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Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube measures pressure w/ NFC chip, plus world’s lightest gravel tube

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Not content with just producing the world’s lightest and strongest inner tubes, Tubolito is back with another world first – a smart inner tube. Coincidentally, it’s probably also the world’s most expensive inner tube at nearly $50 a pop. But it does have a pretty neat trick built into its thermoplastic elastomer skin.

NFC Chips

Thanks to a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip implanted near the valve, the Tubolito PSENS is the world’s first smart inner tube that allows you to get near instant tire pressure readings using your smart phone.

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube NFC chip Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube NFC chip Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube NFC chip

The chip is oriented length-wise by the valve, making for a small section of the tube that isn’t flexible, but it’s small enough that you don’t notice it inside the tire.

There is an App for that

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube app

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube app screenshots

Using the free Tubolito app for iOS or Android, you simply place your phone’s camera directly over the valve area and hit ‘Scan’ on the app. If you get the positioning right, about 4-5 seconds later you’ll get a tire pressure readout in both PSI and BAR. If your phone isn’t quite in the right position, you’ll get a ‘Scan Failed’ message, but the app makes it pretty easy to get it right. The Near Field part of NFC means your phone has to be practically right on top of the tire, so you won’t be able to scan it from a distance, but that also means you won’t get interference between the two tires if you’re using two tubes.

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube instructions

The included instructions make it very easy to download the app, and start measuring pressures.

How Accurate?

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube readout

Compared to an SKS AirChecker digital gauge, I found the Tubolito PSENS to be within 1psi at all pressures, so it seems pretty accurate – at least compared to the average tire pressure gauge.

How much does it Weigh?

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube actual weight

Since Tubolito starts with one of the lightest inner tubes to begin with, they’re able to build a 29 x 1.8-2.5″ smart tube with a 42mm presta valve that weighs just 85g.

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube skin

Like some of their other tubes, the PSENS is not compatible with rim brakes and includes a few instructions to follow that are a bit different than your average tube.

Offered in 29 x 1.8-2.5″ or 27.5 x 1.8-2.5″ sizes, both will sell for $49.90. Per tube. Yes, if you wanted to run PSENS front and rear, you’re looking at $100 in tubes alone. But hey, you’ll never have to find a working tire pressure gauge again!

New Patch Kit

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube patch kit

Obviously, if you’re spending $50 on a single tube, you’re not going to just throw it away every time you get a flat. Tubolitos promise to offer double the puncture resistance of an average tube, but they’re not infallible.

Tubolito PSENS smart inner tube patch kit glue

To make their patches even more durable under high heat, they’ve added a special glue from Rema Tip Top. The patch kits include five small and five large patches, and five alcohol swabs for cleaning. One nice thing about the Tubolito tubes is that the material doesn’t allow tire sealant to stick to them, so if you’re using them as a spare for a tubeless set up, they’re very easy to clean.

Still have some of their self-adhesive patches? Don’t worry, they’re still good to use. Just that the new glued-patches are better at handling higher temperatures. The new Tubo Flix Kit will sell for $4.90.

World’s Lightest Gravel Tube

Tubolito cx/gravel inner tube
These three tubes all fit the same gravel bike tires – though the Tubolito tubes have an even bigger size range.

New for the CX and Gravel world, Tubolito has updated their standard and S-Tubo tubes to fit a wider range of tires. Now compatible with 700c x 30-47mm or 650b x 30-47mm, you get a lot of coverage out of a very light inner tube.

Tubolito cx/gravel inner tube weight

The standard CX/Gravel tube checks in at 60g for the 700c x 30-47mm size with a 42mm presta vavle. These tubes claim to offer better air retention and double the strength of a standard butyl inner tube. Also, this tube is compatible with rim brakes while the S-Tubo below is not. 

Tubolito cx/gravel inner tube s-tube weight

Somehow almost half the weight of the standard tube but with a longer 60mm presta valve (also available with a 42mm valve), the S-Tubo CX/Gravel 700c x 30-47mm tube is so small and light that it is the perfect emergency spare to stick in your pocket for your tubeless set up. Though Tubolito points out that the tubes are durable enough for daily use, and offer lower rolling resistance and better air retention for those who prefer a tubed set up.

Like all Tubolito tubes, the only draw back seems to be the price. The standard Tubo CX/Gravel will run $34.90 per tube, and the S-Tubo CX/Gravel is priced at $37.90 per tube. But as long as you don’t lose it along the way, we’ve found that the tubes are worth the price as an emergency spare since they save so much weight and space in your flat kit.

BMX Tubes too

Finally, Tubolito even has new sizes available for BMX including 20 x 1.5-2.5″ and 22/24 x 1.5-2.5″, both with presta or schrader valves. Each is priced at $34.90 a piece.

tubolito.us

 

 

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26 Comments
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Tommy Barse
3 years ago

This should stay a concept. It’s interesting tech but adds to the list of frivolous tech the industry puts out to the consumer.

I’ll stick with my pressure gauge.

Byekr
Byekr
3 years ago

I have tubolito 60mm standard tube front and pre-talc specialized turbo tube rear (only b/c the 80mm stem from tubolito has been out of stock for months) on my MY20 Tarmac SL7. 3,237 miles later: ZERO flats on the tubolito, 4 flats on the turbo tube. Tires used: specialized cotton turbo 26c (981 miles), other half on specialized s-works turbo 26c (2,256 miles)- FWIW I think the tubolito is aweseome!

