This just cleared everything up for me! I must be made of Butyl because I am also heavy and slow with terrible rolling resistance 👍🏻 I will no longer go through life confused anymore Thank you Mr Cade.
rolling resistance increase linear with weight and not with power so if you ar twice the weight of quintana you have twice the rolling resistance and could save twice the watts with the same upgrade. this only works with rolling resistance not with chain friction or ceramic bearings...
I've always been trying out new components and couldn't agree more with your correct analysis having use/using all 3 types you mentioned. Tubolito initially supplied the "O" ring to be installed on the outside of the valve hole to stop the ingress of water into the rim. I wrote to them on the uselessness in it and they agreed(having received multiple feedback on the same issue). They have since removed it. Also, the initial batch out of the factory had their valve cores loosely screwed on, resulting in lost of air and "sudden puncture". They have now installed it with a clear liquid form of Locktite, which is almost permanently tight. I can pump up to 100psi and leave it there for 2 weeks and it hardly drops below 85psi. Word of Caution: Never ever over tighten the valve core on a Tubolito, you will either break the plastic valve body or stripe out the threading. And Yes, do remember to buy their Flix Kit...it come in 5 patches and is a 1min repair job and it really holds up the repair. Now I either use Tubolito or Latex.....no more black plastic Butyl.
Well, he nailed it. Just checked the weights of what Im running... 122g tube weight per wheel. Their base product is 38g, thats 168g saved for $70usd. Insane weight/$ savings! Thanks Francis!
Tried regular butyl and “light” butyl then several brands of latex. Settled on Michelin latex but really could not tell much diff between brands. Pair with GP4000 ‘s on fulcrum racing zeros; quick, comfy, light for the uphills, sticky for the down. Can usually find them for ~$10 US, the right tool for people who like going fast. Tubeless good for MTB, sucks for road...
Once you go latex you never go back... They feel so much better to ride on. In my experience they flat less often as I believe the material does not have the tendency to split like butyl. Some complain about latex being hard to repair but the trick is not to use the patches in the repair kits but to cut your own latex patches out of an old tube. Once applied the new patch is just as stretchy as the rest of the tube making a superior repair to anything you can do with butyl. Just be more careful installing and don't yank too hard on the valve stem. They roll so smoothly, like butter.
Been riding latex on the summer bike for a few years👍🏻with some light tyres and they are great ( inflate every ride😂) raced on tubs and the first spesh latex 30 yrs ago ( yip, that old) they used to explode into fragments when punctured👎. Keep up the good work, great vlogs, 👍🏻🚴🏽🏴
Been using latex for many years, on the bike that is. Based on my experience, and barring the smaller inconveniences, they are noticeably better ride than butyl. Best band for buck (using the Vittoria pink ones). For people not keen to go tubeless, latex is the way to go. One caveat, installing on right during carbon clinchers. More in on all tubeless and will not go back tubes. Schwalbe, Vittoria and wtb tubeless... Best ever!
One of the best things about the latex tubes is that they save watts in rolling resistance even at slow speeds. So even if you’re crawling up a hill, they’re saving you some precious watts
2x of Tubolito Unisex's Road Inner Tube, Orange, 700x18-28 & Tubolito FLIX KIT REPAIR KIT for £41.97 from Amazon, boom. Always carried a Tubolito as a spare but your video as convinced me to go full fit!
Cheers dude, when first saw these I dismissed because of the price, but thats a substantial weight saving, compared to what you pay for other bits and pieces!
The tubolitos make great spares for your saddle bag. They’re a lot lighter and way smaller compared to a standard tube. I can now fit two tubes instead of one into my bag.
This - I use the cheaper butyl tubes in my tires but I carry a tubolito as a backup tube, it's so much more compact than other tubes that it makes your whole seat roll smaller.
Gone with latex tubes and Zipp 353 for a couple of years and had no issues, well, have had a puncture, but no more than butyl. Yeah, pump up daily, but do like the feel. I’m paired with Vittoria Corsa tyres.
Best ride and closest to tubs, is latex + open tubular clinchers, I use on my road race bike and cross bike. Latex in standard rubber tyres is less effective as the tyre profile is effective square, where as the cotton open tubular clinchers deform on cornering
I've been running Vittoria Latex tubes for about a year now and I way prefer them over Butyl tubes. So much easier to carry either in Jersey pocket or saddle bag too.
There’s one other option. Specialized and Continental make a light butyl tube at about 80 grams each and they reduce rolling resistance as well. See bicycle tire rolling resistance online. I changed to Continental 5000TLs recently and have had only one puncture leading to a flat since last August and that was only because I hadn’t checked the sealant in 2 months and it had dried up. I check it more often now! Since putting these tires on I have new Strava segment PR’s on a lot of rides. I agree that tubes and or tires are the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can make to your bike
The two Continental "Race Light" 700c/42mm stem tubes I weighed came in at 77g and 76g (calibrated scale). Conti website said 65g. Still, lighter than normal butyl at 100g more or less. I use them routinely and have had no probs with them, roughly $7 each on sale.
Latex is on the build list for my bike this winter. Lighter crank...✔️Stock square taper to carbon GXP. Lighter wheels... ✔️stock to Wabi Sub-15’s. New chain ring... ✔️50 tooth X-Sync, probably not any lighter but 10X cooler. (Specialized Langston for reference)
I've been running mine for about 1 year and they are great, no punctures or issues....if you're bothered about weight and already have a semi decent wheelset with normal tubes, these offer significant savings for the price....people laugh at spending £25 for an inner tube but then go out and spend £5000 on a bike? Go figure.
