold the Chinese price doubled for the cheapest one's you could get and went as high as $20 per tube - simply because they are light.
>
> They are a bit difficult to install because the TPU material is very slippery and it is difficult to get it to remain in the tire as you are fitting it to the rim.
>
> I just finished pumping up the rear tire on my Ridley and I have already had one friction flat. Perhaps talc would reduce the friction since the TPU material is so thin. But the flat I got was a tear on the rim face of the innertube and it was clearly a tear that made a rather gapping hole.
>
> The only reason that I could see for using these tubes is if the price again falls back down to cheap and certainly not Vittoria's $37 per copy.

The reason for me would be that the pack volume is small and you could fit 2 or 3 in your saddle bag instead of one. Up to now that is not enough to try them.

Lou

On Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 8:41:40 AM UTC-8, Lou Holtman wrote:
> On Sunday, November 12, 2023 at 4:42:19 PM UTC+1, Tom Kunich wrote:
> > After using them for several weeks now I can report that although they lose air slower than a standard rubber innertube they do still lose air. And they are made for 18 to 32 mm tires which means they move around a bit in a 28 mm tire and so can rub a hole in the tube if you have any rough spots in the rim liner.
> >
> > One thing that made them attractive was that they were as cheap as $2 a tube but after the release of the Vittoria tubes at $37 a copy and they actually sold the Chinese price doubled for the cheapest one's you could get and went as high as $20 per tube - simply because they are light.
> >
> > They are a bit difficult to install because the TPU material is very slippery and it is difficult to get it to remain in the tire as you are fitting it to the rim.
> >
> > I just finished pumping up the rear tire on my Ridley and I have already had one friction flat. Perhaps talc would reduce the friction since the TPU material is so thin. But the flat I got was a tear on the rim face of the innertube and it was clearly a tear that made a rather gapping hole.
> >
> > The only reason that I could see for using these tubes is if the price again falls back down to cheap and certainly not Vittoria's $37 per copy.
> The reason for me would be that the pack volume is small and you could fit 2 or 3 in your saddle bag instead of one. Up to now that is not enough to try them.
>
> Lou

I bought 20 of them for around $2 per each but then the seller only sent 18.. That is enough but I wouldn't use that seller again.