Tubeless for training and/or racing

[kgreene10]

I'm getting a new Trek that comes with tubeless-ready wheels that I could use for both training and racing crits and road races. I would need to get the tubeless conversion kit so I figured I would ask about the advantages and disadvantages before going, ahem, down that road.

[Cicli]

I don't think there is any advantage to tubeless. They are heavier and ride like a garden hose.
I had a set of Schwalbe 1's and they were really prety good. I replaced them with a tubeless set of ones and they were horrible. Stiff and sluggish. Even at 85-90 psi.
I have now installed my big boy pants and am running tubulars. They are wayyyyyy better than tubeless as far as ride quality and comfort.

To each their own. Some people love tubeless. Don't ask me why.

[Peter P.]

The mess of that sealant; what's the point? More difficult installation and inflation; more confusing points. Remember; you may have to work on your tubeless wheels while on the road should a puncture exceed the capabilities of the tubeless system, then you'd STILL have to install a tube, so why bother with the system in the first place?

[kgreene10]

The mess of that sealant

I was worried about that. It is, in fact, really messy? That makes it sound like it would be a PITA to switch back to regular tubes after going tubeless -- in the sense that it might be tough to clean up the rims. Is that a concern at all?

Thanks for the replies so far. I would like to hear from others too. Thanks.

[old fat man]

I was worried about that. It is, in fact, really messy? That makes it sound like it would be a PITA to switch back to regular tubes after going tubeless -- in the sense that it might be tough to clean up the rims. Is that a concern at all?

Thanks for the replies so far. I would like to hear from others too. Thanks.

I'm quite happy with my tubeless wheels and raced them in crits last season. Started with Hutchinson fusion tires and when those wore down to the threads I replaced them with schwalbe ones. Going on 4k total miles with no flats and a ride quality that's acceptable to me.

The sealant is only a mess if you're doing it wrong. If the bike comes with tubeless wheels, I say at least give it a shot. Don't take advice from someone who has never actually used them either.

[Kirk Pacenti]

Don't take advice from someone who has never actually used them either.

Words to live by.

[dem]

Personally, I loved the grip and feel of the ShwalbeOne tubeless vs. GP4000II+Michelin AirComp tubes (on A23 wide rims.)

I could run them about 5-10 PSI lower (90-95) and they were supple and super grippy. So in my opinion, it is worth trying out for sure.

Why I'm back to tubes? 2 reasons:

1) The SchwalbeOne were REAL susceptable to cuts. All that grippy goodness seemed to come with a cost. At 1000 miles they were covered in cuts, and at 1500 I ditched them (GP4000II I replaced them with @ 1700 have maybe 1/20th the cut damage.) You could argue this is local road conditions or the tubeless tire I chose, so if not for #2, maybe trying another tire would be an option.

2) I had a front puncture descending at 30+ mph. The goo could not seal it. So effectively I had a high pressure aerosol sprayer hosing down my front AND rear tire with goo. This was not fun.

Of course, this happened almost exactly at the turn around of a 80 mile ride. Installing the tube was a gooey mess, and worrying on several levels: 1) hard to find what caused a flat, because everything is covered in goo. 2) my most common flat are michelin wires - how many of these were embedded in the previously-goo-filled tire that were sealed up? Ready to puncture my tube? 3) If something repunctured the tube, getting a patch to adhere would be tricky with the goo. 4) what happens if I got a puncture the goo can't seal on the rear tire on my ride home?

So I'm back to tubes because I have higher confidence I'm getting home. This is almost the opposite of the tubular argument. :)

[oldpotatoe]

It's great to hear from the users here but I'd say buy a set of tubeless tires, tape, valve, goop and try it. Next buy some supple tires, like Vittoria CX, run at lower pressures then decide. AND become a spokesperson either for or against.

I have built and then installed tubeless a lot. Test rides and personally I don't think it's worth the trouble when compared to a supple tire, lower pressure and particularly when compared to tubular.

IMHO of course.

AND if the goal is fewer flats, put orange seal in the tube.

[kgreene10]

Dem, those are really good points.

The bike I'm getting does come with tubeless capable wheels (Aeolus D3 3 TLR), but I would need to get the tubeless kit or separates -- tubeless tires and sealant.

Sounds like it may not be worth it from the replies so far. And ride feel is important for the application I'll use it for most -- weekly crits.

[velomonkey]

I have them and the ride is, for certain, better than clinchers (and I've ridden all the clinchers: conti, veloflex, vittoria, challenge - with latex and without). The ride is not as good as tubular though.

