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I recently made the switch to a tubeless setup on my hifi 29er. I was really curious of what everyone else thinks of a tubeless setup. Do YOU like tubes? If so, then why? What does everyone think the benefits and drawbacks are?
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I’ve been riding tubless for about 2 yrs now and have flatted once. That was b/c I landed a drop wrong and ripped the bead free. Just popped some compressed CO2 into the tire and was rolling again – literally less than a minute of downtime. You CAN ride a much lower pressure but I still go for about 40-45 pounds.
I was with a 6 man group doing the Monarch Crest Trail, and the only riders that flatted were those with tubes.
I’d be interested to hear a good argument FOR tubes…….. 😃
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I rode tubeless for about a season and found them to be more trouble than they are worth. I ran a WTB Wierwolf UST and Panaracer Fire XC UST. The WTB was run both front and rear. The Panaracer was run in just the rear. The first problem that appeared was slow leaks. When I re-soaped the tire you could see soap foam pouring from dozens if not hundreds of holes in the tire. I would have to re-soap every couple of weeks. I finally stopped this problem with Green Slime. I had the WTB for about 3 months before I added the Panaracer. So, I am not sure if the slow leak problem was a WTB problem, as the Panaracer got the Green Slime when it was first installed. The Panaracer was less than a month old when I ripped one of the lugs creating about 3mm slit in the tire. I rode the tire after that with a tube problem free. I puncture flatted the WTB also. I actually tried patching a few times with no success.
The biggest advantage was the inability to pinch flat. The weight savings, at least a few years ago with UST, of not having a tube was countered by a heavier rim, heavier tire and in my case Green Slime. I do pay a weight penalty now as I have a thorn proof tube in the rear and a DH tube in front. But, I have never pinch flatted that combo.
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Had you tried Stan’s sealant?? I never liked Slime very much – made a huge mess. Stan’s is much easier to work with and I thought worked tons better.
Good points about the weight difference although I never switched to save a few grams. I have POUNDS I could lose sitting on the saddle – so that wasn’t my motivation.
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No I haven’t tried Stan’s. I know few people who love it. Their full conversion kits are real popular in the DH crowd, too. DH is a tough beating on tires.
I didn’t get tubeless because of the weight. I got ’em because I was a bike geek and it was cool to say, "I have UST tubeless." Fortunately for my wallet, I have finally out grown the bike geek thing.
I haven’t looked at tubeless again since. My tubes outlast my tires now. I was running the same thorn proof tube for about 2 years. I just had to buy a new one, cause my new AM bike’s wheelset takes schrader valves. I like to know I can fill my tires up at a gas station in a pinch.
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[quote]I’d be interested to hear a good argument FOR tubes……..
I run tubes,schrader valves and keep sidewall patches in my camelbak.I currently have about 8 sidewall tears between my front and back tires,there all patched with the sidewall patches and a couple of those tears are around an inch long and if I were running tubeless tire’s,I would have had to walk back to the trail head all those times I tore the sidewall,not to mention buying tires everytime I got a sidewall tear.I would have to admitt that the way I ride would be suspect to the sidewall tears,althoug I am not a racer and am out for the freedom of having fun and not meeting deadlines and details such as coming in first or to win the race.If I have to stop and work on my bike for a few minutes out on the trail,I just use that time I’m stopped to smell some roses and keep in mechanical practice.when your out on the trail,you are your own pit crew and the practice is good for the bike mechanic skills,not to mention that it sucks walking back to the trail head in the event of a sidewall tear.I guess I like to error on the side of caution and just run the tubes so I can fix it if I have to,I usually carry a spare tube along with a patch kit so I’m covered.It really doesnt bother me to fix a flat if I have to.I used to run thorn proof tubes and liner’s and never had a flat,I dont know what happened,but one day I realized that I was back to running regular tubes and just fixing my flats and it didnt bother me.I am also still running platform pedals,and although my feet fly off the pedals somtimes,I guess it’s the old school feel I like.
