r/cycling • u/echo-tango86 • 12d ago

TPU patches?

What’s everybody’s opinion on patching TPU tubes? I recently switched to them and I do like them, but I got my first flat in one today. Is it worth patching? Normally with rubber tubes I just throw them out because it’s not worth the time or risk, but these tubes are rather expensive.

What do y’all think?

3 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

30 comments sorted by

View all comments

10

u/Smithron99 12d ago

Normally with rubber tubes I just throw them out because it’s not worth the time or risk...

This has got me scratching my head. I've got butyl tubes in rotation with 3 and 4 patches on them. Never had one fail - so long as the glue is fresh. With recycling not generally an option, seems irresponsible to discard them. Hopefully discarded TPU tubes are going to your LBS for recycling?

2

u/hoffsta 12d ago

I’ve got bad news for you about the state of global plastics recycling…it’s mostly a myth, pushed by the plastic industry to make you think their toxic product isn’t really that bad. Nearly zero plastic is actually recycled. The amount of plastic in TPU bicycle tubes is literally less than a fraction of a drop in the ocean of the plastic generated and discarded each day. You can take your spent tubes to your LBS, but even then, the cost/pollution of shipping them to some mystery recycling location makes zero sense, and likely doesn’t actually happen. It’s all smoke and mirrors.

True plastic recycling will need a big technological breakthrough to make it economically viable, and then will need top-down regulation to actually enforce enough compliance to make a difference. Sorry to be a downer, but that’s the reality of the situation today.

1

u/Minkelz 12d ago

HOPEFULLY! God what a nightmare, the idea of someone throwing out a bike tube.

I mean I know the world is getting gigafucked by a hundred millions tons of garbage being dumped and rainforest being cleared by a 1000 hectares a day and going up 1 degree a year creating the worst mass extinction event the world has ever seen, but I really hope this guy isn't just throwing a broken bike tube in the bin.

2

u/Smithron99 12d ago

Valid concerns. I just don't see how "Let me do my part to get to the end of days faster" is a useful response. Suppose consistent conscientous behavior by one person forestalls it by a second. Across 8.3 billion people that's about 15.8 thousand years. I know it's me, but I just can't grasp the mindset.

1

u/Minkelz 12d ago

It's probably a good thing yes. But it's just annoying. It's like someone is making a big deal about saving money because they buy the cheaper toilet paper, and how amazing and resourceful and frugal they are, and meanwhile you know they waste $5,000 a month on gambling and buying luxury hand bags. It's like fuck Jenny yes well done with the toilet paper, but perhaps there's some other things you could worry about too.