dmanthree

After reading up on them a bit, I decided to try latex tubes. I ordered a couple of Vittoria tubes and installed them when I switched from my 'winter' tires back to my usual GP 4000s II skins. They're slippery, so you need to be careful when installing them. After about 50 miles I can attest to the fact that latex rides smoother and easier, but does lose air quicker than butyl. I ride around 110psi (according to my Air Tool guage) and they lost about 10psi overnight. So you need to pump before every ride.

Not sure about durability yet, since it's so early. But so far, I'm liking them and can live with the air loss.

Homebrew01

I have hard time believing anyone can feel the difference between inner tubes.

StanSeven

There are some articles saying latex has fewer flats because their ability. So you got that benefit as well as better rolling resistence. On the flip side, there is need to add air before every ride and costs.

How come there are always downsides?

rpenmanparker 

Me too. And my Vittoria tubes in Vittoria tubulars lose about 30% of their 100 psi overnight. It is a real PITA even for someone who always fills up before every ride. I think next time I will go with tubulars that have butyl tubes.

StanSeven

There are some articles saying latex has fewer flats because their ability. So you got that benefit as well as better rolling resistence. On the flip side, there is need to add air before every ride and costs.

How come there are always downsides?

noodle soup

You mentioned facts, not rumors.

Bandera

Get a decent floor pump and top off pre-ride, a nice warm up and more sensible than just guessing that the PSI is OK even w/ butyl tubes.

-Bandera

Corbin

What's the ability to prevent flats?

I just put in 25-32c tubes in my 28 and brother 25c tires. I think this will add flat prevention, maybe not.

noodle soup

thanks for pointing this out.

I don't understand the use of the word "ability" in this thread either, but didn't want to be the only poster with a limited vocabulary.

rpenmanparker 

Imaginary.

Bandera

A supple high quality tire casing combined w/ latex tubes does ride nicely even for clinchers and may prevent some pinch flats.
Of course just being forced to pump one's tires up to the proper pressure for every ride may assure the same outcome regardless of tire/tube flavors.
That's how it was for the first few decades of cycling when we rode latex tubed tubulars: To ride = Pump.

It's more of a routine maintenance issue than one of tube/tire type.
Being decidedly Old School I air my road bike tires pre-ride regardless of flavor with a Silca track pump.

As always: Suit Yourself.

-Bandera

noodle soup

Oh, pinch flats.

A non-issue for most people that are aware of their inflation.

rpenmanparker 

I air up both clinchers and tubulars before every ride, too. The rumor about latex tubes suffering fewer flats is about punctures, not pinch flats, however. Supposedly the latex tubes stretch when contacted by a sharp point, rather than tearing. I find the claim incredulous besides not being supported by any data.

Bandera

Good thing that I don't subscribe to Rumors, except about Extraterrestrial Alien Invasions, punctures are a sharpness event that if the sharp/cutting object makes it through the tough tire casing: Flat regardless of tube flavor.

On a really rough surface at full chat give be a supple tire w/ a latex tube that I've aired properly.

-Bandera

Bandera

Really? Did you miss:

-Bandera

noodle soup

I concur.

I was told latex tubes give a better feeling, but I could be confused with latex and lambskin condoms.

trailangel

Just exactly what tube did you replace with the latex? What weight for each type.
So you switched tires and tubes at the same time? Not valid IMO.
Latex is not slippery.

rpenmanparker 

I bet a barrier could be applied to latex tubes to shut down the permeability...for a price. Until then it's ultralight butyl for me. Nice ride and still very good at holding air.

rpenmanparker 

That would really be confused.

79pmooney

I have a hard time believing you have spent many miles on quality latex tubes.

I have.

Ben

Bandera

Being forced to air one's road bike tires pre ride is a quality check that takes little time (regardless of tube flavor), uses the upper body (slightly) with a good floor pump and enforces some mindfulness. No more tedious than making sure that water bottles are full, and just as important.

A good solid pre-ride routine prevents a wide variety of needless failures in service regardless of the hardware in use.

We are on the same page.

-Bandera

rpenmanparker 

My hypothesis is that gram for gram tubes made from the two materials don't feel much different. Wish I could find a way to test it other than personally, the result of which you guys wouldn't believe anway. And the problem is that latex tubes are more readily available in lighter versions than butyl. But 52 and 67 g butyl tubes do ride pretty nicely when you can get them.

rpenmanparker 

That's why I always do it.

WhyFi

Any theories on how/why there's a difference? If the tubes are inflated to the same PSI and with the same tire, what's causing the perceptible difference in feel? I can't imagine that it's any difference in deformation, but I'm at a loss as to what it could be.

rpenmanparker 

Difference in stiffness (aka durometer) would be a possible answer if the effect were real.