Sure, they are expensive, and you can't patch them. Can't use sealant, either.
But, they significantly improve ride quality - I've never seen anything make such a difference.
They are very small and light to pack for spares.
Easy to install, keep their shape with slight inflation, and less likely to pinch.
I haven't seen that they retain air better.
I think this may be the future of inner tubes.
installed in my conti 5000's . after inflating 7 times -screwing pump head and off-leaking out of the plastic valve stem. stripped internal threads . valve stems are typically steel or brass for a reason- they can take multiple
inflations with out concern. thats unfortunate because they ride beautiful.
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.
installed in a 42c gravel tire, one tube is holding air fine, the other leaks from the stem and is flat in 4 days. Very light, seems to allow the tire to squish and move on terrain in a comfortable mannerthat is slightly more noticeable compared to butyl tubes.
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.
Overall I give it a 4 start rating. They don't leak air any worse than a butyl tube and are much easier to mount even on tubeless rims than any other tubes I've tried. A noticeable difference in weight when riding and out of around 1000 miles of usage I did have one flat with a small wire going through my Conti- Gator hardshell and through this tube which surprised me. My biggest gripe are the short valve lengths which limit your rim depth to around 32mm's. They are also made of plastic and seem a bit weak for such pricey tubes. That brings me to my next biggest gripe- the cost. If these were $15 I wouldn't complain at all by $30 is a bit much for these.
Offers great rolling resistance similar to latex, but can be used on rim brakes without worrying about the amount of heat build up. No problems except for availability!
Did a Century ride and got two rear tire flats. Purchased 3 tubes so that I would have a spare. The stem is plastic and can cross thread very easy, even just using your fingers.
I haven't had to use this tube yet as it is a spare for my tubeless wheel but it looks nice and I am hopeful it will be a lightweight option that works well when needed.
Really light tubes, however they don't hold air as well as butyl tubes. Better than latex though.
Extralite and packs small so is the perfect extra tube - once installed the rolling resistance is minimized and the feel of the bike is improved too!
With the weight savings and being able to reduce tire pressure, the ride feels like tubulars.
Highly recommend these!
