Just bought a Trigger with WTB tubeless ready 650b wheels – tubes in and comes with valves separate.
Tyres are Wolverines – TBH not ridden in wet/mud yet but not hearing great things about them so they may get changed for High Rollers – we shall see. Anyway, I’ve not even thought about changing to tubeless – the valves/sealant sounds a faff – would I be stupid not too? Is tubeless REALLY that good? Genuine question and no a troll in sight 😉

After numerous tubeless wheels my new ones are stans and I have tubeless ready tyres but I can’t be bothered. More hassle than its worth imo. tubes just seem so much easier and I never really seem to see the benefits particularly

I have tubeless ready tyres and Stans rims but use tubes and have had zero problems. I found the initial installation of tubeless grim (couldn’t get the tyre to inflate with a compressor) so gave up. Might try it again at some point but I keep up with riding buddies using tubeless so I might not bother.

I’ve got tubeless-ready on two (out of ten!) bikes and haven’t seen the bother to faff with it so far. I bought a bottle of sealant in the Decathlon sale recently though – and it’s just sitting there, waiting. I’m expecting amazing things, like winged angels carrying me off on a bed of tyres in a guilded chariot to the outer reaches of the solar system, or something when I finally get around to it. But I’ll report back.

I’m glad I’m not alone in not feeling a desperate need to do so…and those that have tried and got titsed-off with it are…running tubes. Having said that if I get different tyres I’d be a fool not to get TR just in case I try it later.

Tried tubeless on my cx bike a few years back expecting a life changing experience. Couldn’t get the tyres to seat on the rim or stay inflated.

Got dissolutioned with tubeless and though considered trying again on my new 27.5 full Susser not sure I can be arsed.

Been tubeless ready for years. Can’t be arsed to actually change though.

Is tubeless REALLY that good? Genuine question and no a troll in sight

Out of interest. Why are you asking this question of people who haven’t gone tubeless? How are they going to know. All you will get are answers from people who are as ignorant of the benefits/problems as you are..

imnotverygood – Member
Out of interest. Why are you asking this question of people who haven’t gone tubeless? How are they going to know. All you will get are answers from people who are as ignorant of the benefits/problems as you are..

I have a bike that is tubeless ready and I haven’t gone tubeless.

I’m not ignorant of the benefits. The problems outweigh them for me.

I’m simply not interested in mucking around with sticky goo or fat-arsing around trying to master the art of inflation.

Once there’s a tubeless setup that doesn’t require me to fill my tyre with almost a tube’s weight of slimy sticky liquid, I might be interested.

Once there’s a tubeless system that can be inflated from scratch on the side of the track with a hand pump, I might be interested.

I went tubeless 18 months ago on my Trigger. Not a single puncture or pinch flat over 3500 miles. Do eeet!

i went tubeless and haven’t had a puncture since (2 years), that for me is the main benefit, in fact i went for a ride last night and got a “puncture”, i heard it go “pop” and stopped to see a fine jet of latex spaff coming from my trye… it was the rear wheel so i held the bike up by the seat post and cranked the wheel round, then let it spin to a stop naturally and that was it, it had sealed 😯 …. i rode on and checked it again when i got home, still inflated, i then topped up the air to what it was previously (it’d only lost 2psi) and that was it… i know that’s what it’s supposed to do, but i’ve never seen it work in anger like that, i bet it’s happened countless times without me ever knowing… and it was really very easy to set up

put the valves in
seat the tyre on one side
seat about 70% of it on the other
pour in the right amount of spaff
seat the remainder of the tyre
spin the wheel to get a nice coating on the inside
pump up tyre (with a track pump)

it probably took me almost as long to type that as it did to do it, and i was expecting a right ball ache having read the nightmares people experience on here…

Mavic Crossmax SX rims and (so far) 2 x Hans Dampfs, 1 On One Chunky Monkey, 1 x On One Smorgasbord & 2 x Continental Rubber Queens… all inflated 1st time, and all put on by hand. no messy spaff everywhere, just dead easy!

