The wheels with inner tubes are in fashion thanks to TPU

No one is surprised by the resistance that road cyclists have always shown to adopting innovations. We saw it with disc brakes, and we are seeing it with the tubeless wheel system. Despite the proven benefits of tubeless, which today is considered practically mandatory in MTB and Gravel, road cyclists still predominantly use tube tires, a system that has received a breath of fresh air with the arrival of TPU tubes.

Road cyclists resist adopting tubeless, TPU tubes, the perfect solution

That tubeless rides better, with current tires, at the level of tubulars is an objective fact corroborated by numerous tests; however, the road cyclist, always willing to copy what professionals use, has not incorporated it into their options.

When you ask why, most cite the complexity of the system that involves putting liquid in the wheels, checking that it hasn't dried up, having a compressor for proper seating, and that in the event of a puncture where the sealing liquid cannot repair it, putting in a tube means getting your hands dirty.

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Another reason many resist going tubeless is the lower pressure that this setup accepts and the need to check it before each ride. Despite the tests and wider tires, many remain firm in the belief that having tires as hard as rocks provides them with the least rolling resistance.

That is why most prefer to continue using what they have used all their lives, namely tubes, an element that has recently received a breath of fresh air with the arrival of tubes made from Thermoplastic Polyurethane, better known by its English acronym, TPU.

There is no doubt that TPU tubes have been a tremendous leap that greatly improves the characteristics of the different types of tubes, both traditional butyl and exclusive latex, with a very low weight and great puncture resistance as the main arguments. Additionally, various laboratory tests place the rolling resistance of TPU tubes very close to that of tubeless tires.

TPU tubes have also become good allies for those who use tubeless, as their lightness and small size when folded make them ideal candidates to occupy as little space as possible in our tool bag, allowing us to minimize it to its bare essentials.

Undoubtedly, TPU tubes have become a fantastic ally for those who do not want to complicate their lives and are not particularly skilled with the mechanical aspects of their bike, preferring the familiar, in this case, the good.