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Steve, the neat thing about going without tubes is that you can always add one, if you get a flat. 😉
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"cjm" wrote
<snip>. My tubes outlast my tires now. I was running the same thorn proof tube for about 2 years. I just had to buy a new one, cause my new AM bike’s wheelset takes schrader valves. I like to know I can fill my tires up at a gas station in a pinch.
Damn Murphy’s Law!!!!! I was playing a nice game of slinky with some random bike Betty today and pinch flatted my thorn proof. Good grief, another Charlie Brown moment.
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Steve, the neat thing about going without tubes is that you can always add one, if you get a flat.
can a tubeless tire with a sidewall tear be repaired so I could keep riding without a tube?I really do tear sidewall’s more than average and am afraid of having to buy a new tire to keep riding without a tube.I just could’nt stand the idea of peeling off a new or near new tire just to ride tubeless.Keep in mind I will have a new rear wheel built in the near future and can have the wheel built with the tubeless option if I choose.It does cost more to have a tubeless wheel installed,but I did not find out how much more as of yet.If it doesnt cost too much,I could just have the wheel built with the tubeless rim and use it if I like it or not use it if I dont like it.
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Steve:
I wouldn’t get a UST wheel built, b/c then you are forced into UST tires. If you want to try tubelsess get teh Stan’s conversion kit.
You can always patch a tire – even with a spare section of old tire. I keep a 3" section of old tire in my pack.
Dude – get new tires!!!!! How are you tearing thru sidewalls so much? I know you’re a bigger guy but I’m 225 and not tearing the sidewalls at all. Oh crap – just jinxed my ride this week-end didn’t I?)
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I agree, go with Stan’s or Ghetto Tubeless over UST. Tire choice is still rather limited with UST.
Ghetto Tubeless link http://nationalmountainbike.com/board/s … php?t=4143
I know you can repair a sidewall tear on car a tire, depending on how long it is. A long enough sidewall tear, rather you are using tubes or not, might make a tire unserviceable. My only sidewall tear sidewall was about an inch long. It cut across most of the tire. Even after I covered the hole with hockey tape, there was still an unsightly bulge in the tire. Still, it’s worked for Beaker, so I would at least try to patch a tire.
I’ll second Beaker again. One sidewall tear a year would be a bit excessive. You have a hitch in your gitty-up or something is not dialed about your rig. I am even more suspicious about your riding technique because you’re separating from your pedals. Both the sidewall tears and the pedal problems might be worth opening separate threads.
Beaker, hopefully I absorbed any jinx for this thread. You can get the next one:)
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Beaker, hopefully I absorbed any jinx for this thread. You can get the next one:)
I appreciate the deflection but I went for a road ride today……just in case! 😃
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that help’s beaker,I’m just now getting up on the tubeless thing for mountain bikes and it doesnt sound like it’s for me.I’ll scratch the ust rim in my wheel build.
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I had my first ride on the tubeless setup and it was fan-freaken-tastic! I would highly recommend it to all of the nonbelievers in the XC community. Better traction, cushier ride quality, lighter, and lower rolling resistance. It really is a better way to ride. 😎
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I have toyed with the idea of tubeless, but haven’t made the move. Occasionly have flats, some of which seem to be tube seperation along the seams. Of course, they are always on the back.
Buying a new set of rims is the main deterrent at this point – but I am open to the idea if I can gain enough benefit from the change.
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I have been running tubeless on my blur for the last 3 years. I have not run into any problem or flat yet. Also use Stan. I would recommend these to any rider. Your bike will shed about 3-5 lbs.
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"CraigCreekRider" wrote
Buying a new set of rims is the main deterrent at this point – but I am open to the idea if I can gain enough benefit from the change.
No – this is the great thing about the Stan’s Conversion kit, you don’t need a new set of rims. Check out the tubeless kit at notubes.com I think this has been one of the better technological advances in biking in the past couple years – they even have kits for road bikes now!!
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Not having to buy new rims certainly makes tubeless more viable for me. I didn’t know you could convert on tube type rims. Something else to put on my new toy wish list. Just bought a new set of Nevegals – guess I will wear them out first, then maybe go tubless.
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