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TECH NEWS
silca latex inner tubeUse latex inner tubes for lowest rolling resistance says AeroCoach test
What inner tube to use isn’t often a question most cyclists worry about until they’re shopping for a replacement, but if you’re interested in a marginal gain, choose latex inner tubes shows a new test by AeroCoach.
The test compared the weight and rolling resistance of butyl, latex and Tubolito inner tubes. The Tubolito inner tyres were the lightest on test, saving 128g per wheelset than the lightest butyl inner tube in the test, the Continental Race 28 Light.
But the real difference that really matters is rolling resistance, and here the latex inner tubes draw ahead with a 7 watt saving compared to a regular butyl inner tube.
The lightest inner tube on test, the Tubolito, produced lower rolling resistance than the regular butyl inner tubes on test by a couple of watts but lagged behind the latex inner tube to the tune of 4.8 watts.
The testing was conducted in controlled conditions on smooth rollers, using a Continental GP 5000 25mm tyre and testing at 45kph. How the test data transfers to real roads with all their imperfections are unknown.
The aero company, headed by Dr B Xavier Disley, specialises in optimising aerodynamics for cyclists and it has worked with Tour de France racers winners and stage winners, according to its website.
road.cc has no affiliation to AeroCoach, and neither can we verify their test data ourselves, we’re just reporting their findings with the proviso you take it at face value. We’ve reported on the company’s test results before, most recently regarding the new Continental GP5000 tyres.
You can view the full test here.
- The world’s lightest inner tubes? First look at Tubolito's lightweight inner tubes + video
So should you rush out and replace all your heavy butyl inner tubes with latex? If you’re racing or time trialling, and you’ve looked at every other aspect of your setup to extract as much performance as possible, then yes definitely.
But remember that latex tubes need regular inflating (their air retention qualities are poor), they are fragile, installing them can be tricky. Oh and they are more expensive, retail price for a Vittoria Latex inner tube is £12.99, so you’ll definitely want to shop around for the best discounts.
Do you run latex inner tubes? What are your experiences like? Let us know down below.
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
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17 comments
Thank you Peter W, good to have some real world usage to know about, I had considered getting one as a carry around spare, for a just in case on my new tubeless setup. Lighter and smaller. Would be awful to find that after fitting it, it would not hold air.
Lot of references to the Tubolitos here. Did anyone actually use them?
I was so excited when I discovered them, that I immediatley bought four of them, 2 Road and 2 Road S, from two different sources.
Three of them were leaking at the valve core straight out of the box, one held up for three days before the same issue occured. Inflated at max 80 psi (I ride 28mm tires).
Big waste of money.
Same website said clincher GP5000 with latex was faster rolling than tubeless GP5000, quoted in road.cc review as well.
Sooo... you took time out of your busy riding schedule to post that gem? What's to say people can't post comments about latex tubes AND enjoy riding their bike? (not at the same time, obviously...)
I'm glad to see latex still rolls better than lightweight butyl, I replaced the tubes on my Sunday best bike only to discover it had been specced with Schwalbe Extralights, so no weight savings after all!
Otherwise I'd say it should be first on your upgrade list, as has been said elsewhere, it's one of the cheapest weight savings you'll find on a bike.
I also run latex tubes on the CX bike as I swap the tyres a lot and didn't want to faff around with tubeless on race day. So far so good, low pressures, low weight, no punctures (yet...).
An already low rolling resistance tyre, apparently.
Looks like a mild argument for Tubolito to me, 2W saved and better puncture protection
Headline results of 21% reduction in rolling resistance! I wonder how it would all compare to the tubeless version of the tyre...
Where Tubolitos really win is as a spare to carry with you. It's not just that they're light, they're also incredibly compact in the rolled-up state.
That data was done on a smooth roller. Rolling resistance is higher (a lot) on rough roads.
IME you see the biggest difference with a latex tube on rough surfaces, in comfort, handling and rolling resistance.
Chissakes. Folks, ride your bikes and enjoy it. 4 watts of savings will (for most of us) just mean getting home 1'23" early (adjusted for cake stop queue serving variances). Lab based testing generally means diddly squat out on real roads, let alone all the variation in road surface in any average mile of the roads here.
20 years of latex tubes, AirB-pink then michelin-green, loved them, have to take a bit of care with them, talkum powder, but would do that anyway. Care for the spare is essential, wrap in tissue paper, plastic bags and protect from light.
I found that they fix just fine, quick patches to get home and long glued patches can last for years. And you get to mark out your work with a sharpie.
I do have to pump them up 2-3 times a week. No biggy, just gives you more excuse to get obsessed about pressure. Just gone tubeless on the new bike, they hold air better.
I know it may be off subject, but I'm just wondering if anybody knows or researched the wattage effect of having a poo.... I mean analacdotaly I'm certain I pedal faster on the mornings I set out to work having taken a dump before I set out, whereas when I'm carrying a load the ride seems to take a few seconds longer.
You would have thought at least one of our universitys had recieved some kind of funding to research this, or maybe even Team Sky... sorry Inios or maybe even the British Olympic team.
I had a complete ightmare with vitoria latex tubes having holes from new. The Michelin ones however are good until you puncture, repairing latex tubes never really works.
They do feel great in a nice tyre, but yes the pitfalls of pumping every day, higher cost, and the throwaway culture is the negaitve to them.
Please stop spreading misinformation. Latex tubes are easily patched and the repair will last for years if done well (rough up the area with sandpaper, don't use old glue, give it time to dry before applying the patch, press the patch firmly with your fingers).
I have used Vittoria, Michelin and Challenge latex tubes and rate Vittoria the most dependable.
Good to hear you have had success. I found the michelin AirBs so thin that the std Vulcanisation glue seemed to weaken the tube around the patch so it was weak that it buldged there or created a slow puncture. A first patch sometimes worked but inflating a previously patched tube to find a hole didn't work well due to the patch being stronger than the tube which causes the patch to peel away from the tube. Maybe I shouldn't expect to patch tubes 8 or more times!
This rolling resistance testssuggests nearer 2 watts:
https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/schwalbe-one-tubeless-...
However, latex inner tubes are easy and inexpensive to try so you don't have to wait until you have "looked at every other aspect of your setup to extract as much performance as possible". IME there is a detectable difference in smoothness over Schwalbe standard (SV15, 105g) and Extra Light (SV20, 65g) inner tubes.
Given the only time I hit 45kph is on a downhill slope, the gains would be very marginal in my case.
Unlike aero drag, rolling resistance is (more or less) proportional with speed, so you will still see 4w+ difference between best and worst at 28kmh. Also the losses are considered proportional to load, so if your combined system weight is heavier than that of the test, that saving goes up.
However late tubes are not without their pitfalls!
Nothing feels smoother and faster than a good set of cotton wall tyres with latex tubes. Have had veloflex master 25s on my race wheels with latex tyres for about three years now. The weight saving is merely a bonus!