The thing people don't seem to mention when talking about "bang for your buck" upgrades and inner tubes is that you're probably going to go through at least 10 tubes a year, so the initial small cost does add up over time.
@@kilianhzh this comment was three years ago when I was going through a brutal patch of punctures. Though saying that, I don't think the Tubolitos are as easy to patch
I’m enjoying my tubeless! But i forgot maintenance after too much riding in 4 months!!one hole is not sealing anymore. So I got a normal butyl tube!! 🤣 oh my wheels is tubeless ready btw. 😜
Hey , referring Tubolito , I was one of the testers of.the first gens few years back ,I can say that the product improved , and that the only issue I found was that the repair kits were(first gen) were not good enough, nowadays perfect patch's, and 2019 15k Kms , and 2punctures (same day) it's not a bullet proof option , but a very high quality one ,and if you use s-tubo(the lightest ones) they are for non rim brake options, the only negative comment is the glued on extenders on the 80mm options (in.black) looks like a bodge.. Regards
Have been using TPU tubes for last 2 months and no punctures yet. However, if I get a slow leak, how do I find if I can only inflate to about 8 PSI when outside the tire?
I tried tubolitos. Liked riding them until I got my first puncture. They sell a repair kit which I used. But it didn’t quite work for me, it never sealed properly. Which was a shame, given the price of those. But for me, nothing compares to riding latex inner tubes. I just love the feel and sound of them. Can’t really ride them on longer rides, because I have rim brakes and they’re a bit sensitive to the heat from the rim. Found that out the hard way. Still, they’re my favourites.
I found the tubolitos felt nicer to ride than latex, but looking at the data then latex is fastest in terms of rolling resistance... or no tubes at all!
well the obvious thing that comes to my mind is what if we just ran a setup without an inner tube at all? i've had some struggles with tubeless in the past 18 months, my main gripe is just tire models that won't go on or come off. i found that hutchinson fusion 5 galacktik were the easiest to mount by far, way easier than schwalbe pro one or gp5000tl. i'd recommend a tubeless setup with these tires because they were super easy to slide on the rim and make repairs or throwing in a tube on the road way easier. i'm surprised no ones commented on how there's liquid rolling around in your tire all the time with tubeless but i'm sure it's not too big of a deal since it doesn't affect road feel or anything
Very satisfied with Michelin Aircomp Ultralight tubes + GP4000s. (...am also riding a relatively wide road wheel [Zipp 303], so the ride quality is probably a little better than it would be from a narrower wheel).
One Problem of the tubolitos is the vent: - insert can get loose easily ( or may not be completely fastened from the factory - does not work with a lot of pumps, especially those that have a screw on hose and many of the minipump clamp-on heads. Some which do not work well: - lezyne road - silca tactico (bluetooth) also the weird profile of the tube makes mounting a bit more of a hassle. May get better with practice... You need to be more careful not clamp the tube while mounting. But except the vent issues tubolito (or similar alternatives) are great backup tubes. I would ever pack one, even then going tubeless.
Didn't know about tubolito but have been running latex for a couple years. Only had one puncture and it was a 4cm slash on my tyre thanks to beer bottles smashed on the path. No inner tube would have survived. Just pump tyres before each ride, no big deal.
I'm gonna get these for my bike while I'm saving for a tubeless wheelset. I'm gonna run 25 on the front (for speed) and 28 on rear (for comfort - I'm a larger rider). Any reccomendations ok n tires?
Always interested when people say a product has a better feel, would they be able to tell if it was a blind test. Eg given 2 bikes, one with butyl tube, one with latex would you be able to say which is which just by riding it? I can understand how a tyre with direct ground contact can feel different but a tube inside making a difference is harder to imagine. Only ridden butyl and tubeless so would be interesting to try it.
Obviously can't say for definite having never blindfolded myself, but I imagine yes between a butyl and latex/thermoplast. It really is a big difference. Between latex/light butyl/thermo it'd be much harder to tell which is which
The not so expensive but also a very noticeable way to get a much more comfortable and faster bike is changing tyres. I got a pair of Goodyear eagle sport and I can san they are like 85-90% of what a Continental gp5000 but for half the price. Continental ultra sport too but more fragile than the Goodyears.
Upgraded to Michelin Aircomp Ultra Light inner tube, the difference with just standard inner tubes is... Stunning! Acceleration is so much easier, due to it's light weight even tho it is still butyl 5€ for a 75g inner tube is I think a bargain :D
Hi there... maybe out of topic for this video? By seeing that u had yr bike destroyed while using a soft case bike transporter.. does that make it no better than a cardboard that u used during yr trip to vietnam?
Francis. If you have time, please see a doctor for an anterior neck swelling I can observe. Make sure it isn't anything sinister. Love your videos by the way.
Unless you’re racing the cheapest tubes make sense for most people, especially if you ride a lot. Even then go for latex tubes if you think they feel better. I wonder how many people could really tell the difference in a blind test. Keeping an eye on the wear of your tyres shouldn’t be forgotten either. If you can afford the expensive tubes knock yourself out.
Hey Francis, I just got back from my LBS looking for latex inner tubes. My mechanic advised me against them stating that on carbon wheels with rim brakes latex tubes are much more susceptible to blowing if over heated during a fast descent. Is that true?
