Anything else I should know about latex tubes?

[JerryLook]

Before I switched to tubulars recently I was running GP4k tires (20f/23r) with Vittoria latex tubes on 19c alloy rims. I’m your weight and height and was running 100 psi front and back.

When changing tires out after about a year, I would also replace the tubes. They get super wrinkled (from heat I assume?) and while that might be ok, I start to worry about how much longer they will last.

[Valy]

Before I switched to tubulars recently I was running GP4k tires (20f/23r) with Vittoria latex tubes on 19c alloy rims. I’m your weight and height and was running 100 psi front and back.

When changing tires out after about a year, I would also replace the tubes. They get super wrinkled (from heat I assume?) and while that might be ok, I start to worry about how much longer they will last.

Think they get a bit of creep deformation, I've used mine over a few years with no issues. But I don't ride too much now so...

When I did, it was mainly issues with valves that crept up rather than tears in the tube itself.

[PrimO]

I'm 76kg and use Vittoria latex 19/23mm tubes in my 25mm GP4000's and run 75/65psi on both my bikes with zero pinch flats or punctures in over 2 years.

I get 2 to 3 days before needing to pump the wheels again, they will have lost approx 10psi in that time (and thats with the bike being used for 20-30km cycles each day also)

[Catagory6]

is the ride quality noticeable?
i use the light weight butyl with GP4k 25-rear, 23-front
77kg, 95/90, although i've got MUCH lower (by accident) and didn't have any probs

[AJS914]

I used latex with GP4000 tires and I thought that any improvement in ride quality was marginal. I finally switched back to butyl because I'd rather not pump tires up before every ride. Some say that you'll notice a bigger difference using a tire that has a more supple casing.

[bilwit]

I used latex with GP4000 tires and I thought that any improvement in ride quality was marginal. I finally switched back to butyl because I'd rather not pump tires up before every ride. Some say that you'll notice a bigger difference using a tire that has a more supple casing.

IMO not much between latex and a light butyl, I think I saw a rolling resistance test that also implied this as well. Save the thick normal butyl for the spare bag, light/thin butyl for every day, latex for the fast days.

[robertbb]

I used latex with GP4000 tires and I thought that any improvement in ride quality was marginal. I finally switched back to butyl because I'd rather not pump tires up before every ride. Some say that you'll notice a bigger difference using a tire that has a more supple casing.

100%.

And with the latex tubes I tried, I had to pump them up *during* a full-day ride. Serious waste of time and money.

Michelin A1 aircomp ultralight butyl. Been using them for years on GP4000s2's..... superb.

[1415chris]

I agree, using latex with GP4k is a waste of time

[TonyM]

And with the latex tubes I tried, I had to pump them up *during* a full-day ride.

Not normal. Before the ride is ok. Not during the ride. Even during a very long ride like 250km it dropped only 5 psi.
They had a small leak.

[emotive]

... I finally switched back to butyl because I'd rather not pump tires up before every ride. ...

On the Silca podcast last week they mentioned that the latest Silca (and Vittoria) latex tubes hold air a lot better now that they have added graphene. This change happened about 9 months ago. Apparently only lose a few psi a day now. Can anyone confirm they've noticed an improvement?

[Valy]

From my experience I agree that latex with GP4000 is a waste of time.

The whole idea of latex is to enhance the ride quality, as the last step to valhala.

Like noise isolation with computers. Consider it like foam inside the case. It ain't gonna stop a loud fan from being loud.

[robertbb]

And with the latex tubes I tried, I had to pump them up *during* a full-day ride.

Not normal. Before the ride is ok. Not during the ride. Even during a very long ride like 250km it dropped only 5 psi.
They had a small leak.

Had the same issues with latex tubes in my tubulars.... Vittoria's. Waste of money too.

[LewisK]

I use Vitoria Latex tubes with the new Corsa 2.0 tyre and still have to pump them up before every ride. For me it’s worth it as personally I find the ride quality better when compared with butyl tubes.

[wheelsONfire]

Always find Latex drop pressure from start to stop on my route.
With that said, i always inflate pressure a bit higher.

[jeanjacques]

Vittoria latex 25/28c on 32c tire since 2 years, absolutely no problem at all. I even had a pushpin all the way throught the tire (I stop after heard the ping ping several times) without a flat !
The average lost by night is around 0,5bar, 7psi. During a long ride is quite a pleasure because more I'm tired, more the pressure decrease so I don't feel the road getting harsher