Caveat for latex puncture prevention liquids in latex inner tubes

[Eman Resu]

Following some good advice (http://www.slowtwitch.com/Products/Thin ... _4147.html) I used
Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex in my Vittoria pave tubs early last year. They seemed to work well - I had no punctures - April to October. After that I stored the wheels with the tubs in the attic. Recently I tried to inflate them after a break of around 10 weeks with little success. There appeared to be a 'blockage'. I had no option but to open up one of the tub ... the culprit was the latex which had dried sufficiently to glue the inner tube completely and, more than that, the latex had all dried at the bottom into a solid mass or plug. Picture of one tube and plugs at end.

It seems that constant inflation every week or so is necessary to prevent this. Anyone else encounter this problem?

Happy to say I rescued both tubs using the age old technique of inserting cut new latex inner tubes and the splicing the ends.

Dennis

[hamster]

All latex inner tubes leak a little and need some extra air every week.

Personally I am un-sold on anti-puncture systems - buy light tyres and inner tubes, then add loads of heavy fluid. I tried them, found them unsatisfactory, gave up.
It's simpler and for me more reliable just to buy slightly heavier tyres and standard butyl inners. However a lot depends on your puncture causes - where I ride it's typically flints which leave a cut - if it's a thorn the fluids probably work better.

[Brucey]

tubs can be lovely to ride on but they are almost invariably (in various different ways) hard to live with. You have found a new way!

One of the several things that will turn latex from liquid to solid is if the prevailing conditions turn slightly acidic. Inflation with CO2 can do this PDQ.

I basically gave up riding tubs years ago; finding wire-ons that ride similarly is nigh-on impossible but the hassle involved in keeping them going is so much less that it is a no-brainer.

BTW you need to spend a lot on a tub to have it come out as round as even a mid-price wire-on tyre.

cheers

[[XAP]Bob]

I'd also assume that any liquid filling would need the tyre to rotate regularly to redistribute the air.

[Eman Resu]

.... needless to say I am not using any puncture prevention liquids of any kind anymore! Sold everything latex puncture prevention or repair for a song on the bay recently.
Though I think I will continue to use tubs till the batch I have give up completely or I'm pushing up daisies, which ever is the sooner. Being retired with plenty of time for navel gazing I don't really mind maintaining and repairing tubs .. I'm besotted (my wife's phrase) with both cycling and bicycle maintenance. Having said that I do use clinchers .. it would be madness and to use tubs on a tour (or on a long day ride).

[Gattonero]

I have some Challenge tubs, they have a latex inner tube (and rather porous as well!) and even though I had to squirt some Tufo sealant in, they're still ok after many months unused. I guess depends on the sealant/tube combo.

[MikeDee]

The problem with latex based sealant is that it dries up. In hot months on my mountain bike tubeless tires, I get about 2 months of use before the sealant dries up. I would never use latex sealant in a tube, unless you want to throw out your tubes every few months.