At a glance Expensive light weight tubes for lower rolling resistance
Tested by
Jonathan Manning, tester for The Bike List
Performance
They're black, tubular and you can't see them when you're cycling… so does anyone pay much attention to inner tubes?
While tyres can vary dramatically in grip, rolling resistance and their ability to thwart punctures, inner tubes seem to be unloved, disposable accessories. They're a nuisance to fit, they demand regular re-inflation and they're fiddly to repair.
So hats off to Michelin for applying fresh thinking and a different material to its Air Comp tubes. Made from latex, which has greater elasticity than the standard butyl used for inner tubes, they promise a lighter weight and lower rolling resistance than traditional rivals. And they're green!
At just 80g per tube for the 42mm Presta valve, they shave about 20g off average butyl rivals. To put this into context, however, it's less than an ounce and a mere fraction of the weight of that banana stuffed into your jersey pocket.
In terms of rolling resistance, while not disputing the laws of physics, I simply haven't noticed the difference. Over the 150 to 200 miles I cycle each week there are so many other variables that any lower rolling resistance has been imperceptible (I doubt I'd pass the pea under the mattress test either). I suspect that if I were a track cyclist or time triallist the benefits may have been more apparent, but for a combination of commutes and sportives the advantages have been tough to spot.
One disadvantage, however, has been very apparent - the constant need to reinflate them. Where other inner tubes will hold their pressure for up to a week, these need pumping up every couple of days, or even at the end of a long day in the saddle. It makes me wonder whether the rolling resistance benefits disappear as a day goes on and the pressure declines. In an attempt to overcome this I overinflated one tube to somewhere between 120 and 140psi, only for the tube to burst. At a 50% premium over other top brands, it was a costly error.
Overall, if you're an ultra-competitive cyclist, saving weight wherever you can, and measuring performance in seconds, there's a case for the extra investment in the Air Comp Latex. But for normal mortals on club rides, sportives and commutes, the cost and frequent need to re-inflate these tubes is worth neither the trouble nor the extra expense.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
Michelin says:
"Weight is every racers enemy - MICHELIN latex tubes prove to be a valuable ally! These are the perfect complement to today's high-performance competition wheels and tyres."
Dimensions
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A1 / 18/22-622 / Presta Valve / 36mm / 70g
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A1 / 22/23-622 / Presta Valve / 40mm / 80g
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A1 / 22/23-622 / Presta Valve / 60mm / 82g
Find out more http://bicycle.michelin.co.uk
