Can you believe it's now six years since Tubolito hit the market with their TPU inner tubes? It didn't take too long for everyone from Pirelli to Schwalbe, Revoloop to Vittoria to come out with their own - but all those alternatives are quite similar in their lofty prices.
So, it's nice that there are now cheaper options from less established brands to choose from!
To expand a little further, personally I don't think that TPU inner tubes are good value for everyday riding.
They might offer a little more puncture protection over a standard Butyl tube, but I've had enough punctures with TPU tubes to find it's not enough puncture protection to justify their cost. Even specially reinforced heavy duty models - such as the Tubolito X-Tubo-City/Tour which I've reviewed previously - don't provide a cost-effective level of protection.
But although I don't rate TPU tubes highly for day-to-day riding, they are truly excellent as emergency spares! The pack size is so much smaller than a standard tube - I'm happy taking as many as three on my rides when I would baulk at squeezing in just two Butyl tubes. That's proved a lifeline on several occasions!
Still, despite only using TPU tubes as a 'get me home' emergency spare - I swap the TPU tubes out for Butyl once I'm back home (N.b. TPU tubes don't roll up quite as tight once inflated, but it's not far off) - that doesn't make the idea of spending a three-figure sum on a set of tubes any easier to stomach!
And so I am very curious to see just how good these Twooc tubes prove to be. Again, I'm not especially demanding of TPU tubes - the most riding they'll see is whatever fraction of the ride is left after I've had a puncture. The main reason for getting them is the pack size. Even so, they do need to at least be reliable enough for the leg back home - I'll let you know how I get on.
As an aside, if you're considering a super lightweight TPU tube for the gram savings and rolling resistance gains, the question of 'value' is a different story - compared to carbon handlebars or upgrading your saddle rails, the 'gainz' to price ratio with TPU tubes is much better.
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Winter glove January sales - 25% off Specialized ‘lobster’ and 100% Brisker Cold Weather glovesAlthough we're now past midwinter, spring is still a long way off - now's the chance to get some extra warmth on the cheap in the January sales
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A break up letter to... Strava
It's not you, it's me. But, some of it is you.
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Muc-Off’s chamois cream is my all-time favorite and now it's in the Cyber Monday sales - I wish I hadn't just topped up my supply
Muc-off’s my go to, but there are plenty of other discounts on other chamois cream, too
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Now’s the time to upgrade your comfort with a 3D printed saddle - up to 31% off Specialized, Fizik and Selle Italia
Here’s our top picks of models we’ve tried and tested
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Castelli bib shorts are just £50 in the Sports Direct Cyber Monday sale - plus five other deals across Giro, Abus and Endura
Sports Direct has slashed prices across its cycling range. Here are some of the best offers
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Moka pot vs Aeropress: which makes the best trailside coffee? And which is the best buy this Cyber Monday?
I've used both hundreds of times and each has its strengths and weaknesses - but there's only one that I truly love
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Cyber Monday: Seven stocking filler deals that we love and recommend for the cyclist in your life
Act fast! These are easily some of the best deals that we have seen and will help you to get your shopping done nice and early
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Boutique vs Budget: Pumps, multi-tools, bottle cages - we put the most alluring and the most economical Cyber Monday deals head-to-head
Sometimes the basics are all you need, other times a little over-engineering fully has its place...
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Five cycling jackets I’ve been testing this winter are now cheaper than ever, starting from just $111.49 / £96.00 in the Black Friday weekend sales
The warmest jackets from Rapha, Velocio, dhb, Endura and Pearl Izumi are all on sale right now. Here’s how they stack up
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This Garmin Edge 830 is still my favourite toy – and there's crazy reductions on it this Black Friday
Go from A to B and anywhere in-between with this GPS computer, with touchscreen and superb mapping
