Talk to me about going Tubeless - MTB
Discussion
Whilst mooching around the local bike shoppie on Saturday the sales guy, who smelling the money burning in my pocket, started talking to me about Wheel upgrades.
He showed me some nice Hope Wheels, Pro2 Hubs with Stans NoTubes rims, for a very nice price, and then proceded to lament about the benifits of going Tubeless.
So has anyone made the switch? is it worth it? Will I need new tyres?
It looks to have some benifits, ie. no/less punctures, but looks expensive to set-up; valves, Rim Tape, sealant, etc.
He showed me some nice Hope Wheels, Pro2 Hubs with Stans NoTubes rims, for a very nice price, and then proceded to lament about the benifits of going Tubeless.
So has anyone made the switch? is it worth it? Will I need new tyres?
It looks to have some benifits, ie. no/less punctures, but looks expensive to set-up; valves, Rim Tape, sealant, etc.
Over 5 years tubeless for me now using both types of rim, UST and Stans. The proper UST rims and tyres were easier to set up but I much prefer Stans rims with tape and non-UST tyres. All the tubeless benefits but usually in a lighter overall package. My latest bike has Easton Haven wheels which use proper UST rims but I’m running non-UST Maxxis Ardents with a touch of sealant.
Like Justin above I'll never go back to using tubes.
Like Justin above I'll never go back to using tubes.
Had UST tubeless on my last bike, I persevered with it for nearly a year.
It was a complete faf, tyres wouldn't sit on the rim right so looked like you had the mother of all buckles, tyres would simply deflate for fun, and they still puncture; only they're MUCH harder to repair trailside.
Simply put the benefits are meant to be twofold, you can run lower pressures without pinch flatting and they're meant to be more puncture resistant.
I switched to tubes and noticed little or no difference to cornering, except maybe a more consistent feel.
I had far less flats with tubes, although I will say, in line with the guidance on my particular set-up I didn't use a sealant, however friends who've used 'ghetto' conversions or UST versions will sealant might flat less often, but when they do they're left dealing with a sticky horrible mess and more times than not a walk back to the van for a track pump to try to seal the bloody things.
I am not Gee Atherton or Steve Peat, I've tried both set-ups and tubes feel ever-so-slightly better to me, I might flat 1 ride in 50 instead of 1 ride in 75, but I can fix my flats in a few moments trailside.
It was a complete faf, tyres wouldn't sit on the rim right so looked like you had the mother of all buckles, tyres would simply deflate for fun, and they still puncture; only they're MUCH harder to repair trailside.
Simply put the benefits are meant to be twofold, you can run lower pressures without pinch flatting and they're meant to be more puncture resistant.
I switched to tubes and noticed little or no difference to cornering, except maybe a more consistent feel.
I had far less flats with tubes, although I will say, in line with the guidance on my particular set-up I didn't use a sealant, however friends who've used 'ghetto' conversions or UST versions will sealant might flat less often, but when they do they're left dealing with a sticky horrible mess and more times than not a walk back to the van for a track pump to try to seal the bloody things.
I am not Gee Atherton or Steve Peat, I've tried both set-ups and tubes feel ever-so-slightly better to me, I might flat 1 ride in 50 instead of 1 ride in 75, but I can fix my flats in a few moments trailside.
P-Jay said:
I am not Gee Atherton or Steve Peat, I've tried both set-ups and tubes feel ever-so-slightly better to me, I might flat 1 ride in 50 instead of 1 ride in 75, but I can fix my flats in a few moments trailside.
I have been considering this too but if you or someone could please give me the idiots guide to changing tyres, with the required tools/kit need to be able to fix my flats in a few moments I would greatly appreciate it. This might sound lame but the last couple of years I haven’t had any flats on my bikes but now I have a MTB I don’t want to be in the middle of nowhere with a flat.
Before the last couple of years I haven’t owned a bike since I was in my early teens, so I am really out the loop. I would rather get the knowledge and parts to be able to do it quickly and with the minimum of fuss.
Is there a quick guide I can get, online or book?
Thanks
seadragon said:
I have been considering this too but if you or someone could please give me the idiots guide to changing tyres, with the required tools/kit need to be able to fix my flats in a few moments I would greatly appreciate it.
