Whether or not you’re a tubeless devotee or a luddite fan of tubes, Continental’s new light-weight ContiTPU tubes are price a better look. Totally made in Germany with 7 layers of thermoplastic polyurethane – maybe impressed by your favourite Tex-Mex chip dip – ContiTPU tubes promise further sturdiness with out further weight. The truth is, they might even be the lightest TPU inside tube you will get, relying on what measurement tires you run. Doubtlessly extra versatile than most comparable ultralight alt tubes, simply 3 sizes are stated to suit most fashionable street, gravel, and mountain bikes…
Continental light-weight 7-layer ContiTPU inside tubes
Conti says the distinctive 7-layer building of their ContiTPU inside tubes “maximizes airtightness and sturdiness” whereas nonetheless permitting for unbelievable mild weights. Certain, loads of fashionable cyclists have ditched traditional inside tubes for tubeless setups. However most of us nonetheless carry a spare tube for when neither sealant nor plugs can’t repair larger punctures. So light-weight and packability are key. And ContiTPU tubes look to be about as mild and compact as they arrive.
Tech particulars
Continental describes their tubes as being constructed of the “highest grade of micrometer-thick TPU” stack in 7 individually sealed layers. The tires are 100% made-in-Germany, even right down to the uncooked supplies. And every tube is quality-checked to make sure airtightness after manufacturing. They’re heat-sensitive although, so you may’t use them in any wheels with rim brakes.
And Continental even made it simple to restore a puncture in the event that they inevitably come, together with a restore patch with every tube. That may not sound like an enormous deal. However TPU tubes require a particular patch, and most makers of TPU tubes make you purchase patch kits individually. Every ContiTPU tube consists of two self-adhesive restore patches with the isopropyl alcohol wipes you’ll have to prep the broken space earlier than patching.
What’s the distinction between butyl, latex & TPU inside tubes? We break it down for you, right here.
Light-weight TPU tubes match into your tires
The brand new Continental ContiTPU tubes are available in three sizes. And so they stretch fairly a bit whenever you pump them. So no pumping to greater than 4psi outdoors of a tire. And when you inflate them inside a sure width tire, you may solely ever use that tube in the identical width or wider tire.
The lightest ContiTPU tube is simply 35g for 700c tires from 25-35mm extensive. There are lighter TPU tubes for the smaller street bike finish of that vary, just like the ultralight 25g Tubolito S-Street. However if you’re driving a cyclocross or quick gravel bike on the wider fringe of that vary, you won’t discover any lighter tube on the market.
For extra off-road gravel riders as much as mountain bikers, there are ContiTPU tubes designed for tires 40-60mm extensive. For 27.5″/650b wheels these are a claimed 43g, or for 29″/700c it’s simply 45g. That vary simply covers gravel. On the MTB facet that equates to 1.57-2.36″, which is a hair (or extra exactly 1mm) shy of the two.4″ tire width that’s tremendous frequent from XC all the best way as much as enduro lately. I’d guess you have to be nice although, since Conti is clearly advertising them for mountain bikes.
In any case, these would make for critically mild tubes irrespective of the bike.
ContiTPU tubes – Pricing & Availability
All three sizes of the undyed whitish translucent Continental ContiTPU tubes promote for a similar 30€ price ticket, together with a patch. All sizes additionally function 60mm lengthy black Presta valves to suit low- to mid-profile rims. And so they have detachable valve cores so you may thread on a valve extender for deeper wheels.
The brand new ContiTPU tubes are out available in the market now, out there out of your native bikeshop and on-line retailers. However there aren’t a ton on the market simply but, so that you might need to buy round a bit.