I heared that Latex Innertube are dangerous, especially if you run rim breakes, bc if the rim get's too hot on a descent they might explode... Can you confirm or do you think it's no problem also with rim breakes?
Aerocoach tested the rolling resistance of them in the test I mentioned. I assume you're slightly more likely to puncture vs a heavier butyl tube too. I'm sure they feel better to ride than a bog standard tube too!
@@Cade_Media cheers for the speedy reply! is there a particular brand that stands out as the best? I’m assuming butyl is a material? My wheels are 700 x 28c
I’ve carried Tubolito as a spare for my tubeless road setup. Needed it, and it left me stranded. Its lightness comes in no small part thanks to a plastic valve. That value is extremely fragile, especially at the point the core screws in. So fragile that the slightest tip of angle of a pump can rip the core through the side of the valve. That happened to me. In real world conditions, with a micro pump it’s VERY difficult to inflate them. A few grams for a better valve would have saved me a long hour walk, on road shoes, down a gravel road...ruin my shoes.
thanks for the real world feedback Seth, also running tubeless and thought of these as emergency only, but if they don't help when you're already pissed with the tubeless not coping then seems counter productive...
@@global_nomad. yeah I'm kind of of the opinion that my bail out gear should be tough enough to definitely get me home, I'll take the 50 or so gram hit to know that I'm not going to have an issue in another few miles (fingers crossed)
@@robdownes5159 exactly, otherwise whats the point. I have had enough experiences of double punctures in the dark and in the cold rain to know what is important (hence switch to pirelli tubeless. no issues and more confidence.
Francis Cade I agree, the one with a hose *may* improve. I have one of those too, the kind where the hose screws out of the body. That day I was using a short Silca, but rigid. It’s good for people to know that these are really sensitive tubes and you can’t use them quite like latex or butyl. I’d easily take another 30grams for the assurance that the valve will work when needed. I’m a rather careful mechanic and have changed untold numbers of tires/tubes, so I add this note as a cautionary tale.
I also roll tested and found latex better than tubilito. I agree that tightening the valve core is important on tubilito. And related to that I think I may have cracked a tubilito on time which led to a constant slow leak. Since then, I stick with latex. With latex, if you inflate cold, and then ride in the sun, you may get a 10psi bump and an accompanying explosion mid ride. If you like high pressure, stay away from vredstein latex. If you like 95psi, use vredstein latex. Vitoria is the latex brand I use. It's worked well. It is similar to Michelin but Vitoria lets you do more in terms of valve stem versatility.
Great timing with this video. I was looking at buying latex inner tubes today. Bought some 320tpi vittoria tyres for my summer bike and am considering upgrading the tubes too. Do you think that it is worth it?
It's the force needed to deform the tyre when it touches the road that causes rolling resistance, the tube has to deform too of course - explains why tubeless is the best rolling resistance (but quite a big heavier as the sealant weighs more than a light tube).
@@Cade_Media for 6 months i was using such combination 70-80 psi with tire silent it was very good 1 puncher that i had to deal with and the only thing i had to do was pump more pressure and give the wheel powerful spin and that's it in few weeks i will get back to that
Interesting Vid Francis, I've considered the switch to latex but went to better tyres instead with butyl tunes, for peace of mind on the crappy roads round Sheffield - except for when I let the tyres get to low pressures (my own ignorance) they've been bulletproof and the tyres made a massive difference to the riding quality so have been happy with the setup. Ps how about an update on your busted frame and wheels? Is all that sorted out yet regarding BA, Spin on These replacements etc.? I assume you are running the boss Wilier Custom painted bike instead now?
@@cleggycyclist one thing I'm confused and concerned about, is does it actually work puncture wise though? If I went over somthing, if it's set up correctly and maintained correctly it should seal. When the pressure is upped (let's say, one day I'm running 30psi and the day after I move it back up to 40psi) wouldn't these seals come off and start leaking again. Or, is it really just going to be a case of, get a good set up, maintain it correctly and use a good sealant (I've purchased stan's) and you'll forget all about it until you need to top it up
£28 to save 70grams or swap my 750ml High5 bidon for my 600ml Sis... ;) As an aside, do you know of many people that use Tubulars when not racing?? My 60mm carbon tubs are super fast but I've never taken them on a real long ride; just a few 85km loops that were never more than 30-35km from home. I've added Stans sealant also! ...Long rides I always use my Ultegra clinchers and take a spare tube and patches. 2 distance goals this year, 150 mile and 300 km and the Tubs would make this much easier.
Didn't mention what so many claim about latex...does it really get destroyed by long braking and overheating? Or is this claimed "melt" only with rim brakes? This Study on tubes vs tubless is pretty neat..for anyone interested www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/tubeless-latex-butyl-tubes
Tried Tubolitos on my tourer. Hard to fit (compared to butyl) and just as many punctures. As a concept they are interesting, but way too fiddly, too expensive and not remarkably better. Not worth it, I'd say.