IME the easiest way to do it, accompanied by typical British weather, is to carry a spare tube and to fix the punctured tube at home in comfort. The key ingredients to the kit are.
Good tyre levers – saying that the ones that came in a cheap old fashioned repair kit I had kicking around have been fine.
A pump that will pump the tyre up to the correct pressure you require – sounds basic but a MTB pump will only be enough to pump a road tyre up enough to limp home, and so on, cheap pumps can be fragile.
Some glueless patches + sand paper or little metal grater thing – lots of different brands are available - And/or a spare tube.
Something tough and flexible to make a makeshift tyre boot if the tyre is severely compromised – lots of people use a $1 bill.
If your wheels aren’t quick release then you obviously need the tool to take the wheels off.
I’d look for a guide on Youtube for instructions on actually getting the tyre off. Depending on the type of tyre it isn’t always as easy as you’d think. Especially if it’s after a crash or bump or you’re in a rush.
Two tips though;
1a) Line something memorable up on the tyre with the valve – like the brand decals so you know where the tube has been in reference to the tyre once the tyre is off
1b) Check in and outside the tyre for whatever it was that caused the puncture. It might be that the thorn or glass or whatever is still there and as soon as you reinflate you’re back at square 1.
2) Reinflate the tube slightly when trying to get the tyre back on. It makes it a lot easier and you don’t get the tyre pinched on the bead.
Practice getting the tyre on and off a few times if you’re not sure you’ll be able to it while out and about.
Edited by donfisher on Monday 7th January 16:56
That’s great, many thanks for the help.
I will do as you suggest and also get the parts required, I don’t have any of them but I don’t want to risk it on my MTB
Thanks again
PS sorry to highjack the thread. I was going to go down the tubeless route but it doesnt sound as hassle-free as I was hoping, if anything it sounds more problematic
I will do as you suggest and also get the parts required, I don’t have any of them but I don’t want to risk it on my MTB
Thanks again
PS sorry to highjack the thread. I was going to go down the tubeless route but it doesnt sound as hassle-free as I was hoping, if anything it sounds more problematic
It is hassle free once you do it right with the right equipment, people who Ghetto, Or use conversions are usually the ones who have all the problems.
2 years of tubeless on two of my bikes, no issues.
If you live/ Ride in rocky/flinty areas then tubeless tyres are recomended as they have thicker side walls, my 29er doesnt see that kind of terrain oftern so i run normal tyres with no issues
2 years of tubeless on two of my bikes, no issues.
If you live/ Ride in rocky/flinty areas then tubeless tyres are recomended as they have thicker side walls, my 29er doesnt see that kind of terrain oftern so i run normal tyres with no issues
tuffer said:
I live on Salisbury Plain and have given up on tubeless, way too many Flint punctures, a split in the sidewall and Stan's fluid everywhere is no fun.
Surely a split in the sidewall is fixed the same way with tubes or tubeless? Just stick a tube in and if the gash is big enough, a patch on the inside?my mate went tubeless and we had to lend him a tube when he pumped his tyres at the start of the ride and it somehow came off the rim and dumped its stuff everywhere. It then proceeded to fail to re-seat. We were amused. I don't see the problem with tubes to be honest.
The advice below is good, but you also need some sandpaper to lightly sand your tube before applying a patch. Park Tools glueless patches are pretty good, but take spare tubes with you, far easier. Park Tools blue plastic tyre levers are brilliant. Soft enough not to nip the tube but strong enough not to bend (which cheap plastic ones will do). Metal ones are heavy and risk puncturing your tube.
The advice below is good, but you also need some sandpaper to lightly sand your tube before applying a patch. Park Tools glueless patches are pretty good, but take spare tubes with you, far easier. Park Tools blue plastic tyre levers are brilliant. Soft enough not to nip the tube but strong enough not to bend (which cheap plastic ones will do). Metal ones are heavy and risk puncturing your tube.
