Fat Bikes Ultralight fatbike tubes

[Slim]

Many of you will have heard of the ultralight TPU inner tubes out now. Tubolito was the first one I know of. The idea is great: much smaller and lighter as a spare tube, or save rotational weight and increase puncture protection in a tubed wheel.

If ever there was a place where those features would be noticeable, it would be on the huge iunnertubes of fat bikes.

Seems Revoloop has them now:

REVOLOOP Tube Fatbike 26" REVO.FAT SV 40 mm, 24,95 €

REVOLOOP tube Fatbike 26 "REVO FAT SV 40 mm REVO FAT - Fatbike Lightweight The REVO FAT was developed as a lightweight hose for fat bikes with a jacket widt

r2-bike.com

REVIEW: The 140g Super light Revoloop Fat tire tubes

Hello, Before I start a little back story and a short FAQ to answer a few of your upcoming questions. Revoloop is a german company that makes super light tubes for various kinds of bikes. In january they started producing prototypes of a fat tire tube for 4 to 5 inch fat tires. The original...

forums.mtbr.com

Tubolito+ tubes with 4" tires?

Wondering if anyone has used the tubolitos for 27/29+ with a 4" tire? Those weight 105 grams, and considering that some 27.5" tires are closer to 3.5" this would be a great (if expensive) way to save rotational mass.

forums.mtbr.com

 

[cantunamunch]

*checks mail for expected Tubolitos*

 

[Tom K.]

These look intriguing. I'm an early adopter of tubeless, but it seems problematic/fussy/ time consuming with fat tires, so I might try these.

But do they offer a 27.5 version? I'm not finding one.

Time to go ride!

 

[Slim]

These look intriguing. I'm an early adopter of tubeless, but it seems problematic/fussy/ time consuming with fat tires, so I might try these.

But do they offer a 27.5 version? I'm not finding one.

Time to go ride!

I don’t think they do. With normal inner tubes, I’d say no problem, 26>27.5 is such a small difference, and tubes stretch bigger diameter as well.
However, my experience with Tubolito suggests, these TPU tubes are not nearly as stretchy.


You have tubeless wheels and tires right?

So nothing problematic/fussy about fat tubeless then. I struggled trying to do ghetto tubeless on fat. The old Surly rims where just a horrible shape for that. But with my Other Brother Darryl, and Blizzerk Rims, it has been just as easy/hard as mtb and gravel tubeless. You might want to have a strap handy for the instal, but I have plenty of normal sized tires that needed that too.


Just make sure you have some valve stems that are fairly short, and threaded all the way to the base.
I have been using Orange Seal Sub zero, just because I have liked their products, and to be on the safe side.

 

[Tom K.]

You have tubeless wheels and tires right?

I have been using Orange Seal Sub zero, just because I have liked their products, and to be on the safe side.

I at least think so on the tubeless ready. Mulefut SL rims and D4 tires.

I'm with you on the orange seal. Switched ages ago when the old, ammonia-laden Stans corroded a bunch of nipples, and I've never looked back (though I understand current Stans doesn't have this problem).

How much sealant do you put into one of these monsters? A gallon or so?!

 

[Pierre]

Fat tire tubeless setup is so easy with the Fatty Stripper system. You can inflate them with a hand pump and no strap and virtually no leaks or gunk on the rims when you go to change back in the spring. I will never use anything else once I tried them.

 

[Jersey Skier]

I just carry a plus sized spare tube. Good enough for a spare and I've never really had to rely on it. Plugs work fine with tubeless fat tires.

 

[Jersey Skier]

Fat tire tubeless setup is so easy with the Fatty Stripper system. You can inflate them with a hand pump and no strap and virtually no leaks or gunk on the rims when you go to change back in the spring. I will never use anything else once I tried them.

Fatty stripper works great until you want to remove or swap out tires. The stripper adheres to the tire after enough time and makes it non-removeable without destroying it. It does setup tubeless super easy though.

