I just binned well over a kilo of rotating weight

I just replaced some 2.5 Muddy Mary’s and Maxxis DH tubes with 2.4 Shorty’s and sealant.

The tubes alone are 500g each. I can’t weigh the tyres accurately but just holding them the difference is tangible. Easily another 500g for the pair. The Shorty’s also come up a bit narrower than the 0.1 of a difference would suggest so they’re clearly smaller.

The last time I upgraded an overbuilt trail bike from MTX’s and dual ply tyres to Crossmax’s and tubeless it had a transformative effect on the bike. It felt turbo charged at first, it was just all better, everywhere. I’m hoping achieve some of that effect here especially with a much bigger loss.

Current bike is a YT Tues and it’s always felt a little heavy for a modern DH bike but it’s mostly in the wheels. Can’t do anything about the rims yet. FR600’s so plenty more weight to shave but I’m not touching them until they explode.

Anyway, I’m excited to see what effect this has on the ride and I’m thinking out loud. As you were.

It’s going to feel like a different bike I reckon!

I took off my nipple tassles – came up much the same

My Tues comp wheels and tyres are pretty heavy, so I can see your thinking!

Personally I’ve always had disasters with rear tubeless on bikes. Hit corners hard enough and rear always pulls off. Especially on the DH bike.

Good luck but be prepared to regain a bit of that weight if you go back to a tube in the back.

I know I haven’t done anything radical. But I’m not a weight weenie and I’ve never in my life weighed an inner tube. I’m just shocked at how much mass was lost in one simple switch. I’m excited to ride it.

Hit corners hard enough and rear always pulls off.

I thought this was one of the oldest complaints about tubeless? I was assuming it wasn’t an issue anymore. Especially given how hard world cup riders hit stuff.

Another couple of wraps of rim tape and you’ll never burp a tyre again. Well, unless you’re one of those goons that runs 15psi in a single ply tyre.

To be fair I got that frustrated with it has been a long time since I’ve ran rear tubeless on the big bike. I was never a low pressure guy so maybe I could try again with an extra wrap of rim tape.

Although nothing fixes the blasted holes right next to the bead which forces you back to tubes til the tyre wears out! As you can probably tell I’m jaded with tubeless unfortunately. Ok on the front but even on the trail bike I’ve had constant disasters out back.

Does sealant and the rim tape not weigh anything nowadays?

Does sealant and the rim tape not weigh anything nowadays?

Stans tape is something like 10 grams and Sealant weighs as much as you put in. I put in around 80 grams.

That still sounds like around 400 grams from each wheel even without changing the tyres.

That is a noticeable weight difference (especially when accelerating, turning etc,.). May not turn out that much faster but will feel it.

I suppose so, going from a really heavy combo to an average one ( weight wise) would save a chunk.

Is that enough sealant in quite large tyres?

I always thought downhill tubes were a waste of time anyway. So if you do end up having issues; just pop some normal tubes in.

Thought for the day….

Is tubeless fluid actually rotational weight…..
Doesn’t most of it just sit in the bottom of the tyre.. Just a small amount will stick on and make it all the way around.

ndthornton – Member

Thought for the day….

Is tubeless fluid actually rotational weight…..
Doesn’t most of it just sit in the bottom of the tyre.. Just a small amount will stick on and make it all the way around.

I don’t know but does anybody remember the rims which had water sealed inside which ‘worked’ on the same principle?

At slow speeds the water stayed at the bottom, then once you were going quickly it became rotational weight, supposedly helping maintain speed or improve stability or something.

Probably about 15 years back now.

You’ll definitely notice. I did when I switched out dual ply HR2’s which I’d been too lazy to take off after alps holiday. Saved 600g I think

Is tubeless fluid actually rotational weight…..
Doesn’t most of it just sit in the bottom of the tyre.. Just a small amount will stick on and make it all the way around.

Is this a wind-up or do you seriously think that’s what happens?

Is this a wind-up or do you seriously think that’s what happens?

dunno Mr smarty pants – Iv never been inside a tyre
I suppose there will be a speed at which all the fluid travels all the way around – what that is I don’t know?

Well, unless you’re one of those goons that runs 15psi in a single ply tyre.

Don’t call me a goon.

🙁

Don’t call me a goon.

Your not a goon – you have better line choice and less belly fat 😀

I ran dual ply tubeless on my dh bike, put about 3 wraps of tape on and never had an issue with swampthings, high rollers and F R minions.

I’m down to 9psi tubeless now* – no burping.

*possibly not in a DH bike of course

dunno Mr smarty pants – Iv never been inside a tyre
I suppose there will be a speed at which all the fluid travels all the way around – what that is I don’t know?

I dunno either but I bet it’s not very fast, walking pace would do it I reckon.

I apologise to all the goons then. Haha. Fat bikes and plus size tyres are excluded from that comment. At 15 psi, for me that would be horrendously unstable and I’d pinch flat the tubeless tyre and dent a rim straight away.