Schwalbe

I have tried several different brands of TPU tubes and I prefer the Schwalbe Aerothan. My perception is that TPU tubes in general provide a lower rolling resistance and are much lighter weight than standard tubes. I have a little more than 1,000 miles on the Aerothan tubes and have only flatted once. The time I did flat, no other tube would have done any better. Flat resistance seems to be the same, maybe better than a standard tube. The Aerothan tubes have a good quality valve and the valve stem is well reinforced in its connection to the tube in comparison to some others. The Aerothans hold pressure about as well as a typical tube. So it comes down to price, which is a lot. If you want a slightly faster wheel and are willing to pay for it, here you go.

Bought these to replace the original Cheng Shin tires that came stock on my Burley Bee 2-seater. Towing around a set of 3 year old twins took its toll on the old tires so I started doing my research and came across the Schwalbe brand and this tire specifically. These new tires have added a significant level of comfort and smoothness to what was previously a very rough ride for them. They are bouncing around far less and the ride has gotten so much quieter and smoother, especially over rough trails. I'm very impressed and for the price, these really can't be beat. Now let's see how long they last.

I have these tires on my bike that is stored in Amsterdam. I have done two tours on these tires, two 3,000 mile trips. They have worn well, I could get another trip out of them but I will be replacing this summer. I carry 30 pounds of gear on a 65 lb bike. No flats so far. Once I thought I was going to have a pinch flat because of the way I hit the pot hole but I didn't. Tread and side walls have held up. The reason I am replacing the tires, it is hard to find these tires in Europe, 26 inch.

I've done tubeless on multiple tire/rim combos for my commuter and gravel bikes over the last few years, but these tires were my first attempt at going tubeless for road. I like double-wrapping the tubeless rim tape, and for the wheels I'm using (Elite ENT disc) that may have been an error. I've never myself experienced those stories about spending hours and getting blisters trying to get tires on until these. However, I can't definitively blame the tires since the wheels were also brand new and I haven't tried any other tires with them so they could be part the problem, plus if I had just single-wrapped the tape initially that could have also made a big difference. (it seems strange, but in my previous experience I've seen where an extra layer of tape can really affect how easily a tire seats). Once I eventually mounted them, I needed to use my compressor to get them seated and they held air for a couple hours without sealant with no bulges or imperfections that I could see.

The tan walls look awesome on my new bike build, and I'm glad I got them in 25mm because they inflate to around 27.8mm on my 21mm ID rims, which gives just enough room on my frame for some stretching over time, but the 28mm version likely wouldn't have fit at all. Once I added sealant I didn't notice any seepage, and after 100 miles of riding I've been pleased overall with their grip and comfort. If you compare them to higher-end tires on bicycle rolling resistance they're not great, but they haven't felt sluggish at all to me. And while 100 miles isn't much, they've already been on some pretty bad cracked/potholed roads and show no damage as of yet. I've had some cheaper as well as more expensive tires on the same roads get several cuts when they were also fairly new.

Before adding sealant I decided to use different valves, and because of the initial struggles I was scared to try remounting them. But after they had been on the rims for a few days and had been inflated several times, getting them back on was no different than any other road tire I've tried in the past, and I was even able to seat them with a track pump! So I'd definitely recommend heating them up a bit (throw them in the dryer, or use a hair dryer on them for a few minutes) before initial mounting. I was overconfident and was attempting in a cold garage. I did try to stretch them a little prior, but adding some heat would have likely saved me some stress and anger :-D.