I’ve got a CX bike arriving on Monday and the 1st job is to set it up tubeless, i think it’ll prove an even bigger advantage for that, given the rough terrain, narrower tyres and higher psi and a greater propensity for pinch flats…. the key is to use tubeless rated tyres and rims i think!

I do run tubeless on 5 bikes but my wife doesn’t bother on hers even though she could.

I’d say overall there is more faff involved in tubeless especially when running multiple bikes and wanting to change tyres to suit seasons/conditions.

For me though the upside is that the faff is usually when I choose to do it rather than out on the trails on a ride. So I can do the messing about in the shed with a cup of tea rather than fixing punctures in the mud and rain when out on a ride.

Ive found using the propper kit ie stans rims tape and valves with proper tubeless tyres or the mavic ust ones just work no faff just put track pump on and pump up like a tubed tyre. One of my bikes has tubes it has had a puncture for about 6 months 🙁

If you are talking about tubeless ready rims and tubeless ready tyres (and wtb are apparently good for this), and you only swap tyres when they are worn then there is no faff. The hassle of putting a scoop or two of goo in the tyre far outweighs the hassle of changing a tube in the pishing rain getting mud all over your hands and in the tyres!

Is that the only benefit – reduced punctures? I thought it was meant to offer better grip and feel and stuff because you could run lower pressures (assuming sidewalks are burly enough) amongst other things.

If it’s only punctures then I’m out.

yclo

I’m not ignorant of the benefits. The problems outweigh them for me.

I’m simply not interested in mucking around with sticky goo or fat-arsing around trying to master the art of inflation.

Once there’s a tubeless setup that doesn’t require me to fill my tyre with almost a tube’s weight of slimy sticky liquid, I might be interested.

Once there’s a tubeless system that can be inflated from scratch on the side of the track with a hand pump, I might be interested.

My Stan’s rims with maxxis/onza/Bontrager tyres are all of those things and have been since about 2012.

I’ve been tubeless even before I was tubeless ready. One bike still isn’t tubeless ready but has never seen a tube.

I ride in the Lakes, before I went tubeless I’d guess I’d puncture 1 in 3 rides. For me tubeless is one of the best advances in MTB’ing.

Rickos – Member
Is that the only benefit – reduced punctures? I thought it was meant to offer better grip and feel and stuff because you could run lower pressures (assuming sidewalks are burly enough) amongst other things.

If it’s only punctures then I’m out.

I’m on my phone so you won’t get a full answer I’m afraid. The long and short of it is that the difference between setting the up is putting 60ml of goo instead of a tube. Then the lower pressures, reduced rolling resistance, better grip and fewer punctures as you are now thorn proof and snakebite proof. If that lot isn’t enough…..

I will concede that converting non-tubeless can be tricky and a lottery but if it’s TLR you’ll have to be pretty inept to find it difficult. I’m surprised Epicyclo hasn’t done it as he seems happy to get his hands dirty in all sorts of engineering endeavours!

If it’s only punctures then I’m out.

Guessing you don’t get many punctures then (in which case I wouldn’t bother either and you may not notice any difference if you don’t want to run lower pressures/get snakebites)

I however used to get at least 3 punctures a month (stony area with lots of sharps bits of flint) and combined with fact that setting up tubeless with the correct rims and tyres takes all of 20 seconds longer than a tube it is a massive benefit to me.

I don’t use low pressures so that is irrelevant.

My take on tubeless, bought a new bike a year ago & had the option to get it set up tubeless, went for it.

First ride out hit a rock, put a hole in the tyre that was too big to seal, put a tube in, ran over 6″ screw put another hole in the tyre & tube… it then started to rain, so swapped the tube & rode home with my tail between my legs.

Bought some hutchinson patches to repair the tyre they worked & the tyre was fine until it got too worn.

