Lockdown fever has struck and I took a punt on a CX bike that was advertised very locally.

It’s a 2017 Cube Cross Race SLT 2017 with Force 1 groupset.

The 1x gears and hydro discs make me feel slightly more at home, but otherwise all alien to me.

It’s taken a few days to get out on it as the front wheel bearings were shot and it took a bit of courage to finally lose patience and go at them with a socket and hammer rather than any more appropriate tools, but it was surprisingly easy in the end.

First ride out yesterday, and I managed not to trouble the NHS even though it was my first ever experience of clipless pedals.

So, main question;
Tubeless? Judging by the number of damp puncture marks on my mountain bike tyres from the local bridleways, punctures are going to be a potential issue. The previous owner had put slime tubes in so that is the short term solution. The wheels are Fulcrum Racing Sport DB CX, which are not officially tubeless compatible. Am I right in thinking that going tubeless on non-tubeless wheels is a no-no in this new high psi world I find myself in?

That looks fantastic… congratulations !!!

Love the color scheme

The non-tubeless tyre on a tubeless rim is the bad combination – the bead can blow. TUbeless tyre on a non-tubeless rim can work sometimes, but depends on your appetite for bodgery.

Definitely worth going tubeless on the CX / gravel bike – more so than most other types IME as you will get a lot of punctures. But for now I’d just ride it and see – wheelset upgrade when funds allow.

You don’t typically put high psi in a cross tyre btw – not talking about racing (which is very low) but just riding around the byways I’d use something like 40psi and I’m heavy.

I’d try them tubeless, I’ve got non-tubeless tyres on tubeless rims working fine. The forces on the bead are typically actually lower than on an MTB because you’ll only be using 35-40psi (which is what MTB tyres are probably designed for and are much wider).

If you want to make life easy, get some 30mm backing rod and put it in the tyre before inflating it tubeless. Weighs next to nothing, but holds the beads in place perfectly even when flat.

I personally wouldn’t invest a lot on tubeless as those wheels have a very poor rep for hub reliability, especially the rear. I have them and in fairness the front had been fine after a bearing swap (used all winter with a tube and only one puncture) but the rear has been reported on here as being quite poor, mine has remained in the shed as an as yet unused emergency wheel.

Builders band gate repair? Bodge-it…

Nice colour of bike.

I’ve seen this bike in the flesh (mate of mine is a cube dealer)
It’s stunning, pictures don’t really do it justice.
Good choice.
Edit: not this actual one, but the same model.

Good choice. My CX bike is also my road bike. I think wight a decent set of wheels & tyres on it, I would be as quick as on my old S-Works Tarmac 🙂

As for tubeless on a CX bike, absolutely. Judging by the odd CX race I do, they still consider it voodoo witchcraft & like to glue tyres to wheels. Weird.

For me, the amount of punctures on skinny wheels & flimsy tyres makes it a total no brainer. if you’re off road, don’t put road pressures in them!

Thanks all. Think I am running about 55 psi so will defiantly investigate lower pressures.

Plan now is to ride it for a bit and see what the priorities are, whether that be investing money in going tubeless with/without new wheels, or depending how I get on when I take it to some hills, it might turn out that a wider range cassette than the current 11-36 might be higher priority (which would require swapping the free hub and mech to a longer cage).

Builders band gate repair? Bodge-it…

The ester egg in that pic were meant to be the huuuuge dirt jumps behind the gate which I stumbled upon.

It’s stunning, pictures don’t really do it justice.

Yes, photos really don’t bring out the insane colour.