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are you thinking of going tubeless?

coulddobettercoulddobetter Posts: 812
edited November 2013 in MTB general
My advice is do it . Had put it off but went with Stans kit and all really easy . Not sure if it's my imagination but bike feels a lot better. Run 28 psi both ends mainly due to having road section pre trails.i can climb in higher gears and generally feel more confident. Bontrager xr4 team issue on mavic 319 went on with just a track pump .(obviously I carry tubes in camel back just in case)

Posts

  • The Northern MonkeyThe Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    Sounds like an expensive placebo to me :wink:

    I'm still in 2 minds about tubeless, mainly because I change tyres quite a bit.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • felix.londonfelix.london Posts: 4,067
    Running the same XR4's on Flows. So much grip it's insane - run 25 front and 30 rear

    Tore a side wall last week, didn't realise til today that the front tyre was really soft - must've just sealed itself when I did it. Good stuff. Will be converting the other bikes for next season
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • The Northern MonkeyThe Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    pffft... run around 18psi with my DH tubes lol... weighs a tonne though!
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • felix.londonfelix.london Posts: 4,067
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    Sounds like an expensive placebo to me :wink:

    I'm still in 2 minds about tubeless, mainly because I change tyres quite a bit.

    Yeah, if you swap tyres a fair bit I can see it being a bit of a ball ache for sure
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • coulddobettercoulddobetter Posts: 812
    Can't see any reason to swap these tyres. Also I am an old duffer of 50 plus and trust me I was riding a hell of a lot better.
  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    No.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • blinddrewblinddrew Posts: 317
    Went tubeless a few years ago and haven't (knowingly) punctured since, used to get a lot of pinch flats. Run the tyres nice and soft and wouldn't go back to tubes.
    Music, beer, sport, repeat...
  • PenylopePenylope Posts: 320
    Thought about it, did it, still not convinced.
    was getting lots of pinch flats so switched to stans rims and Conti MK2 tires. Pigs ear of a game getting them seated (although that could have been me!).
    Running at the same presure as i did tube (about 30-35psi) and the tire kept folding over during hard cornering, so runing a bit harder now, which kind of defeats the object!
    MTB's, SC Blur LTc & Cotic Soul (26" definitely aint dead!).
    Other, Genesis Croix De Fer
  • PenylopePenylope Posts: 320
    re: Above post...

    how the fark do you get a pinch puncture with tubeless?!
    dropped a flight of stairs last night on a spin round town, ppfffsssssttt! flat tire :roll:
    Did not seal, so had to take the wheel out and gyrate wildly to get the sealant around the hole. managed to get air to stay in it but its just adding to the black marks against it.

    Tubes are on standby, losing my faith with it now......
    MTB's, SC Blur LTc & Cotic Soul (26" definitely aint dead!).
    Other, Genesis Croix De Fer
  • frankspencer1979frankspencer1979 Posts: 525
    Penylope wrote:
    Thought about it, did it, still not convinced.
    was getting lots of pinch flats so switched to stans rims and Conti MK2 tires. Pigs ear of a game getting them seated (although that could have been me!).
    Running at the same presure as i did tube (about 30-35psi) and the tire kept folding over during hard cornering, so runing a bit harder now, which kind of defeats the object!

    I tried to fit Conti Rubber Queen Protection to my Stans rims, can't get them to inflate at all, had to go back to tubes.
  • NorthwindNorthwind Posts: 14,675
    Penylope wrote:
    dropped a flight of stairs last night on a spin round town, ppfffsssssttt! flat tire :roll:

    Course, you'd have flatted with tubes as well, so black marks = none.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • blinddrewblinddrew Posts: 317
    Penylope wrote:
    re: Above post...
    how the fark do you get a pinch puncture with tubeless?!

    This a reference to my post? If so I meant that I used to get a lot of snakebites before I went tubeless. Not a thing since, Conti race kings at about 30psi in the front and 38 at the back (i'm a bit heavier than the average rider). Fitting them to a set of crossmax STs was easy as pie, inflated with a track pump.
    Music, beer, sport, repeat...
  • kajjalkajjal Posts: 3,380
    blinddrew wrote:
    Penylope wrote:
    re: Above post...
    how the fark do you get a pinch puncture with tubeless?!

    This a reference to my post? If so I meant that I used to get a lot of snakebites before I went tubeless. Not a thing since, Conti race kings at about 30psi in the front and 38 at the back (i'm a bit heavier than the average rider). Fitting them to a set of crossmax STs was easy as pie, inflated with a track pump.

    It can be very good if you don't get many punctures , which tends to suit mountain bikes. On road bikes it can be a pain due the relative frailty of the tyres and their higher pressures.
  • PenylopePenylope Posts: 320
    blinddrew wrote:
    Penylope wrote:
    re: Above post...
    how the fark do you get a pinch puncture with tubeless?!

    This a reference to my post? If so I meant that I used to get a lot of snakebites before I went tubeless. Not a thing since, Conti race kings at about 30psi in the front and 38 at the back (i'm a bit heavier than the average rider). Fitting them to a set of crossmax STs was easy as pie, inflated with a track pump.

    Sorry, my bad! nope, it was a reference to MY above post (as in the one just above where that one went). I had a pinch puncture when I came down the flight of steps and I already switched to tubeless.

    Yep, I could quite easily have pinched a tube just as much as with tubeless, but I would expect that. I was under the impression pinch punctures were a thing of the past with tubeless, which was one of the main reasons I changed.
    MTB's, SC Blur LTc & Cotic Soul (26" definitely aint dead!).
    Other, Genesis Croix De Fer
  • njee20njee20 Posts: 9,613
    It can be very good if you don't get many punctures , which tends to suit mountain bikes. On road bikes it can be a pain due the relative frailty of the tyres and their higher pressures.

