Best TPU inner tubes ridden and reviewed 2025: can you trust plastic inner tubes in a pinch?

Perhaps you're not convinced by tubeless systems, or your wheels aren't compatible. Well, this is where the best TPU inner tubes become quite intriguing. Traditionally, those looking for a high-performance inner tube had to use latex, which are notoriously for losing air and being fragile. While they did lower rolling resistance, they weren't all that much lighter than Butyl.

That is where the best TPU inner tubes can make a big difference. Paired with the best road bike tyres, these effectively plastic inner tubes (TPU - thermoplastic polyurethane) are much lighter than latex tubes yet offer far greater protection against punctures. While they don't quite improve rolling resistance to the levels of latex or the best tubeless road bike performance tyres, they are very close and are a far more rounded option.

While the best TPU inner tubes don't offer any performance gains over those already running tubeless, they can offer some benefits if you choose to swap your spare tube for one. Firstly, their weight, typically saving your 50 grams/1.7oz from stretching out your jersey pocket. Their durability and material also mean the tube won't degrade, meaning when you eventually use it, it'll work perfectly.

For this guide I have put six TPU inner tubes to the test from repeatable brands. All of my testing was conducted on 35mm/1.3" tyres, which, while wider than most of the best road race bikes, have become the higher reaches of many of these bikes whilst being the lower end of the best endurance bikes.

Quick List

Ridden & Rated - Six of the best TPU inner tubes

Best Overall

Vittoria claims its Ultra Light Speed TPU inner tubes reduce rolling resistance by 14% and weight by 70%. At just 30 grams/1 ounce, they are certainly light, only beaten by the Tubolito S-Road in that regard.

While I can't verify Vittoria's 14% claim, what I felt out on the road certainly felt like a huge reduction in rolling resistance. The Ultra Light Speed and Revoloop tubes impressed me in this area, giving me the feeling of bolting on some super lightweight, expensive climbing wheels. The supple nature of the material, combined with a lightweight tyre, makes you feel like you are floating on a cloud, the closest sensation to a Tubular setup I have come across from a tyre and tube.

Frustratingly, the Vittoria is only available in one size. As road tyres are only increasing in diameter, it is a shame that they are a little behind on this front. However, the Ultra Light Speeds are repairable, and the reinforcing and protection around the valve are reassuring.

Most Durable

The Revoloop REVO.RACE ULTRA looks to have it all: It's light, at just 26 grams/0.9oz, and its ride quality is superb and certainly on par with that of much more costly systems like tubular.

Neat touches like a removable and reinforced valve are welcome additions over the others on test, and to that point, that Thermoplastic value as a whole feels much more robust than even the Vittoria, which appears to be of a very similar construction.

Despite puncturing the gravel version of this tube while trying to seat a tubeless tyre, it was well above its recommended maximum pressure, around 120psi. This, I think, is a huge plus for its overall durability.

While Revoloop does offer a greater variety of sizes in the Revo Ultra range, I ultimately had to decide between it and the Vittoria for the best overall, and that decision favoured Vittoria. This is really for one primary reason: Vittoria is a well-known entity among those who ride bikes; you’ve likely ridden or owned their tyres. They receive substantial support online and from brick-and-mortar retailers, making it more likely for you to find a replacement, receive service for any failures, or pick up some patches.

Best for ride feel

Being the lightest on test—at least in the road version—has a significant impact on the ride. The Tubolito truly offers an extraordinary feel, giving the tyre a lovely softness that is hard to find in many tubeless setups. It also made me feel as if I were flying, the whole time thinking I must be with the wind, but I wasn't.

This cannot be said for the entire range, however, as the CX/Gravel versions offered by Tubolito are significantly heavier and more in line with latex tube weights. I am certain this adds more durability, but it seems to defeat the purpose of a TPU inner tube.

More on durability: After one blunder, I tried to remove a value core and cracked the valve stem, which I was not aware was non-removable. I also had a fault when using the S-Tubo in a tubeless tyre after a puncture. Despite my best efforts to mitigate wobbling the valve stem around whilst pumping, it seemed my efforts were in vain, and consequently, I broke it off, leading me to reach for a good old Butyl tube.

Best for Gravel

Aside from the signature yellow Pirelli colourway, everything about the Cinturato Smartube looks identical to the Tubolito; they even originate from the same place.

What seems to differ, though, is the weight. Pirelli has clearly chosen a more robust construction, which, in reality, means it is a thicker material. That's not a bad thing; while the narrower options don't quite match the Tubolite, Vittoria, and Revoloop tubes for ride quality, they are ideal for gravel, where durability is as important as suppleness.

That only covers the Cinturato versions of the SmarTube. Once you swap to the PZero SmarTube, the weights drop, and the suppleness seems to return to a similar level to the S-Tubo.

Pirelli arguably offers the broadest range of TPU inner tubes with no less than six different versions, depending on your requirements. So, if what we have reviewed here doesn't suit your needs, they offer lighter and even MTB sizes.

Best Value

While the Aerothan tubes from Schwalbe don't stand out in the spec sheet as anything special, they do a good job of offering a pretty reasonable all-around package. They are not the lightest, but certainly not the heaviest, and they are not the fastest but certainly not the slowest. You get where I am going with this.

One thing is for sure: the Schwalbes were very easy to install. The texture of the Aerothan tubes somehow helps locate the tube nicely, allowing the tyre to slip past it and pop into place. This could make them a great spare tube for roadside changes.

