I installed the 25-28 versions in Schwalbe Ones, 25mm. They just fit, although they will seem too big when you first put them in. The good thing about doing it this is way that they are not stretched, so they have room to give, which helps prevent punctures.
They make for a noticibly smoother ride, and you can even use slightly lower pressures, which helps, of course.
I am a former pro mechanic and would recommend latex always. If done correctly, it is always better.
The problem I find is sourcing high quality latex tubes like these Vittoria, in larger sizes, for 28-32, or larger.
Bike Tire Direct, if you find such tubes, I will buy them from you.
If you can catch these tubes on sale, they are a fantastic deal! Very fast with my Vittoria Corsa Speed G tires. I have yet to have a flat. although I tend to look for clean roads to ride. Definitely a must for TT courses!
I've used the Michelin, Challenge, and the Vittoria latex tubes and these are the best craftsmanship and quality out of all of them. No imperfections and consistent quality in every tube from Vittoria, the valve stems and valves are great as well.
I am a big fan of latex inner tubes. I used (and still do) to ride Italian-made Vittoria tubulars and the only way to get ride quality even remotely resembling that with modern clinchers is to use latex inner tubes. These Vittoria latex tubes do provide nice ride feel, but they are not durable. Something is funky with the formulation of the latex rubber. The part of the tube that comes in contact with the rim tapestrip weakens over time, eventually leading to spontaneous failure. This has happened to me repeated and to my buddies who bought the tubes based on my initial recommendation. I do not have the same problem with the Vredestein brand latex tubes (they have other issues). My guess is that these latext inner tubes are exactly the same ones they put inside their tubulars. In a tubular tire, however, the latex is not exposed to rim tapestrip and therefore will not have the same problem. If these latex tubes are to be sold for use with clincher tires, Vittoria needs to test their formulation a bit more.
Experienced no quality issues with these tubes riding about 150 miles a week for a year. The reputation of latex for catastrophic flats (tire repair required), is true when latex tubes are combined with the wrong tire, a low TPI tire. Slow leaks, where the tire can just be pumped up then repaired at the destination, occur with the right tire, a high TPI tire.
I have been using latex tubes for a year now on three different bikes . 25 mm and 28 mm tires. Better ride by reducing harshness. Only one pinch flat in 4000 miles! Also- I have had no problems installing tubes. In my opinionGreat value for initially spending a few more dollars for latex tubes!
Running latex created a very different feel in my bike's ride quality and handling. I paired these with a 320 TPI tire, and I'd agree with others who say this is combo is very close to a tubular setup...Latex tubes do slowly bleed air, but not dramatically. You should always check tire pressure before riding, and you may find that you need to top off the latex tubes by 5-10 PSI every 1-2 days.
I know this sounds strange when everyone else is talking about using them for racing, but I switched two years ago and they've become my everyday tube. First I've never had a flat since switching over. Even when I decided to replace a Vittoria tire due to mulitple deep cuts, the tube was still fine and went into the new tire. Most importantly on 100 mile rides with 25mm tires they make a huge difference in comfort, I can run a little less air without fear of a pinch flat and not feel all beat up from hours of riding over broken asphalt (the comfort thing is just part of getting older but I still ride at a strenuous pace, I'm not a leisure rider)
Yes they lose air quickly and I have had a valve stem tear away, but I've had that happen a couple of times with Continental butyl tubes. Lastly, I do carry a butyl tube in case I ever do get a flat as it would be easy to install on the side of the road.
For me they've really been worth the money as I haven't had to buy them far less often that butyl tubes.
I put (2) new Vittoria Latex tubes on our tandem. Our tandem is all carbon, so it rides very smooth. I believe it rides a bit smoother, but it was hard to tell. Unfortunately, you must pump up the tires often as they loose approximately 10lbs per day
These are top latex tubes. They share the pros and cons of all latex tubes. They leak air faster than butyl tubes, so one has to make sure that the tires are re-inflated every time they are used. They are not as resistant to puncture as butyl. But they are much lighter and the smoothness of the ride is unmistakable plus they also have lower rolling resistance, which makes them ideal for race day. They are patchable, although the process is not as easy as with butyl. A patch can be cut out of old latex gloves (biology labs and physician's offices discard tons of these everyday).
I love latex tubes in my Vittoria tires. I've tried some other, lighter latex tubes but had reliability problems. These are a little heavier, but they are reliable and don't sacrifice the great feeling of a latex tube. I pair mine with Vittoria Pave's or Open Corsa CX for the closest feeling to riding a tubular I have found. (A little bit less so with the Pave's, but with Open Corsa CX and a latex tube wow! Simply a great tire/tube combo. Fast, grippy, with great road feel. I love 'em.
Latex inner-tubes reduce rolling resistance and are also lighter than butyl ones. They are also more fragile when mounting a tire and it is more difficult (but not impossible) to patch them. Also, they leak air out much faster than a butyl inner-tube. You definitely have to put some air in before every ride. For all these reasons, I train on butyl inner-tubes, but put these Vittoria latex ones on race days. But the ride on latex is definitely worth the additional price. Smooooooth!
If you ride top level high thread count tires, latex tubes are the best bet to get the most out our your tire investment. They do lose air more rapidly between rides than butyl tubes but it's a small inconvenience compared to the benefits of a smooth supple ride. The higher price is the only downside but from a performance perspective they are 5 star tubes.
I use these tubes primarily for racing. It is a nice change to put these in with race specific tires. Whether placebo effect or not, they definitely feel like they roll better than a butyl tube!
I run a set of wheels with these tubes on a new bike and a set of the same wheels and tires with regular butyl tubes on my travel bike. The ride difference is noticeable. I found the tubes easy to work with, even when changing to new rubber. But I always use a bit of baby powder and I never use tire irons. Like all latex tubes they need air daily.
