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# Aerothan tubes: installation, repair, and care

**Installation basics**
Aerothan tubes install just like a standard tube — the material's dimensional stability actually makes it easier, since it doesn't shift or get pinched as readily. One important limit: 
||| When pre-inflating prior to installation, only inflate an Aerothan tube until it's round and free of folds — that's roughly 0.3 bar (4.5 PSI) at most. 
Don't inflate it further while it's off the wheel, otherwise the tube could explode. Once mounted properly inside a tire, normal operating pressures can be used.

It's normal for a new Aerothan tube to change color once it's been inside a tire for a while. This comes from volatile compounds in the tire's rubber diffusing into the transparent TPU material, especially with new, unused tires. It has no effect on performance or durability.

**Tire pressure**
Because Aerothan holds its shape so well, it can run at meaningfully lower pressures than a butyl tube in the same tire — the pressure guidance for tubeless setups is a reasonable starting point. Keep in mind that the minimum pressure printed on a tire's sidewall assumes a butyl tube; with Aerothan, you can often go a bit lower than that printed minimum. For the maximum, follow whichever is lower: the tire's rated max or the rim's, if the rim's is more restrictive.

**Sealant and repair sprays**
Don't use tire sealant or repair/inflate spray with Aerothan tubes. TPU has very high surface tension, so these products can't form a seal, and their chemical composition isn't a good match for the material either. If you're out on the road and can't fully remove old sealant from a tire before fitting an Aerothan tube as an emergency spare, it's fine to use it anyway — just clean the tube thoroughly with water or cleaning alcohol as soon as you can, and replace the tire if the original damage was significant.

**Repairing a puncture**
[Aerothan tubes can be patched with glueless patches made for the material](https://www.schwalbetires.com/Aerothan-Glueless-Patches). Unlike a butyl tube, you don't need to roughen the surface first — just clean the area well and apply the patch directly. For a larger hole or cut (up to about 4 mm), use two overlapping patches, and wipe the area with cleaning alcohol first to improve adhesion. Classic rubber patches with vulcanizing fluid are not compatible with TPU.
![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/c/f/f/5/cff55f369977f800/schwalbe-aerothan-glueless-pat_vr3qhn.png)
**Valve details**
The tube uses a 40mm SV/Presta valve (some sizes are available in 60mm or 80mm for deep-section rims), with a replaceable valve core. 
||| Aerothan valve cores are sealed by rubber rather than the Teflon seal used on butyl tube valve cores — don't swap in a butyl-style core. 
If the valve stem doesn't want to pass through a tight rim valve hole, unscrew the valve core first, insert the stem, then screw the core back in — never file or machine the valve stem itself. A Schrader (AV) valve hole is too large for the tube's Presta stem and needs a reducing sleeve for a secure, quiet fit. CO2 inflation is fine once the tube is fully installed in the tire (not for the initial low-pressure shaping step). Talcum powder isn't necessary — the tube already ships with a low-friction coating — but it won't harm the tube if you use it anyway.

**Reuse**
While aerothan tubes can be reused just like a butyl tube, there are some considerations:
|| An Aerothan tube can be moved to a different tire later, but only to a tire of the same width or wider — never a narrower one.