Getting the bike ready for AZ, and I’ll be running one of these two setups:
45mm carbon/aluminum clincher front with a disc cover on my heavy rear 30mm training wheel.
50mm full carbon clinchers with same wheelcover out back.
I already have a brand new pair of Pro 3 Race to put on either setup, but I’ve never used latex and hear lots of good things. Any reason not to use them?
Reason not to use:
Don’t need to bring pump in morning. Latex tubes generally won’t hold the tire pressure overnight so you will need to pump up again in the AM.
The biggest reason not to use them would be for IM races where you check the bike in the night before, since the latex tubes leak air over time to the point that you definitely need to air up right before the race. Not a huge deal but one more box to check on race-day morning. Also, I’m told that given the greater porosity of latex tubes, they don’t work well with CO2 inflation as it supposedly leaks out faster than regular air.
Any reason not to use them?
Only if you like going slow.
I’ve had good success with the Vittoria Open corsa and latex tubes for 70.3s and fulls.
If I hadn’t switched to tubulars this year I would still be running this combo.
I’ve always wondered, if there is an issue with pressure retention overnight, would it stand to reason that latex is not ideal for longer rides like 112 miles?
edit: grammar
Well, the time between bike check-in on Sat and the race on Sun is probably 3-4X the duration of the race itself, so no… not like it’d go totally flat overnight, just soften more than you’d want, but several hours is no biggie.
And the issue of CO2 leaking faster isn’t really a big deal since you’re probably better off using a butyl spare anyway, as it’s a little more forgiving of possibly pinching when installed in a hurry.
its free speed and free comfort.
I would not bring them to your A race until you have some experience with them. You need to be familiar with the pitfalls of installing them. Your rim tape must be perfect, any exposed edges and they will pop through the holes.
you MUST check the entire perimeter both sides to make sure it isn’t peaking outside the bead of the tire.
anyway if you are a careful, meticulous person it won’t be a problem.
While you’re exactly right, you’re making it sound like a way bigger deal than it is.
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While you’re exactly right, you’re making it sound like a way bigger deal than it is.
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I would just feel terrible if someone installed some latex tubes at the last minute unaware of this and then flatted in the middle of their big IM race of the season, so, better a little overboard on the preparation so that there is no risk =)
No, don’t bother.
Not because they can make you marginally faster (they can).
No to new things for race day. You most likely won’t get a flat, but if you do the pressure of changing a new product may cost you more time than the time savings over buytl. Save it for lots of training rides and flats.
Then race.
Having run latex for the past 4 years in all my bike races (probably 80+), I have yet to flat with latex. I have only pinch flatted once from install (new tire on a very tight rim). Mine don’t loose air as fast as some say (I ride back to back days very often, no re-fill). Take your time, check for errors as Jackmott mentioned and ride fast! One anal thing I do is fill the tire to full pressure 3x (deflating 2x) after the beads have been checked. Leave them overnight. If they are FLAT by morning…you did something wrong.
FWIW, I used Michelin for 3 years and switched to Bonti this year.
Yes. Buy more than just the 2 you need for the wheels. Try them out. Train a bit on them. They are NOT more “finicky” to mount than regular butyl tubes…just different. Either one done poorly will net you a flat fairly quickly.
But use latex for your race wheels. With the very best race clincher tires you can find. The difference is real and measurable. And more subjectively, you’ll like the ride too.
I don’t use them for day-to-day training because they’re expensive.
Just one of the small, easy details to get right that, added up, can make significant differences in your performance.
Thanks for all the input. I’m confident in my abilities to get them installed properly, so that’s a non-issue. They do seem pricey, so if I go that route I can really only afford to buy the two for the race. No problem putting a few miles on them before the race either. I’ll have a pump with me morning of the race, so I can add air if need be. Sounds like I should give it a shot.
At race pressures they lose ~1/2 psi/hr so if you pump them up race day there are no issues (I usually put an extra few psi in so that they average correctly during the day). Pack a butyl as your spare if you are using CO2.
Latex rolls faster and is noticeably more comfortable than butyl. The only reason I don’t run them in my training wheels is pumping them every ride would be a PITA. At ~$30 for a pair of tubes they are one of the cheapest upgrades you can get.
Buy more than 2. My experiences with Latex tubes is that there are sometimes issues (michellin ones anyways) with some at the initial install. Usually its some sort of issue with the Valve connecting to the tube itself. After initial install I have yet to have any problems with mine in about 15 months straight now.
Been using them (Michellins) for about 2 years - never had a puncture.
I don’t think they are at all hard to install. I’m no expert but if you install carefully then there will be no problems.
The ride is defintely different, a bit softer. Wouldn’t like to say they make me faster. But Would like to think they do !
And pumping before each ride takes all of 2 minutes.
So yeah, hardly a reason not to use them. I spend more time deciding which shorts to wear.
And yeah a bit more expensive. But they are like $12 NZ compared to $4 for butyl - hardly extravagant. About the cost of a couple of espresso’s !
So I use them every day.
Just ask a random competitor if you can use their pump in transition. There are always enough people willing to lend you a pump, so that’s no excuse not to run latex.
If you’re going to bother with latex tubes, get faster tires. Vittoria Corsa Evo CX 320tpi is what you want. Pair those with latex tubes and you’ll have a much smoother and faster ride than anything mixed with Pro 3 Races. MSRP is something like $100 a pop but I managed to find an online deal of 2 for $60 or something outrageous.
I always used to use them for races. They feel so smooth and fast, but…
You have to pump them up on the morning of the race. That means carrying a pump or asking for one. I have managed to break the valve stem 3 times doing this in the last 18 months. Then there is a big rush to change the tube just before a race. Also, I find find they are REALLY prone to flats in my Wheelbuilder Kinlin rear wheel. The latex seems to creep around the valve hole and pinch flat.
According to the Al Morrison rolling resistance data, there doesn’t seem to be much of a rolling resistance difference with Butyl vs latex anyway, with many of the combos he tested anyway. I’ll admit I have’nt looked at that data for a while, but that’s what I recall.
Where do you get the Bonti latex? Thnaks