6/17/15 5:31 AM

...and we ultimately switched her back to butyl tubes. There just didn't seem to be any advantage that justified their cost and I think we had some durability issues. I have nothing against them, I just don't see any point for the riding I/we do.

Sparky, I didn't mean to insult you, I was just pointing out that it's easy to mis-attribute changes in the way a bike feels. It's normal to become hyper aware of something after you change it and it's human nature to try to find cause and effect relationships. If I had a buck for every time I did that and later learned that I was wrong, I could retire tomorrow. ;-)

6/17/15 10:12 AM

I get the honeymoon period, scrutinizing situational awareness, yada. I also know the difference between the feel of a tubular and clincher for example. As an after thought, I wonder if the wider rims and the way the tire sits etc may also contribute to the feel being more prevalent with the latex tube? It is especially obvious on blips, such as sidewalk seams and pavement separations etc for example.

6/19/15 12:07 PM

Put the latex tubes in a second wheelset. 23/25 Conti Black Chili GP4KS HED Belgiums. And I used two different size tubes 18/23 front and 25/28 on the rear. Tires sit out @ 25.4 and 27.6 mm on the Belguim rims.

Went out in the sub division to get a feel/sense. Seems like the GP4S do not quite get the same tactile feel difference as the the previous 23C tires. Going for a longer ride here in a bit. Vittoria 320 TPI tires next...

6/19/15 12:29 PM

That confirms what a lot of latex tube users report, which is little difference in ride quality with non-supple tires (Conti).

6/19/15 4:16 PM

30 miles later I have to agree.

6/19/15 4:37 PM

Re: the tube-splitting issue.

Seems that latex tubes are much less tolerant of being undersized relative to the tire's actual width, such that they let go in a flash, along several inches of length.
Interesting how latex tears so much faster than butyl, literally in the time that it takes for the air to come out!

Something that butyl tubes never do. Even in blow-off situations, a butyl tube's jagged failure is typically confined to a much shorter area of failure.

Latex sheet seems to have a much greater bending flexibility than butyl, but as far as being any more puncture resistant, is there a technical reason that would explain or refute that?

6/22/15 5:36 AM

...is that latex has a tendency to tear that butyl doesn't. Once a hole starts, it will tear and expand rapidly. It's like popping a balloon.

6/24/15 2:13 PM

Ditto for me re. Latex vs butyl.
"...Can you really tell a difference in ride quality?
I've ridden tubeless, latex tubes, and regular tubes and I could not tell any difference in any of them. I thought I was sophisticated in ride feel, but I guess not. ..."

Same goes for my forks w 45mm rake vs 42 vs 40 and even my Russiant Ti vs Marinoni CroMo frames.
Not so sure about my Carbon frame though. Nonetheless they all do "sound" slightly different.

No princess / pea analogy for me either .. despite having spent many $$s & hours searching...
Ymmv of course
Vive la difference !
:-)

6/25/15 7:49 AM

Rather it is that a supple clincher with latex tubes as opposed to butyl tubes has significantly less rolling resistance and can be quantified in wattage terms or 10-25 watts at 25 mph depending on the tire.

6/25/15 2:36 PM

quote:

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Rather it is that a supple clincher with latex tubes as opposed to butyl tubes has significantly less rolling resistance and can be quantified in wattage terms or 10-25 watts at 25 mph depending on the tire.

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6/25/15 2:53 PM

yea, I do not recall ever reading more than a few watts difference in stuff I browsed.

Been swapping the two wheels sets with the latex tube between the Six 13 and Addict doing 30 and 50 mile rides. My original observations are following the wheels. To sum up, the 23C set with the Michelin rr / Hutchinson fr has more noticeably supple feeling than the 23/25 GP4KS. I'd add I can up the pressures 5 lbs and not notice any of them feeling harder with the Latex tubes nearly as soon as with the Butyl tubes.

Still not got to the Pave 320 TPI tires. Do that next.

6/27/15 8:23 PM

When I look at a watts improvement with latex tubes, I wonder how this compares to the thinner 70g butyl tubes, which obviously absorb fewer watts than thicker standard tubes, but which are perhaps less finicky in use.

And how many watts can be lost to the air pressure reduction that occurs real-time while riding latex?