100 grams less weight on road bikes alone, puncture protection for extreme tourers or air pressures of one bar on mountain bikes without increasing the risk of punctures: Schwalbe wants to make what sounds tempting a reality with the new thermoplastic polyurethane called Aerothan. According to Schwalbe, Aerothan tubes are considerably more robust and resistant than butyl, latex or other plastic tubes.

The transparent "breath of an inner tube", which weighs from 41 grams, is innovative through and through: "We spent over five years perfecting the material down to the smallest detail in collaboration with BASF and broke completely new ground in the process. This was the only way we could combine the apparent opposites of minimal weight and maximum puncture resistance," says Felix Schäfermeier from Schwalbe.

The Aerothan material is a thermoplastic polyester polyurethane that boasts outstanding physical virtues: high resilience, unique tensile strength, outstanding damping, extreme heat resistance and maximum wear resistance. Another plus point: the material is recyclable.

Comparative tests with other Schwalbe models show how these properties affect the Aerothan Tube. The plunger test simulates the penetration of a small object, such as granules. This is exactly what causes many punctures in practice. According to Schwalbe, Aerothan lasts twice as long as other materials: 47 Newtons are required to puncture the Aerothan tube - more than twice as much as other materials. In the Snake Bite test with a drop axe, Schwalbe's new tube also withstands significantly greater drop heights than butyl, latex or other plastic tubes. Its heat resistance is also unparalleled: it was tested at temperatures of over 150°C at 78 km/h using a specially developed process.

Schwalbe promises an incomparable riding experience

In terms of weight, Aerothan scores with its lightness, from 41 grams for road bikes to 61 for all-round riders and 81 for mountain bikes. And in the rolling resistance test, it is on a par with the traditionally fastest tube material latex and tubeless systems.

"Despite the high surface tension, the resilience is excellent and ensures a smooth yet dynamic and precise riding experience that I have never experienced before," says Schäfermeier, himself a former professional cyclist, describing the incomparable riding experience. The inner tube connects so smoothly and positively with the tire as if it were a part of it.