latex tubes

[vqdriver]

i'm interested in trying em out. disadvantages? i've heard all kinds of stuff from "they're too delicate for everyday" use to "they'll dissolve if you get oil on it"
is it true that you can't patch it?

alternatively, how about superthin butyl tubes? i'm not concerned with weight, only the ride qualities?

thanks.

[malcolm]

I had some veloflex carbons, tubular but the tube was latex and they would leak down overnight, only real disadvantage i saw. Don't really know that there was any advantages either. I've never really had any problems with old fashioned butyl tubes. Are there advantages to latex other than weight?

[Tim]

I use Michelin latex tubes, and have for years. True, they're more expensive and you need to pump you tires every day- but they last, they don't flat and they're more comfortable to ride...all reasons that make the extra expense worth it. I heard recently that Michelin has discontinued making these tubes. I'm not sure if this is true or not- but if it's true, then I'm planning to stock up.

[climbgdh]

I started to use the Michelin latex tubes on my 2 road bikes this past spring. I have to say they are awesome. I haven't had a flat (in roughly 6000km) plus they improved the ride quality quite a bit. I really like them and hope that Michelin doesn't stop making them. I haven't tried patching so can't answer that question. They are a bit more expensive but in my mind worth it. You do have to pump them up before each ride but that is only a small hassle.

[Nil Else]

Supposedly one of most effective places on a bike to reduce weight is rotational weight of wheels, tires, and tubes... the latter being the cheapest. Yes you'll have to pump your tires every time you go riding as latex slow leak air through the membrane. I have latex in my tubulars and also have a bunch of Vittoria latex tubes I got on sale somewhere but haven't got around to check them out in clinchers yet.

Latex tubes supposed to be lighter than ultra light butyl? I've never weighed them.

[djg21]

I had some veloflex carbons, tubular but the tube was latex and they would leak down overnight, only real disadvantage i saw. Don't really know that there was any advantages either. I've never really had any problems with old fashioned butyl tubes. Are there advantages to latex other than weight?


The ONLY downsides are that you have to be careful not to tear them on installation, and you have to pump up before every ride (it you don't already). Otherwise, they are lighter and ride better. IMHO, they feel almost like tubulars.

[malcolm]

The ONLY doesides are that you have to be careful not to tear them on installation, and you have to pump up before every ride (it you don't already). Otherwise, they are lighter and ride better. IMHO, they feel almost like tubulars.


I might have to try them. I just couldn't imagine how they could change the ride and always assumed it was a weight thing

[djg21]

I might have to try them. I just couldn't imagine how they could change the ride and always assumed it was a weight thing


They are mush more supple, and are less apt to snake-bite because they are more elastic than butyl tubes. Good tubulars have latex tubes.

[malcolm]

I've ridden veloflex carbon tubbies and they did have latex tubes and rode very nice. I just chalked the ride up to them being tubular and not the tubes. I've got 25mm vittoria open evo cx clinchers on one of my bikes with butyl tubes and they are my favorite riding tire, I might change to latex tubes and see if I can feel a difference. Thanks for the input, once i get around to making the change I'll let you know what I think.

[Lifelover]

I might have to try them. I just couldn't imagine how they could change the ride and always assumed it was a weight thing

I have heard from VERY reliable and respected sources on this forum that they make significant(?) difference in ride quality.

The Engineer in me cannot begin to fathom how that could be. The forces are just too small. I know for a fact that my insensitive butt would never know what tube I was using.

[xeladragon]

I currently have latex tubes (w/ Conti GP4000s) on one road bike and butyl on the other (w/ Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CXs). The difference is subtle imo, but I prefer the latex. I just ordered some more latex tubes from Tree Fort Bikes... backordered until mid-October at the earliest.

[malcolm]

I have heard from VERY reliable and respected sources on this forum that they make significant(?) difference in ride quality.

The Engineer in me cannot begin to fathom how that could be. The forces are just too small. I know for a fact that my insensitive butt would never know what tube I was using.


I suspect I'll fall into your camp on this one, but I'll try it anyway. I'm not real sensitive. I can't really tell tires apart and I'm fairly certain all things being equal I could't even tell bike materials apart.

[jlwdm]

From similar threads on various forums the ride more people seem to think is most like tubulars is:

Latex tubes
Vittoria Open Corsa EVO CX

I have not tried them.

Jeff

[false_Aest]

They make a difference but if you're like me you won't notice it at first . . .