You say £28 is a cheap upgrade for the weight saving and performance and on the face of it that seems correct. However, the £28 isn't a one-off, as a set of wheels would be. While a set of wheels may last me 30,000km, I'll go through 10 more tubes in that time. So my £56 on 2 tubes actually becomes £330 instead of £12, so that's a £300+ upgrade for a few grammes. I go latex, that's where the bang for buck is, imo. Deffo ride quality improvement.
mike anders try yourself and be the judge. I use butyl in winter and latex in summer. The latex are noticeably faster and give smooth ride - I ride 28mm tyres for both. No tried tubeleto yet
Bungle2010 👋 I use Continental GP 4000s 2’s at 28mm mostly for general use. But if I’m doing an event/race I will use Vitoria Corsa. The combination of these and the latex inners is just amazing in dry weather. I would not however recommend this set up for commuting or wet weather - I use Continental 4 Season and butyl inners during UK winter and hardly ever get punctures. I don’t want to be stood by the road fixing punctures in the cold wet weather!
@@trick700 he may have been using a heavy tire. I love the gp 4000s 2. Average a puncture a year. Getting to old to worry about speed. Just started riding 25s don't think I want anything bigger than that. Might give latex a try.
mike anders 👍 here’s a tip, fit latex tubes at home in clean environment...no contamination except talc. If you’re unfortunate to get puncture on the road, fit a butyl tube to get you home
The problem I found with tubolitos is the valve housing being too short, you would really have to force a pump head on pushing it over the orange plastic it sits in, without any nuts to hold it in place you couldn't attach a pump head. So if I wanted to check my tire pressure or pump them up I had to deflate them and squeeze the tyre from the outside over the valve hole Extra-long ones he had may work although would look a bit daft on a normal wheel Apart from that they are great if expensive
This just cleared everything up for me! I must be made of Butyl because I am also heavy and slow with terrible rolling resistance 👍🏻 I will no longer go through life confused anymore Thank you Mr Cade.
rolling resistance increase linear with weight and not with power so if you ar twice the weight of quintana you have twice the rolling resistance and could save twice the watts with the same upgrade. this only works with rolling resistance not with chain friction or ceramic bearings...
Ianis Caratti What I typed was a joke, thanks for that though I guess....Keep up the good work with that science stuff.
Best upgrade: Airplane ticket To some where warm without ice and constant Rain.
Singapore
Taiwan
malaysia
Yes. I have never bough winter gear. Just traveling to Malaga, Canary Islands, Oaxaca, Medellin, Chiang Mai...
Chang Mai,Thailand 🚴💦 🤙
I've always been trying out new components and couldn't agree more with your correct analysis having use/using all 3 types you mentioned. Tubolito initially supplied the "O" ring to be installed on the outside of the valve hole to stop the ingress of water into the rim. I wrote to them on the uselessness in it and they agreed(having received multiple feedback on the same issue). They have since removed it. Also, the initial batch out of the factory had their valve cores loosely screwed on, resulting in lost of air and "sudden puncture". They have now installed it with a clear liquid form of Locktite, which is almost permanently tight. I can pump up to 100psi and leave it there for 2 weeks and it hardly drops below 85psi. Word of Caution: Never ever over tighten the valve core on a Tubolito, you will either break the plastic valve body or stripe out the threading. And Yes, do remember to buy their Flix Kit...it come in 5 patches and is a 1min repair job and it really holds up the repair. Now I either use Tubolito or Latex.....no more black plastic Butyl.
Well, he nailed it. Just checked the weights of what Im running... 122g tube weight per wheel. Their base product is 38g, thats 168g saved for $70usd. Insane weight/$ savings! Thanks Francis!
Tried regular butyl and “light” butyl then several brands of latex. Settled on Michelin latex but really could not tell much diff between brands. Pair with GP4000 ‘s on fulcrum racing zeros; quick, comfy, light for the uphills, sticky for the down. Can usually find them for ~$10 US, the right tool for people who like going fast. Tubeless good for MTB, sucks for road...
my roadbike tubolito for 28c tires is now in my 33c cx bike and is doing a fenomenal job on trails and gravel.
Once you go latex you never go back... They feel so much better to ride on. In my experience they flat less often as I believe the material does not have the tendency to split like butyl. Some complain about latex being hard to repair but the trick is not to use the patches in the repair kits but to cut your own latex patches out of an old tube. Once applied the new patch is just as stretchy as the rest of the tube making a superior repair to anything you can do with butyl. Just be more careful installing and don't yank too hard on the valve stem. They roll so smoothly, like butter.
Been riding latex on the summer bike for a few years👍🏻with some light tyres and they are great ( inflate every ride😂) raced on tubs and the first spesh latex 30 yrs ago ( yip, that old) they used to explode into fragments when punctured👎. Keep up the good work, great vlogs, 👍🏻🚴🏽🏴
Been using latex for many years, on the bike that is. Based on my experience, and barring the smaller inconveniences, they are noticeably better ride than butyl. Best band for buck (using the Vittoria pink ones). For people not keen to go tubeless, latex is the way to go. One caveat, installing on right during carbon clinchers. More in on all tubeless and will not go back tubes. Schwalbe, Vittoria and wtb tubeless... Best ever!
Francis How about a vlog with James about the pros and cons of oval chainrings if there is any !! Just a thought
One of the best things about the latex tubes is that they save watts in rolling resistance even at slow speeds. So even if you’re crawling up a hill, they’re saving you some precious watts
If nothing else a tubolito spare seems like a fantastic idea just based on weight and bulk alone. Thanks for the quick but thorough overview!
2x of Tubolito Unisex's Road Inner Tube, Orange, 700x18-28 & Tubolito FLIX KIT REPAIR KIT for £41.97 from Amazon, boom. Always carried a Tubolito as a spare but your video as convinced me to go full fit!
