Latex tubes - worth trying?

[Globalti]

Decathlon have some latex tubes for a few quid and I'm tempted to buy a pair just to try them. I understand that they lose air fast but they are so incredibly light, I wonder if they make a noticeable difference to acceleration and ride quality?

Oops sorry, wrong forum!

 

[fossyant]

Oh if they are cheap.....

Used to use them, they sound fab with high performance tyres - great whooshing sound.

 

[ASC1951]

Decathlon tubes are good karma. I've bought a two-tube shrink pack every visit for the last three years and still haven't had enough punctures to use any of them.

Latex tubes get less thorn etc punctures (a problem round here in the autumn), as well as being lighter.

 

[dan_bo]

*rubs chin in an interested manner*

Latex tubes puncture less?

 

[fossyant]

£6.99 for Mich Latex tubes is a good price - just paid £4.99 for two standard conti's. Might have to put these on the best bike.

They don't puncture any more or any less than butyl. You just drop 35g from each wheel and they sound nicer !

 

[dan_bo]

might stick a couple on the track iron- i'm going past decathlon in a bit.

 

[accountantpete]

I don't think you will notice a difference - they are only slightly lighter than lightweight Butyl tubes - and in practice will be slower than Butyl because, if you are like me, in the rush to get on the road I couldn't be arsed to re-inflate the tyres properly most of the time.

Avoid.

 

[briank]

Latex tubes are less likely to puncture.
If you over-inflate a latex tube out of the tyre (looking for a very slow puncture) an egg will form - worse than an egg, more like a two-inch nearly spherical bubble. This happens almost instantaneously: a part of the tube slightly weaker than the rest will "give", as it does so it thins and becomes weaker still. Latex seems able to become very distended without tearing. (As can arteries, in which context the bubble is an aneurysm.)

And that's what (often) happens when something sharp penetrates the tyre: a latex tube will "give" around it when a butyl tube might puncture.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Discussed here:

http://yacf.co.uk/fo...p?topic=36755.0

and here...

http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6349.15

 

[craigwend]

I had a pair when I got my Van Nich as standard.
One puncture in 3500 miles (now I know what the egg shaped thing was!) - the other the valve broke!

Just replaced both with 'normal' tubes since - can't say I've noticed the difference since

Pro's - very, very, light

Cons - need pumping up every ride / day (& yes can't always be bothered)

 

[fossyant]

Finally got my tubes from Decathlon - think Dan had had the last ones a few weeks back. Having heard the whoosh again from his Pro 3's the other week, I had to get them...... lurvely.........