Latex inner tube repair

[danfoz]

Can latex inner tubes be repaired w/a standard repair/patch kit?

When I picked up a pair of the Vittoria latex tubes last year one of the counter people at my local shop told me no. However a fella I recently rode with said they actually seem to take the patch better than butyl. As of now I've been riding with a spair tube along with the patch kit. Maybe a tubular repair kit (a vast majority of my tubbies back in the day used latex tubes)?

Aside, running a pair of Vittoria CX's with latex tubes is pure bliss, and I seem to have had fewer punctures than with a number of other "tougher" tires running butyl. Even if just a nice coincidence it's still fun to wear the tread to nothing on these babies before getting a flat.

 

[alienator]

Originally Posted by danfoz .

Can latex inner tubes be repaired w/a standard repair/patch kit?

When I picked up a pair of the Vittoria latex tubes last year one of the counter people at my local shop told me no. However a fella I recently rode with said they actually seem to take the patch better than butyl. As of now I've been riding with a spair tube along with the patch kit. Maybe a tubular repair kit (a vast majority of my tubbies back in the day used latex tubes)?

Aside, running a pair of Vittoria CX's with latex tubes is pure bliss, and I seem to have had fewer punctures than with a number of other "tougher" tires running butyl. Even if just a nice coincidence it's still fun to wear the tread to nothing on these babies before getting a flat.

When repairing tubulars, I used tubular glue (a latex adhesive) and patches I cut from a spare latex inner tube. It works well. You'll need to clean the area where glue is being applied because of the powder/film that is found on latex inner tubes. Roughing up the area with a fine grit sandpaper helps.

 

[danfoz]

Thanks, very good tip. Back in the day I tried repairing a couple tubulars and couldn't really get them to seat properly without a little "hop" after sewing them back up. Clearly my sartorial skills were not up to Saville Row standards.

 

[alfeng]

Originally Posted by danfoz .

Can latex inner tubes be repaired w/a standard repair/patch kit?

FWIW. The recommendation, in the past, was to use pre-glued (peel-and-stick) patches on Latex tubes ...

You just have to ensure that the tube is dry-and-clean ([COLOR= #808080]i.e., no residual powder[/COLOR]).