Cheers dude, when first saw these I dismissed because of the price, but thats a substantial weight saving, compared to what you pay for other bits and pieces!
The tubolitos make great spares for your saddle bag. They’re a lot lighter and way smaller compared to a standard tube. I can now fit two tubes instead of one into my bag.
This - I use the cheaper butyl tubes in my tires but I carry a tubolito as a backup tube, it's so much more compact than other tubes that it makes your whole seat roll smaller.
Gone with latex tubes and Zipp 353 for a couple of years and had no issues, well, have had a puncture, but no more than butyl. Yeah, pump up daily, but do like the feel. I’m paired with Vittoria Corsa tyres.
Best ride and closest to tubs, is latex + open tubular clinchers, I use on my road race bike and cross bike. Latex in standard rubber tyres is less effective as the tyre profile is effective square, where as the cotton open tubular clinchers deform on cornering
I've been running Vittoria Latex tubes for about a year now and I way prefer them over Butyl tubes. So much easier to carry either in Jersey pocket or saddle bag too.
Have you experienced flats often? Ive heard they're really delicate, but I'm tempted to try out latex that's why.
There’s one other option. Specialized and Continental make a light butyl tube at about 80 grams each and they reduce rolling resistance as well. See bicycle tire rolling resistance online. I changed to Continental 5000TLs recently and have had only one puncture leading to a flat since last August and that was only because I hadn’t checked the sealant in 2 months and it had dried up. I check it more often now! Since putting these tires on I have new Strava segment PR’s on a lot of rides. I agree that tubes and or tires are the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can make to your bike
The two Continental "Race Light" 700c/42mm stem tubes I weighed came in at 77g and 76g (calibrated scale). Conti website said 65g. Still, lighter than normal butyl at 100g more or less. I use them routinely and have had no probs with them, roughly $7 each on sale.
Latex is on the build list for my bike this winter. Lighter crank...✔️Stock square taper to carbon GXP. Lighter wheels... ✔️stock to Wabi Sub-15’s. New chain ring... ✔️50 tooth X-Sync, probably not any lighter but 10X cooler. (Specialized Langston for reference)
Thanks for this video brother. It came at a great time since I am currently shopping for some inner tubes. You English guys are the best.
I've been running mine for about 1 year and they are great, no punctures or issues....if you're bothered about weight and already have a semi decent wheelset with normal tubes, these offer significant savings for the price....people laugh at spending £25 for an inner tube but then go out and spend £5000 on a bike? Go figure.
The thing people don't seem to mention when talking about "bang for your buck" upgrades and inner tubes is that you're probably going to go through at least 10 tubes a year, so the initial small cost does add up over time.
How? What do you do to go through ten tubes per year? You know that patch kits exist, right?
@@kilianhzh this comment was three years ago when I was going through a brutal patch of punctures. Though saying that, I don't think the Tubolitos are as easy to patch
I’m enjoying my tubeless! But i forgot maintenance after too much riding in 4 months!!one hole is not sealing anymore.
So I got a normal butyl tube!! 🤣 oh my wheels is tubeless ready btw. 😜
Hey , referring Tubolito , I was one of the testers of.the first gens few years back ,I can say that the product improved , and that the only issue I found was that the repair kits were(first gen) were not good enough, nowadays perfect patch's, and 2019 15k Kms , and 2punctures (same day) it's not a bullet proof option , but a very high quality one ,and if you use s-tubo(the lightest ones) they are for non rim brake options, the only negative comment is the glued on extenders on the 80mm options (in.black) looks like a bodge..
Regards
Anyone passing by know if sealant would work inside a latex tube? Looks like the pink one could do with it going on the air loss
Have been using TPU tubes for last 2 months and no punctures yet. However, if I get a slow leak, how do I find if I can only inflate to about 8 PSI when outside the tire?
Question ... is a 60mm tubilito valve long enough for 50mm rim? Dnt really wana go to 80mm stems
I tried tubolitos. Liked riding them until I got my first puncture. They sell a repair kit which I used. But it didn’t quite work for me, it never sealed properly. Which was a shame, given the price of those. But for me, nothing compares to riding latex inner tubes. I just love the feel and sound of them. Can’t really ride them on longer rides, because I have rim brakes and they’re a bit sensitive to the heat from the rim. Found that out the hard way. Still, they’re my favourites.
I found the tubolitos felt nicer to ride than latex, but looking at the data then latex is fastest in terms of rolling resistance... or no tubes at all!
well the obvious thing that comes to my mind is what if we just ran a setup without an inner tube at all? i've had some struggles with tubeless in the past 18 months, my main gripe is just tire models that won't go on or come off. i found that hutchinson fusion 5 galacktik were the easiest to mount by far, way easier than schwalbe pro one or gp5000tl. i'd recommend a tubeless setup with these tires because they were super easy to slide on the rim and make repairs or throwing in a tube on the road way easier. i'm surprised no ones commented on how there's liquid rolling around in your tire all the time with tubeless but i'm sure it's not too big of a deal since it doesn't affect road feel or anything
Great explanation Francis
FairPlay I never thought it would make much difference
Why do you use Tubolito tubes and not other faster thermoplastic tubes? Like Schwalbe Aerothan or Revoloop Ultra Race.
Very satisfied with Michelin Aircomp Ultralight tubes + GP4000s. (...am also riding a relatively wide road wheel [Zipp 303], so the ride quality is probably a little better than it would be from a narrower wheel).