 

[Tom K.]

Fatty stripper works great until you want to remove or swap out tires. The stripper adheres to the tire after enough time and makes it non-removeable without destroying it. It does setup tubeless super easy though.

JS, do you have a preferred tubeless setup for fat, or do you stick with tubes?

 

[Jersey Skier]

JS, do you have a preferred tubeless setup for fat, or do you stick with tubes?

Personally I run HED carbon rims that are tubeless ready. Just add sealant and go ride.

It really depends upon the rim and whether or not you care about weight. Rims with large cutouts or seams or poorly placed drain holes become problematic with tubeless tape. Plain old Gorilla tape or Ghetto tubeless with a split tube are easy if you don't have weight concerns.

I don't use tubes in any of my bikes. When I do, I get flats. I don't like getting flats.

 

[EricG]

It’s only problematic when these companies spec non-tubeless ready wheels on these bikes. Then the entrance of ghetto tubeless solutions gets so sloppy/messy. Proper tubeless ready rims are awesome!

the only thing I hate about my tubeless wheels is trying to break the bead loose when I was to change tires.

 

[Jersey Skier]

the only thing I hate about my tubeless wheels is trying to break the bead loose when I was to change tires.

Once you get used to standing on the tire and breaking the bead with your toes it’s pretty easy.

 

[Tom K.]

Once you get used to standing on the tire and breaking the bead with your toes it’s pretty easy.

Easy. I will just have to summon my teenage dirt bike racing years!

I can see I'm going to end up with two sets of FB wheels and tires. I may start a thread.

 

[EricG]

Once you get used to standing on the tire and breaking the bead with your toes it’s pretty easy.

That’s 1 way. I opted a few years back to just get bead breaking pliers as I was doing a bunch of tires on the same rims for a demo fleet. the pliers made life a lot easier

 

[Pierre]

Fatty stripper works great until you want to remove or swap out tires. The stripper adheres to the tire after enough time and makes it non-removeable without destroying it. It does setup tubeless super easy though.

I would never plan on trying to use an old one. New one every tire change. I will do it in the next few days when I swap from the Jumbo Jim's to the Terrene Wazia full studs.

 

[Jersey Skier]

I would never plan on trying to use an old one. New one every tire change. I will do it in the next few days when I swap from the Jumbo Jim's to the Terrene Wazia full studs.

I switch tires way too much for that. I went thru that before I had my Tubeless HED rims.

 

[Pierre]

I switch tires way too much for that. I went thru that before I had my Tubeless HED rims.

I can go through a lot of Fatty Stippers for the price and lacing of a set of tubeless rims.

 

[Slim]

I just carry a plus sized spare tube. Good enough for a spare and I've never really had to rely on it. Plugs work fine with tubeless fat tires.

I do not think a plus tube is good enough for a big fatbike tire. It is fine for smaller ones.
I run them in the “4” class tires on 80mm rims and under.
But a 4.8” tire on 100 mm rim? I wouldn’t even try. And given the hassle of changing a flat in winter, I’d rather carry a heavier tube than try a plus tube in a 4.6 tire on 90mm rim.

 

[EricG]

I can go through a lot of Fatty Stippers for the price and lacing of a set of tubeless rims.

while the fatty strippers are cheap, your time has value. Your time is worth more than a 2nd or 3rd set of fatty wheels.

 

[Slim]

I finally got the Revoloop ultralight tubes in the mail last week. Shippping is taking forever right now from Europe.

Just installed one in my daughters bike. On the 100mm rim with a 4” tire, it takes a lot of high force pumping to the tube to stretch to push the tire out to seat on the rim.

I think for my tubeless wheels, where I carry a spare in case of a flat, (if they are bigger rims/tires) I will pre stretch the tube, and see how that works.
My plan is to mount the tube in a big tire/rim, pump it up and let is sit for a day or so, then take it out and deflate it. Then pack it on the bikefit sue as a spare.

I’ll let you know how that goes.