Look Mum, no tubes

desweller

lost_in_thought wrote:

*I really shouldn't admit that I have these stupid thoughts. Lowers my credibility.

I shouldn't worry. You have a Spitfire. Your daft thought credibility tolerance is a lot higher than most.

asprilla

OK, I finally got my backside into gear. The sealant arrived and I had a few hours to spare so I finally go the tyres / wheels on!

Things worth noting; brushing the sides of the tyres with soapy water between mounting them and inflating them is very important. It lubricates proceedings and it also helps you identify there the air is leaking out. If you see any bubbles then just give the tyre a squeeze and then slosh the sealant around that part of the tyre.

I inflrated the tyres to about 140psi and left them overnight to make sure they were holding pressure. Next day they were fine and so they went on. My assessment of them is completely subjective and will also be colours by the fact that I changed the front brake, lowered my saddle a bit and fitted my Garmin 310xt quick release (so my computer is on the stem, not on my wrist). Tyres, for the journey in, were at 95psi.

As a reminder I was previously on GP4000S' (110psi) and Roval Pave wheels which are apparently used for cyclocross.

First impression; bloody hell. The future is here and it's excellent.

The Fulcrum Racing 1 is a stiff wheel and coupled with an alu Cervelo S1 which currently has an alu seat post I should have been walking like John Wayne when I got off the bike. This morning though was like floating on a mattress suffed with Unicorn hair. I actually found myself looking for bits of rough road.

Grip is also excellent. There are a couple of tight corners on my ride which fult more confident in taking quicker and fighter than I usually do. I also felt much more donfident honking away from the lights are a TLGP; the S1 can be a bit twitchy but this morning it felt much more compliant and assured.

Finally, my average speed to work is around 28kph. This morning it was 30.8kph. I do feel though, that this was a result of me having the computer on my stem instead of my wrist so I could see it urging me on all the time. On a side note the quick release for the Garmin 310xt is absolutely excellent.

There will now be an opportunity for questions from the floor.

fenboy369

An mtbers slant on things...

I run Conti Rubber Queens, 2.4 on my Spesh (as said above). My views on the tyre are that the side walls are stronger and heavier and the beads are slightly beefier, apart from that they seem like standard tyres.
I have run them with Bontrager and Stans sealant. The Stans is latex, the Bonty is something else, I have found no difference in how they work. Both have had the same sort of run times, mostly on the same bits of trail. I have also used normal tyres and tubes during the same time.

Tubless = zero unscheduled deflations, tubes = three.

Now I dont know if this is down to the thicker side walls/stronger construction or the sealant. I have picked thorns out, and I thought I heard a little hiss, but cant be sure, it was covered in poo (not literally) at the time.
I can run the Conti RQ's at about 22-24 psi, and get more grip than a ghecko walking through super glue. The standard tyres (Conti Mountain Kings) I run at 32-34 psi to stop snake bites, but they are a lighter tyre and are really quick.

I have seen people about who run standard tyres with Stans Sealant. The sealant fills the 'gaps' in the side walls as if they were p*n*t*r*s. That didnt work with my Mountain Kings and Bontrager sealant, but that doesnt have the same sort of rubber bits in that the Stans has. Need to give that a go.....

bails87

Fenboy, I found the same with Bonty sealant and Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, it didn't seem to do much sealing! The Stans stuff worked well though.

Unfortunately I've had a couple of pinches which have gone right through the tyre, leaving a hole which has just spat out the sealant without sealing. This was a result of hitting rocks very badly (landing from a bunnyhop at 25mph+ on the narrow, pointy side of a rock that formed part of a drainage ditch cut into a trail) so I don't know if you'd manage to do the same on a road bike.

I would have had a puncture* on tubed tyres obviously, but it would have just meant replacing the tube. This resulted in me and the bike covered in sealant from when it sprayed out of the tyre. I then had to pour/scoop out the rest of the sealant on the side of the trail so that I could take out the rimstrip and replace it with a tube.

When I inflated the tube, it was instantly punctured by the thorns that had gone through the tyre, but had been sealed. So I had to take the tube out and repair all those, then check the tyre, before carrying on.

So it might mean you get less punctures, but when you do, it'll probably be a lot more hassle to sort out.

I'm now using tubeless on the front and a tube on the rear (after giving up on trying to get the rear to seat and inflate) and I haven't had any punctures (touch wood) on either tyre.

Nice when it works, but an absolute PITA when it doesn't!

*Sorry, am I not meant to say that word over here?!

holybinch

Mmm, that sounds very very promising.
Now let's wait for my Rubino pro to give up and I might get convinced to try tubeless on the zondas.

asprilla

Will be interesting to see how the tyres cope with damp roads on the way home.

