Cycling is a fantastic sport and we are always looking for ways to get that little bit faster. Whether you are looking to keep up with the Sunday bunch or get a PB at the next race, it is easy to justify spending money on those “marginal gains”.
When it comes to getting the best bang for your buck, you need to look beyond the latest carbon component or over-sized jockey wheels. What am I talking about? Your tubes… yes the humble tubes that sit inside your expensive carbon wheels. The things your friends won’t even see.
So how much difference can a tube really make? According to the researchers over at Silca, you can save approximately 5 watts per wheel my replacing your old standard butyl rubber tube with a latex tube. Check out the video below for an explanation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUpq27mG2CM
My experience with latex tubes definitely is a positive one, you feel less road vibration, lighter weight, less likely to puncture and the tube shape is uniform without any of the ‘bulging’ that you can see when you unbox many brand new butyl tubes.
For around $25 you can save 5w. Compare that to the latest and greatest oversized jockey wheels with ceramic bearings which cost $700 and a grand saving of just 1 watts. So if you are looking for the best bang for your buck and don’t mind hiding your ‘free speed’, the new Silca latex tubes are the go.
By Ricky Swindale - Pushys sponsored athlete