As I mentioned, while it is on the heavier side, this could be thanks to a much more reinforced valve stem. This is a common issue with all TPU inner tubes, and Schwalbe has clearly looked to tackle it. They have even added a decent amount of shaping to ensure it's a good fit.

Best budget

The similarities to the Schwalbe are hard to ignore. Although the NXT tubes don't offer a headline attribute, they didn't cause me any issues. What they do offer, though, is a considerably lower cost.

This is why I am uncertain if TPU inner tubes are gaining popularity and whether something Barbieri can help to change that. Even the best latex tubes can cost half the price of a TPU, meaning that even with punctures and repairs, you can replace the tubes for the cost of one TPU. In reality, while TPUs may be more durable, they are certainly not outperforming the alternatives, only matching them in some cases.

One thing that stands out about the NXT tube is the valve reinforcement and shaping. Again, this could make it ideal as a spare tube, and considering its even lower cost than the Schwalbe, it might be worth the punt.

The different types of tube

1. Butyl is the most common type and has been used for decades on bicycles. These are standard black synthetic rubber tubes that are easy to patch and inexpensive to manufacture and purchase. Price: $5-15/£4-10
2. Latex: Technically made of natural rubber, these are lighter and more flexible (and thus have less rolling resistance) than butyl tubes but do not retain air as well. They are also more expensive and harder to repair. This is the type of tube found inside tubular tyres. Price: $15-25/£12-20
3. TPU: Short for thermoplastic polyurethane (a type of plastic), this is the newest tube type. They can be made extremely lightweight and compact or thick and durable. They can be recycled at the end of their lives and have less rolling resistance compared to butyl tubes. They are, however, more expensive and can be hard to repair. Price: $20-40/£30

Frequently asked questions about inner tubes

Verdict

So where does that leave us? There are clearly a variety of options on the market in a range of weights and widths. I think it’s fantastic that there are so many sizes available—this is something that latex tubes cannot match. As for the designs, there seem to be two schools of thought—one is producing different tube sizes out of the same material, while the other opts for thicker, more durable TPU material in larger tube diameters. The valves remain the same in both scenarios.

For riders who have happily accepted tubeless into their lives as their personal saviour, TPU tubes may not be very compelling. For the unconverted, however, the market’s TPU offerings are worth exploring, with a few caveats. Here are a few scenarios in which I’ve found them to be useful.

The thinnest TPU tubes are indistinguishable from their latex counterparts in terms of ride quality. I have ridden latex tubes extensively on my primary all-road bike and would consider myself a fan: typically I use them with very supple 35 mm tires in the summer when dry conditions and clearer roads make punctures very rare. I like the feeling of thin tires, which don’t work as well with sealant as the sidewalls tend to weep. I only use this setup when it’s dry however—in the winter I switch to slightly heartier tires set up tubeless. For riders who run similar tubed setups, I think TPU tubes are a great alternative to latex. They don’t lose air so fast, and should be more puncture resistant.

I also liked using TPU tubes on my road bike, where I can really appreciate the weight reduction. Making the switch feels like slapping on a very expensive set of climbing wheels. On a lightweight bike the weight difference is more noticeable than on an all-road or gravel bike. Since I only ride this bike rarely, it doesn't make sense to bother with sealant, and as my last remaining rim brake bike, it only gets ridden on dry days or the trainer, so punctures also aren’t a problem.

I can also endorse the use of TPU tubes for a hillclimb build, or a specific event where weight is paramount, like the famous Mt Washington Auto Road Hillclimb or recently started Mt Baker Hill Climb. Here, TPU tubes are a sensible, cost-effective upgrade.

For these scenarios, the Revoloop and Vittoria tubes were my favorites. I would like to see the design refined with a more durable valve for peace of mind, but that is part of the weight trade-off. It’s interesting to note that Vittoria recommends against using rim brakes and compressor inflation whereas Revoloop says yes to both: I was unable to discern any differences between the products themselves, but perhaps the difference lies in the legal counsel retained by these companies.

Though I enjoyed riding them on the road, I wouldn’t use either of these tubes as a spare. The tubes themselves seem reliable, but I don’t trust the valve stems. The purpose of a spare is to get me home and it needs to be idiot-proof. TPU tubes, unfortunately, are not, so for now I’ll stick with butyl tubes, which I know will get me home 9 times out of 10.

Many of the tubes tested do have removable valve cores, but some of them are glued in. This is something to take note of in case you plan to use valve extenders or sealant in the tubes. Because the valves are plastic, even the ones designed to be removable will wear the threads out over time.

I was much less impressed by the ride quality of the thicker TPU tubes. Though they still weigh less than butyl tubes, they don’t have the same buoyant feeling of the lighter weight models. They changed the feel of the bike completely; it felt like I was riding on cheap tires—or garden hoses—instead of the high end tires I was testing. They are clearly more durable but retain the Achilles heel of the fragile valve stems. I would consider using these heartier tubes as spares where weight and space are critical, but for a true backcountry, long-distance ride without services or emergency help I would always carry a butyl tube and patches as well.

To unlock the full potential of TPU, I would like to see some improved valve stem designs. Even a thicker TPU tube with a reinforced valve would be much lighter and more compact than a butyl tube and I think they would shine as truly reliable, durable backups. For the time being, however, I’ll stick to lighter models or latex when I want to prioritize ride quality above all else.