Michelin Latex or Conti Supersonic tubes?

Bar Shaker

The Conti Supersonic come in at 50g and the Michie Latex at 75g, both giving good savings of rotational mass over regular tubes, for almost no money.

Which and why?

jibberjim

Latex. (although Vittoria or something with a better valve than the crappy michelin valve) The rolling resistence improvements don't just come from weight and sacrificing weight on the butyl ones really harm puncture resistence.

Anonymous

I have one of each on my race wheels.
Latex are more supple and supposedly helps more with rolling resistance. They are cheaper than the contis too.
Dunno if there's any noticeable difference between them but they do make it more of a tub feeling ride...

Bar Shaker

Surely puncture resistance is down to the tyre. Once the tyre is punctured, the tube will offer no resistance, irrespective of what type it is.

fleshtuxedo

Allegedly, latex deforms more easily when a foreign object has pierced the tyre, and 'gives' rather than being pierced.

I don't like latex tubes myself after one worked its way out from under a tyre bead and burst. And yes I'm sure as I can be that I did mount the tyre and tube correctly.

I don't like Supersonic tubes either, I got some dodgy ones that split round the valve as soon as they got over 60 psi :shock: Sure this was a manufacturing fault though, I got my money back.

Vittoria Ultralite

jibberjim

Bar Shaker wrote:

Surely puncture resistance is down to the tyre. Once the tyre is punctured, the tube will offer no resistance, irrespective of what type it is.

tubes offer a little bit extra - thing about thorns or flint which only just manage to pierce the tyre.

EKIMIKE

Michelin Latex tubes usually weigh far more than 75g in reality. More like 85-90g.

What you want is the Michelin ultralight butyl ones. The really do weigh 75g and the valves are good quality.

I've always had bad experience with Continental tubes, they either split where the valve attached to the tube or the valve core blows out unexpectedly. Either of those things has occurred without fail on at least 10 conti tubes i've had. Never happened with a Michelin tube.

The Michelin ultralight butyl one is lighter than Vittoria too. Plus they can be had for less than £4. Bargain. Best tubes out there.

Oh and +1 about puncture resistance being 100% about the tyre. If it's gone through your tyre then it'll go through your tube, unless it's silly thick.

Bar Shaker

I weighed one of my standard Conti tubes last night. It was 98g.

I thought they would be more than that.

The latex ones look like too much grief to save 25g, albeit a saving in the most important place. The Ultralights look very cheap and I may give these a go.

canamdad

I've been using latex tubes in 2 sets of wheels for over 10 years now- first whatever the company was called before Michelin bought them and now, of course, branded as Michelin.
I have a couple that I've used for 5 or more years so their durability, in my experience, is very good. I just like the way they make the tyre feel on the road - a little more compliant with the road surface. I don't use them at all for weight savings- there are butyls that weigh less as has already been noted. I'm just hoping that there are enough riders that like them to keep them in production!

pastey_boy

ive tried the mtb version of these and whilst not a long term test as ive gone back to tubeless, they seem very good tubes and weigh as advertised. im going to order a pair for my road bike . if the are as good as reported it may allow me to run lighter tyres for everyday duties.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FOSS-700cc-x-23c- ... 5d2d06db8a

Anonymous

canamdad wrote:

I've been using latex tubes in 2 sets of wheels for over 10 years now- first whatever the company was called before Michelin bought them and now, of course, branded as Michelin.
I have a couple that I've used for 5 or more years so their durability, in my experience, is very good. I just like the way they make the tyre feel on the road - a little more compliant with the road surface. I don't use them at all for weight savings- there are butyls that weigh less as has already been noted. I'm just hoping that there are enough riders that like them to keep them in production!

Me too, they weren't bought for weight reduction...

Decathlon seem to be a popliar seller of them...

CamR

NapoleonD wrote:

I have one of each on my race wheels.
Latex are more supple and supposedly helps more with rolling resistance. They are cheaper than the contis too.
Dunno if there's any noticeable difference between them but they do make it more of a tub feeling ride...

Are these the ones you are referring to?

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/latex-700 ... #AVANTAGES[/url]

Anonymous

Yes

CamR

tvm

planning on getting some new aero wheels so i will stick these in and see how they feel

Cam

EKIMIKE

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... ICHTUBE300

Weigh 10-15g lighter (i've weighed them myself, as well as others finding the same), you don't have to pump them up every ride, £3.50 instead of £7.00, plus that Finnish company who do all the tyre and tube testing rated ultralight butyl tubes as pretty close to latex in terms of rolling resistance.

In my experience latex tubes were great to ride but a massive pain in the arse because i had to pump them up every time i went for a ride. You're talking 10-15PSI overnight.

canamdad

I know that everyone is different but I always check tyre pressure every time I ride whether using latex or butyl inner tubes. I don't mind doing it because it's really such a simple thing that makes a huge difference in how the bike performs.

boblo

Don't forget Maxxis Ultrallght butyl innertubes. Realworld 67g, very good quality and ~£4 each.

racingcondor

If you race Vittoria Latex tubes (good tubes and closer to 50g than 100g unlike Michelins).

If you don't race then Latex tubes are a pain (they are if you do as well but they are better and you will be pumping your tyres up on race day so it's not a problem). I just buy whatever 'light' tube the shop I'm in has otherwise.

yaya

Same experience with Contis, only "punctures" I've ever had with the Krylion Carbon tyres were when the valve just came out of the tube if I pumped it over 100PSI

Now using Michelin Butyls and also bought some cheapo Airwaves from CRC, they seem to have good reviews, don't know about weights though...

Legshaver

I always used to use latex tubes, even though they 'leak' very slowly overnight, and cost a bit more. They are certainly more comfortable if you have a very stiff bike and like to run with pressures above 100psi. Puncture resistance is good too, but if they do 'let go' with some sharp object they usually split wide open - fast. You'll be running on the rims very quickly. Be sure and carry a spare tube too, because it's unlikely the average repair kit will be good enough.

At least with butyls they can be patched very easily, should you need to carry out a roadside repair, and the tube does not deflate as quickly should you get a puncture. Something to think about if you're moving along fast.

designman

What makes the ride more comfortable - Is it the Inner Tubes or the Tires or is it both?
I'm just about to get myself a top end Trek 6.9SSL and want something that is light but makes the ride comfortable.

Anonymous

Both. No point in a latex tube with a below par tyre though...