Tubeless on carbon rims...

munkster
munkster Posts: 819
edited January 2017 in Road buying advice
I've an itch that may get scratched soon in the form of some Light Bicycle (or similar) carbon rims. Having gone tubeless a while back my question is whether anyone has any experience of using this sort of rim tubeless-ly? They are listed as tubeless rims but don't know if there is anything to be mindful of with a carbon rim hook?

These are the fellas I'm considering: https://www.lightbicycle.com/carbon-700 ... rface.html

Anyone done it? Anyone not done it but know any reason why it might not be a good idea? Cheers!

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    A couple of years ago I built a set of those for Asprilla who roams in the commuting section a lot... I think he did use them tubeless, but I can't be 100% sure
    left the forum March 2023
  • OJS
    OJS Posts: 130
    I used my Wheelsmiths tubeless, no issues at all.
  • src1
    src1 Posts: 301
    I'm using those exact rims with tubeless tyres and they work perfectly. I've also built a couple of pairs of LB rims for friends and feedback has all been good.
  • foot_loose
    foot_loose Posts: 72
    I have Hutchinson Sector 28mm on Hunt 38mm deep carbon rims. All bee good so far. Not had to remove a tyre yet.
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    I use tubeless on my own carbon wheelset. Got a race team next year using tubeless on carbon rims. There are only upsides.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    tubeless here (25mm Pro Ones on Light Bike rims)
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • munkster
    munkster Posts: 819
    Just revisiting this and thinking about hubs - my "go to" hubs when building are Novatecs but fancy something a bit nicer (?) than them but not as nice as DA for example. As a result I have been looking at the Hope Mono RS's. Are they worth the extra would anyone say? They're still cartridge bearing right?

    Anything else that's nicer than Novatec but less nice (ie. cheaper) than DA? :-)
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    Yes and yes
    left the forum March 2023
  • munkster
    munkster Posts: 819
    OK, hubs bought (RS Mono) which wasn't as easy as I'd expected since they're now discontinued to my surprise.

    Now that I've got them I am wondering whether the carbon rims (maybe LB 35mm) are the way forward when I realise for the same money (or even a bit less) I could have a nice pair of HED Belgium+ rims for example.

    My main reason for the carbon rims is that they "look nice" I don't for a second expect them to turn me into a racer. I already have some nice alloy rimmed wheels in my SL23s on DA hubs which I think are brilliant so wonder if a HED/Hope build is too similar even though they will go on two different bikes anyway.

    Should I have a word with myself and go with the HEDs instead? Deep(ish) carbon rims DO look nice don't they? ;-)
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Only pump them up on a dry day when humidity is low or the water will condense under pressure and delaminate the rims.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Only pump them up on a dry day when humidity is low or the water will condense under pressure and delaminate the rims.

    Nice one! 8)
    left the forum March 2023
  • munkster
    munkster Posts: 819
    Absolutely. Really helps my purchase dilemma :shock: :roll: :lol:
  • cycleclinic
    cycleclinic Posts: 6,865
    If it were me I would go with the carbon rims. HED rims are nice to look at but wear out far too quick for my liking, like all alloy rim brake rims. Replacing rims every 5000 to 10000km is expensive. Carbon rims on the other hand seem to last much longer.

    I have hed rims and while I like them I wont be using them again when the ones I have wear out. Cheaper alloy rims are just as good at being rims as the hed's.
    http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.
  • munkster
    munkster Posts: 819
    Thanks Malcolm. On the assumption that I don't want to spend *really* daft money are there any alternatives that you know about to compare to the LB carbon rims in that case? Not because I don't think they're any good just don't want to overlook anything obvious (but not obvious to me).

    I would be using them tubeless so that seems to rule out Farsports who don't appear to list theirs as tubeless.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,237
    thecycleclinic wrote:
    If it were me I would go with the carbon rims. HED rims are nice to look at but wear out far too quick for my liking, like all alloy rim brake rims. Replacing rims every 5000 to 10000km is expensive. Carbon rims on the other hand seem to last much longer.

    I have hed rims and while I like them I wont be using them again when the ones I have wear out. Cheaper alloy rims are just as good at being rims as the hed's.

    I think you are beginning to milk this...

    As I said, there are two possible explanations

    1) Softer pads for carbon, which in turn wear faster... when pads cost half the price of a rim, I am not sure it is real economy

    2) Not much friction, which means not much braking going on, either because you don't brake or because the rims don't brake... the latter seem to be widely acknowledged to be the case

    Neither of them points at some wonder property of carbon vs aluminium
    left the forum March 2023

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