MTB Tubeless, Yay Or Nay?
Discussion
The last two rides I've been on, I've got a puncture in my rear tyre - once from a thorn, once from a bit of glass where the underclass had been chucking their bottles on a cycle path. It's piggin' annoying, and while I can just do a repair an carry on, I'm wondering if I'd be better served by going over to tubeless.
My Kore rims and WTB tyres are both tubeless ready, so all I'd need is the sealant kit and valves.
I'm not especially bothered about weight saving or performance aspects, I'm happy enough running tubes as far as function goes, I'd just rather not have interruptions to my riding thanks to punctures.
Would still carry an emergency tube as backup, and add a plug kit and maybe a tyre patch to my toolkit.
Thoughts? Is it worth doing, or am I better to stick with tubes and regard it just as bad luck I've had a couple of flats in a row recently?
My Kore rims and WTB tyres are both tubeless ready, so all I'd need is the sealant kit and valves.
I'm not especially bothered about weight saving or performance aspects, I'm happy enough running tubes as far as function goes, I'd just rather not have interruptions to my riding thanks to punctures.
Would still carry an emergency tube as backup, and add a plug kit and maybe a tyre patch to my toolkit.
Thoughts? Is it worth doing, or am I better to stick with tubes and regard it just as bad luck I've had a couple of flats in a row recently?
If you can remove the valve cores in your existing tubes, you could just stick some sealant in them (a syringe and tube makes this easy). No weight or performance benefits but smaller punctures will seal themselves up.
Setting up proper tubeless is so variable - I've had bikes that took no effort at all, and some that I've abandoned because we just couldn't get it to seat even with an airshot or compressor.
Setting up proper tubeless is so variable - I've had bikes that took no effort at all, and some that I've abandoned because we just couldn't get it to seat even with an airshot or compressor.
Yay when it all goes well as in the beads seat first time, the rim tape holds and the valves seal correctly. Nope when non of the mentioned happens! I spent 2 and half hours trying to sort mine out on Sunday, my rim tape seemed to be a mm off and would not let the valve assembly seal.
I've been running tubeless for 18 months now and all has been great, not had one full deflation but had a couple of punctures that have sealed straight away.
I've been running tubeless for 18 months now and all has been great, not had one full deflation but had a couple of punctures that have sealed straight away.
I do about 2000 miles a year, mostly on forest tracks and paths, and I’ve never had a puncture since going tubeless. When I was running with tubes I was forever getting punctures!
But make sure that the tubeless conversion has been done properly. The Giant MTB that I had before the current bike was supplied already converted to tubeless. But the tyres always seemed to lose pressure, I’d have to top up them up at least once a week. I mentioned this to the dealer who said that some pressure loss is normal due to tyre ‘burps’ when hitting bumps, so I thought nothing more of it and continued to top up when necessary.
My current bike a Boardman 29er was supplied ‘tubeless ready’ and had tubes fitted, so I had to do the tubeless conversion myself. After taping the inside of the wheel and fitting the valves I could not get the tyres to hold pressure properly, they’d need topping up after a day or so which didn’t seem right at all. I eventually traced this to the valves leaking where they fit through the holes in the rim, the hole edges were very sharp where they meet with the valves causing leaks. So I very carefully rounded off the sharp edges and refitted the valves with a bit of added rubber glue. Since then the tyres hardly seem to leak at all now, I can go for weeks without needing topping up. So now I wonder if the tubeless system fitted to the Giant was ever fitted properly …
One other thing to mention is that if you are running tubeless and have never had a puncture, it’s still worth taking the tyres off now and again to have a look inside. I was amazed to find at least 6 thorn penetrations in my rear tyre that the tubeless gloop had sealed without issue. That must have saved me six roadside punctures to deal with!
But make sure that the tubeless conversion has been done properly. The Giant MTB that I had before the current bike was supplied already converted to tubeless. But the tyres always seemed to lose pressure, I’d have to top up them up at least once a week. I mentioned this to the dealer who said that some pressure loss is normal due to tyre ‘burps’ when hitting bumps, so I thought nothing more of it and continued to top up when necessary.
