I get pinch flats pretty often so always have to run at pretty high pressure. Seems to make it slightly rarer but still happens too much and has caused problems on slippy tracks with high pressure.

Switched to Flows the other week, only rode GT7 on them but found the bike felt the same up the hills and a lot more planted when it got muddy, never felt the tears welling up like usual and the moaning about not having mud tyres!

It did look like the tyres were a bit flat with the recommended 38psi but never felt out of control.

Managed to inflate it with a standard Halfords track pump, no problems at all.

Only thing I’m not convinced on yet is if there’s enough pressure in them to protect the rims on a big landing or hitting a rock. May have to switch to UST instead of just a tubeless ready as I presume they’re stronger?

Still have my old wheels with DH or mud tyres if the need arises.

Will just have to see if I end up with tubes in 6 months or not!

UST on MTB for last 3 years.
Tubes on road/commuter.

I mainly changed because I am seemingly incapable of fixing punctures on the first attempt (not a good trait for a mechanic i know).On the very rare occasion that I get one that won’t seal I just use a tubeless repair ‘plug/strip’ thingy.You don’t even bother taking the tyre off!!!If the beads don’t unseat so you can re-inflate with a mini pump….winner!

I don’t run tubeless because it appears to address a problem that I don’t particularily have where I ride, as I don’t get punctures very often. I’m struggling to think of the last time I had to fix a mountain bike puncture when out on a ride – might have been when I was in France last year and was due to a thorn (which I don’t really encounter round here).

Tubeless for me, no problem seating any of the spesh 2bliss tyres ive tried, they blow up easily every time with a track pump, easy to change over too, had 1 puncture on a rocky singletack in italy, torn sidewall, put a tube and fixed the tyre when i got home, with a standard repair kit and its been fine since, and it has saved quite a bit of weight, as i used to use slime tubes for riding where i live, and dh tubes in tPeak district and rocky areas.

Tubes all the way. I’ve dabbled with latex but found it more hassle than mending punctures.

Been tubeless in various guises for about 4 years & no problems – despite the best efforts of a 3″ nail that went thru the tread & out the side wall.

Never used a compressor, never failed to get a tyre seated & don’t get where all the faff references come from. Admittedly it’s a doddle with proper UST rims & tyres but still found it ok with standard tyres on 717’s with either ghetto or stans kit.

Was given one good piece of advice by LBS when I first changed over – make sure rims & tyres are clean and stick the tyres in a bucket of hot water 5-10 mins before installation.

I probably only change tyres 2 or 3 times a year so it’s not a big inconvenience but used to puncture regularly before hand and almost always in the freezing cold/shitty mud/pouring rain etc

I cant really see the point myself, expense, hassle etc

I feel the same way about suspension…..and gears.

Nobby – Member
used to puncture regularly before hand and almost always in the freezing cold/shitty mud/pouring rain etc

Or bang in the middle of the awesome descent you’ve been toiling up a mountain for an hour to get to… Or in the middle of a race… Punctures can smell fear.

Run both.
Puncture very rarely on hardtail with tubes.
Had one in the last year tubeless on FS which was a monumental PITA to fix in bloody cold weather, raining, latex everywhere cos was a sidewall problem. Saying that it would have been a pain with tubes, but probably less so as i woldn’t have bothered trying to seal it first and i wodn’t have got as covered in latex either.
Saying that – still tubeless on FS, still tubed on HT.
It was a pain to set up tubeless though – that’s another thing. But used to it now.

Tubeless on 80% of bikes in the house including my 700 x 28 commuting tyres. The one that isn’t tubeless is only waiting to wear out the existing tyres, then it will be.

I feel the same way about suspension…..and gears.

well said that man

oh and tubeless for years, and it’s a doddle to do as long as you follow instructions and prep well.

Nearly all the woes ever posted on here are through buffoons trying to bodge it with duck tape, half a baboon and felt tip pen and then wondering why it hasn’t worked.

Changed back to tubes today after the other day – landed a drop that saw the front tyre burp / deflate. It hurt, I stuck to the sheets that night 🙁 and I don’t want to do that again.

9 years tubeless here – still yet to even get half as many “punctures” where I’ve had to fit a tube than I got in the 1 year before I switched (a couple in one event which cost me the win – definitely worth switching on that basis). I don’t run that low pressures – though lower than I used to – so never had an issue with burping, even back when I was using DIY methods for the first few years. Also don’t feel the need to switch tyres that much – have run Racing Ralphs year round (once used Conti Double Fighters through the winter – now that teaches you bike handling!), though I have 2 sets of wheels now, so tend to have NNs on the other set for when it’s muddier.

every tubeless fan I know has had some sort of ‘latexplosion’ at some point in their life.

Not me.

I’ve had a couple of punctures and it’s a case of remove valve, check for punctury things, fit tube. ie, all but identical to a standard puncture

I’d agree with that, but that on more than one occasion I’ve found vast amounts of punctury things in the tyre – though that just emphasises the advantages of tubeless.