Challenge Latex Tubes

The lighter, softer, more supple tube reduces rolling resistance and improves comfort, traction and cornering. This is because latex extends and expands 7 to 8 times its original size, whereas butyl only about 1.5 times, which means latex is much, much more flexible, guaranteeing more speed, improving rolling resistance and comfort than a standard butyl tube.

Latex inner tubes also weigh less than standard butyl tubes so can help save weight.

They also increase puncture protection; the latex stretches and deforms around the body which is trying to penetrate the tube instead of, like the stiffer butyl, trying to resist the body and shortly after, being punctured through with a big blow.

The highly elastic latex material is extremely more difficult to puncture and in the unlikely case that it is, the air will anyhow come out very slowly, because the elastic latex, punctured at that point, will move slightly and still stick and conform to the object so not leaving a big tear and gaping hole. The slight leaking of air in that point means that if you are riding and have no spare, you may still be able to ride most of the way back while it very, very slowly looses air, but you won’t be stranded somewhere out there with a sudden flat!

Key advantages of latex inner tubes (#)