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Winter Tubeless Tyres

jpowerjpower Posts: 554
in Road buying advice
So thinking of getting some tubeless tyres for winter or worse condition road riding, hoping the benefit would be puncture resistance, handling/control and comfort as a bonus. I also have to factor in that I group ride and need to keep up with the younger fast riders :-) (I know I could just go slower)

By the way the other reason for tubeless is that my wheels Reynolds Attack are crazy hard to get any tyre on and off, this is at home, so in the winter with cold hands could be close to impossible, hence might as well go tubeless and hope for no punctures. Till now I've run Schwalbe Durano Raceguards and they have done awesome no punctures after 2 winters, but I do feel I am pushing my luck.

I am down to Pirelli Cinturato or Specialized Roubaix Pro 2bliss - wondering if anyone had any first hand reviews they could share?

Thanks
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Posts

  • shortfallshortfall Posts: 3,287
    edited November 2019
    I've never heard of the 2 tyres you've shortlisted but I can recommend IRC tyres from my own personal experience. I've used both the Formula Pro and Roadlite with excellent results but I believe they do a tougher tyre for Winter conditions known as the X Guard. You may still get punctures with tubeless that the sealant can't fix, in which case just plug it it at the side of the road with a tyre worm. Takes less than 5 minutes and doesn't involve removing the wheel. See Cycle Clinic's page for more advice.
    https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/pages/tech-page

  • jpowerjpower Posts: 554
    Forgot to mention they are 25mm Durango’s so other option as they done so good maybe go with the 28mm version and keep my fingers crossed.
  • ballanawinballanawin Posts: 12
    May not be the tyre for you, however I have just successfully fitted a pair of 40mm Scwalbe land cruisers to my Hunt wheels on the gravel bike, they are not tubeless, however I have fitted them as tubeless and they have kept pressure, 20 miles on tarmac no issue and on Friday a mix of road, gravel and mud for 16.5 miles and I cant complain, took a pair of good Michelin pro gravel off just to see! happy so far, roll ok on the road and cope with off road too, keeping them on for winter.


    Carl
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 10,484
    IRC Formula pro xguards in 28,s are my choice after yrs of trying various ones including durano,s and GP4000 and settling on gaterskins. Not cheap but dependable.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • lincolndavelincolndave Posts: 9,441
    Pro x guards are my winter t/less tyre as well, good hard wearing tyres
  • joe_totale-2joe_totale-2 Posts: 1,333
    If you can fit 32mm tyres then Panaracer Gravelkings are great and also not too expensive.
    If they're too large I used Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season's last winter and they were reliable.
  • bobonesbobones Posts: 1,149
    Hutchinson Fusion 5 All Season 11storm TLR - 2 for £59

    Great winter tubeless tyre IMO. Pretty light too at 260 g for 25 mm.
  • thecycleclinicthecycleclinic Posts: 394
    Carl Non tubeless tyres run tubeless have many setup issues. You may have had success but the next person may not. Bead stretch will be more of an issue too.
    www.thecycleclinic.co.uk
  • thecycleclinicthecycleclinic Posts: 394
    I put a schwalbe pro one for one ride as I had to use a spare wheel. 6 puncture and numerous plugs I got home from work. Definitely not a winter tyre and it's not winter yet.
    www.thecycleclinic.co.uk
  • ballanawinballanawin Posts: 12
    Hi Malcolm.
    Just giving my recent experience, I have quite a few tubeless specific tyres in stock, just tried an experiment and for me it worked, I would not have tried the landcruisers if they didnt hold pressure on the MTB, I have followed your advice for a while, I looked at your blog before going tubeless, I would recommend anyone thinking of tubeless takes a look too, I had tubeless tyres to fall back on if all went wrong, my wife thinks I have a disorder as I keep 6 in stock, different makes, 3 of each
  • alanyualanyu Posts: 73
    IRC formual x-guard is a nice winter tyre for its puncture resistance, while comfort and rolling resistance is not as good.

    New Specialized turbo rapidair should be better than roubaix 2bliss. A bit faster than IRC, and posts on other forum said the sealent works easier than other tubeless tyres.
  • thecycleclinicthecycleclinic Posts: 394
    Now theres a certain japanese company that makes tyres for specialized....
    www.thecycleclinic.co.uk
  • jpowerjpower Posts: 554
    Thanks for all the info. I don’t know if it’s just me, but yet again on our group ride the only person to have problems was the guy on tubeless. Every other ride the tubeless guy has issues (different people). Every time I think of going tubeless this happens and puts me off.

