I’ve been meaning to write something up in case anyone on here wanted some info on using road tubeless day to day.

I’ve been using tubeless on my mountain bikes for ages and started using it on my road bikes last year. I must admit that I was initially wary about it as I thought the higher pressures involved would make it (a) more likely for the tyre to pop off the rim and (b) less easy for the punctures to seal. I was wrong on both accounts and a brief bit of internet sleuthing about bead/hook designs and the way that acceleration causes the latex to come out of solution reassured me.

So far I have run tubeless with the following:

1. Stans Alpha 400 with Schwalbe Pro One – works well and easy to get the tyre on/off.
2. Reynolds Attack with Schwalbe Pro One – works well. Easy to get the tyre on but a total bugger to get it off as the tyre bead and rim hook lock together tightly.
3. Reynolds Assault with Schwalbe Pro One – as the attacks.
4. Light bicycle RR46CO2 rims with IRC Formula Pro X guard – works extremely well one you get the tyres on which was one of the most difficult jobs I have every done!

In terms of inflation and keeping the tyres at pressure without slow loss of air over a few days I have realized just how important it is to make sure you do a good job of taping the rims (BTW – Tesa tape is cheap and works as well as the proprietary named equivalents). I have found that if you change a tyre after a while it is worth retaping the rim, or at least putting a layer or 2 of tape over whats there as the tape indents into the spoke holes and allows air leaks when you try to reinflate the tyre.

Valves – I have come to love the Milkit valves. These have a rubber flange over the end in the tyre which stops backflush of sealant, protecting the valve cores. More usefully, the valve kit has a syringe with a tube on the end allowing you to suck sealant out the tyre when you are changing tyres (so you don’t waste it) but also so you can check its still in ok condition. I am sure I could have hacked a version myself but the idea of the ‘dip tube’ and syringe is a great one. I’m taking the kids mountain biking tomorrow and genuinely missed the ability to check the condition of the sealant (valves not yet changed to the Milkit ones, but I will)

Repair kits – the anchovy fillet kits work really well. The ones that come with the weldtite kit are however massively chunky for road tyres and I now carry those and some thinner ones (eg. Genuine innovations or maxalami). I’ve completely given up carrying a spare inner tube now (in part because getting tyres off the tubeless rim can be a complete beast of a job – and BTW much as I love Pedros tyre levers, the Schwalbe ones work much better for me on tubeless tyres). That said I have discovered that the anchovy fillets can rub on frames where tyre clearances are tight. Case in point – race bike is a Cervelo S3 and a rear tyre repair caused the fillet to rub on the frame as the wheel spun. This is not the case with my other bike.

Has the tubeless worked? Yes – both commuting and racing. I’ve ended races with bit of the bike covered in latex sealant and with still inflated tyres so it clearly does the job. Similarly for commuting and it’s the latter, particularly in winter, where I have been particularly thankful! Sealants I have used with success on the road – Stans, Orange Peel Endurance and Schwalbe Doc Blue.

I’m still playing with pressures in the tyres – I weigh 75kg and am currently running 85-90 psi but think I could happily go lower. The only reason I haven’t is that I have an irrational worry that I’d damage my rims ….

I think that’s it. HTH.

Thanks for the write up. I’m considering changing to tubeless when my gp4000s wear out. Useful to hear real experiences

Love tubeless, never going back.

Just to add, i’ve used vittoria voyager (35c) with superstar arc 31 wheels, i dont think either are for tubless.

Put quite a few layers of duck tape on the rim some cheap valves off ebay and they have stayed up. I’ll admit it was the hardest set of tyres ive had to get to seat but once up have held 60 psi easily and had no problems.

Am starting to think that with enough tape and sealent any combo would work but some might be pushing your luck.

Edit: just to add am planning on the commuter to run big apples on arch mk3 cause i’m fed up with punchers in the tubes. That will be all bikes tubless.

I’m running tubeless on 3 sets of road wheels used on two bikes. Schwalbe Pro ones on my third set no issues. As mentioned rim taping is key 🙂

Run 65-75 psi no bother I’m around 68kgs

Schwalbe S Ones on Pacenti SL25’s with Joes sealant. 18 months before swapping them round end to end. No sealant top up but still liquid. Several known punctures, all with minimal pressure loss. Intend to do the other bikes as well.

Been road tubeless for years.

Schwalbe ones are great, if you want top performance these are the ones, but I do find they do nick a bit to easily.

I have been using Maxxis Padrone tyres have to say I am really impressed with them, they wear v well less nick, but ride quick and nick.

Oh and infidel you need to lower you pressures! I am 20+kg more and run 70-75psi Thou I am on 28cc
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I will. I know I ought to!! I’m running 25c on the Cervelo with Reynolds Assaults and 28c on a Trek Domane SLR with the light bicycle rims. As I said I’m being irrational!!!

I’ve been on road tubeless for years now.  First up was with CXP22 rims and Hutchinson fusion 2 23mm tyres.

Then onto Fulcrum 2 way wheels, some dt Swiss carbon, now Roval CLX50s.

Tyres I’ve tried the Fusions, Bontrager R3, Schwalbe Pro one and Hutchinson Sectors.

the best for me are the Sectors. You can get them onto and off the rim easily, inflate easily, and grip better in all round conditions than the Schwalbe, which I found to be poor in the winter.

I have been using road tublesss for about three years and totally agree with your comments about the Milkit valves, tried some this year and was surprised at how much easier they made everything.   Now slowly upgrading all the family’s bike onto the same valves.

I have found that punctures don’t seal as well with road tubeless compared to mtb.   I have had to fit a tube twice to get home, when sealant hasn’t sealed the hole properly.   Also got home a few times with sealant having worked, so overall very much sold on tubeless on the road.

Mavic wheels here, so no taping needed. Apart from when I damaged one and had to use some tape, which has held up well. Over the years have used Hutchinson tubeless tyres (Fusion?), Schwable G-Ones, S-ones and now got some Specialized Rubaix 2Bliss. The Spesh have been easiest to fit and feel the best to ride on.

Mavics sealant is very good, but pricey, so have been running Stans which has sealed every hole I’ve had (4 or 5 probably).

Couldn’t go back to tubes for the commute, the days of sitting by the side of the road in the dark and rain sticking a new tube in (knowing the passing drivers are sneering at you!) have thankfully gone!