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Why go tubeless?

19K views 126 replies 43 participants last post by  desertred 
#1 ·
I'm doing some upgrades to my bike, and I'm looking my options for wheels. I'm to the point know where I'm looking at tube and tubeless rims. What would be the main reason for going tubeless?

I'm sure it's a simple answer, but this noob needs some help.
 
#86 ·
Boy was it ever Worth converting...Sorry I waited so long.

Well after posting here about converting to tubeless, I took the bike for spin on Thursday out in the desert and I ran threw a thorn patch where I picked up 4 punctures in the rear & 6 in the front tire. If I had been on tubes i would have had to change the tube on the front and use 1 patch kit to fix up the rear. Otherwise I would have had to walk up to the trail to a road and call for a ride. Went for a another 10 mile ride today, I never aired up the tires since they were as firm now as 4 days ago.
 
#87 ·
tubless is good excellent

the tubeless is the future

no more problems to remain on the ground Nee itching, mqggior comfort and response in the guide

more grip

is almost full. the top is tubular but only for those who have lots of money and racers

the tubeless than the tubes is another world, a huge step quality
 
#88 ·
Ok Ill start by saying yes Im a noob and may not have a valid opinion as I have never run tubeless but noone here has mentioned rotational mass.If you run circus wheels and you save weight in the tyre you dont just save on rolling resistance(or not) but the rotational mass will be much less, meaning that pedaling will be easier and the bike will have less momentum. Maybe it would make a 29er pedal a little more like a 26"
 
#90 ·
The weight reduction doesn't make pedaling in itself easier, but acceleration and climbing benefit from reduced weight.

As for a 29er pedaling like a 26... There's way more to that. I've run my 29er with tubes before going tubeless and my 26" also tubed and tubeless. None of the four setups compare to each other. The size difference makes way more of a difference than tubes vs. tubeless.

I'll just say tubeless offers several benefits no matter what size tires you like to run. Even my road bike is tubeless. :)
 
#91 ·
what kinda upkeep do you have with tubeless? how long before the sealant loses it stick, does it dry out and lose it integrity inside the tire over time. Do you need to add more sealant ever few rides?.

I keep thinking about switching because most of my tubes are more patch then tube, im 250ish in full kit 240 for my average ride. But its rough rooty and rocky and im not the best rider int he world so i miss alot of kicks and case stuff all the time ending in lots of pinch flats.

The tubeless system seems a great idea, but it also seems like it could be a bit of a pain int he ass. Get a flat ont he side of the trail and now you have tubeless goo to deal with aswell as allt he mud and dirt.. i dunno
 
#92 ·
what kinda upkeep do you have with tubeless? how long before the sealant loses it stick, does it dry out and lose it integrity inside the tire over time. Do you need to add more sealant ever few rides?.

I keep thinking about switching because most of my tubes are more patch then tube, im 250ish in full kit 240 for my average ride. But its rough rooty and rocky and im not the best rider int he world so i miss alot of kicks and case stuff all the time ending in lots of pinch flats.

The tubeless system seems a great idea, but it also seems like it could be a bit of a pain int he ass. Get a flat ont he side of the trail and now you have tubeless goo to deal with aswell as allt he mud and dirt.. i dunno
Change it out every 3-6 months. If you cut a tire on the trail, the sealant likely spewed out already trying to seal it. It has to be a very big cut for this to happen. Just clean the area and put a patch on the tire and put a tube in like you would with a normal flat.
 
#96 · (Edited)
Someone (I know who you are :)) gave me negative rep for my first post to this thread, and I want to comment.

cars with tubeless tires get better gas mileage? compared to all the cars out there with tubes? nice try
My point exactly. That's one reason why tubed auto tires are a thing of the past thankfully.

I have probably been around a little longer than the commentor. While tubeless tires were pretty much standard even when I was a child, there was still a discussion of tubes vs tubeless for cars, and there were a few old-timers who liked tubes. I remember my high school auto shop teacher discussing the advantages of tubeless, and he mentioned cooler running and better gas mileage. (Radials have the same advantages BTW).

Anyway, give it another 10 years, and I will surprised if tubes aren't pretty much a thing of the past in better-than-department-store bikes. If'm I'm wrong, you can give me more negative rep. And, the people who think they roll noticibly easier, while I don't agree, have some evidence to back them up.
 
