Too good to be...

[Moodyman]

You guys who buy packs of 10 tubes...where do you ride to get so many punctures?

I bought a pack of five about 3 years ago and have yet to use one. Am now concerned that the rubber in them will deteriorate before I ever need them.

 

[oldroadman]

Worth looking to see if anyone is doing latex tubes for a good price. Sup'Air are quite decent. Just need pegular top ups, but a nicer ride than butyl.

 

[ColinJ]

Worth looking to see if anyone is doing latex tubes for a good price. Sup'Air are quite decent. Just need pegular top ups, but a nicer ride than butyl.

I've never tried them, but a lot of people seem to agree with you so I am going to give them a try. I have just ordered a pair. I will report back at a later date!

 

[ColinJ]

I've never tried them, but a lot of people seem to agree with you so I am going to give them a try. I have just ordered a pair. I will report back at a later date!

I have my new latex tubes and I have just fitted one to the rear wheel of my Cannondale.

I inspected the tyre to make sure there were no cuts that the tube could bulge through. I also checked the rim tape, which was rated as 'high pressure' and was in perfect condition and aligned correctly. I talced the inside of the tyre, and the tube itself, to give the tube its best chance to slip to where it wanted to go.

I very carefully checked that I was not pinching the tube as I fitted the tyre. I was just starting to catch it in one place, so it is clearly something to watch out for. Once the tyre was on, I checked all the way round on both sides to make sure that the tube was not pinched anywhere, I pumped it up to 105 psi which is about the maximum pressure that I normally use.

Now I am worried! I heard 4 or 5 very alarming 'pops' as I increased the pressure. I can only think of 2 possible causes:

1. The tube was catching on the inside of the tyre and then suddenly slipped to a new position. That would be ok.
2. The rim tape has broken in several places. That would not be good, opening up the possibility of catastrophic failure of the tube!

I am going to leave the tyre pumped up and check it over the next few days to see how fast it loses pressure. Once I have finished doing that, I will take the tyre off and inspect the rim tape just to put my mind at rest, or otherwise!

Has anybody else heard a popping sound like that when pumping up clincher tyres with latex tubes?

 

[ColinJ]

Ok, I have now put the front tube in too.

I have got the hang of taking the tyres off and putting them back on again without using tyre levers. (Well, indoors in the warm and dry, when I am not tired, and it isn't getting dark ... No doubt, the levers will be used again outdoors for mid-ride punctures!)

I was extra careful and managed to not pinch the tube at all this time, and I paid more attention as I inflated the tyre. I got the sudden popping sounds again. If they are just the tube realigning itself then the noises are pretty impressive! They started happening at only 60 psi which I wouldn't have thought would be enough to break 'high pressure' Campagnolo rim tape? I put 100 psi in this one.

Any ideas about the popping noises @oldroadman? If I were told that this always happens, then I would stop worrying about it. If nobody else has had it happen with latex tubes, then I will take one of the tyres off and check the rim tape. Oh - @Globalti - you have used latex tubes too - do you have any comments?

 

[Globalti]

First of all....latex tubes are LUVVERLY, they ride super smooth and make a ringing noise like a well-inflated football. But they are very fragile and don't let Clawed de Pussy near them with her sharp claws. They will lose 10 lbs in two or three days.

Being much more stretchy than butyl rubber, latex will find any weakness in your tyre and herniate through faster than you can say "NHS truss". There will be a loud pop and a hiss and you'll give up in disgust. And yes, it's easy to trap them between rim and bead when inflating so they need a bit of pressure in them when you fit the second bead. And yes, the bead will settle on the rib with a couple of alarming cracks as you go to about 60 psi. Do recheck the rim tape though as your theory is perfectly possible.

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks Gti.

The tubes are so flexible that I found that I was able to blow enough air into them by mouth to give them enough pressure to fit properly.

The popping/cracking sound was so sudden and violent that it made my spokes ring!

The one thing I am slightly peeved about is that I didn't notice that I had ordered tubes with 60 mm valves. I don't need them that long, and they look a bit odd sticking that far out of my rims.

I am going to carry butyl spare tubes when out on rides. I'll see if I can get hold of an old latex tube to cut into patches to use for any latex tube repairs back at home. In fact, I will ask the 40-odd riders on my coming forum ride. Maybe at least one person will have an old latex tube that they don't want.

 

[Smurfy]

@ColinJ, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Both of my tyres made a pop noise during inflation (only one pop each). I think it's just the bead seating itself. As for valve length, I prefer long valves, it's easier to grab the valve and support it when attaching/removing a pump.

I've never patched a latex tube, but I guess a latex patch should stick like mad, as all the latex tubes I've ever seen started life as a linear piece of tube, and had the ends glued together to make a circular, continuous tube. I accidentally pulled a valve off a green Michelin Air Comp latex tube last year. If you'd like 30cm of it for patches I'll cut a piece off and post to you.

 

[biggs682]

I always check out High on Bikes whenever I need anything as their prices are very competitive and service is top class. I bought some of those tubes. And I bought some a couple of years ago too. Great price.

another vote for High on Bikes

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ, I don't think there's anything to worry about. Both of my tyres made a pop noise during inflation (only one pop each). I think it's just the bead seating itself. As for valve length, I prefer long valves, it's easier to grab the valve and support it when attaching/removing a pump.

