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Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes?
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I suspect this is going to fall into the category of "too-insignificant-to-care-about" for many people but I'm going to throw it out there anyway; has anyone attempted to quantify the differences in rolling resistance of different brands of latex tubes?

I ask because I've been using Michelin Air Comp latex tubes for a couple of years now, with a noticeable improvement over standard butyl tubes, but I've recently switched over one bike to Vittoria latex tubes; one thing that I immediately noticed is that they don't make the nice characteristic hollow hum of the Michelin tubes as you're blasting along, although I'm not sure if that's a good, bad or even a relevant thing with regard to rolling resistance.

So, the big question is, has anyone tried to quantify which brand of latex tubes are fastest?!
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [awenborn] [ In reply to ]
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Where can you buy Michelin latex tubes? I've only been able to find Vittoria.

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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [BryanD] [ In reply to ]
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I just bought some from Amazon last week.
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [BryanD] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, in the UK they're widely available, one of the most commonly stocked; not sure about elsewhere though.
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [awenborn] [ In reply to ]
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fyi (not to you particularly but in general) the green Michelin tubes do NOT have a removable valve core.

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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [awenborn] [ In reply to ]
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Michelins are the porkiest of all the latex tubes. If the weight could determine crr, they must have the worst, terrible rolling resistance :)
Vredestein on the top of the list with 48g, then Vittoria (purple one) 52g ;)
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [1415chris] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah, I noticed this myself.

The green Michelin ones that I was using were 80g for a 22/23c version, whereas the pink Vittorias are 70g and as you say there are lighter options still.
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [awenborn] [ In reply to ]
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awenborn wrote:
I suspect this is going to fall into the category of "too-insignificant-to-care-about" for many people but I'm going to throw it out there anyway; has anyone attempted to quantify the differences in rolling resistance of different brands of latex tubes?

I ask because I've been using Michelin Air Comp latex tubes for a couple of years now, with a noticeable improvement over standard butyl tubes, but I've recently switched over one bike to Vittoria latex tubes; one thing that I immediately noticed is that they don't make the nice characteristic hollow hum of the Michelin tubes as you're blasting along, although I'm not sure if that's a good, bad or even a relevant thing with regard to rolling resistance.

So, the big question is, has anyone tried to quantify which brand of latex tubes are fastest?!

^^^This.

There's no measurable difference even between different thicknesses of latex tubes.

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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [1415chris] [ In reply to ]
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Purple Vittorias? I've only ever seen bubble gum pink. Where do you find this mythical lightweight purple tubes?
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [pyrahna] [ In reply to ]
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Sorry may bad 56.5g, not 52g.




The other distinctive feature is threaded valve, oposite to non-threaded on well known pink version of Vittoria latex inner.
I got them from Planet X when they were running a sale. The price was very funny as for latex tube.
Last edited by: 1415chris: Jun 28, 17 9:38
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Re: Rolling Resistance of Different Brands of Latex Tubes? [awenborn] [ In reply to ]
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I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm still convinced that there's a difference between the Michelin and the Vittoria latex tubes.

I finally went and ordered a couple of long-valve Michelins to try it out and I swear they're quicker than the Vittorias that I took off! Maybe it's just the nice hum that they give on the road?!
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