jbucky1

I know its been discussed in the past. I was wondering if there was any more insight as to patching Latex tubes. Many opinions out there, some say special glue, some say not. Threads are pretty old so wondering if Any new advice?

fietsbob

No , Butyl rubber tubes have served me well for my cycling life..

try the C&V Sew up tire fans.. https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...y-tubular.html

delbiker1 

I have been using latex tubes on a couple of bikes for the past couple of months. I had numerous flats the first couple of weeks, but the roads were litter strewn with glass, nails/screws, construction waste, etc. Since then, The roads are much clearer and I put new tires on the bikes with the latex tubes.I have quite a few miles on the tubes and have had no more issues. I did nothing special when patching, using both Rema patch kits and Scabs glueless patches. They both have worked and held up well. In conjunction with high quality tires, I can definitely tell the difference in the ride compared to butyl tubes. Will I spend that much more money to get replacement latex when needed? Not so sure about that. I have some spares as I bought them when on sale.

Unca_Sam

I bought self adhesive patches for that likelihood. I was using a 'challenged' turbo cotton with a small cut in the tread that I believed I had adequately repaired when I heard the hiss. The tube had ruptured at the cut. I booted the cut with a butyl patch, then put a self-adhesive patch on the tube.
The hardest part of the repair was finding the leak in the tube. The given advice is to inflate the tube and look around where the puncture should be, then listen for air or use some spit or other liquid to pinpoint (through bubbles). You won't likely be able to see the puncture at those low pressures.

bruce19

I'm running tubeless so no tubes and no flats for me in the past two years..

bbbean 

Yes. Regular patch kits work just fine with latex.

caloso

What bbbean said.

Mulberry20

Having used both the only difference I saw was that latex tubes needed to be topped off everyday. I gather that in a blind study no one could tell the difference between butyl and latex. On the bench I am sure precise instruments could though.

Excel Sports sells Continental tubes for as low as $2.60 so patching is simply not worth the time.

Unca_Sam

The tires sound different on the pavement, and the slightly decreased weight plus reduced rolling resistance should result in a faster compliant ride, all things considered.
Of course if you're riding Michelin Dynamics instead of higher quality tires, you're not likely to derive any benefit.

Dilberto

Don't waste patches, on Latex tubes. Each mend tightens and distorts the tube surface, stretching it further when inflated. A stretched tube leads to blister bubbles that can and WILL catastrophically explode.

canklecat

Going on two months with Silca latex tubes. So far, so good, no punctures. I carry a couple different types of self-sticking patches and at least one butyl tube just in case.

The ride is significantly better. My neck was broken in 2001 with permanent damage to the C1-C2. Then I was hit again in 2018, aggravating the old injury. Riding my drop bar road bikes was becoming so uncomfortable I was considering giving 'em up and switching to more upright touring bikes or hybrids with swept bars. Even riding decent tires with ultra-thin Conti Race 28 Light butyl tubes didn't help much.

But the first ride on the latex tubes sold me. Even at full pressure they reduce felt chatter on chipseal and rough pavement. I weigh around 150 and have ridden them from 80-100 psi rear, 60-80 front, with 700x25 Conti GP Classic skinwalls. Great combo.

No idea if they're "faster." I'm 62 and not fast. I'm merely the least slow old dude around here, and can occasionally keep up with the youngsters for a few miles.

But the ride quality was well worthwhile. I can switch between my one road bike with the latex tubes and my others that still have butyl, and immediately feel the difference in reduction of road vibration. My neck tells me to buy some more. At $15 each, they're worthwhile to me.

The latex tubes feel livelier, yet smoother over rough stuff, and sound odd -- more "hollow."

Mulberry20

I have used both on Veloflex Corsa EVO tires which are 320 tpi and couldn't tell the difference between Silca latex and Conti's mid-weight tube. I really tried to.

I imagine in bench testing the rolling resistance would be less but even on very supple cotton casing tires on the road no difference that I could tell.

woodcraft

I've patched latex tubes in tubulars many times with regular patches.

jbucky1

really?

jbucky1

Interesting, I dont really see how that would be, creating blisters in the confines of tire space. but an interesting viewpoint.

jbucky1

I agree, I can tell the difference, especially when using supple tires, currently Corsa Controls

jbucky1

I also found it hard to locate the pinpoint of the leak in latex tubes.... is it just me or is it actually harder in Latex? is the hole kinda disguised in the texture of the tube? on a butyl tube it seems like you can see the hole easier maybe because it smoother and light catches hole different. Where as latex has that texture.

Unca_Sam

It's because the tube wall is significantly thinner and latex has significantly more elasticity than butyl rubber. A leak at tire pressures is likely smaller than a pinhole when the tube is inflated outside a tire carcass.
Mounting your tires according to convention, by lining up the label or other landmark with the valve stem, is a huge help in locating the general area of the leak. My damaged tube had marks around the puncture because the tube had extruded through the tire carcass, but a piece of glass, or a wire or thorn won't likely leave a mark like that.

aclinjury

this is housewives' tale. I have yet to see a patched latex tube explode in such fashion.
Latex is VERY stretchable, much much more stretchable than butyl tubes. One time, when I did not proper seat a latex tube inside a tire and the latex tube got pinched underneath the tire. Then when I went to pump up the tire, then suddenly at around 70 psi, the tube bursted out like an airbag, it bursted out to the size of something bigger than a tennis ball! Of course that did stretch the tube, but to my amazement the tube didn't explode. So I let the air out of the tire immediately and reseat the tube and continued to use the tube again without any issue. That would not be possible with a butyl tube.

jbucky1

great point on the elasticity and the mark where the latex hits the carcass. Makes total sense.

aclinjury

I've used the regular butyl patches, but the butyl patches are thick as they're designed for thick butyl tubes.

Nowaday, I use a latex patch (cut up from a discarded latex tube). The problem here is that latex tube are smooth and so using the regular rubber cement glue that come with butyl patch kit will not hold up well over time (it'll work initially, making you think it'll hold up, but it won't). So for glue, I've tried using Vittoria tubular glue, and this works better than the butyl glue, but Vittoria glue is freakin expensive. So now I use Gorilla rubber cement sold at Home Depot, it's cheap and it's strong. Finding a strong rubber cement glue is the key to patching a latex tube with a latex patch.

jbucky1

Thats a great tip thank you, interesting that the normal glue didn't act the same

jbucky1

This is interesting I found this on the web when researching glue aclinjury The "cement" used in tire tube patch kits (de)vulcanizes the rubber in the patch and of the tube. Which is a chemical process, usually using sulfur, where the rubbers bond and form a stronger bond than just an adhesive would do.

Rubber cement is just a gooey adhesive. Usually latex with acetone and other chemicals to make it more pliant. You wouldn't want to use it to patch a tube since it is not very strong, will degrade the integrity of the surrounding rubber and patch, and in general make a mess.

No idea how true this is.

caloso

Same. I have latex tubes and Corsas on my race wheels. Compared to my training/commuting wheels (Gatorskins, butyl tubes full of Stan's), there's a world of difference.

woodcraft

That's a gooey mess of information that you found.