Why you should always check your tubulars' air pressure

We have received several queries over the past few months about Vittoria cotton tubulars that’s seemingly lose pressure over a 24hr period. If this loss of air pressure is occurring with any Vittoria tubular that has a LATEX tube inside then YES this is all ok.

THIS IS NOT A FAULT. The reason is as follows: Latex tubes are made from natural rubber and hence they are porous and they will slowly allow air to leak through the tube sidewall. The level of air loss over a 24hr period can vary depending on various reasons, ambient temperature, original pressure are some variables that impact the rate of air loss.

So why use latex tubes: Simply because they offer the best performance of all tubes:

• Latex offers better elongation, meaning less stress and less heat buildup within the tire, this means lower rolling resistance and a faster ride.
• They offer the best puncture resistance, being so elastic means they allow sharp objects to push into the tube further before puncturing the tube. In general, they are lighter or as light as the lightest butyl tubes.
• Rotational weight is a big factor in bicycle performance, lighter is better in making things that turn or rotate on bicycle.

So, is it worth the trouble of pumping your tires every day?

• 100% yes, the #VittoriaCorsa GRAPHENE 2.0 range of tires are simply the best of the best, the F1 of tires. This means every single part of the construction is made with only one thing in mind, to make the fastest tire possible. The fact that the riders have to check their air pressure very day does not even matter to a racing cyclist, as they do this anyway.
• Considering air pressure is a big factor in the performance of a tire and the overall feel of the bicycle in general should mean all riders weather racing or training should check their air pressure before every ride.
• The thing to remember is the Corsa range of cotton tires are race bred, these are not training tires and should only be used in competition when performance is needed the most.

If you want a tubular for general training or entry level racing then try the Rubino Pro tubular or the Rally, both cotton casings but with a butyl tube.