2 Way Fit Tubeless Thoughts

[Nil Else]

Okay, since 2 Way Fit/Tubeless tech's been out for a little while now and seemingly getting favorable if not enthusiastic reviews, so what are your thoughts? Is there a mass exodus slowly gaining a momentum?

Me, I'm okay fine with my tubs and clinchers not that I've tried any 2 way fit tubeless yet.

[-dustin]

Having ridden a tubeless DT 1.1 setup (then went to tubes + Vitt OCs), native tubeless D/A (then back to tubes + Vitt OCs), and native tubeless Fulcrum Racing 1s (then to tubes + any tire I could find), I'd rather have my Zipp 101s + tubes.

I don't think tubeless road makes as dramatic of a difference as tubeless on the trails.

[crownjewelwl]

I ran tubeless for the last couple of years (converted Ksyriums then Shamal 2-Way Fit). While I thought the ride quality was great, I found fixing flats to be difficult.

I probably made it home a couple of times when the sealant did its thing, but I had a big puncture that required taking off the tire and putting in a tube. I can usually change a tire without levers. But the Hutchinson Fusion 3s were IMPOSSIBLE even with levers. So after half an hour with my hands numbs and sealant all over the place, I finally managed to seat the tire. But since I had struggled so much, the bead seemed compromised and I had to call a taxi...

So the whole notion of "you can just pop in a tube" is misguided IMHO. I'm not sure if this is just the Fusion 3s, but my guess is since the structure and seal of the tire is paramount in a tubeless set up, other tires are equally rigid.

[AngryScientist]

i thought the ride at lower pressures was noticeably plusher than tubed clinchers at high pressure, but as mentioned here, flat repair is comical on the road. not only are the tires hard to mount, but the milky sealant inside literally gets everywhere when you pull the tire off.

that said, one of the beauties of 2-way-fit wheels is the ability to choose for yourself which way to go, and also, 2wf's done need rim tape, which is a nice bonus :D

[crownjewelwl]

I do miss the ride quality though...

[terrytnt]

I'm a tubular rider going back 20 years... and in fact, don't nor never used clinchers. Because I use rollers during the winter, and tubulars are not perfectly round creating a rough ride. After much research and local prof advice, I purchased Fulcrum Racing Zeros last March. Obviously my roller workouts were vastly improved, but I was totally surprised by the comfort and control of the 2-ways ON THE ROAD. When my Shamals (tubulars) became damaged from deep cuts in my Veloflex tires, I reverted to the Fulcrums for the remaining season. I can't tell you how they feel compared to clinchers, but will tell you I love them just as much as my tubulars.... and that's a huge change for me!. I don't ride with sealant (despite what people say) but bring a can with me in the event of a flat. It's work for me!!!

[Ray]

I've been riding tubeless the vast majority of the last two seasons. I've only had one flat on the road with them and didn't have any real trouble taking the tire off, removing the valve, and sticking a tube in. One more step than changing a clincher. No sealant running all over because the reason I got the flat is that the sealant was finally all dried up. I find them slightly more hassle than clinchers once or twice per year (installing, sealing, etc) and much less hassle the rest of the time. And I like the ride better too, probably just because I can run 'em softer with total confidence.

-Ray

[feta99]

I'm currently riding tubeless and like the ride but I'm still leaning towards going back to tubular. One of my complaints with tubeless tires is that they seems to lose air fairly quickly(12-24hours). I should add that I'm not currently using sealant in these wheels as I find the whole process a bit messy.

As a side note, I was at the Levi gran fondo last Saturday and I saw lots of people on the side of the road with flats. I didn't see any debris on the road so I wonder if these were all pinch flats from the rough roads? Could these have been avoided with tubeless?

-A

[crownjewelwl]

I'm currently riding tubeless and like the ride but I'm still leaning towards going back to tubular. One of my complaints with tubeless tires is that they seems to lose air fairly quickly(12-24hours). I should add that I'm not currently using sealant in these wheels as I find the whole process a bit messy.

-A

Sealant does the trick in terms of leaking. I could go a couple of weeks w/o pumping.

[feta99]

I have an older set of wheels with sealant in them and they keep the air a bit better. My current setup are on shimano 7850s. I wonder if the campy/fulcrum wheels keep the air a bit better? I'm thinking of trying a pair to compare.

[crownjewelwl]

I have an older set of wheels with sealant in them and they keep the air a bit better. My current setup are on shimano 7850s. I wonder if the campy/fulcrum wheels keep the air a bit better? I'm thinking of trying a pair to compare.

Did you do the soapy water bit to seat the bead?

[terrytnt]

I find the tubeless lose air slower than tubulars. However, it's all in how they mount... my front keeps pressure for several days, but the rear must be pumped each day. YES, I used soapy water to mount and NO, I do not use sealant. Pressure wise, 95 front and 105 rear. Wonderful feel on the road! Still love my tubulars however....

[feta99]

Yes, I did that when I installed the tire. Should I be doing that often? If so, how often?

[crownjewelwl]

Yes, I did that when I installed the tire. Should I be doing that often? If so, how often?

Just when you install the first time. My tires leaked until I added sealant. Don't think it has to do with the actual wheel itself. I think it would be pretty much impossible to get a perfect seal w/o the sealant.

[Random]

I had my first flat in 4 years, around 25K miles, on my DA 7801 tubeless wheels. In fact, up to this point I rode every tire to the casing without a flat. I am riding Fusion 2s. I love the ride. In fact, after repairing the front with a tube (not a problem at all) in less than 10 minutes, I was struck with how much worse the ride was. Mind you that if I was riding tubes I would opt for a more supple tire, like Veloflex or Vittoria, but still the contrast was striking.

I would NOT recommend tubeless for people who don't have the patience or aptitude for a little more complexity. For me, however, the payoff is in the ride.

[terrytnt]

Ditto what Random said... Tubeless and tubulars are great rides and best handled by an owner willing to be somewhat more patient and one who likes working on a bike for fun. I enjoy the process of preparing tubulars and try to handle most repairs myself.