I rode them for about 4 months last year and took them off when winter came. I did get a leak and it was a far cry from a goo "mess." You heard a leak, then you heard what sounded like a card in the spokes - the sealant worked and sealed the leak. Done. It was a small leak, but small enough it would have flatted a tube - and I got to keep riding minus maybe 10 psi.

Now I will say if you get a flat that the sealent isn't able to fix it and you need to shove a tube in there. Good luck. Cause it's gonna suck something awful - I'm on Fulcrum and they have high sidewalls even for clinchers - it would be damn near impossible to stick a tube in there.

As others have said - decide for yourself. I use Schwab, as others have said they ride better than hutchinson and I use orange seal.

I'll go back and forth - best clincher setup for me is vittoria with latex - still those sidewalls on fulcrum are high - even changing a tube kinda sucks.

[ntb1001]

I have a set of Campy Eurus tubless and love em.
I also have tubular Zipps, and a set of traditional clincher wheels/campy record/h plus son with Velox tires and latex tubes.
I think I like the tubulars the best, but I like all of the wheels for slightly different rides.
I say give them a shot and see for yourself.
The tubless are great for an everyday wheel, and the ride quality is terrific.

[fogrider]

keep in mind that the selection of tubeless road tires is very limited. and they are a pain to mount. the are made to fit really tight because they need to seal. and the bead are made with more material to seat. people think the are supple because the run on lower psi, but they run on less psi because the tires are stiffer. also, if you're installing them at home and don't have a compressor, you need to use a CO2.

[nmrt]

I rode tubeless on stans 340 rims and hutchinson intensive tires and then on IRC tires. I liked the ride a lot compared to my tubed setup on those same rims. For me, the ride on tubeless was supple. It stopped a leak when I was 30 miles away form home and I did not have a spare tube. Once, I did have a spare tube and they did not stop a leak. Turned out that the sealant was dry. I removed the tubeless valve, put in a tube and off i went. But the tubed ride was nowhere as nice.

I no longer ride tubeless now, actually. But I might go back. This is because I always had to go to the LBS to have my tubeless tires pumped with a compressor. It was hassle. Funny thing is, I run tubeless on my MTB. I can always get the MTB tires sealed with a floor pump.

If I ever buy a compressor, I will always ride tubeless.

[old fat man]

keep in mind that the selection of tubeless road tires is very limited. and they are a pain to mount. the are made to fit really tight because they need to seal. and the bead are made with more material to seat. people think the are supple because the run on lower psi, but they run on less psi because the tires are stiffer. also, if you're installing them at home and don't have a compressor, you need to use a CO2.

This is your opinion. I have set up tubeless on my Fulcrum 1's and on my Shimano RS 61's without a compressor multiple times and without much difficulty in either instance.

KG, try it for yourself. Then you can form an opinion too.

[r_mutt]

I thought they were great- although the ride was not as good as even a non full race clincher. Then I flatted 50 miles from home and destroyed 3 tubes trying to fix it. I'm back on tubes.

[93legendti]

This is your opinion. I have set up tubeless on my Fulcrum 1's and on my Shimano RS 61's without a compressor multiple times and without much difficulty in either instance.

KG, try it for yourself. Then you can form an opinion too.

Yup.

And tubeless tires were very easy to mount on my 4 different wheels sets I converted to tubeless by installing Stan's or guerrilla tape.


The tubeless tires on my Ottrott went flat over the winter. Friday i pumped them up with a floor pump and they are still holding ~75psi in front and ~70 psi in back.

Try riding clincher 23's at that low pressure.

[sandyrs]

~75psi in front and ~70 psi in back.

Try riding clincher 23's at that low pressure.

I've done it a couple times (by accident). I weigh 185 lbs so I'm no flyweight and it wasn't the disastrous instant flat-fest I think a lot of people envision. I don't think I ever flatted when I was riding those wheels, be it at 90-95 psi or lower when I forgot to top off after a few days of letting the bike sit idle.

I'm sure the risk of flatting is greater at that pressure but it's not guaranteed not to work.

[93legendti]

I understand, but those are the pressures I have been running on every road ride since April 2012 and on the Country's worst roads.

[Likes2ridefar]

Ive had tubeless down to crazy low psi without realizing it on my commuter set with no issues. i've seen 30psi on 23c in the front.

i have to shake my head at the negatives like mess, or poor ride. i've used the cheapest and best tubeless tires out there and I'd take them any day for ride quality over clinchers with tubes. and tubulars for that matter in most cases.

If I'm able to use a floor pump in a manhattan apartment without one drop on the floor after numerous installations on rims not even designed for tubeless, then I think others can too. I'm not a great mechanic...