Ridden everywhere on tubeless. Locally we have a lot of flint too, but only once came unstuck with a cut by a tread block , which I spent 2 mins putting a tube in and stitched the tyre at home and back on with the sealant. In 5 years of riding tubeless, I have had 3 punctures. One where the tyre was so old it was just knackered, that flint episode and also a leaky valve. The guys where I ride in Spain wont ride anything else. On average they replace their tyres every 2 months . once they took a rear tyre off to find over 30 thorns in there but didnt even realise they were there at all.
matt-ITR said:
tuffer said:
I live on Salisbury Plain and have given up on tubeless, way too many Flint punctures, a split in the sidewall and Stan's fluid everywhere is no fun.
Surely a split in the sidewall is fixed the same way with tubes or tubeless? Just stick a tube in and if the gash is big enough, a patch on the inside?TBH I can fit and remove normal tyres (at a push) without levers, although I'm quicker with them.
Putting a UST tyre on a UST rim however is easier if you have a friend to help, levers around 1m in length and know ALL the swear words in at least two languages.
In regards to repair kits I recommend the park tools self-adhesive patches, they come in a little 2cm ish square box containing about 10 patches and a little square of sand paper for a few quid, worth bearing in mind the box and sand paper are NOT waterproof, if you're an all weather rider it's worth popping them in a little plastic bag.
I forget the brand of lever I have, but it's a smaller yellow one you can get stuck under the tyre and clip to a spoke and a larger black one you remove the tyre with, the blue Park Tools ones are also very good.
I also carry a spare tube, but tend to repair the one I have, I find by the time you've found the hole / and or culprit in the tyre it's only a few seconds to bang on a patch.
Other than that I can't add anymore to the above apart for my wholehearted '+1' of the tip to slightly inflate a new tube before trying to fit it, makes a huge difference.
Putting a UST tyre on a UST rim however is easier if you have a friend to help, levers around 1m in length and know ALL the swear words in at least two languages.
In regards to repair kits I recommend the park tools self-adhesive patches, they come in a little 2cm ish square box containing about 10 patches and a little square of sand paper for a few quid, worth bearing in mind the box and sand paper are NOT waterproof, if you're an all weather rider it's worth popping them in a little plastic bag.
I forget the brand of lever I have, but it's a smaller yellow one you can get stuck under the tyre and clip to a spoke and a larger black one you remove the tyre with, the blue Park Tools ones are also very good.
I also carry a spare tube, but tend to repair the one I have, I find by the time you've found the hole / and or culprit in the tyre it's only a few seconds to bang on a patch.
Other than that I can't add anymore to the above apart for my wholehearted '+1' of the tip to slightly inflate a new tube before trying to fit it, makes a huge difference.
OP. I have the Hope Hoops with Stans rims. They are good wheels and good value. I also use tubeless tyres.
Went tubeless about two years ago and would never go back to tubes. I have not been left 'stranded' with a puncture since I've gone tubeless. Sometimes the fluid dose not seal a bigger hole immediately but works after the pressure drops, wait a while and pump back to your required pressure. I do carry an inner tube just in case but have not needed it yet.
Remember it's not just punctures. The tyres work so much better without tubes, a lot more flex and grip. You can run lower pressures, my fronts are at 23PSI. Less weight, yes only a few grams but you'll notice it on a spinning rim.
Went tubeless about two years ago and would never go back to tubes. I have not been left 'stranded' with a puncture since I've gone tubeless. Sometimes the fluid dose not seal a bigger hole immediately but works after the pressure drops, wait a while and pump back to your required pressure. I do carry an inner tube just in case but have not needed it yet.
Remember it's not just punctures. The tyres work so much better without tubes, a lot more flex and grip. You can run lower pressures, my fronts are at 23PSI. Less weight, yes only a few grams but you'll notice it on a spinning rim.
Thanks to you all for your input, the consensus of opinion seems to be to go for it, as once set-up the system works fine.
I ride mainly at Llandegla, so I ride with quite high presures to avoid 'pinch-flats' on the rocks, going tubeless will allow me to drop the presures a bit and maybe smooth-up the ride a bit.
I ride mainly at Llandegla, so I ride with quite high presures to avoid 'pinch-flats' on the rocks, going tubeless will allow me to drop the presures a bit and maybe smooth-up the ride a bit.
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