My front tire only keeps flatting with latex tubes in them and when I examine the tube the puncture is directly next to the valve. There does not seem to be anything in the rim or otherwise that would be causing this. Has anyone run into this issue or have some advice for me? Only seems to be happening with the latex tubes.
Thanks
I had that happen with a batch I ordered a year ago. I reached out to the place I got them from and they said it was probably a manufacturing issue then refunded me.
That was after I checked the rim tape and checked if anything was in the tire.
I have experienced this same issue. In that case there was a little bit of clearance between the valve stem and the rim bed. So the latex tube would protrude into the rim through that space. Eventually whoever was riding the bike would pull the brake hard or hit a bump just so that the valve stem would pinch the tube against the rim bed and puncture the latex tube.
I jammed some wet paper in there to seal up the space around the valve stem and that solved the issue but in the end we made it a training rim and sharpied ‘NO LATEX’ on the rim bed. Decided the risk was too great during competition.
But if this turns out to be the problem you are facing you may have a more clever solution.
Ahh, that might be it! I will take a look and see the best way to fill that extra space so I can stop blowing up 15$ tubes 
. Thank you!!!
Contact the mfg as mentioned to see if there was possibly a known bad batch etc.
But also if your particular rim is causing issues, perhaps cut a little circle of old butyl tube and punch a hole in it for the valve stem as a protector of sorts?
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Also, since latex is so stretchy the failed tubes are good for repurposing. I have a couple of leg exercise bands I made with some scraps, and cutting them into rings makes nice little rubber bands. Pieces of old latex tubes can be used as patches for latex tubes, and are more stretchy than normal patches. Normal patch cement works fine for gluing. All my old latex tubes get saved for re-use.
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Awesome ideas folks, thank you. Luckily I haven’t trashed them so they can be repurposed. Unfortunately I think some were Vittoria latex tubes and one was from Silca. Guessing that means it’s not a bad batch but a problem on my end.
They actually make little rubber grommets that fit in the hole in the rim to help prevent this issue.
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Vittoria manufactures the tubes for silca. Still though as you said, if it’s happening across diff tubes, I’m more inclined to think it is a rim issue.
Haha that makes sense, I assumed all latex tubes were bright pink 
Not sure if there’s some other/traditional reason for the pinkness, but it does help clearly show any protruding tube when installing a tire. I think Michelin makes green latex tubes and I have seen a “natural” tan one too. Hope you can figure out the issue with your setup since they are great.
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I usually add a little extra electrical tape and pierce through it, giving one more barrier between the latex and the rim bed.
ALSO, on other tires in the past I have not used the rim nut, but with latex tubes I always do, in order to stop from pushing the valve in, and re stretching that area over and over, and then giving it an opportunity to get caught and pinch each time.
SO far I haven’t had that failure since.
I’m assuming you’re using either Vittoria or Silca tubes (same manufacturer). I’ve had probably half of the Vittoria I’ve bought separate at the valve, total junk. Recently bought Challenge latex tubes and the section that holds the valve in place is much beefier. Also never had this issue with Bontrager latex tubes which have the same valve area as Challenge tubes
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That’s awesome info, thank you!
Nice, looks like the valve base on the challenge/bontrager covers exactly where I keep having problems on the Silca/Vittoria.
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That’s EXACTLY where mine are failing in the same way.
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Check the rim tape where the valve slots in, and see how small / large the vale hole is in the tape. Or if there is any imperfections around the valve hole. The issue you are showing looks like it is either from the valve getting pressed too far into the rim valve hole, or a ripple in the rim tape.
You’d be surprised what a slight ripple in the rim tape can do to a bike inner tube. I had one ride where I punctured, and then punctured two more tubes because of a ripple in the rim tape. Luckily I was in range for my wife to get me, or I was SOL as the ripple kept puncturing tubes (including butyl) as soon as the pressure got above about 50 psi.
I read somewhere that as you need to top off the air more often on a latex tube the valve/ tube interface is more likely to fail vs a butyl tube.
Indeed their latex tubes are green. Never had an issue around the valve.