…or just the folks that have been running tubeless for a while in training, in racing, and have seen all the stuff.
I have two newer bikes. Both wheel sets are tubeless, and I just picked up a rear disc wheel that is tubeless ready. Moving forward, am I only running tubeless…or do I have a good reason remaining to run a tube/tire? (I should carry a spare tube in a race setting in the event of catastrophic failure…yes?) I’m not super motivated to set up the disc wheel tubeless…and truth be told, I’m not super psyched about ordering a fresh Conti GP5000 S TR tire, where I could potentially hurt myself getting the damn tire on the rim. Would a different tire brand help ease the pain/anxiety. Preach…
I’d rather have a tire, that is hard to put on, than one that is easy to roll-off once deflated.
I’d carry a tubeless plug tool as well, not only a spare tube.
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I use clincher tires with latex tubes.
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I was in your shoes 5-6 years ago. Changed all wheels to tubeless and never go back. I don’t even carry a spare tube with me any longer. Just some plugs but in the last 5 hears only one tire that ‘flatted’ but I only found out when I was home because I found some sealant at the down tube.
Jeroen
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Hmm, after running tubeless on MTB since 2012, I finally went tubeless on the road 18 months ago, and on the TT more recently. My experiences not as positive as Jerome re flats, initially I had some punctures/issues that did leave me needing to call a ride. One was when I damaged the crew tip of the valve, so a new tube was the only solution but of course I had gone with the ‘no tube’ thinking. I also had a puncture that initially sealed, but then the plug worked loose (twice). In that case I think it was just unlucky I had a tyre killing puncture 2nd or 3rd ride. In fairness in the past I’ve had the same running tubed, so can happen. Just here I relied on ‘get me home’ remedy to be a permanent fix.
However, I’m now in a place that I am ‘all in’ tubeless, but do have dynaplug kits on both bikes, and also carry a spare tube. And with that I feel just as confident as when I was riding tubed when I would carry 2/3 tubes. And I have evidence of punctures on a ride that self sealed and I only know from inspecting tyres once home.
What I don’t like is that it disincentivizes me to change tyres from training to racing, and so I am just on GP5000s on both bikes all the time. Before I’d run Rubino/Roubaix for training and Corsas for racing. I even have some race tyres still sitting waiting to go on. Will use once I have an A race, but for B races too much hassle.
That said the latest GP5000s TR was not as bad to fit as some non tubeless tyres of the past. Not super easy, but once you realise you do need to push it into the centre ‘dip’ on the opposite side and ease it around then not finger/lever breaking bad.
My ‘mistake’ was not putting enough research/thought into the tools/sealant before I started. I was focussed on wheels and tyres. So if I was to offer advice from my experience, then get set up with dynaplugs, good sealant (I tried mucoff but now back on Stans that I used for MTB), an injector syringe and a parktools core tool all before you start.
The other thing is really getting the low pressure thing into your mind. I admit I am still battling this. After 40 years of skinny tyres and 120psi running 70psi is a battle every single ride. I always find myself doing ‘just 2 more pumps’ and nudging up to 80psi as ‘they’ll drop to 70 by the end of the ride’. When I have done true 70psi (I ride a lot of rough chipseal) then it does feel better and is faster, but human nature is a hard thing to battle and this dog is adamantly resistant t learning new tricks. But the 70psi also seals better. I have one wheel that would not inflate to 80, would leak from the rim tape/valve at 80 and you could hear it as soon as you got over 70, then would hold 70 for 3-4 days. For reference I did manage to sort that in the end.
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Equally, at least in my experience, if you get a puncture at higher pressure it’s just spraying all that sealant out anyway until it gets down to 60 or whatever. I feel like the sealant seals better if you start with a lower pressure, but it just might be random chance.
In my view the only reasons to not go tubeless are sometimes it can be a pain getting a new tire to seat.
