Tubilito yes or no?

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Ritsuke
Posts: 551
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:25 am
Location: Abroad

by Ritsuke

I combine the S-Tubo with S-Works Turbo Cotton 28mm and had quite a few flats recently. Even tough it's a nice way to save weight, it isn't worth the extra hassle compared to my old butyl innertubes. At first I thought it was just bad luch but it has happened too often now.
Road // 2023 S-Works Tarmac SL8 | Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 | Roval Rapide CLX
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LOWIEV
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 7:03 pm

by LOWIEV

I use the S Tubo in my saddle bag as a spare tire. That way i save +-70 grams in comparison to a normal butyl spare tire 🤷🏼‍♂️

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Mocs123
Posts: 826
Joined: Tue May 11, 2021 9:19 pm

by Mocs123

A supple tire like the Turbo Cotton really deserves a latex tube.
2015 Wilier Zero.7 Rim - 6.37kg
2020 Trek Emonda SLR-7 Disc - 6.86kg
2023 Specialized SL7 - 7.18kg

Matte86
Posts: 348
Joined: Fri Sep 18, 2020 6:23 pm

by Matte86

So far I have good experience with Revoloop tubes and turbo cottons (knocking wood).
It’s been ages since last time 80s were available, but in 40 and 60 you find them. I’ll give a try

Jwoodward
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 10:04 pm

by Jwoodward

Mocs123 wrote:
Tue Aug 24, 2021 1:11 am
A supple tire like the Turbo Cotton really deserves a latex tube.
Is the difference that noticeable? I run a tubolitos in cotton's now and curious what I'd see on swapping

Mocs123
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Joined: Tue May 11, 2021 9:19 pm

by Mocs123

I don't have Turbo Cotton's but I switched from butyl tubes to latex on my disc brake bike and I seem to be able to tell the differnce in suppleness. I'm running GP5000's which is not known to be a supple tire, unlike the Turbo Cottons. Latex tubes are pretty inexpensive so it might be worth testing a pair to see the differnce. They are a little harder to install than a butyl tube so I still carry a butyl spare (I'm probably not at my best changing a tube on the side of the road) but I've been really happy with them.
2015 Wilier Zero.7 Rim - 6.37kg
2020 Trek Emonda SLR-7 Disc - 6.86kg
2023 Specialized SL7 - 7.18kg

Jwoodward
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 10:04 pm

by Jwoodward

I went for the S Tubo for weight savings (like most?), mainly for hill climb events. It's always been in the back of my mind on giving a few grams away to see how they compare... any insight appreciated! For the record, I've had no issues with the S Tubo's thus far, hold air really well, great weight and seem to roll OK to the average joe!

Mocs123
Posts: 826
Joined: Tue May 11, 2021 9:19 pm

by Mocs123

TPU tubes (perticularly the super lightweight ones like the S-Tubo) tend to test pretty will in rolling resistance tests. Not quite as fast as latex tubes but close and faster than even the lightest butyl tubes. They obviously have a high initial cost, but my main reluctance to giving them a try is they seem non reparable, which I wouldn't mind as much if they wern't so expensive.
2015 Wilier Zero.7 Rim - 6.37kg
2020 Trek Emonda SLR-7 Disc - 6.86kg
2023 Specialized SL7 - 7.18kg

nowtaps
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2021 4:05 am

by nowtaps

If it helps, I bought 3 tubolitos online a couple of months ago. One for spare, 2 was used right away. It's from a slightly less busy online store so I'm guessing it's an older stock (since all the stores around me are sold out of all tubolitos)

After 2 weeks or so (about 3 times pumping it), the valve leaks where the plastic meets the metal core. Loses pressure overnight.

Emailed them, showed them the picture of the serial number and they sent me 3 replacements, free of charge, no hassle, no nothing. Replacement arrived in less than a week, and I'm on the other side of the world.

So I figured if the replacement breaks again, hey at least I get to try TPU tubes for half price? I've spent way more money on way dumber things before haha

Jwoodward
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 10:04 pm

by Jwoodward

Agreed, I figured the same @nowtaps so thought it worth the investment to save the grams. Been impressed with them thus far, and apart from checking pressures I don't think about them

takolino
Posts: 340
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:11 am
Location: USA, SF Bay Area

by takolino

Long Term (2yr) Impressions: I'll keep using them
I've been using Tubolitos in both standard and S-tubo (superlight) for a couple of years. Before that, I was using Conti Supersonics. I use GP4k and 5k tires but recently started using Gravelkings. I don't get very many flats. I'm in the SF Peninsula and I guess roads are pretty clean here. Only one flat this year after about 2k+ miles. When I do get flats, it's usually a piece of glass, a thorn or metal debris like a small nail or staple. If it can get through the tire, I don't think tube choice will make much of a difference. It all depends on luck for me. I'm pretty meticulous when I mount tires so I've never had any issues with tubes getting under the bead. Just pump it up a little before mounting. But be careful if you remount a tubolito after use. They stretch and don't recover.

