After getting a nasty slash on one of my GP 4000ii’s, I got a pair of GP 5000’s.
Continental has two inner tube size choices for a 25mm tire:
20-25c OR 25-32c? Which one is best and why?
Also, anyone have negative experiences with their race inner tubes or latex inner tubes? I have concerns about finding myself on the side of the road on race day (or long training days) if I run a latex or lighter-butyl like Continental’s race tubes. Despite these types of tubes always being mentioned as low hanging fruit as far as cheap gains in equipment changes, they make me nervous.
Use either size for a 25mm tire. The smaller one will be lighter and stretch out a bit more.
But instead of using a Conti tube, just use Vittoria latex tubes. Once installed properly, they will provide almost no additional risk vs. butyl tubes. Some people claim they’re less likely to flat vs. butyl. I’m skeptical of that argument, but I’m comfortable saying they’re at least no more likely to flat.
The important thing is proper installation, because they take considerable more care in installation than butyl tubes. Search here and other places for installation guides. And don’t attempt the installation right before the race. Test them out significantly before race day to ensure the installation is good.
Also don’t use latex tubes in your flat kit. Always use a butyl tube for on-road flats.
Ditto on latex tubes. One thing you might check is how wide the tire measures on the rim once inflated. My girlfriend has some older Enve wheels (2014) that measure 25.34 mm when the 5000’s are mounted on her wheels and inflated to 65 psi. I have a new HED Jet Black wheels with wider rims and the exact same tire measures 27 or 28mm on the rim. I opt for the bigger tube because of that but it also changes the tire pressure.
I just got 5000s with Vittoria Latex tubes and OMG!!! It feels like butter. It was very first I really enjoyed riding and cruising. Definitely get latex tubes. I have 23mm in the front and 25mm in the rear and put correct tubes for both, but I carry 700 x 19-23 as a spare tube.
20-25c is a better choice: lighter, and lower volume makes it easier to install
As others have mentioned, latex will give a more supple ride and lower RR. They don’t hold pressure as well (lose 1-2psi/hr), so need to be inflated before every ride; are roughly 2X the cost, and you have to be a bit more careful during install (so use butyl for your flat kit).
IMO, latex is a no brainer for racing; but I train on butyl. YMMV.
Don’t be nervous about latex tubes because if you learn how to install them correctly they won’t be a problem. In short they are faster, more comfortable, handle better and are less flat prone (when installed correctly). I wrote this piece many moons ago - Why Latex Bike Tubes - Faster, More Comfortable, Less Flats which talks about the benefits of latex in more detail but still a short piece, along with things you need like tape, and optional sealant. If it was me, I would just go with the Vittoria 25/28 latex - 2 pack, not a horrible price but clearly the bike accessory inflation is upon us.
The Vittoria latex tubes in the link that you provided are not available.
There was 10 left when I posted. Tubes are not easy to come by and seem to be in pretty short supply. It was quite the chore to buy tubes for the commuter recently and I was shocked at what I paid. Here there are 8 available on eBay still and are priced even better at $25. They were about $29 on that Amazon listing.
The important thing is proper installation, because they take considerable more care in installation than butyl tubes.
This is interesting. I don’t understand this. I put them on my wheels last week and I didn’t see any difference. They are just rubber in pink color. Conti 5000 tires are easy to install, so I simple pushed it with my hands and it was on. When I inflated, I didn’t hear any ‘POP’ which I used to hear with other tubes. I also got latex tube in my spare kit. I’m going to search why latex tube is different from butyl tube.
When I inflated, I didn’t hear any ‘POP’ which I used to hear with other tubes. I also got latex tube in my spare kit. I’m going to search why latex tube is different from butyl tube.
The installation risk is that the tubes are far more flexible than butyl, and can very easily get pinched between the rim and tire bead if you’re not careful. It’s not a huge deal - you just have to be a little more careful scanning around the rim to look for little bits of tube sneaking underneath the tire bead before you inflate.
I wouldn’t put them in a flat kit for a similar reason. The tubes, as they inflate, can push through incredibly tiny holes in tires. So if you get a puncture in the tire casing that’s much bigger than a pin prick, you can get the tube ballooning through that hole - a guaranteed flat waiting to happen. Butyl has no problem with little holes in tire casings. Much easier to deal with “booting” small holes in a tire casing in a garage than the side of the road.
The important thing is proper installation, because they take considerable more care in installation than butyl tubes.
This is interesting. I don’t understand this. I put them on my wheels last week and I didn’t see any difference. They are just rubber in pink color. Conti 5000 tires are easy to install, so I simple pushed it with my hands and it was on. When I inflated, I didn’t hear any ‘POP’ which I used to hear with other tubes. I also got latex tube in my spare kit. I’m going to search why latex tube is different from butyl tube.
They are not “just rubber in pink colour”, they are latex. It’s in the name!
Natural rubber is made from latex, butyl rubber is synthetic, however latex is neither. I don’t think it’s much more than the pure latex and some pigment. Latex is not as strong as rubber, and is more heat sensitive too, but it is more elastic with lower energy losses. Thus it makes for faster rolling, but is more susceptible to being damaged if not properly installed. It can more easily get cut on any edges, get pinched between tyre and rim, or creep into any gaps upon inflation. None of that is really up for debate.
For roadside repairs, latex is a terrible idea since it can be hard to install carefully, and is more likely to fail if there is damage or debris from whatever caused the initial puncture. The time you save once you get going again won’t make up for the time you’ll lose with a more careful installation even if nothing goes wrong.
There’s no mystery about latex tubes, the only point of contention is whether it’s worth the slight extra effort.
The important thing is proper installation, because they take considerable more care in installation than butyl tubes.
This is interesting. I don’t understand this. I put them on my wheels last week and I didn’t see any difference. They are just rubber in pink color. Conti 5000 tires are easy to install, so I simple pushed it with my hands and it was on. When I inflated, I didn’t hear any ‘POP’ which I used to hear with other tubes. I also got latex tube in my spare kit. I’m going to search why latex tube is different from butyl tube.
They are not “just rubber in pink colour”, they are latex. It’s in the name!
Natural rubber is made from latex, butyl rubber is synthetic, however latex is neither. I don’t think it’s much more than the pure latex and some pigment. Latex is not as strong as rubber, and is more heat sensitive too, but it is more elastic with lower energy losses. Thus it makes for faster rolling, but is more susceptible to being damaged if not properly installed. It can more easily get cut on any edges, get pinched between tyre and rim, or creep into any gaps upon inflation. None of that is really up for debate.
For roadside repairs, latex is a terrible idea since it can be hard to install carefully, and is more likely to fail if there is damage or debris from whatever caused the initial puncture. The time you save once you get going again won’t make up for the time you’ll lose with a more careful installation even if nothing goes wrong.
There’s no mystery about latex tubes, the only point of contention is whether it’s worth the slight extra effort.
Thanks for the info. I will put a butyl tube in my spare kit. I had no idea before.