Buy 4 Mich. latex tubes and a brand new set of Pro3s.
Install tubes with a bit extra talc and start riding. If you flat replace it with a latex tube. Ride until you wear out your tyres.

Replace both tyres at once when you do swap the tubes for standard (talc-ed) el-cheapo tubes.

I swear you'll feel a difference when you switch back. To me, things just feel sluggish.

----

Over at weight weenies someone mentioned that latex tubes "give" him about 8 watts. On my commute to work I average about 20mph or 185 watts. If what this dude says is true, a gift of 8 watts is about 4.3% or .66mph. Obviously I dunno how the dude came up with 8 watts but ~4% is probably just enough to make me go "Huh, these feel . . . different."

[vqdriver]

are michelin's the only way to go? not so easy to source online in anything larger than a 23.

how are the challenge latex tubes?

[67-59]

So just how much air leak is there from day to day? If I start my ride on day one at 100 psi, what will the guage read just before my day two ride 24 hours later - will it be more like 90 or 60?

I ask because this talk of slow air leak makes me wonder how they'd do on a really long (8-10 hour) all-day ride. If it only goes 100 > 90 in 24 hours, I'm sure I'd be fine at the end of a long ride; if it goes 100 > 60 in 24 hours, I'd be concerned since I'd probably be getting down to the low 80s on a long ride.

I know the numbers will vary from person to person - just curious about the ballpark....

[11.4]

Latex tubes are a slightly mixed bag. (And I assume we're talking clinchers -- with tubulars they have no issues except having to pump them up every day, which you want to do even for butyl tubes).

If you are careful with installing them they are pretty problem free. If you get them caught under the tire bead at all, they tend to extrude out past the bead and will make a big bubble very briefly and then pop. So you have to be very careful of this.

They are also a bit more susceptible to pinches when you're installing the tire.

And lastly, you can sometimes get a smallish cut (more than a puncture, but not a huge cut) that is just enough to allow a bubble of latex inner tube to work its way through and then rapidly puncture. Those are the annoying punctures even if you're careful installing them. The new Vittoria 320 tpi tires are much much better at avoiding this kind of puncture/cut, so I have no compunctions about latex tubes with these tires. I have a few more bubbles with Veloflexes but not bad. Just be prepared for it to happen from time to time. You can carry two latex spare tubes and two CO2 cartridges for what one butyl tube normally entails. But be careful of tires that are excessively tight to mount.

[jblande]

agree with 11.4: avoid tight veloflex clinchers with latex tubes (ie excessively tight clichers). i blew 4 tubes this way :crap:

[djg21]

are michelin's the only way to go? not so easy to source online in anything larger than a 23.

how are the challenge latex tubes?


Don't sweat the size too much. A 23mm tube will inflate to fill a 25mm tire without any problem. In fact, I regularly use 23mm Michelin Latex tubes with 25mm Conti GP4000 tires, and I haven't had a flat in 5000 miles (and I believe pavement to be optional). And while I started using Latex tubes to minimize snakebite flats while on the road, the ride is a noticeable improvement over butyl. I will say that the spare tubes I carry are butyl, just because I don't want to risk tearing a latex tube during a rushed installation on the side of a road. But this hasn't been an issue in some time!

[Andreas]

They are also a bit more susceptible to pinches when you're installing the tire.

And lastly, you can sometimes get a smallish cut (more than a puncture, but not a huge cut) that is just enough to allow a bubble of latex inner tube to work its way through and then rapidly puncture.

+1
Used them for a bit. Ride is a bit nicer than butyls.

But if I want a nice ride, I just ride tubies anyway.
For clinchers, the worries about exploding latex tubes through small cuts outweighed the nicety of the ride.

Had this happen on a 40mph downhill - I would have been safe with tubies, but the latex tube herniated throught the clincher cut, causing an immediate deflation with the clincher coming off the rim. No fun.

[false_Aest]

So just how much air leak is there from day to day? If I start my ride on day one at 100 psi, what will the guage read just before my day two ride 24 hours later - will it be more like 90 or 60?


90 PSI front
100 PSI rear

24 hours later 80 PSI front/rear.

8 hour ride = no problem.
12 hour ride = no problem.

Also, avoid letting your tubes get hit with sunlight. You know when rubber-bands (gum bands for you Pittsburghers) get old and crack . . . . yeah.