I hear you. I had a bad batch of Michelin AirComp latex tubes probably about 10 years ago. I think 8 of the 10 I bought were bad and all in the same spot you mentioned.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I just received 80 Vittoria latex tubes and hope they are good.

All my recent vittoria latex tubes have gone the same way. I only ride outdoors on the weekend and I’ve found my last two flats when going to swap the trainer wheel for my outdoor wheel. I assumed it was just an age issue of whatever glue holds the black oval to the actual tube

Can you post a picture of the failure if you get a chance? I haven't had issues with my Vittorias or Silcas but I'm working with stock I bought a few years ago.

I had a Vittoria latex tube fail this way after very limited miles/time - less than a year old, maybe 200 miles (a race wheel). In fact, it failed the day before a race, so I dropped it at the mechanic tent and had them replace it with another latex tube - but I neglected to ask the brand. Just bought a Silca as a spare...but I also picked up a couple of TPU tubes and plan to try those in my everyday road bike as an experiment...

Me too - had two tubes fail in the exact same way. In both cases they failed during initial inflation. I was forced to ride butyl just to get out the door!

I had a batch like that several years ago which all had the same failure point. All the tubes had the same manufacturing datecode stamped on them. Just toss all the ones with the same code unless you like playing inner tube Russian roulette. I now go with Silca as I figure Josh will stand behind his products,

Forgive me if you already know this. But when inflating latex tubes, you want to be very gentle putting the chuck on the tube. You don't want to press the valve stem into the tire. In my case, that caused pinprick holes around the rubber grommet that holds the stem. This isn't a well known issue, but it's been mentioned on the forum before. Or if you're using a valve extender that has external threads, you could use a tubeless valve nut - but the stock Vittoria stems are smooth.

If that's not the case, then I'd suggest you keep trying to get Vittoria to help you. In the past, I did manage to get through to them on telephone. So they do exist, and there should be people still alive there.

The rubber grommet is fully separating from the latex tube. Every time. Almost like the adhesive used is garbage. I have a Silca pump with the thread on chuck, so it's largely irrelevant any "ham fisted" install issue.


I have ran latex for years, no issues. Then now, issues. I guess like folks say, into the trash bin and go with different brand/design. Or, fuck it, go road tubeless. If I'm already wasting this much time.


My only "true" flats I've had on latex are pinch flats not bunny hopping some ridiculous pot hole OR something like a piece of wood mulch stabs thru the tire and tube.

I wonder if the bad adhesive job is related to the change to the black stems. I've only used Vittorias with the brass colored stems. I do have one on the shelf with the newer black stem that I bought last year.

I started having duds from the last few Vittoria latex tubes that I had on hand from a couple of years prior. They had an oval grommet patch and brass valve stem. I ordered a smaller number of tubes last year. The valve stems are black but the grommet patch is round on these. Touch wood, I haven't had any issues with my last batch.

The Silca version was black stems with the round grommet so maybe Vittoria is now using that spec for all of their latex tubes. Interesting.

My last shipment of 80 Vittoria latex tubes had the black aluminum valves.