Home Page

Cart, contains 0 items

When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures.
Expert Help
Earn Rewards
  • Just In
  • Learn

Challenge
S.C. Latex Tube

2 out of 5 stars
4 Reviews

Out of Stock

Don't worry though, we have a lot more Road Tubes in stock than that.

Shop Similar Products

Your tubes just got lighter.

You may not consider the lowly inner tube when it comes time to lighten up your ride. Sure, it isn't the difference between a steel frame and a carbon frame, but if you're counting grams, a pair of Challenge S.C. Latex Tubes are one of the least expensive ways to improve your riding experience.


Challenge Latex Tubes have a couple advantages over their butyl cousins. Latex is far more elastic and puncture-resistant than butyl. Therefore latex tubes are able to be made thinner than butyl tubes. This means that they're lighter weight, are more flexible, and accordingly, have less rolling-resistance. And, just as importantly, the aforementioned equates to a significant dampening of road vibration. The slight disadvantage with latex tubes, however, is that they are porous and naturally lose air a little quicker than butyl tubes. It's not really a big deal, but something worth noting. Because of this, we generally use our latex tubes on our race-day wheels and run butyl tubes for training.


That said, we strongly recommend against using latex tubes with carbon clincher wheels—a sentiment shared by most major wheel, tube, and tire manufacturers. Since the carbon braking surface heats up more than alloy, it can cause latex tubes to burst and fail. If you're running carbon clinchers, go with butyl tubes.


Details

  • Latex tube with 47.5mm Presta valve
  • 86 to 92-gram weight (depending on size)
  • Item #CNG0027
Size
700 x 29 / 38 mm, 700 x 19 / 28 mm
Valve Type
47.5 mm Presta
Claimed Weight
3 - 3.2oz (86 - 92g)
Manufacturer Warranty
limited

Overall Rating

2 based on 4 ratings

Review Summary

1 Stars - 3 reviews
2 Stars - 0 reviews
3 Stars - 0 reviews
4 Stars - 0 reviews
5 Stars - 1 reviews

Fits True To Size

Screen reader users: the following list provides a visual scale to illustrate the product fit. Please refer to the heading above for the fit type in text.
Runs smallTrue to sizeRuns large

What do you think about this product?

View

Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the page
1 out of 5 stars

February 18, 2023

don't buy

Familiarity:
I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

save yourself the aggro, buy better stuff. Bought two of them. One was broken out of the box, a big slit next to the valve. The other one lost all air over night

wal4767354 w
1 out of 5 stars

February 3, 2023

Seam failed on first ride.

Familiarity:
I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Poor quality latex tubes. Tube failed at seam on first ride. Avoid.

geoff B
Backcountry.com

Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com

1 out of 5 stars

June 23, 2021

2 weeks!

Familiarity:
I've used it several times

That's how long they lasted. Both failed at the stem where it connects to the latex, in the same spot! Contacted challenge, and crickets& Don't waste $30 on these.

bam5422495
5 out of 5 stars

September 10, 2020

I Don't Understand the Bad Reviews...

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

So, I just wanted to add my two cents as a regular user of these latex inners. First, if you aren't careful with installation, you will kill these tubes (as with any other latex inner) so don't treat them like they're some Kenda butyl tubes. You must ensure that the bead of your tyre does not pinch these tubes, which requires a modicum of attention, patience, and care. This is probably where half the bad reviews are coming from. Trust me, the first time I tried to install a latex tube, they blew up on me too, because I wasn't careful enough. Also, do not, I repeat, do not use tyre levers to install these (let's be honest though: you shouldn't be using tyre levers to install tyres and tubes...) Second, do not over-inflate the tubes on installation. Yes, they have thin spots that will balloon, just like every other latex inner, including Vittoria. Inflate only enough to get them to hold their shape for install. This helps with the whole, "not pinching the tube under the tyre bead" scenario, and will save your eardrums. Those thin spots won't matter once under support from the rim bed and tyre casing. Third, any (and I mean any) imperfection in your rim bed will cause any latex inner to eventually blow. Make sure your rim bed is clean and defect free. Honestly, having installed these under both Conti. GP5Ks and Vittoria Corsa G2.0s on my Vision Metron 55SL DB rims, I have found that the new tubeless-ready rim bed construction makes installing and maintaining latex inners so much more hassle free. Fourth, if you're getting a ton of punctures on these, you must ask yourself a few questions: first, are you running them under ideal pressures? Second, are you running them under a tyre with adequate flat protection? Third, are you running these for primarily road use? The second point is super important, especially because some tyres (cough, Conti. GP5Ks, cough) actually have wafer thin sidewalls, and pinch flat more times than the number of pinch harmonics in a Zakk Wylde song. Honestly, latex tubes go best in a supple tyre (IE, nothing in the Continental Grand Prix lineup) with a cotton casing (open tubular) like Speshy's Turbo Cottons, Vittoria's Corsa G2.0, or Challenge's Paris-Roubaix or Strada Bianca models. Also, check your tyre for flints, metal flakes, glass shards, etc. that might be causing repeat tube flats, because that's probably the culprit. I should also note that unlike Vittoria or Michelin's offerings, these are the only seamless latex inner on the market. This probably matters if you intend to run these on traditional (IE not tubeless-ready) rims. Another side note would be to run these on rims that dissipate heat well, so not rim brake carbon clinchers. Aluminum rim brake wheels or any disc brake wheel would be what I recommend. Basically, it seems that all the bad reviews of these inners are either people not knowing how to install latex inners, people installing latex inners on poorly manufactured rims or under sub-par tyres (including the GP5K), and/or not using the proper pressures for tyre size, rider/bike weight, road conditions, etc. Latex tubes aren't perfect, but for those looking for a supple ride at higher pressures on smaller tyres (23/25mm), they are truly worth the care and attention needed to install and maintain them.

Erik C
Backcountry.com

Originally reviewed on Backcountry.com