Latex - Silca vs Michelin or just go with TPU ?

Wheels, Tires, Tubes, Tubeless, Tubs, Spokes, Hookless, Hubs, and more!

Moderator: robbosmans

Forum rules
The spirit of this board is to compile and organize wheels and tires related discussions.

If a new wheel tech is released, (say for example, TPU tubes, a brand new tire, or a new rim standard), feel free to start the discussion in the popular "Road". Your topic will eventually be moved here!
Post Reply
RedRacer
Posts: 412
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:13 pm

by RedRacer

I have Silca latex tubes but I hate using the 40mm valve extension because it adds another failure/leak point and 82mm of valve looks pretty silly poking out of a 60mm deep wheel. Michelin offers the A1 Aircomp Latex with a 60mm long valve which should work in my 60mm wheels. Are the Silca tubes better in any way?

The other question is whether I should just ditch the latex tubes and modernize with TPU tubes. They are less than half the weight and Pirelli offers 60mm long valves.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



rudye9mr
Posts: 498
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 12:01 pm

by rudye9mr

60mm valve will clear 60mm deep wheels??

JaeOne3345
Posts: 142
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 5:27 am

by JaeOne3345

RedRacer wrote:
Sun May 21, 2023 10:56 pm
I have Silca latex tubes but I hate using the 40mm valve extension because it adds another failure/leak point and 82mm of valve looks pretty silly poking out of a 60mm deep wheel. Michelin offers the A1 Aircomp Latex with a 60mm long valve which should work in my 60mm wheels. Are the Silca tubes better in any way?

The other question is whether I should just ditch the latex tubes and modernize with TPU tubes. They are less than half the weight and Pirelli offers 60mm long valves.
You should be able to use the Silca tubes with a 20mm silca extender extender. I am on 55mm LB AR55's and there is tonsss of valve stem showing. Definitely without a doubt enough for a 60mm depth wheel. 40mm extenders would be overkill for sure.

I have been running the silca extenders for a long time and they haven't failed at all. Is that something you experienced or just worried about it?

I keep ridenow TPU as spares, but latex as the primary.

sevencyclist
Posts: 92
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:36 am

by sevencyclist

I have Pirelli TPU and the tubes have rolled smoothly and have been holding pressure well. Lighter than latex.

jlok
Posts: 2400
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2015 3:30 am

by jlok

rudye9mr wrote:
Sun May 21, 2023 11:12 pm
60mm valve will clear 60mm deep wheels??
Yes, with the relatively "wide" rim bed of 21mm int width and using screw-on chuck.
Rikulau V9 DB Custom < BMC TM02 < Litespeed T1sl Disc < Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc 1 < Propel Adv < TCR Adv SL Disc < KTM Revelator Sky < CAAD 12 Disc < Domane S Disc < Alize < CAAD 10

tiz92
Posts: 190
Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 3:36 pm

by tiz92

I use Vittoria Latex. I barely puncture. Had much worse experiences with TPU tubes. While saving 100gr for races is nice I punctured them relatively often.

ChoofWorm
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:02 am

by ChoofWorm

Challenge latex tubes are the GOAT. Ignore the rest.

Sent from my SM-A736B using Tapatalk



k33z
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:13 pm

by k33z

TPU is light and keep pressure.

Switched from Latex to TPU, because I wanted to try them out. Currently still running TPU, but did notice quite a change in comfort.... Latex just rolls a lot smoother (not saying faster) compared to TPU.

User avatar
C36
Posts: 2471
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:24 am

by C36

Just to put things in perspective, TPU is an harder material and it is compensated in tubes by making them extremely thin. I haven't tried the ultra light versions (just the 30g ones) and they do degrade a bit the road feel and few test seems to indicate their RR will increase on roads that are harsher than the drums they have been lab-tested on.
For the valve length, I do use a removable valve extension, the valve doesn't protrude neither generate more unbalance. The mavic one is the best I have seen since it also allow you to close the valve "nut" even if it sits inside the rim.

LOWIEV
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 7:03 pm

by LOWIEV

I use the Vittoria latex tubes, and absolutely love them.
But, i recently bought new Vittoia valve extenders. When I use those new extenders, pressure leaks. With my old extenders i dont have this issue.
Any trick to solve this? or should i just buy new extenders and what brand do you guys recommend?

User avatar
nickf
Posts: 1428
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm

by nickf

I have been using the same pair of bontrager valve extenders for years now. No leaks, nothing. They just keep working. They have a built in rubber seal, no need for Teflon tape. Remove the valve, screw in extender, install valve into extender.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/equi ... s/p/29226/

RedRacer
Posts: 412
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:13 pm

by RedRacer

You should be able to use the Silca tubes with a 20mm silca extender extender. I am on 55mm LB AR55's and there is tonsss of valve stem showing. Definitely without a doubt enough for a 60mm depth wheel. 40mm extenders would be overkill for sure.

I have been running the silca extenders for a long time and they haven't failed at all. Is that something you experienced or just worried about it?
I agree that 20mm - 30mm extenders would be nice but I can't find them offered from Silca. I found 34mm extenders from Enve but that is only 6mm shorter than my current combo.

https://www.enve.com/product/valve-extenders/
Challenge latex tubes are the GOAT. Ignore the rest.
What makes them different or better than Silca or Michelin ?

MikeD
Posts: 1000
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:55 pm

by MikeD

Vittoria makes Silca latex tubes so they are quite alike.

ChoofWorm
Posts: 114
Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:02 am

by ChoofWorm

RedRacer wrote:
You should be able to use the Silca tubes with a 20mm silca extender extender. I am on 55mm LB AR55's and there is tonsss of valve stem showing. Definitely without a doubt enough for a 60mm depth wheel. 40mm extenders would be overkill for sure.

I have been running the silca extenders for a long time and they haven't failed at all. Is that something you experienced or just worried about it?
I agree that 20mm - 30mm extenders would be nice but I can't find them offered from Silca. I found 34mm extenders from Enve but that is only 6mm shorter than my current combo.

https://www.enve.com/product/valve-extenders/
Challenge latex tubes are the GOAT. Ignore the rest.
What makes them different or better than Silca or Michelin ?
Honestly no idea, they are hand made and all one piece of latex construction wise not sure if that is different from the other brands you mentioned. But I spend quite a while using michelin and was getting constant blowouts and punctures so switches to challenge and they have been impeccable for 4+ years used inrefuse to use anything else even wirh the weight penalty

Sent from my SM-A736B using Tapatalk


by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



Post Reply