LazyBoycp

Canny Jock wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

It was a lot easier than a standard clincher because there were no pinch flats to worry about. I've put on Schwalbe Marathon Plus before and it was no harder than that.

So, virtually impossible then

Aaaaargh! Have got a set of Dura Ace 7850 SL wheels and have been trying to fit Fusion 3s to them but just can't do it! :x I thought I had reasonably strong hands/thumbs, but even after soaping the tyre beads I can't get the last bits on. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to do it? Asprilla, you mention a 3 tyre lever method - how do you use 3 at once?!

asprilla

LazyBoycp wrote:

Canny Jock wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

It was a lot easier than a standard clincher because there were no pinch flats to worry about. I've put on Schwalbe Marathon Plus before and it was no harder than that.

So, virtually impossible then

Aaaaargh! Have got a set of Dura Ace 7850 SL wheels and have been trying to fit Fusion 3s to them but just can't do it! :x I thought I had reasonably strong hands/thumbs, but even after soaping the tyre beads I can't get the last bits on. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to do it? Asprilla, you mention a 3 tyre lever method - how do you use 3 at once?!

It's probably easier to do than to explain, but here goes.

When you just need to do the very last bit of the tyre you put the wheel on the ground with the gap facing upwards. You need a tyre lever in each end of the gap and you kneel on one and hold the other with your hand. With your spare hand you take the third lever and pry the remaining tyre over the rim.

Doesn't look cool, but it's very quick and easy.

In other news, no response from Jim Walker (via East Street Cycles) so I guess I'm looking at 6 weeks for a replacement rim. Sad face.

LazyBoycp

Asprilla wrote:

LazyBoycp wrote:

Canny Jock wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

It was a lot easier than a standard clincher because there were no pinch flats to worry about. I've put on Schwalbe Marathon Plus before and it was no harder than that.

So, virtually impossible then

Aaaaargh! Have got a set of Dura Ace 7850 SL wheels and have been trying to fit Fusion 3s to them but just can't do it! :x I thought I had reasonably strong hands/thumbs, but even after soaping the tyre beads I can't get the last bits on. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to do it? Asprilla, you mention a 3 tyre lever method - how do you use 3 at once?!

It's probably easier to do than to explain, but here goes.

When you just need to do the very last bit of the tyre you put the wheel on the ground with the gap facing upwards. You need a tyre lever in each end of the gap and you kneel on one and hold the other with your hand. With your spare hand you take the third lever and pry the remaining tyre over the rim.

Doesn't look cool, but it's very quick and easy.

In other news, no response from Jim Walker (via East Street Cycles) so I guess I'm looking at 6 weeks for a replacement rim. Sad face.

Ah, I get you - cheers. Will give it a go.

What do you need a replacement rim for?

asprilla

LazyBoycp wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

LazyBoycp wrote:

Canny Jock wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

It was a lot easier than a standard clincher because there were no pinch flats to worry about. I've put on Schwalbe Marathon Plus before and it was no harder than that.

So, virtually impossible then

Aaaaargh! Have got a set of Dura Ace 7850 SL wheels and have been trying to fit Fusion 3s to them but just can't do it! :x I thought I had reasonably strong hands/thumbs, but even after soaping the tyre beads I can't get the last bits on. Does anyone have any recommendations on how to do it? Asprilla, you mention a 3 tyre lever method - how do you use 3 at once?!

It's probably easier to do than to explain, but here goes.

When you just need to do the very last bit of the tyre you put the wheel on the ground with the gap facing upwards. You need a tyre lever in each end of the gap and you kneel on one and hold the other with your hand. With your spare hand you take the third lever and pry the remaining tyre over the rim.

Doesn't look cool, but it's very quick and easy.

In other news, no response from Jim Walker (via East Street Cycles) so I guess I'm looking at 6 weeks for a replacement rim. Sad face.

Ah, I get you - cheers. Will give it a go.

What do you need a replacement rim for?

I had a disagreement with a cobblestone:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12718221

LazyBoycp

Woo, they're fitted now! Thanks very much for the tip (though to be honest I think it was more that I just used tyre levers - had been using only my puny thumbs previously ). Will try them out tomorrow if they're keeping pressure well.

Commiserations about the rim - hope you get it shipped now rather than in 6 weeks time!

AllTheGear

I have a question Asprilla.... Doesn't the latex dry out after a few months? What if it takes you a couple of years to get through a tire? If you keep refilling with 50g of latex you will end up with a very thick or solid tyre by the time it's done?

asprilla

You can wash or peel the latex out.