What's the current fashion in go-fast race tires and tubes ?
I stopped paying close attention to the debate and developments about three or four years ago when I settled at 'Supersonic 23 + latex = nothing better.' But I'm guessing this has already changed three times since then.
So what fires and tubes are the fast kids riding in races these days?
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latex + Continental GP5000s
@Dave Tallo I have not raced much or kept that up on it either but the Conti's if you get the 5000 TL version are second at 8.3W on this list below. The straight conti 5000's are 10.0W (@120 PSI. The TL is the 1st tubeless tire from Conti and the watts drop in a fairly linear fashion @ 100 or even 80 PSI compared to the other top performers. Puncture resistance is rated a bit low according to the article but with sealant should be sufficient. Side wall puncture resistance is rated normal.
The best tire on their list is Vitorria Corsa Speed (open TLR) 7.7 W@ 120psi then up to 8.3W @100 PSI. You give up some puncture resistance for ths tire accoriding to the review 8 and 5 for the side wall.
Can't say I've used these any of these new tires so hopefully someone who has will chime in.
EDIT: Note the Conti 5000's 10.0W above is with a butyl tube. With a latex tube the watts is 8.4 @120PSI so right around the Conti 5000 TL version. Sorry I missed this in my post yesterday.
Agree c @Scott Alexander , that's what I'm racing on now. Wold add that I use wider tires these days. 24/25 mm. Some folks are even using 28 with no loss of speed, and increase in comfort, always a bonus come run time.
Agreed. I'm using 25mm, front and back.
Interesting that you would mention the 28's @Al Truscott I use 25's but in Mallorca I rode on 28's and enjoyed it. I'm considering changing my Tri bike to 28's.
For those interested in the width discussion the link above has a comparison of the Conti 5000's 23, 26, 28 and 32's here https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/grand-prix-5000-comparison
Conclusion
A bigger road bike tire (at least the Continental GP 4000 and GP 5000) provides a lower rolling resistance at the same air pressure. You do have to realize that at the same air pressure, a bigger tire will provide a less comfortable ride.
At the 15% tire drop air pressures, which are very close to the recommended air pressures for a given size, the tables are turned and a bigger road bike tire will have a higher rolling resistance. The higher rolling resistance of the bigger tire is because it provides more comfort at the 15% tire drop air pressure.
We feel the ultimate test is adjusting all tires to the same comfort level. When all tires are adjusted to the same comfort level, rolling resistance is nearly the same (0.2 watts max) for all sizes of the GP 5000.
We now feel picking the right size tire is more a matter of looking at what level of comfort (and grip) is required. At some point, a smaller tire isn't able to provide the same comfort level (and grip) as its bigger counterpart because it will start bottoming out.
If you want to go as fast as possible, choose your required comfort level and pick the smallest tire that can provide that comfort for you.
I like Specialized products so continue to go with them.
To my knowledge, their fastest tires are about as fast as others.
@Gordon Cherwoniak - I'm intrigued by the idea of tubeless, but I'm as late of an adopter as they come (10 speeds! mechanical shift! rim brakes!). I'm still seeing this as something a few years out for my usage.
It looks like conti 5000 23s for me ... 25s rub the wheel cutout on my frame.
Is my fear of latex inner tubes irrational? I rarely, if ever, flat with butyl tubes paired with Conti 4000s II (I plan to switch to 5000s for races). Change is difficult...
@Jeff Phillips Yes. Your fear of latex tubes IS irrational. They are simply faster and every bit as durable, so use them for ALL races.
Couple important best practices for Latex Tubes though:
1) They lose air quicker than butyl tires. They are made of a way softer material (hence the lower rolling resistance) than a butyl tire. So the air leaks out of the micropores faster than through butyl (think of Helium leaking out of a balloon over ~2-3 days). So if you are racing, pump your tires in the morning of the race. Actually pump them before every ride (racing or training). No, they will not lose air before your race is over so don't worry.
2) CO2 does NOT work in Latex tires, so do NOT use them as your spares. (the burst of cold CO2 will freeze the spot near the stem and make it brittle, then explode the tube). If you happen to get the CO2 in without freezing a hole in the tube, the CO2 will leak out a LOT faster than the normal air from a manual pump). If you race with Latex tires, carry butyl spares. You have been warned.
3) A latex tube will last every bit as long as a butyl tube, but they will puncture just the same if you hit a nail and they will pinch flat slightly easier. But they are also super sensitive when you are installing them the first time. I have exploded a couple because an edge of the tube was under the bead of the tire when I tried to inflate it the very first. A butyl tube will usually just slide into the correct spot upon first inflation where this will rip a latex tube. So take 3-4x as long to carefully install them the first time. I put like ~10-15psi into the tire then push the bead in with my finger all the way around both edges of the rim to make sure I cannot see any pink before putting any more air in, then continue pumping.
4) MOST Important!: If you EVER remove your latex tube from your tire, immediately throw it into the garbage. They are different than butyl tubes in this regard. With a butyl, you can take it out of one tire after hundreds and hundreds of miles of use and then use it for a spare or even put it into a different wheel/tire. You can do this over and over with no issues or adverse effects. However, I have found that a latex tire will slightly adhere to the inside of the tire over time. When you pull them apart to take the tube out it creates tiny micro tears in the latex and you WILL flat sometime in the near to medium future. It might last 10 or 50 or 250 miles, but it will eventually flat... So as long as you leave the latex tube installed in your tire, I've had them last for years. I have heard others claim that if you put talcum powder in the inside of your tire before you install them, it will eliminate this problem. I have found otherwise. You have been warned...
@John Withrow Many thanks for the informative post! I'll give them a run and follow your guidance above.
John Withrow is 100% on everything he's said above. I've had a different experience with latex, though, and currently have a latex tube with about 3000 miles on my training wheel, which gets removed 2x every week when I swap between my indoor training tire and outdoor tire. I'd never race on it, but it's been pretty durable!
@Dave Tallo I'm right there with you as a late adopter partly because of the budget I put in to tri toys. I'm still on my 2010 specialized with wheel cover, 10 speed mechanical, rim brakes and a Garmin 310 XT to boot. Of course I'm also in a much different space than you when doing an IM, finishing vs. competing for a slot.