BTW, I'd be VERY interested to know if the butyl vs. latex testing was done on the same day. Without going into details, Michelin Air Comp latex tubes had the best puncture resistance.

Latex vs.

The RR gain for Air Comp was 17 % vs. 75 gr butyl tube.

With so much emphasis on weight and more recently aerodynamics, we often overlook another major force … The difference between a latex and a butyl tube is ~.0005 in Crr, with a typical Crr being around .0030... or in other words 17% of the rolling resistance A .0005 reduction in Crr is worth about 0.7% in top speed on the flat, or a climb... almost as much as a $1500 carbon wheelset will give you on the flat... or losing 2lbs of weight on a climb!

Supple, latex inner tubes cause less rolling resistance than butyl inner tubes, yielding an improvement of about 0.2 km/h or up to 2 hours less riding time on the complete 2016 TCR route. Those at the front of the race can save three to four minutes in an Ironman while someone at the back, who is heavier, might be able to save double that. The test compared the weight and rolling resistance of butyl, latex and Tubolito inner tubes. Latex tubes seem to have a better life span when sewn inside a tubular tire, I don’t mean better flat protection, I mean that the latex tube won’t deteriorate as rapidly as it does in a clincher. I wonder how much compared to /ultralight/ butyl.

I've done these tests with a homebuilt rolling resistance test machine which was originally intended as a hobby project because I couldn't find enough mountain bike rolling resistance tests on the internet. hope you enjoy it.

LinkBack URL; About LinkBacks; Thread Tools. Latex is more flexible and thinner too, so if you want to reduce rolling resistance then latex is the way to go. Me and a buddy really gained a lot of speed on our local trail (Dorst / The Netherlands) going ~ 1 minute faster on a 23 min lap by getting the fastest tires set up tubeless. LinkBack.

Per Elmsäter wrote: > What are the pros and cons? They tested puncture-resistance, simulated ride over a sharp obstacle, rolling resistance and air-leaking! Here’s your guide to better understanding the often overlooked force component of rolling resistance, and how a minor change like switching out your tires might make a noticeable difference on race day.

The Latex tubes lost more than 3 bar.

> > I've heard that Latex has > Lower rolling resistance. I've specifically selected the tires based on the rolling resistance tests done by bicyclerollingresistance.com. The disadvantages of latex inner tubes are that they lose air quickly (they need pumping up every day), they are delicate and easily damaged during installation, and they are not as easy to repair.

Like most bike parts peoples views on Latex tubes seem to be very polorised.

Originally Posted by tanhalt. Kerry Irons. 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. BY Ryan Cooper.

Inner tubes are made from either synthetic butyl rubber or natural latex rubber. but i have yet to see a comparison of the Ultralight Butyl tubes vs similar weight Latex tubes.