Just sayin - latex tubes patch really well with a regular patch kit (I use the Park tool patch kit). Had a big rent in one of mine, threw on a patch and it’s fixed, no tricks required. Another one had a pinhole-sized hole which is really easy to mark with a sharpie (compared the black butyl tube) so again easy to patch.
I bought a whole bunch of latex tubes in anticipation of going through them as I flat over time, but I’ve been running the same tubes in each of my bikes, with patches on them no problemo.
Def worth it - 5 minutes to save a $20 tube is pretty good ROI!
Do you replace them after applying the patch once you get home? Or do you continue to ride? I have been conditioned to think of latex tubes as very fragile, to the point that patch glue would kill them. But perhaps it is an urban legend…
And the patches don’t really add rolling resistance either. I read an article once about a guy whose cat got ahold of his tube and he decided to patch it (like 12 times) and test for rr. No difference.
The only patching problem I have with latex is trying to patch the inevitable failure at the seam. Sometimes I do it and it runs forever and some times I do it and if fails immediately.
Do you replace them after applying the patch once you get home? Or do you continue to ride? I have been conditioned to think of latex tubes as very fragile, to the point that patch glue would kill them. But perhaps it is an urban legend…
I only patch at home. I just find that on the road, there’s so much dirt, debris, etc. around that it’s annoying enough to change an intact tube, let alone setting out to patch one, unless I absolutely have to (I do carry a patch kit as I’ve had a multiflat situation once.)
I actually carry a butyl tube as my backup, not a latex. While latex hasn’t been especially fragile for me, there’s no doubt that the butyl is thicker and sturdier, so I opt for that as my backup. On bike bike, the butyl costs not just in speed, but in a really jarring ride on my TT bike, but I can deal with that if I’m just finishing the ride. When I’m back home, I’ll patch the latex tube (patching latex is so fast it’s almost ridiculous, it almost takes longer to unwrap the vinyl wrapping on the Park tool container than it does to apply the adhesive and patch!) and reinstall it.
And the patches don’t really add rolling resistance either. I read an article once about a guy whose cat got ahold of his tube and he decided to patch it (like 12 times) and test for rr. No difference.
The only patching problem I have with latex is trying to patch the inevitable failure at the seam. Sometimes I do it and it runs forever and some times I do it and if fails immediately.
I’m sure I’ll get one of those - knock on wood, I’ve been lucky thus far and haven’t had a seam failure yet.
I read an article once about a guy whose cat got ahold of his tube and he decided to patch it (like 12 times) and test for rolling resistance. No difference.
This is the perfect combination of catloving and extreme cycling wonkery. The dude should start a blog or instagram account.
I have some latex tubes with at least 6 patches on them.
This came at a time I was trying to lower pressure, used some of the recommendations here and pinch flatted on just about every ride for 2 weeks.
I still don’t see how anyone can be riding 85 psi with 23’s or 25’s.
Off topic, but have you checked the accuracy of your pressure gauge? I ride around 75-80 psi on mostly labelled 25mm tyres (usually actually measuring ~27mm) and it’s extremely rare I have a pinch flat. I’m ~66-67kg usually. I’ve found that it’s not rare that floor pumps measure high (seen up to 20 psi), so if you have one of those gauges and you’ve actually been riding around with 70 psi (and are maybe heavier than me), I can easily see you run into problems on bad roads.
Do you replace them after applying the patch once you get home? Or do you continue to ride? I have been conditioned to think of latex tubes as very fragile, to the point that patch glue would kill them. But perhaps it is an urban legend…
I agree w/Lightheir, easy to patch. Recently I had to use an emergency slime sticker type patch (no glue), while on the Road. My spare conventional tube had deteriorated with massive cracks. That tube is still rolling with over 300 miles (and 2 other patches).
So, I got that going for me.
Which is nice
I have some latex tubes with at least 6 patches on them.
This came at a time I was trying to lower pressure, used some of the recommendations here and pinch flatted on just about every ride for 2 weeks.
I still don’t see how anyone can be riding 85 psi with 23’s or 25’s.
Off topic, but have you checked the accuracy of your pressure gauge? I ride around 75-80 psi on mostly labelled 25mm tyres (usually actually measuring ~27mm) and it’s extremely rare I have a pinch flat. I’m ~66-67kg usually. I’ve found that it’s not rare that floor pumps measure high (seen up to 20 psi), so if you have one of those gauges and you’ve actually been riding around with 70 psi (and are maybe heavier than me), I can easily see you run into problems on bad roads.
It must be the crxppy roads I’m on.
I work in calibration. I have a $50K pressure calibrator at my disposal that passes our 16949 and 17025 audits.
Sometimes it pays to be cheap! I have been patching all my tubes forever and latex for the last 9 or 10 years because they are really expensive. I assumed everyone knew this worked and was pretty easy.
I don’t patch on the road except in an extreme emergency so I swap the tube like you. Then I save up a few tubes to patch up in the shop later on…it’s a little like gluing tubulars for me because finding the leak, marking it, etc is all very soothing. I know I am weird!
Sometimes it pays to be cheap! I have been patching all my tubes forever and latex for the last 9 or 10 years because they are really expensive. I assumed everyone knew this worked and was pretty easy.
I don’t patch on the road except in an extreme emergency so I swap the tube like you. Then I save up a few tubes to patch up in the shop later on…it’s a little like gluing tubulars for me because finding the leak, marking it, etc is all very soothing. I know I am weird!
Rich
Yes, it’s true, patching is fun and cost effective!
To be honest, I’ve stopped patching butyl tubes. Those tubes are really inexpensive, and it’s also annoying to mark the hole location due to the black butyl coloring.
Latex is great though - with a sharpie, you can easily mark and find those holes after finding the air leak!
I didn’t know you could patch latex until I asked around on these forums, and some people said you could, but didn’t seem quite that enthusiastic about it. Well, I’m def enthusiastic about it!
I don’t think crappy roads are to blame either - I’d say something else is going on. I’ve been running 80-85psi front and rear on 23-25mm tyres for years and can’t recall the last pinch puncture I had. The roads round here are pretty crappy too. I run a mix of latex/butyl depending which wheels etc, at a bit over 60kg. Of course, I’m probably going to puncture twice on my ride today, now I’ve said that!!!
ETA - My tyres measure up at around 25-26mm on the rims I use, so maybe that’s a difference - there’s quite a pressure difference recommended by Silca between a 23mm measured and a 25mm measured if I recall correctly.
I’ve also been patching latex tubes for years, but I actually use an old latex tube and cut my own patches from it - it works brilliantly. One old latex tube can provide you patches for years! I’ve never had one of the patches fail, and they expand with the tube much better than regular patches.
Edit: I use the Michelin green latex tube for my patches as the latex seems thicker and a little more robust compared to Vittoria.
Find and mark hole
clean area with rubbing alcohol
lightly sand area
apply glue to area and latex patch
wait until the glue is a bit tacky
compress patch for a couple of minutes