Recently, my main bike with tubeless has been out of action so I’ve been back on my old bike that doesn’t run tubeless… Felt horrible, the extra pressure in the tyres felt like I was just pinging off every bump & felt like I had no grip whatsoever.

The extra effort (at home) of fitting tubeless is more than outweighed by the elimination of punctures on the trail. Once you have done a few they are generally not hard to set up. If you are the sort of person that gives up at the first sign of difficulty, they may not be for you.

johnnystorm – Member
… I’m surprised Epicyclo hasn’t done it as he seems happy to get his hands dirty in all sorts of engineering endeavours!

I rarely get punctures, and I can change a tube out in well under 2 minutes if I do.

The most punctures I have got was in the last Strathpuffer. One a lap for the first 4 laps. I was using 5″ tyres and to get the benefit of them I was using low pressures. I got snakebites.

The problem was my rims were tubeless ready and very reluctant to let the tyre off the rim. What should have been a quick job became a 20 minute job. Which is why I dumped that bike (it has been lying at the back of shed ever since) and went home and built another to complete the race.

Basically I think tubeless is great, but I don’t like the prospect of problems out in the hills, no matter how remote the chances of that – which is why I like to keep my bikes simple.

The long and short of it is that the difference between setting the up is putting 60ml of goo instead of a tube. Then the lower pressures, reduced rolling resistance, better grip and fewer punctures as you are now thorn proof and snakebite proof. If that lot isn’t enough…..

Someone is going to have to explain the reduced rolling resistance bit to me. like for like I’d have assumed it was type of tyre tread, rubber compound, tyre pressure that would affect rolling resistance. I just can’t think how tubeless or tubed would make a difference.

No tube/tyre interface, lower pressures = lower rolling resistance. Given that you use the same tyres.

And 20 minutes to get a tubeless tyre off.
Something wrong there. Maybe your should have set them up tubeless?

I can do cross tubs in less than 5 minutes. Glued the Belgian way…….

I’ve a unused set of Hope/Stans Crests.I inflated them no problem but before that I tried getting a tube in & struggled so I’m paranoid that if a tyre wall gets slashed I won’t be able to get a tube in there to get me home

I was tubeless ready for years, but didn’t make the move until my Trigger turned up taped and with spare valves. Thought I’d give it a try. Really was little bother getting it set up. No compressor. I did use CO2, but I’d have that by the side of trail anyway if I needed to.

Unfortunately I’ve not had chance to ride since I changed to see if it makes a big difference. Will today though.

No tube/tyre interface, lower pressures = lower rolling resistance. Given that you use the same tyres.

Really?

Why do roadies try and run MAX pressure; its not to increase rolling resistance I’m pretty sure of that.

That said I run tubeless. Progressively, one wheel and then the back about 6 months later. It’s faff but i often go out for local rides with no tube or pump just because it’s been so reliable. Last one did take about 3 rides until it finally stopped losing pressure. For me its all about no punctures.

Why do roadies try and run MAX pressure

they dont 😕

A)roadies don’t run max pressure. Unless they are still in the dark ages. Or idiots. I guess you don’t actually know many roadies.
B)it’s a completely different use case anyway.

Nevertheless, running high pressures on poor surfaces does increase rolling resistance.

Recent convert to tubeless over here. Using specialized purg/GC on dt swiss rims. Absolute piece of piss to do the set up. Inflated and seated off a track pump first time. Running at lower pressures than before, definitely more grip and can feel the extra traction letting me carry extra speed. No punctures, which is a massive bonus at this time of year when normally the farmers are leaving spiky debris from cut back hedges etc all over the bridleways.

It’s certainly worth researching known good rim/tyre combos, apart from that I don’t see why you wouldn’t.

