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Tubes vs Tubeless, the rematch
What is the current opinion of tubeless systems over tubes? Tubeless tyres seem to be almost universal amongst serious mountain bikers, but even with everyone saying "you would never go back" I am not sure if I should go that way.
The main point in favour of tubeless seems to be lack of punctures. Its not something you would do to save weight, and getting light UST rims is pricey since they are intrinsically heavier.
I ride and race XC. I ride technical stuff but usually when they are thrown up on an XC course - I dont go and hunt them out for a challenge. I weigh 65kg and never get flats - I did once in a race but only when I was running ridiculously low pressures (not deliberately but I reckon about 22PSI) I usually run about 27 PSI with no issues.
It may be that I just dont ride fast enough for flats to be a problem. I ride in C grade at Yellomundie and finish mid field.
Although you hear many people who rave about tubless, I do occasionally talk to some pretty serious riders who are running with tubes.
So are tubeless tyres just for technical riding and elite XC racers? There has to be some big advantages to make up for the complications and expense of tubless.
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I see tubeless as no hassle no flats why have a tube in your tyre when u don't have too
I would constantly get pinch flats, mainly on the rear but also sometimes on the front. Almost every 2nd ride would result in a flat.
I went tubeless and have not had an issue since. There have been many occasions where I've hit something that would have been a flat and just ride on.
For me I had an issue that tubeless resolved. If you don't have a problem with tubes then I'd say stick with them.
Imagine buying a new car that comes with tubed tyres today.
Tubes are only handy if you do get a puncture mid ride. It may save you a long walk. Other than that, the consensus is there's no real benefit using them. It's almost like wearing underwear underneath your speedos.
Some of my thoughts to weigh up the re-match:
- My configuration is for optimum weight.
- I don't ride in locations where thorns and spikes exist.
- I'm 70kg and run my tires 28/29 F and 31/32 R (soft enough for grip) on big-bag premium non-ust race light tyres, on a duelly which is set pretty soft (about 30% sag) and I don't get pinch flats. If I did, this would be the reason go tubeless (not spikes or weight). If I wanted to drop pressures (front tyre more) the option of tubless would be more valid.
- Yarramundi does not have much in the way of sharp rocks and 90 sharp degree kind of steps (like riding up a sharp gutter) that can pinch flat you easily. Does not have large drops/jumps to flat, most landing spots are gentle transitions.
You could give tubless a go, mainly to drop your tyre pressures even more, but try it first with your non-ust tyres (to save weight & $$), as if your going to get UST tyres to try it, there is some weight gain in that for a racer. You can get a bottle of goo for $20-$40 dollars from a shop. If you have a compressor, then yeah, why not just give it a go? Droppping pressures to maybe 25-26?
I think the sweetspot for my tyres is not 25-26 but just under 30.
if your thinkin of going tubless doit go all the way and get the right stuff tyres rims & valves.i try'd doing it the easy way and payed dearly i couldnt get the front trye to bead proper so i used a compresser at the Lbs blew the trye in two peaces because it wasnt a ust spayed the workshop with stans and near on broke my thumb because of the presure needed to bead up proper..get a ust trye place a tube init & pump it up till the tyre has beaded then crack one side of the bead pull the tube out slide the other eged on the rim add a bit of stans,,cartrige done
I run tubeless on all my bikes including the road bike. The Both the road bike and 26" have proper UST tyres and the 29er has normal tyres being run as tubeless. The road bike has Shimano 2 way rims, 26" has Mavic Crossmax UST rims and the 29er has No Tubes Arch rims. All work well and besides taking a little longer to get the non ust to hold air all is good now.
I have had a puncture on the 26" and all I had to do was put the hole at the bottom to let the stans do its stuff, top up with air and keep riding.
All just too easy and wouldn't go back.
Looking at a new sets of hoops and thinking a tubless set but there's only 3 tubeless tires for a roadie all coming from Hutchinson - you running the Hutches or something else?
I run the Hutchinson Fusion 3. I found the tyres hard to get on as they are kevlar bead so if you don't want a mess make sure you use valve stems with a removable core. The shimano stems that came with the wheels don't have a removable core which is a PITA.
Below is a great thread on road tubeless but be warned, it's 14 pages long.
http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?...
With conversion kits starting at about $35 and a bottle of sealant from about $25 why wouldn't you go tubeless.
I'm in a fairly rocky area. Pinch flats were a common occurrence. Converted to tubeless 6 years ago and have had 2 flat tyres since, both from glass on the road on the way too or from a trail.
YOu also get a small advantage with rolling resistance. Because the tube and tyre flex as they roll they side across each other which causes a resistance. It ain't much but over a big ride it adds up.
I went tubeless because it came default with the bike I bought.
I have only had one puncture since from a sharp object. Still carry a spare tube and pucture kit just in case.
My bike dealer told me you can apply a patch to the inside of the UST tyre. I have yet to try it.
I can vouch for the fact that you can patch the inside of a tyre & get it working tubeless.
I managed to get an old Maxxis Ranchero Exeption Series (non-UST) to seal up with Stan's, despite a 1cm sidewall tear that I patched on the inside with a regular tube repair kit. Initially there was some sealant that found its way through a tiny hole & squirted everywhere under pressure, but after placing a finger on the leak & getting the sealant to slosh around the problem area - it sealed itself.
I ran it successfully for a couple of months before deciding not to push my luck too far, & finally replaced it with a new tyre.
I snuck a quick lap of the dam in today on tubes after tearing a tyre last time I was out. In the course of a lap I managed to get two pinch flats and not due to big knocks. Obviously I must have been running too low a pressure, it was about what I run tubeless at, but it wasn't silly low. Straight back to tubeless for me.
The only upside was when I was pushing the bike back on the road (only had one spare tube) a STA bus pulled up and offered me a lift home in an off-duty bus. What a champion.