#98 ·
Anyway, give it another 10 years, and I will surprised if tubes aren't prettymuch a thing of the past in better-than-department-store bikes. If'm I'm wrong, you can give me more negative rep. And, the people who think they roll noticibly easier, while I don't agree, have some evidence to back them up.
I doubt that. First of all it's a messy thing to do. People don't like to deal with mess.
Second of all: It can get time consuming with all the shaking, and turning and soap water and stuff. You can argue that you can swap tubeless tyres in 15 minutes, but that's your skill with your specific setup.
Third: It's more expensive. Maybe not that much, but for many people that take cycling more as an occasional hobby than a passion it can be a valid factor.

I think that your prognosis is a bit... optimistic.
 
#99 ·
Techniques, tools and components develop. Once technology becomes more common, prices drop. Tubeless will increase in popularity as a result.

That said, tubes will probably remain the easier way and some people can't tell the difference (or the convenience outweighs the slight advantage). As opposed to cars, end users change tires a lot more so ease of installation is a more significant factor.

Not all people (or even enthusiasts) are willing to go that far for some performance. This applies to tubulars as well.
 
#100 · (Edited)
You both make good points. However, I think a lot of the resistance to tubeless is just the momentium that tubes have, like it probably was when tubeless auto tires came out. People often loathe change.

I may be full of it, but I think that once you learn how to deal with tubeless, it is currently as much about convenience as performance -- you can schedule maintenance of your tires at your convenience rather than deal with enroute failures. It doesn't take much to pop the bead and inspect the sealant, adding if necessary. I am trying glycol-based goo. It cleans up with water and is way less messy than Stans. Probably not as good at sealing holes, but from every indication so far, way better than tubes. No failures yet. And no worries about a noob like me pinching a tube while installing it.

Reading here and looking at the healthy number of posters who try a good TLR system and like it and stay with it, and the few that go back to tubes, I'd say it's catching on.

The technology is still in its early stages and there is room for improvment. Imagine if the sealant would last for a year and bikes came from the factory already set up for tubeless. This is not too far-fetched. Heck, there are currently rims that don't need goo. That is a problem if you get a puncture, but if you could plug holes without dismounting like you do your car....

Anyway, we'll see!
 
#102 ·
I'm doing some upgrades to my bike, and I'm looking my options for wheels. I'm to the point know where I'm looking at tube and tubeless rims. What would be the main reason for going tubeless?

I'm sure it's a simple answer, but this noob needs some help.
Advantage : To be progressive. Flip side: How have tubes failed you? The only advantage I know of with tubeless over tubes w/sealant is that you can run lower tire pressures without worrying about pinch flats. Not impressed/ Don't care about tubeless.
 
#106 ·
it is not more difficult at all. The only thing you have to do extra is to remove the tubeless valve - if you flat tubeless.

honestly, i can not remember the last time i flatted on my tubeless tires. i have been using them for the last 5 years at least.

the beauty of tubeless is not just lower pressure without risk of pinch flats and better traction/speed (IMHO worth switching for this single reason) but also very few and far in between flats.
 
#107 ·
The only time I have been with anyone with tubeless who considered putting a tube in was when a buddy cut a tire and it lowered the pressure to 10psi before the sealant filled the hole. He decided to just ride it out.
 
#112 ·
Yeah, the tire was cut pretty bad. We were concerned about putting a tube in and then something getting up in the cut and puncturing the tube or the tube bubbling out of the cut and getting cut/punctured.

We were pretty amazed that it all held together without damaging the rim. He later cleaned the tire, put a patch on the inside and rode them the rest of the season.
 
#116 ·
Tehninjo0, if you read carefully, you'll notice that johnluke compared tubes with sealant to tubeless. When both setups have sealant, it's the tube vs. valve and tape. Tubes that light don't exist.

As for rolling resistance, having a tube deflect along with the tire does increase rolling resistance. It's another question whether it's really that noticeable, but the difference is a fact. Dropping the pressure makes the contact patch longer and wider, and it's actually the length that increases rolling resistance, but if you compare setups at different pressures and then claim tubeless equals higher resistance, it sounds like you own shares in tube manufacturing.
 
#120 ·
I'm switching to tubeless, or at least i'm going to try. For me it has nothing to do with rolling resistance or pinch flats, but protection from thorns. In this area of texas we have thorns of all shape and size and I'm replacing tubes just about every ride. I think partly this is due to my tires (nanoraptors) but I have to do something.

I've tried slime tubes and they work ok but I find them annoying...why?
* heavy
* slime gets into the valve making it very hard to air up
* slime dries out too

Doing all the research, I think the best bet today is non-ust factory rims with the split tube method. My current tires are worn out, so all that remains is: which ones to buy? The trails around here are mostly clay hardpack (dry weather only riding) and the nanos seem like the ideal tire...should I go with them again or with something with a stiffer sidewall? My ideal tire is cheap, low rolling resistance, light, and wont blow out...traction is secondary concern.
 
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