    Surely it's at its best if you get a lot of punctures, as it can mitigate them... I remain unconvinced on the road, although the push from the likes of Bontrager may make it a more viable solution.

    I've run tubeless for 12 years now, gone back to tubes once or twice, but always regretted it. Used to swap tyres all the time and just had a range of tyres I knew would go up with a track pump, ironically it was easier before it became more common - once tubeless ready tyres came along things got more complicated! Older Schwables worked fantastically, new ones less so!
  • edninoednino Posts: 684
    frankspencer1979 wrote:
    Penylope wrote:
    Thought about it, did it, still not convinced.
    was getting lots of pinch flats so switched to stans rims and Conti MK2 tires. Pigs ear of a game getting them seated (although that could have been me!).
    Running at the same presure as i did tube (about 30-35psi) and the tire kept folding over during hard cornering, so runing a bit harder now, which kind of defeats the object!

    I tried to fit Conti Rubber Queen Protection to my Stans rims, can't get them to inflate at all, had to go back to tubes.

    Im on X-king protection with stans rims. Easy as pie to get on & inflate and they feel great at 25psi
  • roger_merrimanroger_merriman Posts: 6,161
    njee20 wrote:
    It can be very good if you don't get many punctures , which tends to suit mountain bikes. On road bikes it can be a pain due the relative frailty of the tyres and their higher pressures.

    Surely it's at its best if you get a lot of punctures, as it can mitigate them... I remain unconvinced on the road, although the push from the likes of Bontrager may make it a more viable solution.

    I've run tubeless for 12 years now, gone back to tubes once or twice, but always regretted it. Used to swap tyres all the time and just had a range of tyres I knew would go up with a track pump, ironically it was easier before it became more common - once tubeless ready tyres came along things got more complicated! Older Schwables worked fantastically, new ones less so!

    That really is the point for myself I rarely get punctures, be that pinch or thorns etc, so the pressure to move from tubes isn't there.....
  • njee20njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Saves weight and gives you more grip. The puncture benefits are tertiary to me personally, as like you I never really had problems before.
  • step83step83 Posts: 4,162
    frankspencer1979 wrote:
    Penylope wrote:
    Thought about it, did it, still not convinced.
    was getting lots of pinch flats so switched to stans rims and Conti MK2 tires. Pigs ear of a game getting them seated (although that could have been me!).
    Running at the same presure as i did tube (about 30-35psi) and the tire kept folding over during hard cornering, so runing a bit harder now, which kind of defeats the object!

    I tried to fit Conti Rubber Queen Protection to my Stans rims, can't get them to inflate at all, had to go back to tubes.

    Had the same issue with mine would not seal for love nor money ended up lobbing a light tube one instead.
    Titanium Px Spitfire
    Easty commuter
    Tripster AT
  • WindyGWindyG Posts: 1,099
    Only time I've ever had a flat on the MTB was on the road, I went tubeless to save weight and the grip increase.
    I think rider weight does have an impact on chances of punctures though.
    Giant Anthem X3
    Scott Aspect 10
    Schwinn Fastback Comp
    Cube Reaction GTC SL
  • Kowalski675Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    Light rider here. No punctures so far, touch wood. (I still keep two spare tubes and a puncture repair kit in my hydration pack though).
  • edninoednino Posts: 684
    1,600 miles done this year. Not had a puncture yet (touch wood)
  • NorthwindNorthwind Posts: 14,675
    Haha, what's that I hear from ednino's bike now, hissssss...
    Uncompromising extremist
  • Kowalski675Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    Mine too now, probably - famous last words, lol...
  • shindigshindig Posts: 173
    Just converted my cotic soul to tubeless. Mavix 719 rims, stans rim strip, Botranger XR4 team issue. I ran Panaracer Fire XC pro 2.1s on my hard tail for the last 7 years.The XR4 is significantly better than the Panaracers and my Nobby Nic's or Hands Dampf that I have on my full sus bikes. I love the NN, but its not so good now in the mud and wet leaves.

    The XR4 were by far the easiest to go on and seal. I have a compressor so it helps. I had to buy one as I could not get the HD's to inflate on my Mavic EN 521 rims using the track pump.

    I weight approx 75 kilos kitted up and run all my tyres at 23psi. I would not go back to tubes now.

    I may put XR4s on my Nickel now for the winter.
    Nothing ventured, nothing gained. http://doricdiversions.com
    https://www.facebook.com/DoricDiversions/
  • WindyGWindyG Posts: 1,099
    Having a compressor does help, I just blow my up until I get that bang from the bead seating, let them back down, remove valve core & chuck in some stans, core back in blow back up swirl the stans around and bounce the wheel a few times, job done.
    Giant Anthem X3
    Scott Aspect 10
    Schwinn Fastback Comp
    Cube Reaction GTC SL
  • BigmitchBigmitch Posts: 65
    I run tubeless on the mtb and road it's the dogs and easy to do pop the tyre on the rim pop some Stan's fluid in and pump up with co2 pump and have a quick ride around the block check pressures sorted :arrow:
  • snoopsmydoggsnoopsmydogg Posts: 1,110
    After getting a pinch flat and breaking my tyre levers on my 819 rims I decided to finally bite the bullet and go tubeless. Using the same tyres (conti speed kings) I didn't really notice a difference but my strava times say otherwise.

    They were a censored to seat but a trip to my local supermarkets air compressor soon sorted that. Running at lower pressures (about 20psi less) they seem to roll better although that could be placebo but my first trip to hamsterley in a couple of months and my first ride since my car accident gave me about 18 different pbs both climbing and descending.
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