Tubeless - weight and hassle?

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

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TimF
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Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 11:18 pm

by TimF

Just wondering with tubeless if it's worth bothering with. I use my road bike mainly and the MTB every so often. I believe this stuff dries out, so how long until you've got a wheel that's getting as heavy as a tube?

Is the performance of it worthwhile, I mean in terms of feel etc.?
For info I would typically ride on road for a while before going offroad.

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73Bronco
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by 73Bronco

I don't have any insightx but rather have the same question as you.

Subscribed.

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TheRich
Posts: 1037
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:36 am

by TheRich

The sealant only lasts around three months, probably less if not ridden regularly. It doesn't seem like more work than tubes, it's just all concentrated on the setup/install process, then you just add air/sealant until the tire wears out.

There is a slight difference in feel, but it's mostly for puncture protection. A 29er tube weighs ~200g, a typical load of sealant is 85g (3oz), btw.

scant
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2004 2:05 pm
Location: S.Wales UK

by scant

the pros of tubeless vastly outweigh the cons. the sealant clogs most thorn type punctures without ever having to stop. yes the installation is a little more involved, but its more than worth it. where I live & ride its very rocky, snake bite/ impact punctures used to be common place, now I never get them.
you can also run less tyre pressure, so theres more comfort & grip

simoncx
Posts: 223
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:27 am

by simoncx

The first time setting up tubeless takes alittle more time but once you have done it a few times it's easy. I'll usually add sealent around 2-3 months depending how warm it is with a stans syringe. Even if it does dry up in the tire you can remove one side of the bead and cleanup the inside of the tire once a year and you should be fine.

AJS914
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by AJS914

If you live in a thornless area and you hardly ride your MTB, it may not be worth going tubeless. I used to live in a thornless area and I would never get flats on my MTB. Now I live in New Mexico where we have goat heads and mesquite thorns. Tubeless is mandatory.

Going tubeless means learning a new set of skills both on the install side but also on the road side repair side.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

I am struggling to understand why the question is being asked. Try taking your car to your tyre fitter and ask them to put tubes in because you don't think this tubeless lark is worth the hassle.

If you don't try you'll never know. Hint lower pressures mean lower rolling resistance off road.you can also run inserts like PTN to transform the handling and control over the tough stuff. Its night and day difference.

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LeDuke
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Location: Front Range, CO

by LeDuke

bm0p700f wrote:I am struggling to understand why the question is being asked. Try taking your car to your tyre fitter and ask them to put tubes in because you don't think this tubeless lark is worth the hassle.

If you don't try you'll never know. Hint lower pressures mean lower rolling resistance off road.you can also run inserts like PTN to transform the handling and control over the tough stuff. Its night and day difference.
An insert plus even lower pressure than normal tubeless converts an XC tire to an amazingly grippy yet fast ride.

I was a holdout, but there’s a reason XCO WC racers are adding weight to their bikes.


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AJS914
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by AJS914

Do those inserts make low pressure tires feel less, not sure of the word, floppy? On my FS MTB, if I don't put 35psi the tires feel like they are squirming all over the place. Being a roadie at heart, I hate the sloppy feeling on tires so I tend to run higher pressures than I probably should.

TheRich
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2019 1:36 am

by TheRich

AJS914 wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:57 am
Do those inserts make low pressure tires feel less, not sure of the word, floppy? On my FS MTB, if I don't put 35psi the tires feel like they are squirming all over the place. Being a roadie at heart, I hate the sloppy feeling on tires so I tend to run higher pressures than I probably should.
The tires aren't squirming themselves, they're squirming on the dirt because you're running too much pressure.

AJS914
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by AJS914

They feel squirmy when I run lower pressure, like 25psi.

TheRich
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by TheRich

AJS914 wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:24 am
They feel squirmy when I run lower pressure, like 25psi.
Unless you're a heavyweight or racing dual slalom, that shoudn't be happening. If I don't have to worry about pinch flats, I ran run 27-28 in the rear tire on my 27.5 wheel'd enduro bike and ride it HARD without issue.

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LeDuke
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Location: Front Range, CO

by LeDuke

AJS914 wrote:Do those inserts make low pressure tires feel less, not sure of the word, floppy? On my FS MTB, if I don't put 35psi the tires feel like they are squirming all over the place. Being a roadie at heart, I hate the sloppy feeling on tires so I tend to run higher pressures than I probably should.
I’m 143lbs/65kg, “pro” XC racer, riding an FS 29er and without inserts my front tire never exceeds 20psi.

Unless you are massive, you are running way, way too much air.


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nickf
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by nickf

23psi rear and 21spi front on a set of 2.25 tires, I weigh 78kg. No squirming whatsoever.

I have been testing finish line sealant by multi seal with great success. Doesn't dry out like stans. I'll spin the tires on the bike when I jump in my car so it's not just sitting for weeks at the bottom of the tires.

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mattr
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Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

I rarely top 25psi at 80+ kilos and can travel fairly quick if gravity is with me. (Used to be able to do it against gravity too, but those days are long behind me.)
Lowest i run is about 15psi (2.4" tyres though, on a "crash through the scenery" type bike.) XC weight tyres will be from 18-25 psi.

One thing that may cause squirming at even quite high pressures is running big tyres on narrow rims. Usually bloody mavics ;)

And FWIW the max pressures for some tubeless rim/tyre combinations is as low as mid 30s psi.........

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