I am getting ready to purchase the tires/tubes for this year. I was looking at this chart here: http://weightweenies.starbike.com/listings/components.php?type=innertubes and I noticed that Performance has a Butyl lite tube that weighs close to the same as the Michelin Latex. Is there another reason besides weight why a latex tube is recommended?
Thanks in advance,
Scott
elasticity.
Rather than going off the weight of the tire, better to look at rolling resistance. Saving a few grams on a tire only matters when you hang it on a scale, saving a few watts saves time. Fortunately most fast rolling tires are also light as well. wei
http://www.biketechreview.com/tires/images/AFM_tire_testing_rev8.pdf
Latex tubes are more supple and elastic meaning they deform more easily and save you energy. I have also found them more pinch flat resistant and less likely to tear than thin butyl. The downside is you have to be very carefull with installation, partially inflate them prior to putting them in as they are so flexible its easy to pinch them under the tire bead and have them blow out on you.
Kevin
searching for latex vs. butyl gives:
Latex sucks and is way way way… more fragile then butyl 
If I remember correctly it was about rolling resistance
Elastic Hysteresis is the more technical reason and I think reduced friction between the tube/tire interface also contributes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteresis#Elastic_hysteresis
This is also why powdering the tires with talc power is supposed to help reduce friction.
Thanks for all the replies and KDW: thanks for that link. That thread had great info.
Thanks again.
Is brake heat from an all carbon clincher a realistic concern with latex tubes? I use latex tubes in all my clincher wheels but purchased some 85mm all carbon clinchers planned to use them for training purposes but now concerned.
Did I read that right? Are you using 85mm carbon clinchers for training?
Jeez, I know it’s your money and everything but that’s just barmy. No offence meant.
Alright I could kind of see you using the group buy clinchers as training wheels but not really. And then on top of that you are going to run Latex tubes in them? Those things are damn expensive to have in a training wheel…
I asked about the Latex tubes and carbon clincher to Jackmott and he said he had not heard of anything to be concerned about but referred me to Tom A., still awaiting a message back from him.
Here is what he said:
"hmm, I can’t immediately think of a reason why a carbon clincher would be more likely to cause a blowout with latex tubes.
assuming you use rim tap, and you would, the bottom surface will be the same.
its possible the side of the rim, on the inside, isn’t as smooth as aluminum rims, and might cause problems, but usually the tire interfaces with that.
the only risk I have heard of with carbon clinchers and braking, is that very long, steep descents can heat the rim up to the melting point, and then it doesn’t matter what kind of tube you use.
you might ask Tom A. for a second opinion on this one though. I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure. "
I was going to post the question in the original board where the discussion started but figured Jackmott was not opening up the forum so I sent him a PM…
Alright I could kind of see you using the group buy clinchers as training wheels but not really. And then on top of that you are going to run Latex tubes in them? Those things are damn expensive to have in a training wheel…
I asked about the Latex tubes and carbon clincher to Jackmott and he said he had not heard of anything to be concerned about but referred me to Tom A., still awaiting a message back from him.
Here is what he said:
"hmm, I can’t immediately think of a reason why a carbon clincher would be more likely to cause a blowout with latex tubes.
assuming you use rim tap, and you would, the bottom surface will be the same.
its possible the side of the rim, on the inside, isn’t as smooth as aluminum rims, and might cause problems, but usually the tire interfaces with that.
the only risk I have heard of with carbon clinchers and braking, is that very long, steep descents can heat the rim up to the melting point, and then it doesn’t matter what kind of tube you use.
you might ask Tom A. for a second opinion on this one though. I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure. "
I was going to post the question in the original board where the discussion started but figured Jackmott was not opening up the forum so I sent him a PM…
Sorry I haven’t gotten back to you on that yet…but, I don’t know of any logical reason why you can’t use them in carbon rims, as long as the rim bed is smooth and there aren’t any tiny holes/gaps for the latex to “extrude” into…but that’s true of any rim material.
Thanks for the info Tom! No big deal on not getting back I know people are busy and have other things to do. Your opinion and info is greatly appreciated
Not for training all the time. I got in on the group buy and planned on using the wheels for some of my training. I like to spend some time using deeper rims so handling is not a surprise. I use to use my race wheels once in awhile but this is a much better solution. The Mich latex tubes are not really very expensive. With discount I think I picked a bunch of them up for about $7 or $8 at Probikekit when they were running a discount a while back. I also have never had a flat with them. I use the latex tubes with all my clinchers except the wheel/tire for my trainer. I really like the Mich latex tubes. They are very durable.
If you decide to get latex, you had better be damn sure you install them properly in clinchers. Butyl is much more forgiving in that respect. This I know from experience
What do you guys think about the longevity of latex tubes?
I pulled my latex tubes out of my race wheels at the end of last season and they were stuck to the inside of the tire (i did use baby powder on installation) and had developed ‘stretch marks’ throughout.
Under what circumstances do you guys change your latex tubes (i.e. after a tire change?, every season?, only when you get a puncture?) and do you feel comfortable re-insatlling a latex tube that has got stretch marks in them.
I also may try the greenlite tubes this season as they seem to have rolling resistances similar to latex.
What do you guys think about the longevity of latex tubes?
I pulled my latex tubes out of my race wheels at the end of last season and they were stuck to the inside of the tire (i did use baby powder on installation) and had developed ‘stretch marks’ throughout.
Under what circumstances do you guys change your latex tubes (i.e. after a tire change?, every season?, only when you get a puncture?) and do you feel comfortable re-insatlling a latex tube that has got stretch marks in them.
I also may try the greenlite tubes this season as they seem to have rolling resistances similar to latex.
My personal experience has been that you get the best “longevity” if you put them into tires and keep them there. The more you swap them in and out of tires, or swap tires on the rims, the more often you’ll end up damaging them somehow or creating “thin spots”, either with tire irons, or as you mentioned, just by the fact that the latex basically “imbeds” itself into whatever semi-rough surface it has access to, be it the inside of the tire or cloth rim tape (which is why I started using a strip of electrical tape over cloth rim tape…or, even better, fiberglass reinforced strapping tape as rim tape).
Whether or not I reinstall them with “stretch marks” (which are basically a given due to the shape of the “air chamber” inside of a clincher tire…i.e. “light bulb shaped”) depends on whether or not the installation is for an important event, or I’m just throwing in a repaired latex tube into a training tire.
I’ve been thinking of giving the greenlites a try as well after AFM’s results…
I run the Michelin green latex tubes on my track bike, they are 4 years old and counting. Wonderful, supple ride. But, latex tubes leak air at a much faster rate than butyl so be prepared to pump the tires up pretty much every time you use them.