Air loss is not bad at all, even for the S-Tubos. They hold air about twice as well as butyl Conti Supersonics. (non scientific, guesstimate) For gravel, they hold air for a long time since pressures are much lower. I can go a couple of weeks at least.

Tubolito also got S-tubo version for Gravel and MTB tubes too. It looks like they are gaining popularity. I've been using S-tubo Gravel on 35 and 38 Gravelkings this summer and they are holding up so far. I've been riding various terrain, gravel, single track, loose dirt, roots and rocks with around 30 lbs pressure. Probably around 500 miles so far on two sets of wheels. Amazing that they are only 35g per tube and fits up to 47mm wide tires!

Recent Tubolitos come with glued valve cores. I think they made this change because they can come loose and cause loss of air. There are many types of pump heads and I guess some can cause the core to come loose. Threaded pump heads especially.
No leaking issues for me since the beginning but I think the glued core is more reliable. I'm less carefull pumping these.
They've made at least three versions. Left is removable core, center is clear glue and right is milky. The right one came on the latest set of Gravel tubes I got this summer.Image

Leon
Posts: 369
Joined: Tue Jul 05, 2005 11:10 am
Location: On the road

by Leon

takolino wrote:
Mon Sep 13, 2021 6:19 am
When I do get flats, it's usually a piece of glass, a thorn or metal debris like a small nail or staple. If it can get through the tire, I don't think tube choice will make much of a difference. It all depends on luck for me.
+1 However when I got a flat with the Tubo it deflates really slow. I think because of the sturdy material. I can tell you I didn't notice I got a flat untill I was home and my tire was empty after a few hours. So, I keep using them also. Just got my winter wheelset set up with the normal Road tubo.
Ride bikes, not tanks!

Taiyoto
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:31 am

by Taiyoto

takolino wrote:
Mon Sep 13, 2021 6:19 am
Long Term (2yr) Impressions: I'll keep using them
I've been using Tubolitos in both standard and S-tubo (superlight) for a couple of years. Before that, I was using Conti Supersonics. I use GP4k and 5k tires but recently started using Gravelkings. I don't get very many flats. I'm in the SF Peninsula and I guess roads are pretty clean here. Only one flat this year after about 2k+ miles. When I do get flats, it's usually a piece of glass, a thorn or metal debris like a small nail or staple. If it can get through the tire, I don't think tube choice will make much of a difference. It all depends on luck for me. I'm pretty meticulous when I mount tires so I've never had any issues with tubes getting under the bead. Just pump it up a little before mounting. But be careful if you remount a tubolito after use. They stretch and don't recover.

Air loss is not bad at all, even for the S-Tubos. They hold air about twice as well as butyl Conti Supersonics. (non scientific, guesstimate) For gravel, they hold air for a long time since pressures are much lower. I can go a couple of weeks at least.

Tubolito also got S-tubo version for Gravel and MTB tubes too. It looks like they are gaining popularity. I've been using S-tubo Gravel on 35 and 38 Gravelkings this summer and they are holding up so far. I've been riding various terrain, gravel, single track, loose dirt, roots and rocks with around 30 lbs pressure. Probably around 500 miles so far on two sets of wheels. Amazing that they are only 35g per tube and fits up to 47mm wide tires!

Recent Tubolitos come with glued valve cores. I think they made this change because they can come loose and cause loss of air. There are many types of pump heads and I guess some can cause the core to come loose. Threaded pump heads especially.
No leaking issues for me since the beginning but I think the glued core is more reliable. I'm less carefull pumping these.
They've made at least three versions. Left is removable core, center is clear glue and right is milky. The right one came on the latest set of Gravel tubes I got this summer.Image
I have a question for the Recent Tubolitos come with glued valve cores

1. is this all the glued valve from this year 2021, or from Aug.??

thanks

takolino
Posts: 340
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:11 am
Location: USA, SF Bay Area

by takolino

I got them around August 2021. I also got some in January. They've all been glued. But,I bought some s-tubo on ebay and they were not glued. Probably old stock. I think they've been gluing the valve cores for a while. My guess is ever since they switched to the brown box packaging but I could be wrong. When I first got them a couple of years ago, they came in a black folded card with a rubber band around it. I still have some left and they don't have glue. It seems the ones that come in the brown box are glued.

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Stendhal
Posts: 894
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Location: Silicon Valley

by Stendhal

Takolino, you've been much more fortunate than me, as I also live on the Bay Area peninsula (towards San Jose) and many roads are so bad that I've systematically moved up to 30 and 32mm tires. :(

Just purchased PIRELLI's new TPU tubes for a new bike build. Even at $70 a pair the weight weenie value is outstanding-- 35g each with a decent sized valve stem (60mm). Cautiously optimistic that the claimed superior puncture resistance will make it worth it. As a bike shop is doing the build I know the tubes will be installed right this first time; any replacements will be from me. I'll report on performance.
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