IN BRIEF
Tubolito is breaking new ground with the Tubo-Road SYNCD, a connected inner tube that tracks your bike’s tyre pressure in real time thanks to a built-in Bluetooth sensor. Compatible with tyres from 23 to 35 mm, it reports any change in pressure through a mobile app. For all its technological lead, its €39.95 price tag and its environmental impact give pause for thought.
On-board technology
Cycling has taken another step forward with Tubolito’s Tubo-Road SYNCD. Fitted with a Bluetooth sensor, this inner tube makes it possible to monitor bike tyre pressure and temperature in real time. Unlike its predecessor, which had to be held close to the phone to give a reading over NFC, this new model transmits data continuously and wirelessly.
Riders can read that information live on their smartphone or on a compatible Garmin Edge computer, which makes for greater safety and better preparation out on the bike.
How it works and what it fits
The sensor sits inside the inner tube and talks over Bluetooth to the Tubolito app, available on iOS and Android. If pressure runs too low or too high, the app sends the rider an alert, warning of the risks that come with under-inflated or over-inflated tyres.
The technology works with tyres between 23 and 35 mm wide, which covers a broad range of road bikes. The battery built into the device cannot be replaced by the user, however, which limits its working life to around 10,000 km, or two years of moderate use.
The cost and the environmental question
At €39.95, the Tubo-Road SYNCD costs far more than a standard inner tube. That price does include the monitoring technology, but it raises questions about affordability and environmental sustainability, not least because of the non-replaceable battery.
Tubolito runs a take-back scheme to recycle used sensors. Riders can return their old sensor and get a discount on a new model, an environmentally minded move against the built-in obsolescence inherent to this kind of product.
The bottom line
The Tubo-Road SYNCD is a step forward for bike accessories, thanks to its connected features and its potential to improve safety. It still raises the question of whether the investment makes sense for every rider, somewhere between useful innovation and expensive gadget.
