After an utter faffalanche last night (someone else’s “normal” bike, not mine) involving tubeless and punctures that just wouldn’t go away, leaking valves, broken shifters and tangled chains. I’m questioning my logic of

1) I’m only an hours walk or less from the car 80% of the time
2) If I put a tube in, it would probably go flat anyway on a missed thorn in the tyre.
3) Fat tube options are heavy (surly) making carrying them in a jersey a faff in itself or fragile (schwalbe FR tubes) compounding the point above.
4) My last few tubes have all split after being left too long rolled up in camelbacks so would be useless in an emergency anyway.

I carry a can of this instead (and a backup CO2 inflator) but no idea if it would actually work.

I use Specialized 26×2.4/3.0 tubes in my fatbike.

5 years – 2 punctures.

I reckon that makes them not fragile.

I’ve had none since going tubeless. That and getting tyres seated with tubes was a faff. They were more irritating as the patches wouldn’t stick as the tubes were stretched inside the tyre so became disposable too. I’ve zero intention of going back to tubes full time!

Just wondering if others who’ve gone tubeless still bother carrying a spare tube.

Just wondering if others who’ve gone tubeless still bother carrying a spare tube.

I don’t have a fat bike, but yes I still carry a spare tube, and yes I still would on a fat bike.

IMO the whole point of plus fat bikes is being ably to reliably run low pressures and the benefit of low rolling resistance. Only once in 4 years have I actually needed to fit a tube to a tubleless tyres on a ride due to a worn / split sidewall. Usually a squirt of Stans or a repair worm are enough to get you going – either taking less time than the faff of fitting a tube. However, I always carry a spare tube, tubeless repair kit and small bottle of sealant – but my rides tend to be longer than most. I’d prefer not to ride with non-tubeless riders because of thorns and sharp flints, knowing it’ll mean frequent stops for punctures. Tubes also add 10% to your rolling resistance – far greater penalty than carrying a spare tube

I just carry a couple of tyre worms and a pump. Stans copes with a lot when you’ve only got 7psi pushing the air out. Still not had to use the worms yet (touches wood)

Yeah tubeless all the way on a fatbike. As Dovebikers says makes a huge difference. I also carry 2 of the Spesh inner tube Scotroutes mentions. I have always carried 2 tubes against the tiny risk of a double tubeless puncture that wont seal. Its not much weight and if it saves walking… I mean who walks anywhere!!!

Ive run tubeless for the past year with 0 issues. Before that I’d have a puncture every other ride (lots of hawthorn bushes near me, and farms are heavy on the hedge trimming).

I have always carried a spare tube – now I only do if I’m far from car or home. I do this on the bike in a backcountry research super8 (tube in a small clear Plastic bag is a couple wraps of tape. If I’m at a trailcentre of some where less likely to have issues I just carry a tubeless repair kit.

Half frame bag here so always carry a lightweight tube on the fatty, over 2k miles so far without a puncture. Was getting one about every 7 rides before

I bought my fat bike second hand and it came with a full frame bag so not really a problem carrying spares. Just take the one inner tube.

I carry a tube on the chubby bike (2.8) – not sure I have enough space or strength for 2!

I do have tubeless anchovies though, which have covered off the only serious issues I’ve had.

I still run tubes in mine but with Squirt Seal in them.

As a spare I carry a Specialized 26×2.4/3.0 tube in my pack.

All this reminds me – the rear tyre on my wife’s fat bike has a slow leak somewhere as it loses pressure overnight. I’m beginning to suspect the valve.

My front tyre goes down over the course of a week. It’s a Surly tube and I believe a common problem with them. Checked it twice and unable to find the leak, so have also come to the conclusion that it’s the valve.

I’ve stopped carrying anything on local rides now on the mtbs, except some CO2 in case a sealing puncture loses a bit of air. Like it did the other day up on the SDW.. On the new fattie I’m building I suppose I better up that to 2xCo2s.

No way am I lugging a fat tube about though. (No pack either).

Carry my spares in the frame bag. CO2 and tubeless isn’t a great idea as the gas reacts with the sealant – besides, what happens if you run out of gas?

Ref valves leaking. Fat bike rims are single wall generally so the valve locknut often can’t be screwed on far enough (runs out of thread) to get a great seal.

Put a spacer on the valve before be locknut. I use an old disc brake cup washer (both parts) which is just the right size.

Carry my spares in the frame bag. CO2 and tubeless isn’t a great idea as the gas reacts with the sealant – besides, what happens if you run out of gas?

Same as if you stick a tube in and it splits or gets a thorn in it. You walk.