Direct from Trek. http://bontrager.com/model/08295 Expensive as hell, but I’d order at least 3.
Thanks. was getting all my tires and tubes here:
http://www.worldclasscycles.com/tubes_adhesives_cart.htm
On tires and some tubes price changes when hit “buy now”. I probably stay with the michelins due to the shorter valve (for HED 3’s) Thanks again
You guys are all gullible if you believe latex tubes make you faster.
OK, you got us, it’s all a big joke 
.
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.
To avoid having to pump up in the morning the Panaracer Green Lite (poly urethane) tubes are a good option. They roll almost as well as latex and hold air pressure almost as well as butyl. Unfortunately they don’t come with removeable valve cores and are as expensive as latex.
another vote for latex. Bring your pump and hand it off to whoever you have with you at the race (assuming they want to wake up early with you to soak it all in.)
I vote against borrowing someone else’s. I went through the trouble of bringing my pump and I let one person borrow it - he proceeded to let someone else use it, who lent it to someone else, next thing i knew it I was spending 10 minutes tracking it down.
I really can’t tell if I’m faster using latex tubes but they certainly give me a softer ride that is very noticeable. Worth it right there for me. As far as losing air overnight when racing just overfill them the day before and bleed them off a bit if needed just before the race.
Ron W.
Is it possible to patch latex tubes if you get a flat as you would with a butyl?
at home, yes, not so much on road. ie self adhesive patches are a no go
To avoid having to pump up in the morning the Panaracer Green Lite (poly urethane) tubes are a good option. They roll almost as well as latex and hold air pressure almost as well as butyl.
This is not the first time I’ve heard this. But, it is contrary to my experience. I switched from a Michelin latex to a Green Lite on my rear wheel for just this reason, and didn’t notice any difference. The pressure loss of both is practically identical to the pressure loss of the Michelin latex on my front wheel (which I still have installed).
at home, yes, not so much on road. ie self adhesive patches are a no go
Just don’t use self-adhesive patches with latex tubes ever. I have a small “Rema-style” patch kit in my seat bag. Works just fine “on the road” 
at home, yes, not so much on road. ie self adhesive patches are a no go
Just don’t use self-adhesive patches with latex tubes ever. I have a small “Rema-style” patch kit in my seat bag. Works just fine “on the road”
Why? I’ve use the Park Tool GP-2 without any problems to fix my flats on the road. They’ve worked just fine for the last 1000mi.
at home, yes, not so much on road. ie self adhesive patches are a no go
Just don’t use self-adhesive patches with latex tubes ever. I have a small “Rema-style” patch kit in my seat bag. Works just fine “on the road”
Why? I’ve use the Park Tool GP-2 without any problems to fix my flats on the road. They’ve worked just fine for the last 1000mi.
With latex tubes?
Yes. The Michelin Aircomp. I’ve had 2 flats. Both fixed with the GP-2 and didn’t even wait a second to put them back in. Now I’ve put ~1000mi more on the tire and haven’t flatted. I use the provided sand paper a little and wipe any talcum powder away. I used a vulcanizing patch kit as well and they work fine too but the GP-2 costs the same and are super easy so I never looked back.
Yes. The Michelin Aircomp. I’ve had 2 flats. Both fixed with the GP-2 and didn’t even wait a second to put them back in. Now I’ve put ~1000mi more on the tire and haven’t flatted. I use the provided sand paper a little and wipe any talcum powder away. I used a vulcanizing patch kit as well and they work fine too but the GP-2 costs the same and are super easy so I never looked back.
Interesting…that’s the first I’ve heard of that. I tried once with a Vredestien tube and it was a no go…
Hmm, I thought latex == latex but there seems to be some kind of difference. The Michelin are A LOT heavier: ~85g. The Vredestein are claimed 45g. (I don’t mind that they’re heavier. I want flexible ones for low Crr. Now let’s NOT discuss if the lighter would be even less Crr)
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/...presta-tube_435.html
http://www.amazon.com/…-Valve/dp/B002FMDY3G
I never tried the Vredestein and probably won’t.
Edit: I just remembered I also have one (red) Vittoria latex tube and I patched it once with a PT GP-2 as well. (~75g claimed)
Tom, I did a bit of digging on these in light of this discussion.
The actual product in the Park tools is 3M Scotch-Weld PPT tapes 8616. (gets me thinking to just order a bulk roll from Fastenal or someplace for probably the price of the Park kit!) I think I had always assumed that the adhesive on these patches had some vulcanizing properties like the old patch kits, but it does not. It is simply adhesion.
The MSDS and other data from 3M lists adhesion properties of the material as: 60 N/mm w/bare aluminum, 90 N/mm with stainless steel, 88 N/mm w/vinyl (intended usage), and 89 N/mm w/epoxy board.
Looking at this a little further, I suspect any issues with using the patches with latex tubes would have more to do with dirty patch fields or with the differing elasticity between the latex and the patch’s polyurethane elastomer. I didn’t easily find any further information on the elastomer itself or the adhesive.
Anyway…I’d always heard what you said about it, but had used one in a pinch and it actually worked.
if it is really lighter, it will probably also be more flexible and lower crr
but the difference might be marketing, or valve weights or something.
Hmm, I thought latex == latex but there seems to be some kind of difference. The Michelin are A LOT heavier: ~85g. The Vredestein are claimed 45g. (I don’t mind that they’re heavier. I want flexible ones for low Crr. Now let’s NOT discuss if the lighter would be even less Crr)
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/...presta-tube_435.html
http://www.amazon.com/…-Valve/dp/B002FMDY3G
I never tried the Vredestein and probably won’t.
Edit: I just remembered I also have one (red) Vittoria latex tube and I patched it once with a PT GP-2 as well. (~75g claimed)
Addendum, Park’s provided MSDS also lists 3M material 8617 as well, which is specified for canvas, leather, rubber, most plastics, and paints.
Again, no obvious vulcanizing properties in the adhesive itself. But this material does have stronger adhesion to the listed materials:
99 N/mm w/aluminum, 112 N/mm to polyethylene or polypropylene sheeting.
The construction is listed as pressure sensitive, solvent-resistant.
Peel. Stick. Hold.
I’m guessing that’s why it works ok w/latex.
Soil, talcum or other contaminants in the patch field will obviously affect the ability of the patch to work properly…
Addendum, Park’s provided MSDS also lists 3M material 8617 as well, which is specified for canvas, leather, rubber, most plastics, and paints.
Again, no obvious vulcanizing properties in the adhesive itself. But this material does have stronger adhesion to the listed materials:
99 N/mm w/aluminum, 112 N/mm to polyethylene or polypropylene sheeting.
The construction is listed as pressure sensitive, solvent-resistant.
Peel. Stick. Hold.
I’m guessing that’s why it works ok w/latex.
Soil, talcum or other contaminants in the patch field will obviously affect the ability of the patch to work properly
I don’t think the peel and stick patch I tried was even a Park one either…just some “generic” jobbie. I recall the packaging also stating that it wasn’t intended to be a permanent repair.
Also, I don’t think I tried removing all of the talc off of the tube either. Then again, that’s something one does NOT need to do with a “vulcanizing” style patch on latex I would think one would want to carry along some alcohol wipes to make sure the area is ready for patching with the self-adhesive type.
The Park patches look fairly interesting…I hear you about just buying a roll of that stuff though, especially if it can be had as “transfer tape”. Might even be able to use cut up old latex tubes for the patches…or, I could just stick with the tried and true “old style” method