When I had tubeless yes I could feela difference riding in not convinced that it was more grip though but it was different.also yes it did stop punctures that said i only know for sure it sealed one

Thing that put me off was (and maybe this was due to having 5 bikes tubeless an so not using them enough) but I’d often find them in the bike store with flat tyres and clogged valves and dried up sealant. So had to redo them and when I swapped tyres it was a faff

I’m now down to one main bike but I’m not going to bother as I swap between tyres quite often

Me. Get the odd puncture but not that many (cue a puncture filled future) so don’t really see the need personally. Don’t particularly lack grip either, except in really slippery conditions but i think a more suitable tyre would be a better fix.

I bought my big bike second hand and changed the front tyre straight away and put a tube in. A good while later i got an animal bone puncture (6mm hole) in the rear and assumed it would be tubeless too so tried pumping it up. No joy. So i thought i’d take the tyre off and put in a tube i had in my bag. The bloody tyre was welded to the rim with that gunk and i couldn’t get it off. Had to phone for a lift and when i got home i managed to remove the rear tyre and found a tube in it! It was also welded to the tyre! Not a great experience on the whole and enough to convince me to stick to good old fashioned tubes for now.

Yup. Stan’s Flow rims, with Maxxis TR at the moment (Schwalbe TR are on another set of rims that may or may not be TR – not sure).

Conti tubes work just fine.

Broke all the fashion rules in the book on my last trip to Morzine. 26er, tubes, non-dropper seat post, 3×9, only 690mm wide “wide” bars, hardtail.
Contrary to popular belief, that’s not the equivalent of riding a bike with square wheels.

I will do soon, but no one ever seems to have the right Bonty kit for my wheels when I think of buying.
I used to run Mavic UST jobs years ago which were fine. Only downside was the pain of changing tyres when you arrived at a race. And a few times I could never remove the valve to put a tube in when the puncture was a show stopper.

yossarian – Member
…Inflated and seated off a track pump first time…

Aye, but what if you don’t carry a track pump when you’re out on the trails?

I’ve got tubeless but refuse to go that way…’normal’ tyres and tubes are cheaper than tubeless-specific tyres and don’t seem any real difference in weight. I don’t ride enough to warrant the expenseand I’d be concerned the latex started to solidify.
Sounds a great idea but I’m not convinced for me. Mates are tubeless and say it is brilliant, but I’ve had less incidents with tyres/tubes than he has had with his tubeless set up.

Anyone using Schwalbe Evotubes?

They remove all the “lighter” argument from tubes v tubeless.

Aye, but what if you don’t carry a track pump when you’re out on the trails?

I just use a good mini pump to re-seat my TLR/UST tyres after fixing cuts that sealant won’t fix easily. Used a tube once, fixed the cuts trailside with a patch and flexy superglue, takes a moment (done this 6x in ~6 years? Chilterns flint). A good rim and tyre match and a bit of technique and it’s no hassle. Well, once.. : ) but no more a risk than the odd badly holed tube, then the spare gets holed, that sort of rare occasion. Like all things, some ‘TLR’ tyres are just hopeless and plenty (Maxxis, WTB, Spesh ime) are brilliant.

the “lighter” argument from tubes v tubeless.

There is no lighter argument for me, tubeless weighs about the same if you use good tyres.

A good rim and tyre match

part of the reason there are tubes in my TR setup.
Any 559 tyre to fit on any 559 rim and pop in a tube and blow it up, just works. No need to do research to find good combinations, because the number on the label tell me.

My maxxis tyres on stans rims were a PITFA to fit, and took so much brute force that my fingers were fubared after one wheel, and one of those freebie tyre levers on the front cover of one of the magazines was also totalled.

Schwalbe tyres, no problems. Same Maxxis or Schwalbe on Mavic rims, also no problems.

If there was a scoop of stans gloop in there instead of a tube, then by the time I finally got that last bit of bead over the rim, most of the gloop would have been all over my kitchen floor. So that tube can jolly well stay exactly where it is. It survived a week in Morzine, so if it doesn’t survive local rides round here, then I’ll just get the tram home if I can’t repair it trailside.

I can see how you can go lower pressure and not get snakebites anymore, but don’t you just ding your rim to death instead?