Thread: Latex tubes
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Old 07-29-19, 05:38 AM
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Road Fan
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Originally Posted by Narhay
About a year ago I was trying to find the most cost effective method of losing weight on my bikes. Tubes topped the list.

I started using latex tubes. They worked fine in my smooth rim bed modern Campagnolo Zonda wheelset. I exploded 3 in my carbon rims until I changed the rim tape and haven't had issues until this weekend when the stem interface decided to let loose. Then a new tube exploded (pinch flat?). I patched it and it seems to be ok overnight.

I just tried to inflate two latex tubes in my Sun M13II rims with velox cloth rim tape. Both exploded a few minutes after inflation.

I think I am over latex tubes. I have inflated and changed butyl tubes on hundreds of different wheels without issue and now I am blowing tires off rims with the latex and spending $10-20/tube for the pleasure. Inflating them is like Russian roulette.

I think I am going to revert back to lightweight butyl tubes and call it a day.
This sounds like my adventure with now-defunct Performance Lunar-Light butyl tubes! I tried and gave up on them perhaps 25 years ago. The attractive thing about them was road tubes weighing something like 30 grams each.
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