I can carry two of these at about the same weight as one regular tube. I have had to install one of these on the side of the road and use a stem extension. Worked great. The valve is removable. The ride isn't bad. The tube is pricey but not that bad compared to other weight saving options.
Not sure these should cost so much but the ride quality feels better from the regular tubes. Hard to describe. How do you tell if its faster? But 1500km on the road with them and no issues so far.
I use these with training wheels/tires for winter riding because I do not want to flat (they are very puncture resistant). I use them with lightweight climbing wheels because they are so light. And I use them with medium depth aero wheels because I want to go fast and these are low rolling resistance.
I have not had any flats with these tubes thus far. They seem to roll a bit faster than regular butyl tubes but it is hard to compare. They are lighter. They also seem to hold air longer than other tubes.
I blew out an Aerothan on a steep decent when I hit a rock. It just popped and deflated instantly. No tire damage (Conti Grand Prix 5Ks). Aerothans may be puncture resistant, but they are definitely not impact resistant. Don't know when I can repair it since the required Schwalbe patch kit is currently unavailable.
The tubes are very light, install easily, and provide a great ride.
However, two of six I bought failed right out of the box, just don't hold air. Another had the valve easily damaged when removing a pump head.
I think they need further development.
I will never use a "normal" tube again! It is a phenomenal improvement. It frees up so much space in your Jersey or bag, and they really are puncture resistant. The also prefer them to their orange competition. Cannot recommend enough!
I have installed two of these tubes on two different bikes and they seem to roll a bit faster, are lighter and, I have had no flats thus far. I just ordered another tube to put on the rear of my Wife's bike.
I replaced a latex tube with an aerothan tube on my road bike that has continental 5000 25 tires. Aerothan is easy to mount and I can not detect any difference in ride quality. The only difference I detect is the aerothan holds air longer like a butyl tube. No flats in 300 miles.
I run tubeless so keep this tube in my saddle bag, protected from other items. I have had regular tubes develop leaks when stored similarly. I have many ways to fix a flat (glue patch, sealant, 'dart', 'boot', tube). This tube is much smaller, lighter and more rugged. I've been stuck before so no more chances. Pricey but worth the peace of mind.
Sure, they are expensive, and you can't patch them. Can't use sealant, either.
But, they significantly improve ride quality - I've never seen anything make such a difference.
They are very small and light to pack for spares.
Easy to install, keep their shape with slight inflation, and less likely to pinch.
I haven't seen that they retain air better.
I think this may be the future of inner tubes.
installed in my conti 5000's . after inflating 7 times -screwing pump head and off-leaking out of the plastic valve stem. stripped internal threads . valve stems are typically steel or brass for a reason- they can take multiple
inflations with out concern. thats unfortunate because they ride beautiful.
Lighter than latex, and it holds air better than butyl, with virtually no pressure loss between rides. Some reviewers have said they're hard to repair, but in my experience punctures are easily repaired using either the Schwalbe or Tubilito patch kits that are specifically made for thermoplastic tubes. They are great to carry in the flat kit since they are light weight and take up much less space than butyl or latex.
installed in a 42c gravel tire, one tube is holding air fine, the other leaks from the stem and is flat in 4 days. Very light, seems to allow the tire to squish and move on terrain in a comfortable mannerthat is slightly more noticeable compared to butyl tubes.
I bought this to use as a spare on my tubeless gravel bike. However, the paperwork that comes with it says not to get it in contact with sealant. So, it is useless for my purposes. I bought lightweight tubes from another company that do not have this issue.
Overall I give it a 4 start rating. They don't leak air any worse than a butyl tube and are much easier to mount even on tubeless rims than any other tubes I've tried. A noticeable difference in weight when riding and out of around 1000 miles of usage I did have one flat with a small wire going through my Conti- Gator hardshell and through this tube which surprised me. My biggest gripe are the short valve lengths which limit your rim depth to around 32mm's. They are also made of plastic and seem a bit weak for such pricey tubes. That brings me to my next biggest gripe- the cost. If these were $15 I wouldn't complain at all by $30 is a bit much for these.
Offers great rolling resistance similar to latex, but can be used on rim brakes without worrying about the amount of heat build up. No problems except for availability!
Did a Century ride and got two rear tire flats. Purchased 3 tubes so that I would have a spare. The stem is plastic and can cross thread very easy, even just using your fingers.
I haven't had to use this tube yet as it is a spare for my tubeless wheel but it looks nice and I am hopeful it will be a lightweight option that works well when needed.
Really light tubes, however they don't hold air as well as butyl tubes. Better than latex though.