I’ve decided to bite the bullet and get a nice set of aero wheels (likely HED jet6+ based on so much love for it on ST and the current price point)
I really dont know if tubeless is right for me. I tried to read the tubeless/wheel super thread but it was a bit much to get through, so hoping to get some input on my specifics.
Details:
I’m not a great mechanic, so I plan to use my friend who is a good wrench to set up the tubeless and help every 6 months or so to check/reset.
I’d only use them for a handful of training rides and a few races per year.
Likely to get GP 4K, Conti GP 5K or Corsa speeds.
Cervelo p2 (rim)
Does it make sense for me to try tubeless?
-if i dont like it, have trouble, i can just go back to using them as clinchers.
Carry a tube for races in case of a flat? Training rides? (I assume so, but wondering if some live on the edge and dont)
tire/rim combination can make it IMPOSSIBLE to reseat tire while on the side of the road.
sealant needs to be changed every six months or removed in the winter if your bike sits like mine.
need to carry/use tire plugs for big punctures
tires cost more
if you need to change tires frequently it’s a pain in the ass
need to use the tires frequently or the sealant dries out.
I rode some pretty gnarly terrain with my tubeless that may not have been rideable without a pinch flat tube.
However, I flatted twice with tubeless where it didn’t seal and could NOT reseat the tire on the side of the road. My jersey and hands covered in sealant was an awful mess.
I have since gone back to latex tubes for the road riding. Anything 28C or less is not worth it in my opinion.
For gravel I put on the tires in the spring with fresh sealant, and remove them in the fall when the snow flies.
Big tires are easy to mount and remove. Narrow tires are not.
I’ve read that sometimes the sealant fills the hole and you can finish a ride/race.
Is that true? Could a co2 get me up and running again if that happens?
Does it depend on the size of the puncture?
Do I need to replace the tire after a puncture (assume puncture size dependent)
(despite the answer being yes to a sealant fill, i’d still have a tube)
Generally the sealant will seal the hole before much air escapes so no need to stop and add more from a co2. If the hole is too large and you need to patch it, this is what I carry… https://www.amazon.com/...1693889013&psc=1
Why wouldn’t you ride the HED wheels all the time?
I’ve read that sometimes the sealant fills the hole and you can finish a ride/race.
Is that true? Could a co2 get me up and running again if that happens?
Yes, and yes. On the second yes, that’s not all cases, but “very often.”
Does it depend on the size of the puncture?
Yes. Some punctures are unseal-able. Or only seal at very low pressure.
Do I need to replace the tire after a puncture (assume puncture size dependent)
Rarely. When there’s a big gash that can’t be repair by patching the inside of the tire. Or some types of sidewall slashes. Approximately the same sort of punctures that would result in trashing a normal tubed tire.
I’d only use them for a handful of training rides and a few races per year.
That alone makes it not worth your time and effort. Also consider that you have to still carry a tube and CO2 because it won’t seal every time.
Add in the fact that changing to a tube after you have used sealant is a sticky and time consuming effort (no something I would want to do in a race) and I wouldn’t consider it.
most have done a good job of answering your questions but i would add a couple things.
i would recommend either the Conti 5K or the Scwhalbe Pro 1s. i ride the 5K but both are very durable and low rolling resistance. i was on the Corsi Speed and while they were fast, it was a pain to get on and off the rims. it you have to add a tube while on the road you might be SOL. and also, they are way more “delicate”. every puncture i’ve had with the 5Ks has sealed up while riding. lost some air but always rideable. i carry that plug kit just in case and of course a spare tube. you can always add air if needed.
i was/am leaning towards just staying with clinchers, but many people really seem to like the tubeless, so i was curious.
i’m not even sure there what the real benefits of using tubeless are over clinchers. other than maybe finishing a ride without having to switch out a tube. comfort, rolling resistance, speed?
part of my reason for not using race wheels in training is that my regular riding roads are notorious for causing flats, especially on racing tires.
we all use thick tires for training which helps a lot, but is not a guarantee.
no one that i ride with is/has been willing to switch from the comfort/knowledge of clinchers.
there seem to be a lot of people who really like the tubeless and dont often get total blowout when riding them.
however, the consensus seems to be it sucks REAL bad when that happens, but maybe doesn’t happen a lot.
i am a little hesitant to use a racing tire on these roads but was thinking about trying and if i got a total blowout and didnt want the hassle of dealing with the sealant and trying to get a tube in, i am never all that far from home and could easily be picked up by my loving supportive albeit sometimes annoyed spouse.
Latex Tubes and 25c Michelin Power Competition tires on 19mm internal rim beds. I ride a mix of urban, suburban, and country roads. One flat in 3000 miles, and it was nasty enough to waste pretty much any type of tire.
All I can say is I have ridden some fast wheel and tyre combos but after my first ride on GP5000 TL’s I was hooked and will eventually convert every set of wheel over regardless difficulties. The ride quality to me just feels next level and is obviously fast.
I’ve read that sometimes the sealant fills the hole and you can finish a ride/race.
Is that true? Could a co2 get me up and running again if that happens?
Does it depend on the size of the puncture?
Do I need to replace the tire after a puncture (assume puncture size dependent)
(despite the answer being yes to a sealant fill, i’d still have a tube)
The only problem I see with your wish list is that you won’t use the wheel enough. My response would be “ why would you spend money on nice wheels and tires and leave them in the basement?†Life is too short to ride shite wheels and tires.
I switched to 5000s on my Jet 5 and 6 rims and have used them for about 9 months. I got my first flat last week when I picked up a huge drywall screw. I stopped. Unscrewed the screw (it was pushed into the tire all the way to the screw head), held my finger over the hole for about 5 seconds and that was it. I had just started my ride, so I went home and pumped the tire up to 80 psi and rode 50 miles on it with no issues and it doesn’t lose pressure. No way a 4000 With a latex tube and sealant would have sealed
I used to use latex tubes, generally were fragile and a PITA so were for race day only. Also I found they were quite sensitive to QC issues.
Now on Bontrager TLR wheels, tires and sealant, with good luck on the crappy pavement I often have to race on (including multiple race speed square edge hits that would have flatted a tubed set-up and ended my race). So for my racing, tubeless is the way to go.
Tubeless give you an incremental rolling resistance over clinchers with latex tubes. However, with the current crop of awesome tires (like the Continental 5000), that difference is relatively minor.
Tubeless is less prone to punch flats and can self-seal some punctures.
In my case, the gains are tiny. I rarely flat, and the the performance gain is so small it did not matter.
I did tubular tires many years ago, and I did not want to go back to the mess unless it was a huge advantage.
I rode some pretty gnarly terrain with my tubeless that may not have been rideable without a pinch flat tube.
However, I flatted twice with tubeless where it didn’t seal and could NOT reseat the tire on the side of the road. My jersey and hands covered in sealant was an awful mess.
I have since gone back to latex tubes for the road riding. Anything 28C or less is not worth it in my opinion.
For gravel I put on the tires in the spring with fresh sealant, and remove them in the fall when the snow flies. Big tires are easy to mount and remove. Narrow tires are not.
That explains why I have a set of wheels with tubeless tires (25) hanging in the garage. I figured it was time to change the sealant and I simply cannot get the freaking tires off. I lost all confidence that I could mount a tube in them if I did flat, and they are collecting dust now.