In this article I will have a look at the RideNow TPU Inner Tubes for Road and MTB. I’m honestly surprised by the low weight, the low volume and with a reasonable price-point. I have been using Continental Race 28 (700C or 20-622) with 42 mm presta valves for a long time. Patrick Gante, thanks for the tip !
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RideNow TPU Inner Tubes only 36 grams
The RideNow TPU Inner Tube product page shows the following main categories with advantages of the TPU inner tubes:
- Rigorous R&D design;
- High quality valves;
- Incredibly thin and light;
- Comprehensive range of product variants;
[…] RideNow has made a lot of efforts and experiments, and finally got the Race Formula inner tube you see. RideNow uses special reinforcement materials to make TPU inner tube valves, which are structurally stable, strong and durable, and we will provide a warranty for all valve damage quality issues. The Race Formula is available in 36g, 24g and 19g versions.
Unfortunately I’m not a chemist so it is hard to comment on the research within RideNow R&D that has been performed to find the optimum TPU recipe to deliver these great innertubes for road, mountainbike and gravel tires. RideNow offers different variants with different weights (from normal light, to ultra light) for each of the cycling disciplines.
However I can clearly comment on the numbers of my kitchen scale and the difference in volume having the RideNow TPU inner tube in one hand and the Continental Race Tube in the other. Seeing is believing and this huge difference is the most impressive part of using RideNow inner tubes.
And while the RideNow valves are made of plastic material, these are good enough (I cannot experience any difference) compared to the metal presta valves on the Continental Race Tube.
Summarizing, I can react positive on 3 out of the 4 advantages that RideNow proposed on its product page.
Concluding thoughts and wrap-up
Patrick Gante convinced me to get a pair of these. He first tested the RideNow TPU Inner Tubes as part of his preparations for the Otztaler Radmarathon and is riding these tires for 1,5 years now on his Scott road bike without any issues.
The RideNow Inner Tubes are extremely thin, are about 50% of the volume of the Continental Race Tube (butyl) and with an acceptable price-point. I’ve purchased a set of two 700c RideNow TPU Inner Tubes for about € 14,00. In addition I’ve purchased a set of RideNow TPU Inner Tubes for MTB with the weight of 56 gram for roughly the same price.
I always have a RideNow TPU Inner Tube with me in the saddle bag or Craft Cadence Essentials Case on either road bike or mountain bike. I will let you know my experiences in installation (road bike especially given the high pressures 8.0 bar) and simply if I experience differences in riding at a later point in time. But I’m impressed by the volume and lightness of these TPU tires.
- Are you already using TPU Inner Tires ?
- What brand TPU Inner tires are you using ?
Let me know in the comments below:
About RideNow
As one of the first companies in the world to make inner tubes made of TPU materials, RideNow is convinced that the advantages of TPU inner tubes are simply too great. Its superior performance in all aspects will eventually make it gradually replace the traditional butyl rubber inner tube and become the most mainstream inner tube product in the bicycle market.
You can also order RideNow inner tubes through Craft Cadence:
“Craft Cadence has partnered with RideNow to bring the latest TPU inner tube technology to the masses. Light, compact and performance oriented, these tubes are a perfect complement to our essentials case and bags.”
Check out my review of Craft Cadence Essentials Case one of the very very best cases to put in the back-pocket of your cycling jersey.
// Remo