Low-cost TPU inner tubes: a false bargain

When you're a cyclist, whether you ride for pleasure or for sport, you're also often looking to optimize your budget. And in this quest for savings, platforms like AliExpress or Amazon are irresistible magnets. Take TPU inner tubes, the latest ultra-lightweight trend that promises performance and weight savings for your bike. On AliExpress, you can find a TPU inner tube for between €5 and €10, sometimes even less. Compare that to the €25 or €30 for a Continental, Pirelli, or Schwalbe TPU tube, and the deal seems like a done deal. Why spend five times more for an inflatable piece of plastic? Well, let us explain why these good deals are often a trap, and why, as regular practitioners, we are fed up with these low-cost products that waste our time, money and patience.

By Guillaume Peephole – Photos: Vittoria, Aliexpress, DR

The mirage of €5 TPU inner tubes

On paper, everything seems perfectThe descriptions on AliExpress or Amazon are full of superlatives: ultra-light, high strength, perfect compatibility. You're promised a TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) inner tube that rivals the big brands, for a fraction of the price. At €5 each, you figure that even if it doesn't last as long as a Continental, you get five for the price of one!

For example, take a look at this Global search on AliExpress for cheap TPU chambers, where models like the CYCLAMI for less than €6 are plentiful. So, you order, all excited, and you wait (sometimes a month) for the package to arrive from the other side of the world.

But from the first few turns of the wheel, reality catches up with you. There were several of us around us who had testThese cheap TPU inner tubes, and trust us, it's a scream-inducing experience. First problem: porositySome of these tubes lose air slowly, for no apparent reason. You inflate your tire to 6 bars in the evening, and the next morning, it's at 3 bars. No visible puncture, no hole, just a tube that leaks like a leaky basket. Result? You spend your time reinflating, checking, stressing before each ride. And that's in the best case scenario. We've just been informed of a case of a TPU tube model (purchased on Amazon this time) that doesn't hold pressure for more than two or three hours.

Then there are the valvesOh, valves! That cheap, silly thing that breaks, warps, unscrews poorly, or worse, lets air out as soon as you try to inflate. We've seen TPU valves low-cost leak at the junction with the tubular part of the chamber on the first manipulation, rendering the chamber unusable. Compare that to a valve from a major brand, which withstands hundreds of inflations without flinching. It's night and day.

And then there are the punctures. If you can ride more than 50 km without incident with a €5 TPU inner tube, buy a lottery ticket, because you're lucky. These inner tubes are often so fragile that a slightly sharp gravel or a bad handling at thetagIt's enough to puncture them. We've seen tubes tear like paper at the slightest contact with a tire iron, or puncture after a simple pothole. Meanwhile, the Continental tubes we've been using for 18 months are taking miles of routedented without flinching, provided you take a few precautions from mytage (no pinching, use of suitable tools, etc.).

For a concrete example of quality, look at the Pirelli P Zero SmarTube in TPU for around €25 or Continental ContiTPU lightweight at €23.

Why these products low-cost are a miscalculation

You might say to yourself: “ OK, they're less reliable, but at €5, I can afford to buy more. " Except that This reasoning is an illusionLet's take a concrete example. Let's say you buy five TPU chambers for €5, or €25 in total, the equivalent of a big-brand chamber like those mentioned above. In one month, three of your chambers low-cost burst, one is porous, and the last one has a faulty valve. So you have to buy a new set, and there you go again. Meanwhile, your €25 Continental inner tube lasts 6000 km, or even more if you are careful when changing tires, without any problems. In the end, not only have you spent more money buying new inner tubes cheap, but you also wasted time repairing, re-inflating, stressing on the sidelines route.

Et Let's talk about the weather, preciselyA puncture on a ride is 10 minutes lost (if you're fast), not to mention the frustration. If you're racing or on a cyclo, it's a complete waste of your ride. Add to that the environmental impact : These disposable rooms, often poorly packaged in single-use plastic, end up in the trash faster than you can say. Meanwhile, a quality, well-maintained room lasts for months.

The underlying problem: quality sacrificed on the altar of price

Why these TPU chambers low-cost Are they so disappointing? Because the race for low prices imposes unacceptable compromises. Manufacturers (often anonymous) cut back on the quality of materials, on quality controls, on the precision of the valves. The TPU used is sometimes so thin that it becomes fragile, or poorly chemically treated, which explains the porosity. The valves, themselves, are often assembled in a hurry, without the necessary finishing touches to guarantee a perfect seal. Conversely, Big brands invest in materials premium liquors, testrigorous and controlled manufacturing processes. Yes, it costs more, but that's the price of reliability.

And don't tell us about the exceptionsYes, sometimes a €5 TPU chamber will do the job for a few weeks. But that's a hit or miss, not a guarantee. With the big brands, you're paying for consistency: you know that 9 times out of 10, your chamber will hold up.

A call to reason: invest in quality

Cyclists, Stop falling for fake deals! These €5 TPU inner tubes are not an investment, they are band-aids on a wooden leg. By trying to save a few euros, you end up paying more, in money, time and frustration.A top-brand inner tube is a purchase that pays for itself over time. Take care of your bike, mount your tires correctly, avoid pinch flats, and a good TPU or latex tube will last you hundreds, even thousands of miles, while providing excellent performance.

You know it, on 3bikes.fr, we like beautiful gear. But we regularly encourage you to weigh the pros and cons of impulse purchases or moving towards equipment that suits your practice. It's also not about doing anything and only buying what seems like a miracle deal. Because as the saying goes: " We are not rich enough to buy cheap. »

So, the next time you're tempted by a great deal on AliExpress or Amazon, ask yourself: do I really want to play the lottery with my bike? Or do I want to ride with peace of mind, with equipment that holds up route The answer is obvious. Stop being fooled by these disposable products and focus on quality. Your bike (and your nerves) will thank you.

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