One Problem of the tubolitos is the vent:
- insert can get loose easily ( or may not be completely fastened from the factory
- does not work with a lot of pumps, especially those that have a screw on hose and many of the minipump clamp-on heads.
Some which do not work well:
- lezyne road
- silca tactico (bluetooth)
also the weird profile of the tube makes mounting a bit more of a hassle. May get better with practice...
You need to be more careful not clamp the tube while mounting.
But except the vent issues tubolito (or similar alternatives) are great backup tubes. I would ever pack one, even then going tubeless.
I only have lezyne pumps and they work ok!
Hi is it ok to ask you a question please i got the wrong size tpu inner tube sent to me do you think a 700x32 will be ok for a 700x38 bike tyre thanks
Didn't know about tubolito but have been running latex for a couple years. Only had one puncture and it was a 4cm slash on my tyre thanks to beer bottles smashed on the path. No inner tube would have survived. Just pump tyres before each ride, no big deal.
There is also subtle difference in commuting butyl and race butyl tubes.
Yes a nice option in the middle for price, weight and feel
My tubolito leaks air at the orange thermoplastics and the extender. How do u solve it?
I don't unterstand how something, that isn't even touching the ground (causes no friction) is making you faster in the end? Can someone explain?
I'm gonna get these for my bike while I'm saving for a tubeless wheelset. I'm gonna run 25 on the front (for speed) and 28 on rear (for comfort - I'm a larger rider). Any reccomendations ok n tires?
Are the pedals clip in?
Always interested when people say a product has a better feel, would they be able to tell if it was a blind test. Eg given 2 bikes, one with butyl tube, one with latex would you be able to say which is which just by riding it? I can understand how a tyre with direct ground contact can feel different but a tube inside making a difference is harder to imagine. Only ridden butyl and tubeless so would be interesting to try it.
Obviously can't say for definite having never blindfolded myself, but I imagine yes between a butyl and latex/thermoplast. It really is a big difference.
Between latex/light butyl/thermo it'd be much harder to tell which is which
The not so expensive but also a very noticeable way to get a much more comfortable and faster bike is changing tyres. I got a pair of Goodyear eagle sport and I can san they are like 85-90% of what a Continental gp5000 but for half the price. Continental ultra sport too but more fragile than the Goodyears.
Upgraded to Michelin Aircomp Ultra Light inner tube, the difference with just standard inner tubes is... Stunning! Acceleration is so much easier, due to it's light weight even tho it is still butyl
5€ for a 75g inner tube is I think a bargain :D
What are inner tubes?
Thanks so much for this info Francis! Was looking of ways to save some grams! 😁
What about road bike tyre weight etc
I was at the shop looking at helmet today. Realised the Manta doesn’t have mips. Is it an option or does it all come without?
They don't use MIPS, I asked them about this and I remember being satisfied with the reason, but I can't remember what it was!
@@Cade_Media sounds like a new video material!
I already run Strale though.
Hi there... maybe out of topic for this video? By seeing that u had yr bike destroyed while using a soft case bike transporter.. does that make it no better than a cardboard that u used during yr trip to vietnam?
Cardboard is great
I just read that you shouldn’t use latex with carbon rims because of heat build up.? Is it the same for tubolitos.?
The standard tubolito is fine, the spare one is disc brake only
Francis. If you have time, please see a doctor for an anterior neck swelling I can observe. Make sure it isn't anything sinister. Love your videos by the way.
External lighting my friend!
Francis...pls now review same tubes and explain how to repair a puncture
Tubolito no good for commuting? Why?
Thx
Unless you’re racing the cheapest tubes make sense for most people, especially if you ride a lot. Even then go for latex tubes if you think they feel better. I wonder how many people could really tell the difference in a blind test. Keeping an eye on the wear of your tyres shouldn’t be forgotten either.
If you can afford the expensive tubes knock yourself out.
Hey Francis,
I just got back from my LBS looking for latex inner tubes. My mechanic advised me against them stating that on carbon wheels with rim brakes latex tubes are much more susceptible to blowing if over heated during a fast descent. Is that true?
I don't ride with inners to save a bit of weight
Tubeless- best upgrade...
Max Kohlhoff tubeless?? Until you get a flat and your walking back.
@@bigd8812 if you aren't carrying a tube and some air, you deserve to walk home.
Any idea where to get latex tubes with 60mm valves? Can’t seem to find any online. I’m in the US.
Michelin latex tubes come with 60mm valves
noel pagan good call thanks, but those aren’t available for 28mm tires! 😑
Jim Lombardo i ride mine in 28c tires and even in 33c cx tires for cross races. latex is realy stretchable. ever tried to blow up a condom?
I heared that Latex Innertube are dangerous, especially if you run rim breakes, bc if the rim get's too hot on a descent they might explode... Can you confirm or do you think it's no problem also with rim breakes?
No idea about latex but the S-tubo is disc brake only for that reason.
Also, who still uses rim brakes anyway? ;)
@@Cade_Media ahh cool, thanks!
haha fair point... ;)
@@Cade_Media I do
i'm interested in lightweight butyl tubes vs latex, valve on tubolitos bother me too
Aerocoach tested the rolling resistance of them in the test I mentioned. I assume you're slightly more likely to puncture vs a heavier butyl tube too. I'm sure they feel better to ride than a bog standard tube too!
