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Why is getting a tu...
 

[Closed] Why is getting a tubelss tyre to work on a gravel bike like platting snot?

Posts: 362
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I consider going tubeless every time I read all the enthusiastic posts here at STW, but I’ve always decided against in the end. There seem to be two types of tubeless threads:

1: Someone asks ‘Should I go tubeless?’ and there are loads of replies saying yes, it’s the easiest thing in the world, you’ll never look back, never have a puncture, have no issues, etc

2: Tubeless horror stories – non-seating tyres, getting punctures after going tubeless, sealant explosions, bust rims, air leaks, sealant leaks, not being able to get tyres on (or off), ripped side walls, non-sealing rim tape, leaking valves, ruined clothes and carpets, that picture of Badger, etc

I think it comes down to the type of tyre and the appeal of low pressure. For MTB then it does seem to work so maybe give it a try. If you pump your tyres like rocks any way as you hate the idea of rim dings on rocks then might as well have tubes in.

Smaller roady type tyres definitely harder and more faff with tubeless. Again if you are happy with tubes and have no desire to run low pressure then don't bother. I tend to run high pressure anyway so less enthused with tubeless than others.


 
Posted : 10/09/2021 12:55 pm
Posts: 2653
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My brother has a 1 year old Raddler that has bubbles on the sidewall. It's the 60 tpi casing, so don't know if the 120 would be any better. You'd hope so.

With regards to general faff, there is a lot of hawthorn around where I ride, so 2 of my 3 bikes are set up tubeless.

My gravel bike came set up tubeless from the shop and requires a bit of air every week.

My MTB had 2 massive thorns in the rear tyre with no detectable loss of air when I had to remove that the other week. I'd much rather be sorting that out at home, than changing a tube on a dark, rainy night in the middle of Axe Murderer Woods.


 
Posted : 10/09/2021 2:01 pm
Posts: 11631
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This is why (repairing a puncture in the wind and trying to balance the phone at the same time)

I faffed a bit, if I heard the puncture earlier and hadn't tried to film it, I wouldn't have had to add any air!


 
Posted : 10/09/2021 2:22 pm
Posts: 3
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Bicycle Rolling Resistance tested 3 different WTB gravel tyres in TCS Light construction and found they all had poor puncture resistance in the sidewall (and tread) compared to other gravel tyres. A WTB gravel tyre in SG2 construction had better puncture resistance when tested and so, as an earlier post suggested, the SG2 versions should suffer less sealant leakage.

My experience with Gravelkings is that both tan wall versions I tried suffered from sealant leaks from the sidewall (which settled down eventually) whereas the black wall version sealed straightaway. No punctures with any of the 3 versions (all 3 in Plus construction).


 
Posted : 10/09/2021 8:18 pm
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