My current bike a Boardman 29er was supplied ‘tubeless ready’ and had tubes fitted, so I had to do the tubeless conversion myself. After taping the inside of the wheel and fitting the valves I could not get the tyres to hold pressure properly, they’d need topping up after a day or so which didn’t seem right at all. I eventually traced this to the valves leaking where they fit through the holes in the rim, the hole edges were very sharp where they meet with the valves causing leaks. So I very carefully rounded off the sharp edges and refitted the valves with a bit of added rubber glue. Since then the tyres hardly seem to leak at all now, I can go for weeks without needing topping up. So now I wonder if the tubeless system fitted to the Giant was ever fitted properly …
One other thing to mention is that if you are running tubeless and have never had a puncture, it’s still worth taking the tyres off now and again to have a look inside. I was amazed to find at least 6 thorn penetrations in my rear tyre that the tubeless gloop had sealed without issue. That must have saved me six roadside punctures to deal with!
Highly recommended - i've had no issues after 3 years on my MTB except the odd burp on rough trails (tyre pinches on the side wall & loses some fluid).
Remember it won't seal large cuts ie from glass but will heal the majority of punctures without you knowing.
Mind you my other 3 road bikes I'm sticking with tubes, as its less fuss & i like to swap tyres around ie sizes brands, cross tyres etc so sealant can be messy if you do this, plus on road you tend not to get too many punctures if using the correct pressures so i've not found the need.
Also if you you are not worried about weight the green slime tubes can offer a useful alternative.
Remember it won't seal large cuts ie from glass but will heal the majority of punctures without you knowing.
Mind you my other 3 road bikes I'm sticking with tubes, as its less fuss & i like to swap tyres around ie sizes brands, cross tyres etc so sealant can be messy if you do this, plus on road you tend not to get too many punctures if using the correct pressures so i've not found the need.
Also if you you are not worried about weight the green slime tubes can offer a useful alternative.
Tubeless for probably ten years on all bikes. I cannot imagine how anyone runs tubes these days.
Last week i rode over a big (5cm) bit of bent wire or nail on my gravel bike and it stuck right through the tread. I only knew because it was making a funny sound as it went round. I stopped, pulled it out and carried on. I haven't even topped the tyre up since that ride.
It would have been a ten minute ride ruining faff pre tubeless days.
Last week i rode over a big (5cm) bit of bent wire or nail on my gravel bike and it stuck right through the tread. I only knew because it was making a funny sound as it went round. I stopped, pulled it out and carried on. I haven't even topped the tyre up since that ride.
It would have been a ten minute ride ruining faff pre tubeless days.
bmwmike said:
Not currently, but will be. Am considering cutting the inner tube valves out and using those - anyone done that, or is buying the proper valve the recommended way to do it?
Thanks
I did do this and have got away with it so far. I bought the proper valves weeks earlier then couldn't find them. Just check you can remove the core, cheaper tubes won't have removable valve cores.Thanks
I've been running tubeless for years with no problems. A few rides back I managed to roll a tyre off of the rim in a crash. I couldn't get it to inflate whilst in the woods so I put in a tube to get me home.
Coincidentally, after a puncture, tonight I tried to remove the tube and go back to tubeless. This is where I got a bit irritated...
The tube was glued into the tyre so it was a job to remove it.
I then had to remove dry gloop from the beads.
I then put it back together and tried to inflate.
I couldn't get the damn thing to inflate!!
I then knocked the stans gloop bottle over and it made a hell of a mess.
My compressor started leaking and the hose had split. I went to put the spare hose on and the connector sheared off.
At which point i shut the door and stomped off in a huff!!!!
Overall tubeless is good.....but not tonight!!
Coincidentally, after a puncture, tonight I tried to remove the tube and go back to tubeless. This is where I got a bit irritated...
The tube was glued into the tyre so it was a job to remove it.
I then had to remove dry gloop from the beads.
I then put it back together and tried to inflate.
I couldn't get the damn thing to inflate!!
I then knocked the stans gloop bottle over and it made a hell of a mess.
My compressor started leaking and the hose had split. I went to put the spare hose on and the connector sheared off.
At which point i shut the door and stomped off in a huff!!!!
Overall tubeless is good.....but not tonight!!
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