I let the front tyre down and pushed the bead to one side to check the rim tape. All was well. I pumped the tyre back up, to the sound of more pops and cracks!

Maybe you are right about the valves, since they do not have a threaded collar to secure them. I held the valve stem pretty firmly as I pushed the pump head on.

I've never patched a latex tube, but I guess a latex patch should stick like mad, as all the latex tubes I've ever seen started life as a linear piece of tube, and had the ends glued together to make a circular, continuous tube. I accidentally pulled a valve off a green Michelin Air Comp latex tube last year. If you'd like 30cm of it for patches I'll cut a piece off and post to you.

Cheers! If you are coming on my ride at the end of March, it would be good if you could give me some latex patch material then. If not, I will PM you my details.

I have road-tested the latex tubes - see this post!

 

[oldroadman]

Nothing to add really, when fitting plenty of talc for slippage, use a little pressure - enough to inflate the tube - before even starting to oush it into the outer tyre. Once you are happy it's settled, ease the second bead on and then push BOTH beads into the centre of the rim. Centre the tyre, inflate steadily, and the beads will want to pop into place. I don't know why you go to such high presures, just leave it at about 6 bar (90? in old money, and ride a bit. The joy of latex is a smooth rolling ride (this is getting to sound like a contraceptive ad!!). You will see a drop in pressure over a few days, that's normal. Finally, if you must patch the things, remember to clean them very well first as talc and adhesive don't mix. The downside of repair is the possibility of a slight "bump" if used at very high pressures, so unless you are a giant, keep it about 6 - 6.5 bar, and enjoy a supple ride (back to innuendo again...unintended but it's how you read it!

 

[ColinJ]

I wanted to see if I could use higher pressures than I was using before, without loss of comfort.

I am not a giant but I am 6' 1" tall, and even though I have lost 3.5 stone, I still weigh just shy of 13, and will be at least 12 stone at my final weight.

If I get punctures, I absolutely do need to repair the tubes. I can't afford to replace them at £10 a go. Also, I don't like the idea of just chucking stuff away which can be easily repaired without too much loss of performance.

I intend to experiment with different pressures. I don't think I will go much higher than today because the bike was rolling nicely on the odd stretch of good tarmac that I managed to find. Lower is a definite option, as is sticking with what I used today.

 

[Smurfy]

Maybe you are right about the valves, since they do not have a threaded collar to secure them. I held the valve stem pretty firmly as I pushed the pump head on.

Over enthusiastic pump attachment/detachment was how I ended up with a latex tube separated from its valve!

Cheers! If you are coming on my ride at the end of March, it would be good if you could give me some latex patch material then. If not, I will PM you my details.

OK, maybe see you in a month or two.

 

[ColinJ]

It is now 4.5 days since I inflated the tyres with the latex tubes. I have been checking the tyres since then to check for falling pressures. They are now definitely a bit below what I would choose to ride on, but they were ok for a day or two. I think I will just top the pressures up before every ride.

I am going to try 100 psi (~7 bar) in the rear and 90 psi (~6.5 bar) in the front for the next ride, 5 psi down on the rear and 10 psi down on the front compared with the first ride.

....

Ok - I decided to go out on the best bike again today. I checked the pressures before I pumped the tyres up and found that they had dropped from 100-105 psi on Monday to 60-65 psi today, so about 7 psi per day.

I got a bit muddled up and put 95 psi in the front rather than the 90 psi I had intended to. 100 psi in the rear.

The rear felt about right on the ride - pretty comfy as far as our rough local roads allow, but not too squirmy with my 12-12 weight on the bike. I'll try 95 psi in it next time.

The front was ok, a big improvement on what my normal butyl tube would have felt like at that pressure, but I reckon I have not found the 'sweet spot' yet. I suspect that oldroadman will not be far out with his suggestion of 6.0 bar (87 psi). It is always possible that my pump gauge is not particularly accurate anyway. I'll try an indicated 90 psi next ride and 85 psi after that.

I don't want to go below 85 psi - I am still a fairly big rider, despite my recent weight loss.

 

[ColinJ]

Michelin website: "Recommendations for use enabling you to take full advantage of the characteristics and high performance of MICHELIN latex inner tubes"

1. Every time a tyre is changed or fitted, we recommend fitting a new latex inner tube.
2. Each time a tyre is changed or fitted with a MICHELIN Latex inner tube, we recommend the use of a new MICHELIN rim tape.
3. Do not use MICHELIN latex inner tubes with carbon fibre rims.
4. As the Latex inner tube is a very technical product, MICHELIN advise against repairing it.
5. For maximum performance MICHELIN advise you to adjust your inflation pressure after each trip.

I am not bothered about #3 because I am unlikely to ever use carbon fibre rims.

I agree with #5 and do not find that a problem.

I am reluctant to go along with #1, #2, and #4 though. I don't think it is very environmentally friendly to chuck out products at the first hint of a problem or potential problem, and I am not made of money!

If I find that my latex tubes start to fail in use, I will change them more often.

I will check rim tapes carefully whenever I change tyres and/or tubes and change as necessary.

I will clean the talc off any future punctured tubes and repair them with latex patches. I will see how repaired tubes perform.



Today's ride was at about 94 PSI rear (6.5 bar) and 87 PSI front (6.0 bar). I'll do a couple more rides at those pressures, and then check 100/90 PSI (6.9/6.2 bar) again.