I need an inner tube that’ll last and retain air for a long period of time. What that be?
Butyl is your best bet.
@@Cade_Media cheers for the speedy reply! is there a particular brand that stands out as the best? I’m assuming butyl is a material? My wheels are 700 x 28c
@@Blviik no I think they are all quite similar!
@@Cade_Media how relevant is the 28c? Can’t seem to find any butyl in that size. Seems to start at 700 x 32 and up. Cheers for the help mate
@@Blviik there should be lots of inner tubes smaller and they will stretch to fill a 28mm tyre no problem.
Supersonics?
I’ve carried Tubolito as a spare for my tubeless road setup. Needed it, and it left me stranded. Its lightness comes in no small part thanks to a plastic valve. That value is extremely fragile, especially at the point the core screws in. So fragile that the slightest tip of angle of a pump can rip the core through the side of the valve. That happened to me. In real world conditions, with a micro pump it’s VERY difficult to inflate them. A few grams for a better valve would have saved me a long hour walk, on road shoes, down a gravel road...ruin my shoes.
thanks for the real world feedback Seth, also running tubeless and thought of these as emergency only, but if they don't help when you're already pissed with the tubeless not coping then seems counter productive...
@@global_nomad. yeah I'm kind of of the opinion that my bail out gear should be tough enough to definitely get me home, I'll take the 50 or so gram hit to know that I'm not going to have an issue in another few miles (fingers crossed)
@@robdownes5159 exactly, otherwise whats the point. I have had enough experiences of double punctures in the dark and in the cold rain to know what is important (hence switch to pirelli tubeless. no issues and more confidence.
My pump has been good with the tubolitos.. lezyne one with a short hose. what brand was it?
Francis Cade I agree, the one with a hose *may* improve. I have one of those too, the kind where the hose screws out of the body. That day I was using a short Silca, but rigid. It’s good for people to know that these are really sensitive tubes and you can’t use them quite like latex or butyl. I’d easily take another 30grams for the assurance that the valve will work when needed. I’m a rather careful mechanic and have changed untold numbers of tires/tubes, so I add this note as a cautionary tale.
Just ordered myself a couple tubolitos! Thanks!
I also roll tested and found latex better than tubilito. I agree that tightening the valve core is important on tubilito. And related to that I think I may have cracked a tubilito on time which led to a constant slow leak. Since then, I stick with latex. With latex, if you inflate cold, and then ride in the sun, you may get a 10psi bump and an accompanying explosion mid ride. If you like high pressure, stay away from vredstein latex. If you like 95psi, use vredstein latex. Vitoria is the latex brand I use. It's worked well. It is similar to Michelin but Vitoria lets you do more in terms of valve stem versatility.
Welcome back!
Great timing with this video. I was looking at buying latex inner tubes today. Bought some 320tpi vittoria tyres for my summer bike and am considering upgrading the tubes too. Do you think that it is worth it?
Why would your inner tube affect roll resistance? It's the tire that's touching the road right?
It's the force needed to deform the tyre when it touches the road that causes rolling resistance, the tube has to deform too of course - explains why tubeless is the best rolling resistance (but quite a big heavier as the sealant weighs more than a light tube).
£28 for an inner lmao.
Don't get me started on the whole tube bullshit. Given Francis's track record he's the last person to be recommending tubes lol
@@thecrowfliescrooked I would puncture a solid tyre , too easy
Emergency use only. Being much smaller it's more about space saving.
How much did you spend on your last bike upgrade?
Nice. Short and snappy. Just missing the 50% discount code. Sure it's an oversight but count me in.
Is this a good weight saving for a 113 kg rider?
hey man great video! whats the name of your haircut i love it would like to get something like that myself
Nice vid Francis! Wish my content was as cool as yours 😀 Looking forward to the next vid
....Orange ones aren't for rim brakes last time I looked due to the heat they'll be a bit explody
The normal one is ok for rim brakes, the S version isn't
Another good informative video 😎🇦🇺👍
what is your opinion on tubeless road tires and wheels ?
I have never been able to make it work properly, pressure is too high!
@@Cade_Media for 6 months i was using such combination
70-80 psi
with tire silent
it was very good
1 puncher that i had to deal with
and the only thing i had to do was pump more pressure and give the wheel powerful spin and that's it
in few weeks i will get back to that
Francis, what about going tubeless?
Interesting Vid Francis, I've considered the switch to latex but went to better tyres instead with butyl tunes, for peace of mind on the crappy roads round Sheffield - except for when I let the tyres get to low pressures (my own ignorance) they've been bulletproof and the tyres made a massive difference to the riding quality so have been happy with the setup.
Ps how about an update on your busted frame and wheels? Is all that sorted out yet regarding BA, Spin on These replacements etc.? I assume you are running the boss Wilier Custom painted bike instead now?
Still ongoing, problematic because they are sponsored items and they want proof of purchase
@@Cade_Media sorry to hear that it's turning out to be a pain. Stick with it buddy.
Best of both worlds? Continental Supersonic?
This video is so last decade ;) ... I switched to tubeless two years ago and I'm considered a late adopter by the folks I ride with
Never got road tubeless to work properly... Although got some new Hutchinson's coming and fingers crossed...!
@@CG-99 I'm about to switch to tubless, is it worth it? The roads are terrible, I'm doing light off road too.
