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Should I use latex tubes?

I am racing IM New Orleans on the 22nd. I’ve never used latex tubes before. I here the save around 5w. Should I get some and race with them?  If so should I put a butyl tube in my saddle bag?
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  • @Chris Oubre  I first heard about latex tubes this past July at Racine (from a guy who had a flat) and was thinking of using them for IMWI this past September. From what I understand, they primarily lower rolling resistance. Can't confirm the 5w savings. I decided against using them because they are much more finicky, high maintenance and difficult to deal with.  I also heard they are more prone to flats, etc so I decided against using them on the old farm roads in Wisconsin. Not completely sold that the benefits out weigh the costs -- I can gain 5w over 40k if I simply shave my legs! If you do use them, I would definitely use a butyl tube as a spare.

  • @Chris Oubre - only if you can get them "installed" right... they are finicky, require lots of care & talc to get in without blowing them up. Note that they do lose air faster than butyls. 
    I have them in and use them for racing. I also use my race tires until the next race, so they stay in and have no less or more problems once in right than butyls.
    Also note that you can'f fill latex with CO2, so butyl in my flat kit is how i roll. 
    I am sure others will chime in. 
    the key here is having only 12 days to install and ride a bit to ensure they are in good.. 

    note that last year, I borrowed a disc wheel from a well equipped teammate and his latex tube blew up on my 1 mile test ride... 
  • Latex tubes lose air very quickly so expect to pump up tires on race morning, which I don't particularly like to do. I tend to pump my tires the night before and just feel them in the morning. At Cabo last year I broke the extender and tip of the valve off trying to use a pump I was unfamiliar with. Since my wheels are only 60 deep I prefer to use a regular lightweight tube with an 80mm valve so I don't have to mess with extenders. I would use latex if I could find some with an 80 valve. The ones I have didn't even have a removable core so I could only use the external extenders which make it difficult to get right tire pressure. Anyone know of a brand or place that has 80mm valve latex tubes?
  • Always race with latex tubes and have always used the extender/removal core. Put on my new tubes and tires for AA race about 10 days before to ride around on them.  I also always bring my own pump in the AM. 
  • Thank you all for the quick feedback. I worry about the “finicky installation “. I’ll get a set and try them after this race to be ready for my next one. 
  • @Chris Oubre definitely use the latex tubes if the 5W matters to you. They can be a pain but are worth it -- think about what it would take to get your FTP up another 5-6W. 

    Some tricks for the installation:
    • Do not use any tools to get the tire back on, just your hands. My tires are a tight fit so it took me a while to get this to work. Often people will finish putting on the tire away from the valve stem, but I found finishing at the stem to work the best with my setup
    • Coat the tube and inside of the tire with talc / baby powder so that the tube doesn't stick
    • Check very carefully all around the bead to make sure the tube is inside. This is the main cause of the exploding tube stories that you hear. I usually check it once, inflate a bit, then check it again
    • If you change tires later on, I would use a new latex tube (unless you'll be using them just for training)
    • Ride at least 10 miles before the race to confirm the tube didn't get pinched. Lots of people have tires mysteriously blowing up in transition or in the first few miles because they put on new latex tubes and didn't ride them
  • I've used latex tubes for years (butyl spares goes without saying).  I would also argue that while they might be more susceptible to an immediate pinch flat if not installed correctly, they are LESS prone to flatting in general due to their greater stretching ability.  If you seek a WC slot or the podium then you absolutely need to be racing on them.  If you are just looking for a better time, then you need to assess whether having to pump them up in the morning is a big deal for you.  
  • I always use them for racing.
  • There's an excellent video on YouTube fromJosh while he was at Zipp on the protocol to correctly install latex tubes.   It's very worthwhile, and will obviate the chance of pinch flats or catching and tearing the fragile tube when installing with levers.  
  • I'm a little late to this thread and will ask this: do you plan on sandbagging the final couple weeks of the OS to give up 5 watts?  I have not had many issues installing but did blow one tube this year as I was rushing but otherwise I've been fine.  Get them anduse them whenever you race unless it truly does not matter to you.
  • So what brand do you recommend and where do you buy them?
  • I've been buying Vittoria latex with removable cores for years.  I get them at my LBS but they are available on line.  With extenders I can set them up for any depth wheel.   
  • FYI, I put latex tubes in for IMAZ '16, and they are still in there (full build to IMWI '17). Im going to keep those babies in there until they blow!
  • Doug, I usually leave them in 2 yrs.
  • The term "saving watts" is a little misleading, IMO. Things like aero or disc wheels, aero helmets, skin tight suits, latex tubes, magic slippery chains, etc are all touted this way, implying you might get a free boost to your FTP by using them. Of course, what's really happening is the bike/rider system is encountering less resistance to forward motion, meaning it should go faster with the same effort level. Bottom line, adding things like this should *not* affect your race planning as far as what watts you will be planning to ride. A better metric would be "how many seconds will I "save" per hour @ an IF of 0.XX." Aero stuff, like helmets, discs, and tighter garments have a much greater impact than stuff which lowers rolling resistance, like chains, tubes, tires. Not to say they shouldn't be a part of the race-day arsenal, but don't neglect the big ticket items as well.
  • @Al Truscott that is the best way I’ve ever heard that said.  
  • I train and race with Michelin Latex tubes. They're easy to get the hang of after a while, they're a little more comfortable to ride with and getting used to pumping before every ride is fine and a good habit to form IMO.
    One piece(well two pieces actually) of advice when fitting Latex tubes is always put a very low 3-4 pumps of very low pressure into the tube & tyre after fitting and then roll the wheel for a few full rotations along the floor with a little body weight pressing down on top of the wheel which will help seat the latex tube & tyre correctly on the rim before pumping to your normal pressure range. The 2nd piece of advice is to use some Plumbers PTFE tape when using valve extenders for deep dish or disc wheels, a few layers of Plumbers tape to the threads of the Latex tube valve before fitting the extension will have the threads really air tight and prevents any unwanted loss of a valve extension on bumpy roads too. 
    @Al Truscott is right though, Aero Helmets, Disc/Deep section wheels, Correct fitting Aero Tri Suit and a lower comfortable front end set-up will save you more watts. But if you've all that stuff already nailed down then its time for Latex Tubes & fast tyres, Learning to wax your own chains at home saves watts and big money too. Good luck. 
  • I always use them. I race on new tires and latex tubes... I need every bit of help that I can find!

    The issues noted above are real - you have to be very careful mounting the tires so that you don't pinch the tube.

    My process is to put them on the weekend before the race so that I get a ride plus a shakeout ride on the tires/latex before the race so that (hopefully) any install issues shake out before race day. On the one occasion (CHOO 2015) that I flatted on the shakeout ride, I installed a butyl and raced on that since I wasn't able to get another shakeout ride on the latex.
  • I've always used the Vittoria latex (pink). They have a very smooth ride. When you install them, fill your palm with baby powder and run the tube through your grip. The only downside is you'll need to fill them on race day. They will drop 20-30psi overnight. As always, @Al Truscott hit the nail on the head.
  • Not to hijack the thread, but times two on the "home waxing the chain (and ultrasonic cleaning as well)"!
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