Ron
Ron
3 years ago

While I’m not interested in adding some electronic thing to my tubes, I’m glad to see the new size. I’ve run tubolito for, I think, more than 2 years now without any flats, compared to the 1 to 3 flats per year prior. They also seem to lose air at an astonishingly slow rate. So, I love them.

yogibimbi
yogibimbi
3 years ago
Reply to  Ron

Can you inflate them to the same pressures as normal tubes?

atakua
3 years ago
Reply to  yogibimbi

When it is inside a tire, why not? It is the tire casing that holds the pressure, not the tube.

yogibimbi
yogibimbi
3 years ago

Would be more interesting frankly with bluetooth. My Lezyne pump also shows me the pressure so, once I am stopped, if I hold my phone to my tire or unscrew the valve top and screw the end of my pump tube onto it, doesn’t really make much of a difference. Except in price. The pump gauge measures any tube and cost me just 20 euros extra. So, as long as I have to stop for a measurement, it does not really take the inconvenience out of pressure measurement.

Petter
Petter
3 years ago

Will it still work if you just it out of the tube? The potential for a super cut price tire whiz is intriguing seeing as I always ride with a phone.

Dylan Sutton
Dylan Sutton
3 years ago

Ditch the tube part and make it something I just stick inside my rim – make it a strain-gauge over a sealed vacuum reference for the low pressure side and it doesn’t need to read a difference between the inside and outside of the tire. Read it every revolution (like an old speed sensor/wheel magnet arrangement), and trigger an alarm on my phone if it starts dropping (configurable fall rate and threshold alarms, predictive-low alerts – any T1 diabetics on here will know what I mean), before it gets low enough for my tire to fold over on hard cornering.

Mr day
Mr day
3 years ago
Reply to  Dylan Sutton

It’s called TyreWyz

blahnblahblah
blahnblahblah
3 years ago
Reply to  Dylan Sutton

serious?

Tim
Tim
3 years ago

So here’s my question – is the pressure gauge inside the tube directly exposed to the air in the tube, or does it have its own chamber that’s sealed off? Why do i ask? I’m wondering about condensation collecting in the tube and therefore the sensor. And can I cut out the sensor, and stick it to the inside of the tire of my tubeless setup? Then I get almost the same functionality as TyreWiz, for half the price, possibly lighter, without batteries or dongles hanging off my valve stems. if they expose the sensor directly to the air, sealant will likely plug it up pretty quick.

iiwas
3 years ago

More electronic waste is just what our planets needs right now.

Ivar
3 years ago

I’m not going to charge my inner tubes batteries. But make it compatible with my Garmin and an alarm there, and I’m in.

Josep Selga San Jose
Josep Selga San Jose
3 years ago

ahora hazlo al reves, pon el tubolito detras y el specialized delante y con la misma distancia comprueba los pinchazos, siempre es mas facil pinchar en la trasera que soporta mas peso.

Cecil
Cecil
3 years ago

Bluetooth would require a battery. NFC does not, which is why they’re using it.

Brian B
Brian B
3 years ago

So after a ride the one guy that always complains can scan his tire and say ‘yea I wheel sucked all day but look, I’m done .5psi. That’s why’

nashvillesfred
3 years ago

If this were a Tubeless valve that I could check pressure on, that would be great and I would consider buying one, but what consumer that is so [picky] that they would want to check tire pressure in this way would also not be running tubeless?

Rover Development
3 years ago

We have an NFC valve extension solution that will soon go to crowdfunding that can be used over and over with different tubes or with tubeless tires. Check us out at RoverDev.us for more info.

Dano
Dano
3 years ago

“New for the CX and Gravel world, Tubolito has updated their standard and S-Tubo tubes to fit a wider range of tires. Now compatible with 700c x 30-47mm or 650b x 30-47mm“

Rover Development
3 years ago

And now our Kickstarter is published in pre-launch. You can visit here and sign up to be notified when it launches: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/roverdev/psicle-sensor

Dodin
Dodin
3 years ago

so….which one would you use for a 700×43 gravel tire? seems too big for their Cx and too small for their mtb. or am i missing one?

Collin S
Collin S
3 years ago
Reply to  Dodin

well 43 is between 30 and 47 so I would say that one.

chris
chris
3 years ago

Nothing to see here and quite a stupid product at a ridiculously high price – Over 100 bucks for 2 inner tubes! I personally know of much better tech coming down the pipe that’s far more sophisticated, cheaper and works without any inner tube. Sorry guys – Nice try.

MaraudingWalrus
MaraudingWalrus
3 years ago

Lifetime average I’m probably at 90% rear flats compared to fronts, so I’m not sure that this really indicates tubolito’s extreme puncture resistance. Certainly overwhelmingly rear punctures changed in all my years in shops, as well.

I also found the “other half” being 2,256 miles compared to the presumed “first half” being 981 miles amusing.

doc hop
doc hop
3 years ago

Is there an annual award for the most pointless “innovation” in cycling? Can I nominate a pressure gauge that you have to bin when you change inner tubes, and only works when the wheel’s not going round?

PAUL COOPER
PAUL COOPER
3 years ago

I had nothing but bother with all the tubes i got from these, even out the box 2 of them were burst. 2 others kept going down over 2-4hrs. i have another 2 but still in box and most likely stay there till they rot. A big costly outlay for nothing

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