And more importantly (to me at least) is the hassle of cleaning out the old dried up sealant from your race wheels. I find I’m more willing to put perfectly good tires in the used bin and put on a new set because I can’t be bothered with cleaning the old ones up before the start of the season. Which reminds me, I should probably preemptively drain out my race wheels now…
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Huge thanks to all of you who spit wisdom. Practiced a few times seating the bead, holding air and becoming comfortable with the process. Had to try a couple different valves to get the perfect seat in the rim channel. Sealant is now in with super minimal mess to clean up in the valve pocket of the wheel. Holding pressure. I think we’re stylin and I’m feeling confident going full send into the tubeless arena!
I have never done tubeless but have been considering it
I only use the rear disc wheel a couple times a year
Do you plan on pumping up the tire occasionally even if you don’t use it?
Funny you should ask…this was one of several threads I read before getting after it. Guessing I’ll just spin it occasionally and add a little more sealant before each of my races this season.
If you just use the wheel a couple of times a year, you should really open things up and inspect the state of the sealant before riding on it. You can generally kind of get away with just dumping more sealant in, but I’ve seen plenty of examples where the sealant degrades into/combines with condensation to form a weird, greasy liquid that doesn’t seal anything anymore and dilutes new sealant to the point that it doesn’t work so well anymore either. Or it just dries up and you need to completely refill rather than just top off the sealant.
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Yes! I remove tubeless racing tires from the rim immediately following the event. The sealant (which was fresh right before the race) largely pours out and leaves only a thin latex film (easily removed with abrasion from the fingers). I clean and inspect the tires and wipe them down with armor all…this is when they get sent back to Amazon for being “incorrect size”…JUST KIDDING!
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This is the smart way to do it. I wait until a week or two before my event and spend twice as long removing the tire and cleaning out the nasty old sealant boogers. Either way, if you only use a disc a handful of times a year it’ll just have to be part of the process. It’s not so bad once you get used to it.
How do plugs work or do they with race tires? Corsa Speeds, Conti TTs etc
I actually hit up Dynaplug and asked them to break it down for me…they sent me these 2 vids:
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First, I tried the mucoff plugs, and they didn’t work on road tyres. So I’d say go dyna plug.
They are pretty simple, you ‘load’ them into the tool at home and they live ready to go. As soon as you get a puncture, then you want to push your finger over the hole (hissing/sealant visibly leaking). Then with other hand grab the tool, take off the cap and push it all the way in. Once in then you pull the tool out and the metal tip stays in the tyre, the rubber strands hang out, and the sealant will then wrap around it. I’ve never bothered cutting the ‘dangles’ off, they just wear off in the next few KM.
My mistake once was being afraid to use the ‘big’ plug, and going for the small one on a slash that then came loose. So lesson learnt there.
It is really easy once you’ve done it once. Think epi-pen. Designed to be simple, you just stab and remove.
Hijacking because I have this nagging desire to make my race wheels tubeless even though they’re clincher rims. The only difference is the the lack of the “bump” in the inside of the rim. I did it like 15y ago with Stans no-tubes but I was young and reckless.
I’m thinking of building up the interior of the rim with Gorilla Tape, putting a final surface of tubeless tape around and trying my luck. Anybody tried this?
Just for Tris, I don’t want my program to become the field’s problem in road races.
what rims are you using - I’d like to look up the profile
Just the regular Superteam’s
Why are you making a bump? Just get TLR tires and mount them up.
Also, for those interested don’t use duct tape or gorilla tape in/on your wheels. It’s a real mess to remove and absorbs the sealant a bit making it really just an overall PIA.
The best tape out there is Terravail tape. It’s not even close. I’ve tried them all. Literally all of them (including 10 or more non tubeless tire strapping tapes and various others) over the last 15 years.
I believe / assume the intent of the bump is the raise the rim bed by the sidewalls and improve chances of tire retention in the event of a boom…
I’ve been using Amazon’s MORTOP tubeless tape for my last few set ups and I can say that I’m super impressed. The stuff goes on without a crease in the finished rim bed and looks like a factory tubeless setup once done.