We just bought our first mountain bike with tubeless tires and we also like to race Xterras. In case of a flat, I bought a tube… but what else is smart to get? It has 27.5 x 2.6 inch tires that are pretty fat, maybe “plus size”. What size CO2 should we get and should we put sealant in the spare tube? It’s a Giant Stance 2, btw. https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/stance-2
I just carry a tube and a MTB co2, I think 21g. Would you put sealant in a spare butyl for a road bike?
If you set up the tubeless system properly the odds of getting a flat are very low. I ride in Phoenix where thorns and sharp rocks are everywhere. Before I went tubeless I used to frequently get flats. I went tubeless about 7 years ago and in that time have never had a flat. I have had some struggles getting the tubeless system working properly but once set up it works.
Plugs, “Worms”, “Anchovies”, every place has it’s own slang for these:
Personally I carry them in the form of the Sahmurai SWORD, which hides neatly in the handlebars. A lot of the punctures too big for sealant can be sealed with these - ream, stick, inflate if necessary (you can often plug quickly enough not to lose significant air!) and move on. In XC marathon racing these are considered standard equipment.
Oh yeah, I totally forgot about those. Thanks!
You can also get foam cores for MTB tires. Never used them myself but it seems like you you should be able to get something that doesn’t contact the tire (so presumably no loss in RR) but means you aren’t running on the rim if you puncture within sight of transition. Not a recommendation but it’s something I’d find out about.