Anyone running Latex Tubes with their Zipp 404s?

[drainyoo]

This thread is good stuff. I've just got a pair of Cosmic 40C and was wanting to run Latex. Descents here are typically short (100m vertical) but steep (10%+) so it's heavy braking but for a short time at the bottom typically...sounds like it should be ok...

I have the 40C as well and ride similar descents, and I'm going to try latex this spring. The 40C aren't like other carbon clinchers because they have an aluminum core, so I wonder if that makes them better than traditional CCs.

[dynaserve]

Michelin Latex Tubes on 404 FC clinchers & Chinese carbon clinchers for 2 years no problems. 10km twisty descents in >25DegC.

[Frans]

To the OP, in these cases it is better to read 'a bit' but do your own testing. Try one on the rear for example where a puncture can be better managed. Only you know how you ride and how much you brake on descents.

Too much internet reading, even on a forum as high quality as this, is defo not a good thing.

[Frans]

I had better add, FWIW I ran butyl on my 303/404 combo for the Alpenbrevet in Switzerland last year - 170km with 4000m vertical and some screaming descents. No issues.

My buddy on R-SYS latest version (but non exolith) blew his front tyre off on the second descent at 75kmh.

What can you summarize for that? Not a lot that's definitive...

[TALEO]

DO NOT USE LATEX TUBES WITH CARBON CLINCHERS, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO HAVE HAD BAD ACCIDENTS FROM OVER HEATING

[eric]

I used latex in my FarSport carbon clinchers for some recent races and rides. One of them had a very steep descent with some tight turns (Deer Creek in the Santa Monica mountains). I did the descent one and a half times- the guy I was riding the event with melted his carbon clincher front rim and I went back up to see what happened to him. I didn't have any problems, and that's one of the the steepest descents I have taken with carbon clinchers.

[rossjm11]

I mean, they probably won't fail, but a good set of Continental Race Lights won't fail either.

Side not, Supersonics are too light, I have one fail in a crit and the other failed shortly after.

[WMW]

Side not, Supersonics are too light, I have one fail in a crit and the other failed shortly after.

Guys!!! Tubes don't fail unless the "container" is violated, period. There is no stress on them if they are properly installed. Latex tubes do not fail from heat (Zipp knows this). What they are trying to prevent is people who don't know how to install a tube and tire, blaming them and suing them. It's much easier to botch a latex tube installation. You get a little under the bead and it survives in that state until you add heat and cornering forces... boom!

[rossjm11]

Side not, Supersonics are too light, I have one fail in a crit and the other failed shortly after.

Guys!!! Tubes don't fail unless the "container" is violated, period. There is no stress on them if they are properly installed. Latex tubes do not fail from heat (Zipp knows this). What they are trying to prevent is people who don't know how to install a tube and tire, blaming them and suing them. It's much easier to botch a latex tube installation. You get a little under the bead and it survives in that state until you add heat and cornering forces... boom!

Disagree, it was not a pinch flat. The tube could not handle being ridden hard at 105psi.

[dunbar42]

Latex tubes seem quite a bit thinner than even lightweight butyl so I could see them failing sooner from heat.

[trustbran]

I have descended Mt. Diablo summit on 303 FCs with Vred latex tubes a bazillion times and have never experienced issues....

[btompkins0112]

Agree with WMW.....I ride latex exclusively and have never had issues using them with CCs. As long as you prep the wheels properly, install properly, and don't inflate them to 150psi you will be fine. This reminds me of the exploding carbon frame discussions.......

[WMW]

The tube could not handle being ridden hard at 105psi.

How did you deduce this?

There is no stress on the tube if it is properly installed. The tire is containing it. Unless that or the rim strip stops containing it, the tube will not fail.

[WMW]

Latex tubes seem quite a bit thinner than even lightweight butyl so I could see them failing sooner from heat.

Latex tubes have less heat tolerance than butyl, but Zipp did testing and learned that the rim strip would melt before the latex tube had an issue. Unlike the tube, the rim strip actually is under a lot of stress.

[em3]

Side not, Supersonics are too light, I have one fail in a crit and the other failed shortly after.

Guys!!! Tubes don't fail unless the "container" is violated, period. There is no stress on them if they are properly installed. Latex tubes do not fail from heat (Zipp knows this). What they are trying to prevent is people who don't know how to install a tube and tire, blaming them and suing them. It's much easier to botch a latex tube installation. You get a little under the bead and it survives in that state until you add heat and cornering forces... boom!

Disagree, it was not a pinch flat. The tube could not handle being ridden hard at 105psi.

Respectfully....you do realize that latex tubes are not made from the same material as prophylactics??? I suppose a condom can fail when "riding" hard, but not a latex bicycle tube. In other words, unlike sex, there is no such thing as riding a bicycle tube hard...if installed correctly and ridden correctly (e.g. not riding your brakes on downhills), then a latex tube will be no more or less resistant to fail compared to a butyl tube.

Yes, we see the warning on carbon clinchers not to use latex but said warnings are no different then the lawyer tabs on forks we all must put up with....a result of litigious unskilled "cyclists" who were doing it wrong and then blame the manufacturer for their own user error. EM3