Is sealant really worth it?

[MikeD]

Yesterday, on my 700x44 tires (35-45 psi), I got a rear puncture. It eventually sealed and I lost about 5-10 psi, but it sprayed all over the place; my bike, shoes, shorts and maybe jersey, and sprayed the rider behind me. I can't get the sealant out of the shorts. I figure I'm going to expend more time and effort cleaning things up and topping off my sealant than what it would have taken to just change a tube. Probably ruined that pair of shorts. I'm thinking to go back to tubes as I don't think I get that many flats and I know how to fix a flat and I figure just deal with it when it happens. I'm thinking that there's a lot of people, for whatever reason (lack of skill, hand strength, tight tires, etc.), that try to avoid fixing flats at all costs.

[fourflys]

this should be a fun conversation..

for me, tubes on the road, even at largish tires sizes.. mainly for many of the reasons you stated.. when I had an MTB and gravel bike, both were tubeless as the MTB tubeless provided the ability to go much lower in pressures and the gravel bike came set up that way..

I think I would go tubeless on MTB for sure as, I think, flats are more rare since the tires are more robust (and less glass, etc on the trails).. I'm undecided on a gravel bike.. I guess it might come down to how much pavement riding I'm doing on the gravel bike? back in the 2010s when I was riding a lot of trails on my cross bikes, I always ran a tube and ever had any issues (35ish mm tires?)..

[gravelreformist]

Sealant can be a mess but overall it's worth it. People act like tubes are simple and perfectly reliable but I've spent plenty of time over the years struggling to seat tubed tires, pinching a tube while seating it, pinch flatting a tube from low pressure, struggling to patch a tube, having a new tube go flat again when you didn't get all of the offending item out of the casing, etc.

Both systems have their issues. Overall I prefer tubeless. There are plenty of punctures that tubeless seals that the rider is never even aware of. Last month I participated in the 150 mile Vermont Gran Fondo X on a very wet day. It wasn't until I was cleaning the bike the next day that I discovered the sealant that had saved me from an unpleasant tube change during the event. It sealed (on a 30mm tire) without even losing any noticeable pressure.

I've successfully repaired a couple of flats before that in under a minute using a bacon strip which doesn't require even removing the wheel from the frame.

[Likes2ridefar]

For me riding in sharp Arizona it is definitely worth it. I can ride nice riding lightweight tires with no flats (no flats in years now…losing count) versus thick and durable tires with tubes that still flat on occasion.

I know we all weigh different (low 160s here) and have different rims but I’d never be running that high psi in a 44mm tire. Currently have 38mm and start at 39/41 which feel pretty stiff on the road and can run down to mid to low 20s before really needing to add air.

[tellyho]

Topical for me: I've had to plug tubeless cuts on two different bikes within the past week. I yo-yo on tubeless - I'll give up on one bike, ride tubes for a while, then have a sequence of flats with tubes that motivates me to re-set-up the that bike without tubes. Then I ride it for a while, get to a point where I have tubeless issues and return to tubes.

On bikes that I ride in gnarly situations, tubeless is worth it for the peace of mind in running lower tire pressures. But as we know, the dirty secret of tubeless is when it goes wrong, it's big, messy and annoying. You trade off more frequent but predictable small issues with tubes for less frequent, unpredictable messy issues with tubeless.

It's also become apparent to me that a tubeless setup has to be "refreshed" every couple years: new tape, new valve core, etc. if you want to forestall big trailside issues.

The OP's situation sounds like a tubeless win, overall, to me. Yes, messy, but you could ride home without big trailside wheel surgery.

[flying]

Originally Posted by MikeD

I don't think I get that many flats and I know how to fix a flat and I figure just deal with it when it happens. I.

^^^That is why I ride tubes^^^

That aside the mess factor as you mentioned seems like total insanity to me.
Price of shorts alone if pooched...not to mention you said the rider behind you got dosed

Yeah for myself the tubeless juice is not worth the squeeze & I ride in a few countries. Some have better roads than others

[makoti]

Clearly it happens, but...
I have had at least 4 punctures that required sealant to fill the hole. It did get all over the frame, but not on me. Never been an issue.
And sealant in bike clothing isn't really "ruined". Stained, maybe. Is cycling clothing with a grease stain ruined?

