Tubes..

mloc123 · 02-03-2012 4:35pm #1

What are the advantages to latex tubes? I understand they roll better, what are the disadvantages?

mloc123 · 02-03-2012 4:42pm

I should mention, to be used with carbon clinchers

kennyb3 · 02-03-2012 4:43pm

Not recommended with carbon wheels by manufacturers due to possibility of overheating from excessive breaking and going boom.

But whether this is a real concern given there are no long descents in Ireland I dont know.

manwithaplan · 02-03-2012 4:52pm

mloc123 wrote: »

What are the advantages to latex tubes? I understand they roll better, what are the disadvantages?

Don't know that there are any, other than price. I have had them on my good wheels (alloy clinchers) for over a year without a puncture. That may be dumb luck or GP4000s tyres but it would suggest they're not particularly delicate.

niceonetom · 02-03-2012 4:58pm

They do have lower rolling resistance than butyl but any one who claims to really be able to tell the difference is either lying or is highly suggestible. They lose air so you have to pump them before every ride which is slightly annoying. On the other hand I've found they sometimes have a near-magical ability to self-heal when you get a small puncture, i.e. they'll deflate down to maybe 40 or 50 psi and then stay at that pressure. It can be enough to get you home. They can be patched as you would any butyl tube too btw.

I use them with alu rims but I might risk them in carbon clinchers if I was riding a pretty non-technical course in a TT situation which is what I guess you'd be doing, right? Triathlons?

AstraMonti · 02-03-2012 5:00pm

Latex generally have lower CRR with a difference up to .00070 from the butyls. That can translate to few good watts alright.

Here is an interesting comparison. http://www.biketechreview.com/tires_old/images/AFM_tire_testing_rev9.pdf

mloc123 · 02-03-2012 5:03pm

niceonetom wrote: »

non-technical course in a TT situation which is what I guess you'd be doing, right? Triathlons?

Yup, I expect to touch the brakes about 4 times over 90km.

I am not sure if they are worth the worry or not, decent conti tubes will probably do.. but not the conti super sonics at 25e a pop :eek:

AstraMonti · 02-03-2012 5:05pm

Get Foss tubes, they presumably are as good as latex without their problems. Don't have personal opinion though. If you want to go extreme go for eclipse tubes.. only 50euro each

niceonetom · 02-03-2012 5:07pm

mloc123 wrote: »

Yup, I expect to touch the brakes about 4 times over 90km.

I'd try the latex then. I guess the little reduction in rolling resistance might amount to something over 90km.

AstraMonti · 02-03-2012 5:09pm

niceonetom wrote: »

I'd try the latex then. I guess the little reduction in rolling resistance might amount to something over 90km.

I was reading - again no personal opinion just transfering info - that a difference of 00050 Crr between a tyre/tube combo can mean up to 30seconds difference on a 40m TT (all things equal ofcourse). How much of this is true, I am afraid I don't know.

mloc123 · 02-03-2012 5:13pm

AstraMonti wrote: »

I was reading - again no personal opinion just transfering info - that a difference of 00050 Crr between a tyre/tube combo can mean up to 30seconds difference on a 40m TT (all things equal ofcourse). How much of this is true, I am afraid I don't know.

I guess when you consider somebody will pay maybe 2k for a wheelset for the same gain its not a bad way to go about buying time.

Tubes..

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