eclipse
Eclipse Performance Off-Road tube - 26" x 1.5/2.6"
Eclipse Performance Off-Road tube - 26" x 1.5/2.6"
Couldn't load pickup availability
Description
A lightweight TPU off-road tube for 26" wheels — built for retro MTB, dirt-jump, classic trail, and 26" junior bikes. Made in Germany with a patented all-aluminum valve and a patented end-to-end welding process.
Why it works
MountainBike Magazin (10/2024): test result "very good". "In the group of super-light, fast-rolling tubes, a recommendation for weight-conscious people. The high-quality workmanship is striking."
From 53 g. Well under a third of a butyl 26 MTB tube. The saving is rotational, so the effect on acceleration, climbing, and steering precision is bigger than the gram count suggests.
Real puncture resistance. TPU's high elongation absorbs trail debris in a way butyl can't. You stay rolling on rocks, roots, and the small sharp stuff that punctures conventional tubes.
Patented all-aluminum valve with removable core. If the core ever works loose or leaks, swap it in 60 seconds with a valve tool. No new tube needed.
End-to-end welded, not spliced. Eclipse's patented welding process eliminates the seam junction — historically the most common failure point in TPU tubes. Backed by tight in-house QC before anything ships.
Packs to nothing. Smaller than a butyl spare. Fits in a hip pack or jersey pocket without taking up the room your snacks need.
100% recyclable. When it finally wears out, it doesn't go to landfill.
Specs
| Size (ETRTO) | 559 × 40–65 mm (26" × 1.5–2.6") |
| Material | TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) |
| Valve | Presta, all-aluminum, removable core. 50 mm available with thread |
| Made in | Germany |
| Recyclable | 100% |
Weight by valve length:
| Valve | Weight |
|---|---|
| 40 mm | 53 g |
| 50 mm (with thread) | 55 g |
Which valve length do I need?
40 mm — covers most 26" MTB and dirt-jump rims.
50 mm (with thread) — useful when a rim has a deeper bed or when you want the nut to keep the valve from being pushed into the rim during high-pressure seating.
Best for
- Retro and classic 26" MTB builds that are still on the trail
- Dirt jump and 4X bikes
- 26" junior/youth MTB
- Anyone running 26" who wants a real performance tube and doesn't want to carry a butyl brick as a spare
Installing a TPU tube — the short version
TPU installs differently from butyl. Four things matter:
Start with zero air. Insert the valve completely flat — no pre-inflation. This is the single most common installation mistake.
No tire levers on the second bead. Mount by hand. Levers pinch TPU in a way they don't pinch butyl.
Soft-inflate to 0.3 bar (5 psi) first. Before closing the second bead fully, give it a small amount of air to seat the tube without folds or twists.
Inflate in steps. Go up in 1 bar (14 psi) increments, not all at once. Before you hit full pressure, squeeze the sidewalls around the whole wheel to check the tube isn't peeking out anywhere.
That's it. Once it's seated, it behaves like any other tube.
What makes Eclipse different
Eclipse pioneered TPU inner tubes in 2011 — before the category existed commercially. The patented all-aluminum valve and patented end-to-end welding process aren't marketing language; they're engineering decisions made to solve real failure modes. Every tube is QC-checked before it ships.