latex tubes experiences

[Brettlikes2ride]

Hi guys,

I have been using latex tubes for about the last 3 or 4 months and would like to hear some other peoples views on them.
I first fitted the michelin ones, the rear fitted sort of ok but i had heaps of trouble with the front as it kept getting pinched and eventually i thought it was positioned correctly but i pumped it and it popped, pinched! these tubes seem too big.
Even though with only the rear fitted i immediately noticed a huge difference on the ride feel but also on how much quicker i could accelerate and maintain momentum.
I ordered a couple of the vittoria ones and they fitted much better, i only fitted the front at first and left the michelin in the rear until a few weeks back when on a big ride after a long fast decent i felt a bump in the rear tyre, i could see a slight bump in the rear tyre and slowed down and hoped it would hold together, as it cooled a bit it went away, i pulled the tube out when home and it had pinch marks but also looked like a twist in it.
A riding buddy tells me he's heard stories of latex tubes just bursting at speeds, anyone heard of this?
I don't want to go away from them due to the benefits but i'm riding Mt Buller next week (17km downhill) and don't particularly want to have one pop on me.

Cheers,

[toolonglegs]

Been on them for years... no issues with them. Trick I find to put them on is this... pump up a little bit, start just after the valve and work your way round. Once the tube has trouble sitting in place,ie starting to pinch, usually with about 10 to 15 cm's to go, I lift up the first section that I have put on ( about 10-15cms worth )... for some reason that I neither know or care the tube will sit perfectly in this first section while I put the tire on and not pinch. Bit hard to explain... maybe I will do a video.
Maybe clock diagram will help...valve at 12 and putting on tire clockwise, start at 12 and go round till about 10 when tube starts to pinch, lift off the 12 to 2 section, then continue putting the tire on from 10 again, pushing valve in when going past that section and finish up at 2... once you are doing it you will see what I mean. The section of tube where you installed and and then took off again will stay sitting perfectly in place while you finish the installation.
Especially useful with tubes that have already been installed and are stretched a bit on the 2nd installment.
On long descents any tube can explode if you over heat the rim... most important thing is not to pump them up too hard ( that goes for any tube )... 90psi max in my books if you think you are going to really cook the rims.

[Nobody]

My experiences with Michelin latex have been mixed. On the MTB I noticed the roll and comfort increase. I also noticed this on the road bike, but less so. One MTB tube I received a tube that had the valve connected to the outside of the tube ( ) which caused it to tear eventually. Replaced it.

On the road bike the tubes eventually cut at the valve hole rubber due to the Mavic rims. I have since taken the edge off one rim and will do the other when I change rim tape. For now I'm back on butyl tubes on the road bike until I can get my preferred size Vittoria latex tubes.

As for fitting to avoid twisting, I put a tiny bit of pressure in the tube to try and keep its shape as I fit and then lower the pressure as I get toward the end of fitting. I'm also conscience of rotating the tube in as I feed it under the tyre. When fitted, pump a tiny bit, then go around the wheel pinching the tyre in on both sides to try to make sure the tube isn't stuck anywhere and give it a chance to rotate if necessary. Then pump up fully. Seems to work for me.

[pawnii]

Which tubes are u using Legs?


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[toolonglegs]

Michelin of course... they grow on trees here!...well close enough, you can buy them in the supermarket

[KL.]

Hi Brettlikes2ride, you could have a look at Panaracer R-Air tubes ... http://www.panaracer.com/tubes.php

They ride like latex, are light, hold the air better than latex, and installation is more like butyl tubes.
Just lightly powder tube with talcum powder before insertion.
I have been using these for a couple of years now