Hi all,

Just getting into CX, most people seem to be running tubs - however as a uni student I definitely can't afford them. Using a Stans road wheel set with tubeless tape/valve etc - is it hard to convert normal cx tyres to tubeless, and if so - are they a good alternative? I ask because there doesn't seem to be any advertised 'tubeless ready' cx tyres anywhere.

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Norwood & Adelaide Uni CC

Hutchinson have the Bulldog and Piranha which are tubeless ready.

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"Step forward the climber and all those who worship at the altar of lightness" - R. Millar

I ran the Piranhas with Stans for a couple of seasons and never flatted, but those tires sucked in sloppy conditions, so I had a second set of wheels with mud tires on hand. That might be tough if you're on a budget. The Piranhas are also on the wide side for a CX tire and, oddly, I found they gave a pretty rough ride. I've been much happier running Stan's in tubes with Michelin Mud 2 tires. Much more supple ride, better handling, and still no flats...not exactly a WW solution, though.

You can run most tires tubeless not just a tubeless specific one. New tires are much easier to make tubeless then older tires, just to many little holes in a old tire to try and seal up. I would use the rubber rim strip and valve stem over the yellow tape and valve stem to take up more space in the rim, so you have less chance of the tire burping.

Put stans yellow tape and a valve in and make any tire tubeless. I am going to be making all kinds of tires tubeless this season. None will probably be tubeless ready tires.

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Trek Warranty Rep.

DO NOT USE STANDARD TIRES AS TUBELESS !!! ..... I was killing myself ...

Please elaborate...

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Trek Warranty Rep.

The whole point of running tubular is to run super low pressures without pinch flatting, like you would if you ran low with clinchers.

The problem with tubeless is that when you try to run pressures similar to tubular, you now run the risk of burping the tires - meaning the tires flex so much you loose the seal at the bead - essentially flatting.

So, run low pressure with tubular and reap the benefits - at a cost.

Run low pressure with tubeless or clincher - run the risk of pinching or burping.

Personally, I've run as low as 34psi with 34c clinchers on a very rough course with no pinch flats (160lbs). Luck? Probably.

Needless to say I'm going tubular next year.

I ran non tubless cx 34mm tires all season with no burping issues at around 30psi. I run non tubeless tires on my mtb as well at 30psi with no issues.

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Trek Warranty Rep.

I feel like you guys are suggesting to go without helmet to save weight here !

I ran non tubeless tires on my mtb for a couple of years (for training a racing), then one day something went wrong, I didn't kill myself by miracle !!!
It's a security risk that I will not take again and will not suggest to take anyway.

I strongly recommend to keep using tires as they are designed and tested for !

Something could just as easily go wrong with a tubeless tire. I have seen it happen.

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Trek Warranty Rep.

There is always a risk in everything we do and shit can happen anyway, but that's a different thing than looking for troubles on purpose

Could you be a little less vague, please?

What happened?

How is running tubeless more dangerous than with tubes?

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"Nothing compares to the simple pleasures of a bike ride," said John F. Kennedy, a man who had the pleasure of Marilyn Monroe.

He said running NON-tubeless tires, but set up tubeless.....

I converted non UST RacingRalph and RocketRon to tubeless, using 20" inner tube as a rim strip/valve combo and Stans latex, with no probs. Rim was regular alu rim.
Now I´m thinking of using Conti CX Speed with yellow tape and Stans latex on carbon rim. Any experiences on this combo?

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"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"
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