{"id":53938,"date":"2023-08-24T17:30:48","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T15:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=743891"},"modified":"2023-08-24T17:35:39","modified_gmt":"2023-08-24T15:35:39","slug":"forget-tubeless-could-latex-or-tpu-inner-tubes-provide-a-sealant-free-tyre-upgrade","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/forget-tubeless-could-latex-or-tpu-inner-tubes-provide-a-sealant-free-tyre-upgrade\/","title":{"rendered":"Forget tubeless, could latex or TPU inner tubes provide a sealant-free tyre upgrade?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is tubeless always worth the hassle? <\/p>

By Simon von Bromley\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 24 August 2023 at 15:30 PM<\/p>

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With much of the professional peloton transitioning from tubular to tubeless wheel and tyre systems in recent years, the humble clincher tyre has often been forgotten.<\/p>\n

Clinchers had a brief moment in the spotlight a few years ago, before the tubeless takeover built up momentum, but since then, most talk has been of ditching inner tubes<\/a> altogether.<\/p>\n

A close look at the tyre tech being used at this year\u2019s Tour de France<\/a>, though, proved some of the top riders and teams believe clincher systems can still cut it at the highest level.<\/p>\n

Given the well-evidenced performance credentials of latex inner tubes and recent developments such as ultra-lightweight TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) tubes<\/a>, clinchers are perhaps being unfairly overlooked.<\/p>\n

After all, while tubeless tyres<\/a> undoubtedly have their benefits, they aren\u2019t without their drawbacks.<\/p>\n

Can a modern clincher tyre paired with a high-end tube truly compete with the best tubeless road tyres<\/a> currently available, and provide an easy, sealant-free upgrade? Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n

What are latex and TPU inner tubes?<\/h2>\n
\"Vittoria\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
TPU and latex inner tubes are made from different materials to standard bicycle inner tubes.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Standard bicycle inner tubes are made from a synthetic rubber called butyl.<\/p>\n

In contrast, latex and TPU inner tubes are made from (as their names imply) latex rubber and thermoplastic polyurethane (a type of highly flexible plastic).<\/p>\n

Both latex and TPU tubes exhibit different characteristics, which can help improve the performance of your bike.<\/p>\n

Generally, they\u2019re both lighter and more flexible, which lowers the overall weight of your bike and reduces rolling resistance \u2013 meaning more of your effort is used to propel you and your bike forwards.<\/p>\n

As with anything, there are trade-offs compared to using butyl tubes. For some people, though, those drawbacks may be easier to live with than switching to a tubeless system.<\/p>\n

What are the pros and cons of latex and TPU inner tubes?<\/h2>\n
\"Different\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Latex and TPU tubes are both lighter than typical butyl tubes and can match tubeless setups for rolling efficiency.<\/span><\/figcaption> Simon von Bromley \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Latex inner tubes \u2013 pros<\/h3>\n