I went from getting several flats a month to two in the last two years. On the road for one, gravel roads for the other. I've had 4 others fill and I rode home, also on the road. Inflated to 85 psi. On 25s
It works and hell yes, it's worth it. I no longer have to add in an extra 15 min for a ride I'm trying to squeeze in because "What if I get a flat?"

[MikeD]

Tubeless isn't infallible either. If you forget to top it off, it's useless (worse than useless). Dried sealant can glue the beads to the rim. I've had punctures that sealed only to let go days or weeks later. Plug kits work so carry one.

This current flat I had blew almost all 3 oz. of sealant out the puncture before it sealed (Orange Seal Regular). The hole is really too small to bother using a plug.

[johnniecakes]

I tried tubeless also for a while but had similar issues with sealant getting on the bike and shorts. Just too much of a mess and maintenance for me. Topping up sealant, scrubbing dried sealant out of tires, cleaning valves etc. In a typical year I may only get 2 or 3 flats in 6000 or so miles. So my time and hassle factor with tubes is very low. I have switched to TPU tubes and carry a butyl as a spare. If I get a flat a butyl goes in along the road and then a new TPU goes in at home under calmer conditions. More work and no performance gain keeps me using tubes

[Duvivr6]

IMO it is worth it.

I have my Road (30s)and gravel(40s)
tubeless. Only flats I have had in a while was hitting something hard enought to cut the tire sidewall.

I have been cleaning my bike at home and see something on a tire and pull it out. Only to realize it had punctured inside the tire but was not loosing air. A tube would have not survived that.

[FastCanon]

My wife is happy with tubeless. She's not going with tubes. She often goes in group rides, and she doesn't want to be left behind. I'm fine with tubeless even though I'm the one who's maintaining them. I don't mind at all since I can check other things while I'm at it. We often do hills and go down long descents, and I need to know that everything is good. And since I'm the one who does the maintenance of tubeless, I see a lot of holes in the tires, but it hasn't caused any pain on the road yet. Tubeless is not perfect but I rather have the headaches at home where I have ample time than on the road where I may spoil it for me or the group.

[Permanent socks]

Short answer is, it depends where you're riding.

For me on the road, never.
On gravel it is much better and I don't get pinch flats or snake bites anymore.
For mtb, mandatory and I would add inserts for added protection.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by johnniecakes

I tried tubeless also for a while but had similar issues with sealant getting on the bike and shorts. Just too much of a mess and maintenance for me. Topping up sealant, scrubbing dried sealant out of tires, cleaning valves etc. In a typical year I may only get 2 or 3 flats in 6000 or so miles. So my time and hassle factor with tubes is very low. I have switched to TPU tubes and carry a butyl as a spare. If I get a flat a butyl goes in along the road and then a new TPU goes in at home under calmer conditions. More work and no performance gain keeps me using tubes

Are you using the expensive TPU tubes or the cheap AliExpress ones? Have you tried sealant in the TPU tubes?

[juanj]

Do what works for you.

Here's my experience. I have been tubeless on the road for 2+ years and have had zero flats. I don't know how many flats I may have had with tubes in that period (average 1 per year?), but just last week I was riding and noticed a tiny piece of glass embedded in my tires. I pulled it out with my nail, thinking it was not embedded too deep. As the shard came out, a tiny stream of sealant bubbled out. Three seconds later, it sealed and I rode home.

I am riding 28mm Pirelli race tires at 75-77psi on Boyd's wheels. I use Orange Seal on all my tires.

[johnniecakes]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Are you using the expensive TPU tubes or the cheap AliExpress ones? Have you tried sealant in the TPU tubes?

I am using the RideNow TPU tubes and so far no issues with flats or the valves. No, no sealant in them, that would need refreshing periodically which is something I am avoiding. To help clarify I have several bikes that I use and sometimes a particular bike may not get ridden for 2 months, depending on my mood. Or a bike may be ridden exclusively for a month. So keeping track of sealant is not worth it to me. As I mentioned I very rarely get flats with tubes so punctures are not an issue for me (fortunately). I also tend to replace tires (25mm) before they are worn out which I think helps reduce punctures