@@mrblue.tit.8906 definitely worth it
@@Cade_Media my hutchinson fusions are flipping brilliant tubeless tyres, sealing really easily, pretty light and excellent feel
@@cleggycyclist one thing I'm confused and concerned about, is does it actually work puncture wise though? If I went over somthing, if it's set up correctly and maintained correctly it should seal. When the pressure is upped (let's say, one day I'm running 30psi and the day after I move it back up to 40psi) wouldn't these seals come off and start leaking again. Or, is it really just going to be a case of, get a good set up, maintain it correctly and use a good sealant (I've purchased stan's) and you'll forget all about it until you need to top it up
They recommend you dont use latex with carbon clinchers but is that a lie? Anyone have experience riding them on carbon clinchers?
£28 to save 70grams or swap my 750ml High5 bidon for my 600ml Sis... ;) As an aside, do you know of many people that use Tubulars when not racing?? My 60mm carbon tubs are super fast but I've never taken them on a real long ride; just a few 85km loops that were never more than 30-35km from home. I've added Stans sealant also! ...Long rides I always use my Ultegra clinchers and take a spare tube and patches. 2 distance goals this year, 150 mile and 300 km and the Tubs would make this much easier.
Never ridden tubs outside of a race... You'd need to carry a spare tyre!
Didn't mention what so many claim about latex...does it really get destroyed by long braking and overheating? Or is this claimed "melt" only with rim brakes?
This Study on tubes vs tubless is pretty neat..for anyone interested
www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/tubeless-latex-butyl-tubes
G'day from Australia!
Tried Tubolitos on my tourer. Hard to fit (compared to butyl) and just as many punctures. As a concept they are interesting, but way too fiddly, too expensive and not remarkably better. Not worth it, I'd say.
what about weight savings!
@@tim6277 On a touring bike? lol
Good video 🏆
Shop owner gives you a room in the basement for you to work “you can get these tubes online cheaper”
Give? 😂
Francis Cade strategically subsidized
You say £28 is a cheap upgrade for the weight saving and performance and on the face of it that seems correct. However, the £28 isn't a one-off, as a set of wheels would be. While a set of wheels may last me 30,000km, I'll go through 10 more tubes in that time. So my £56 on 2 tubes actually becomes £330 instead of £12, so that's a £300+ upgrade for a few grammes.
I go latex, that's where the bang for buck is, imo. Deffo ride quality improvement.
That's a very good point!
In My opinion, that would be ditching everything Shimano (except for CentreLock) and upgrade to Sram, preferably eTap AXS.
downgrade 😁
how about tubeless??
As fast as latex but the sealant is heavier
@@Cade_Media Okay (y)
I’ve looked for latex for deep wheels and cannot find longer than size 40mm
Valve extender probably best option
Just posted same comment.
I ordered my michelin 60mm latex tubes on r2
you failed to mention that you cant use latex with rim break carbon clinchers
Pink inner tubes do they come in any other colour
There's a new kid in town from Schwalbe to dethrone Tubolito, with a stronger valve seam.
A mechanic friend tried the latex said he couldn't tell a bit of difference. I'll stick with regular tubes.
mike anders try yourself and be the judge. I use butyl in winter and latex in summer. The latex are noticeably faster and give smooth ride - I ride 28mm tyres for both. No tried tubeleto yet
Bungle2010 👋 I use Continental GP 4000s 2’s at 28mm mostly for general use. But if I’m doing an event/race I will use Vitoria Corsa. The combination of these and the latex inners is just amazing in dry weather. I would not however recommend this set up for commuting or wet weather - I use Continental 4 Season and butyl inners during UK winter and hardly ever get punctures. I don’t want to be stood by the road fixing punctures in the cold wet weather!
@@trick700 he may have been using a heavy tire. I love the gp 4000s 2. Average a puncture a year. Getting to old to worry about speed. Just started riding 25s don't think I want anything bigger than that. Might give latex a try.
mike anders 👍 here’s a tip, fit latex tubes at home in clean environment...no contamination except talc. If you’re unfortunate to get puncture on the road, fit a butyl tube to get you home
@@trick700 Thanks
RR far more important than a few grams in weight difference. Latex for race wheels, tubeless or butyl for training
bstaplet why?
@@ianiscaratti4924 read some of the research that has been done. Aero and RR trumps weight 99% of the time
bstaplet why is tubeless bad in rr and why is a light innertube less aero?
butyl, latex and thermoplast is the rightful way to describe them. Tubolito is just a brand but other brands make thermoplast tubes too
Aha! Interesting to hear this, I had no idea
awsome tubes. the walve works only with clamp pumps not with screwed ones unless you are carefull
@@ianiscaratti4924 I've been using my screw one on mine with no issues, both my floor and mini pump are lezyne
Francis Cade realy interessting. my lezyne pump ripped the thin thread and took the core out like opening a whine bottle after some month.
Where I live latex tubes cost almost 10x the price of a butyl tube, so unfortunately that is not cheap upgrade ☹️
10x! 😱
Get one online then sometimes those bike shops raise the original price a bit too much.
The problem I found with tubolitos is the valve housing being too short, you would really have to force a pump head on pushing it over the orange plastic it sits in, without any nuts to hold it in place you couldn't attach a pump head.
So if I wanted to check my tire pressure or pump them up I had to deflate them and squeeze the tyre from the outside over the valve hole
Extra-long ones he had may work although would look a bit daft on a normal wheel
Apart from that they are great if expensive