Why latex tubes?

they are faster

They aren't.  Latex tubes aren't faster because they are lighter, they are faster due to the properties of the material and the energy required to deform them which means lower rolling resistance.

What about flats/durability?  Admittedly, since all of the races I haul my kid to are a significant expenditure in time and money I'm reluctant to make the switch....and on another note......what would be the benefit in a draft legal race?  I see NONE.  Am I missing something?

It saves just as many watts (or percentage of watts) in a draft legal race.  Your kid just gets to T2 on slightly fresher legs or maybe it's the difference between hanging onto the back of a pack or being able to bridge up to another one.

Rolling resistance matters whether you are drafting or not.  The fear of flitting, whether real or not, should not be considered when racing at the pointy end where seconds matter.  Ask yourself, or your son, the question...would you rather be 10-20 seconds slower at every race but *maybe* not have a flat....or be 10-10 seconds faster in all your races, with the exception of the one or two races every decade that you do flat?  This of course assuming that your choices for faster equipment was the actual cause of those one or two flats.  If you run over a sharp thorn, you are going to flat no matter what.  Butyl doesn't have any magic puncture resistant properties over latex.  If you don't think rolling resistance matters, then by all means use gatorskins with mr tufo tire liners for racing.  I'd also add that rolling resistance matters more in draft legal where you may not have a clear view of the bumps or imperfections in the road.  In non drafting races it's easier to pick the smoothest line on the road.

If installed properly there is not change to flat resistance. If something pokes through your tire, it will pop a butyl tube or a latex tube. Neither are all that tough. Tires are for flat protection, tubes just provide an area to hold the air in your tires.

So....are you saying that latex is no less puncture resistant than butyl tubes?  I'm asking, I don't know.

As for watts saved in non-drafting vs. drafting.......I'd have to see some numbers before I became a believer.  It's NOT the same race. Hell, in a decent pack there is quite a bit of coasting.....so there can be no way in hell it's the same savings.

We run the same contis as everyone else......I guess what you are saying makes sense.  I'd still like to see some numbers for the trouble of it all.

I asked a very knowledgeable guy on this board about latex regarding DL racing a few years ago......his response was that it was not worth it at the sprint distance DL racing level.  I'm just updating my knowledge level.

Now that I have been involved with my kid in DL racing at that level for a few years (54-56 minute sprint races)  I can't see 3-5 watts advantage in DL racing. Like I said, I'd have to see some actual numbers to make me change my mind. It's not the same race as an AG sprint.....not even close. 

So my deal is that just saying you get 3-5 watts difference no matter what is not necessarily true......unless I'm wrong.  

We're headed to Va. next weekend for a race.....I know most of the top "kids" (they're actually young men now).....I'm going to ask who uses latex tubes.

BTW - I can totally see it in non drafting triathlon.

Look, there is no way someone riding in a pack in a crit race or DL triathlon gets the same watt advantage as someone TT'ing just by using latex tubes......NO WAY.  (I'm saying no way from my experience watching A LOT of DL racing up to the very top level) Just show me some race numbers and I'll change my mind. 

And now it's 9 watts???  No.  But you can bet I'm going to be bending a lot of ears this weekend.....coaches, racers, etc.  We'll see.

Good discussion again......thanks.

LB, I think your point is that unless you are at the front, you are pushing a % of FTP that is low enough that 5 watts doesn't matter? If you're TT-ing the 5 watts matters the entire race.  Probably true. I'd venture to say that the impact is greated in a non-DL race. 

However. ask grif if he would like to increase his FTP by 5 watts for zero training effort.  Bet the answer is yes, even if he isn't using the power as much in a DL race.  Essentially that is what you are doing when you decrease your rolling resistance.

Oh.....I think he would definitely in a non DL race.  But, the dynamics of a DL race would seem to negate any advantage vs. the obvious care/maintenance/cost issues with latex. 

I went through this same argument with tubeless vs. clinchers.....and now virtually everyone runs clinchers. 

And no....I'm not asking the big goof anything.  If you told him he'd get 5 watts by squirting toothpaste out of his arse during a race I'd be up to my own arse in Colgate by tomorrow.