Tubeless

Ska1975

Hi- After riding hastle free for a few years I got my first double puncture yesterday. I made a right mess of the front tyre (turns out they don't like being turned inside out like MTB ones) and so I had a two mile walk of shame so I could dump my bike somewhere safe followed by a ten mile run home- luckily I don't ride with clip ons.

All this gave me time to think about going tubeless or carrying another innertube (I always carry one.) Looking back I would have survived with spares but as I said I knackered my tyre and it was unusable. I couldn't find the leak on the first puncture and think the tubes were old and the road conditions were shocking so I think they just gave up! Interesting the tubes seemed really lumpy- Is this normal?

Sorry this is a rambling post- so Tubeless- worth it? How much would a shop charge to get me set up and I guess you still get flats in some conditions?

Any advice would be great!

Ian

Bobbinogs

To be fair, an easier first step would be to spend a little time at home practising changing tubes. It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it (should only take about 5 mins tops). The big trick though, is that once you are well practised at home, take your time on the road. Always try and find out why you punctured before replacing the tube as a thorn, etc., can simply stay stuck in the tyre waiting for the next tube.

A good tip is, when you are warm and dry at home, fit the tyre so that the logo, etc., lines up with the valve. That way, once out on the road you can work out where on the tube you punctured (2 lateral holes is a snakebite) and then you have a quick 50/50 idea of where the issue is on the tyre/rim, etc. by lining the tube up against the tyre (valve against logo).

I haven't done tubeless but the idea is that you will probably suffer the same intrusion punctures but not snakebites, which are probably ~25-50% of the trouble.

Edit: oh, and spend a little time each week just going over your tyres to carefully pick out any embedded debris which, if left, will work its way through to the tube. I ride anything up to 8,000 miles a year and probably puncture about twice a year, although the roads around these parts don't suffer from the flint shards that some others do.

Ska1975

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19765502#p19765502]Bobbinogs[/url] wrote:

To be fair, an easier first step would be to spend a little time at home practising changing tubes. It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it (should only take about 5 mins tops). The big trick though, is that once you are well practised at home, take your time on the road. Always try and find out why you punctured before replacing the tube as a thorn, etc., can simply stay stuck in the tyre waiting for the next tube.

A good tip is, when you are warm and dry at home, fit the tyre so that the logo, etc., lines up with the valve. That way, once out on the road you can work out where on the tube you punctured (2 lateral holes is a snakebite) and then you have a quick 50/50 idea of where the issue is on the tyre/rim, etc. by lining the tube up against the tyre (valve against logo).

I haven't done tubeless but the idea is that you will probably suffer the same intrusion punctures but not snakebites, which are probably ~25-50% of the trouble.

Thanks- all really good advice. For some reason I have always been awful at fixing pictures but a I say- I am not sure this wasn't more a case of having two old tubes that were knackered by some bone crunching Wiltshire roads.

Edit: oh, and spend a little time each week just going over your tyres to carefully pick out any embedded debris which, if left, will work its way through to the tube. I ride anything up to 8,000 miles a year and probably puncture about twice a year, although the roads around these parts don't suffer from the flint shards that some others do.

Ska1975

Cheers- I've always beenuseless at fixing punctures but i sispect if I took some more time to practice I might improve.

Also is it me or are the super skinny tyres much harder to get off?

Anonymous

Yes possibly but there are few reasons remaining to ride with such tyres. 25mm are generally regarded as smoother, more comfortable, more suitable to modern, wider rims and even more aero.

I ride 23s on my winter wheels as my mudguards won't fit 25s and 23s on Sunday best because I am a stubborn git. The 25s on my dry/climbing wheels are awesome.

roger_merriman

a double puncture is fairly unlucky!

I normally take two tubes. but I use saddle bags etc.

Tubeless will seal penetration punctures, though larger rips etc will not. as long as the sealant remains.

and since there is no tube, pinch flats are unlikely. Though can get a rim to the point that it will not seal if you hit it enough, but thats normally MTBs that can get that and not terribly common even so.

I'd be wary of having a system that you can't do your self. tubless tyres tend to be tight fit.

Ska1975

Now the initial indignation at having a double punture has died down a bit looking back I can see this was a bit of a one-off and I realise now why I couldn't fix a punture- or rather why my repairs didn't work (won't be admitting that here though )

I don't think I will be going tubeless but I might look into getting a bike thats a little less aggressive- I can tell it wants to go fast but I spend the first hour of any ride feeling very jittery, especially on the downhills! The feeling when you do get some momentum is immense though.

Thanks for all the advice. Its very welcome and interesting to hear others experiences.

Cheers

Ian

kayakerchris

Tubeless tyres are not necessarily a tight fit. They can be difficult to inflate the first time as like a car tyre they have to lock onto the rim and that takes a lot of air very quickly.

They then just work. You sometimes get a little jet of sealant after a big puncture but you can get home without a problem or put some more air in and keep going. I have ridden tubeless for several years. About once a year I get a feeling mid ride that one of the tyres is a bit soft. sure enough it feels a bit soft. I keep riding until I get home and then pump it up. Never bothered to check for puncture as it has already sealed. Tyre comes off to be changed for a new tyre and that is it.