    I did see the rapid air ads looks very interesting be good to hear after some long term use.
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 10,484
    Been running them for a couple of years now and apart from a tyre that was beyond repair and tbh a clincher would have been the same result no real issue,s. Never had an issue on commutes, Audax,s, sportives, C2C or just general riding and I don't have a rescue service like a lot of my cycling mates. I just make sure I have the means to repair if required when out.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • christimsonchristimson Posts: 37
    edited November 2019
    Not tried the X-Guards but I can say that IRC Roadlites are perfectly fine for all weather riding. I'm on my 3rd pair and find them much more durable than the Schwalbe Pro 1s I ran when I first went tubeless.
  • kingstoniankingstonian Posts: 2,847
    The X-Guards are decent, I'm using them on the London commute and have just changed the front after about 14,000km. The rear tends to be good for 7-8,000km which I'm okay with. Hassle free commuting tyres.
  • jpowerjpower Posts: 554
    I totally chickened out again went for the Schwalbe Durano Raceguard 28mm :s
  • schlepcyclingschlepcycling Posts: 1,606
    edited November 2019
    I have Specialized Roubaix Pro 2bliss on my winter bike and so far they've done approx 1500 miles without any issues, although the rear has a few cuts in but nothing to worry about. I run them 60psi front and 70psi rear and other than topping up the air ever week and the sealant ever 3-4 months they've been great, comfortable and with decent wet weather grip.
    'Hello to Jason Isaacs'
  • oxomanoxoman Posts: 10,484
    Currently running the IRC Formula pro xguards done approx 5k not touched, apart from occasionally pumping up and same gunk as started with 18 months or so ago.
    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • jpowerjpower Posts: 554
    Nice to hear more positive tubeless experiences, somehow I always seem to hear the bad moments or negative experiences.
  • jpj84jpj84 Posts: 51
    My other half and I both run Giant Gavia tubeless on the Winter bikes. She has the posher ones (zero I think) in 28mm, mine are less posh 25mm. They have been faultless so far for general riding, and a bit of light touring, and not a puncture between us in about 2 years.

    I was cautious buying them, as I have never found a single online review for them. Consider this the first.
  • kingstoniankingstonian Posts: 2,847
    jpower said:

    Nice to hear more positive tubeless experiences, somehow I always seem to hear the bad moments or negative experiences.

    For almost the past 2 years I have run tubeless on both my commuter and my "best" bike. Over a year I do about 10,000km either commuting into London or on fast rides around Surrey & Berkshire and they are pretty much "fit and forget". On the commuting rides I've had probably half a dozen sharp objects penetrate the tyre and be sealed with the sealant which would have otherwise required a stop by the side of the road to fit a new inner tube. Wouldn't go back to standard clinchers with inner tubes now.
  • thecycleclinicthecycleclinic Posts: 394
    edited November 2019
    jpower said:

    Thanks for all the info. I don’t know if it’s just me, but yet again on our group ride the only person to have problems was the guy on tubeless. Every other ride the tubeless guy has issues (different people). Every time I think of going tubeless this happens and puts me off.

    I did see the rapid air ads looks very interesting be good to hear after some long term use.

    There probably using schwalbe pro ones or similar. Put an good one on a spare wheel to get me home last week. 15 Miles and 6 punctures and that tyre finished full of plugs. censored tyres. That why people have issue with tubeless. It not the tech it often the choices the rider has made, whether that be tyre choice, rim choice or something else. It easy to get right and yet so easy to make too assumptions and mess it up.

    www.thecycleclinic.co.uk
  • timothywtimothyw Posts: 2,482
    Personally I don't think winter is the time to be experimenting with tubeless - especially as the tyres often cost 'best bike' money (ie are expensive)....

    Better IMHO to try them in the spring/summer and then if your experience is good/you learn to deal with the foibles then keep them running over the winter.

    JPower, I think you've done the right thing sticking with the duranos - I used them over many miles and winters without any disasters.

    Can also recommend the Planet X Mile Munchers and Lifeline Prime Armour on wiggle/crc for winter service.
  • jpowerjpower Posts: 554
    That sounds sensible.
  • jpowerjpower Posts: 554
    So Durano’s behaves as expected good confident grip and the 28mm added extra comfort.

    The sidewall says 85-120psi, I’m 70kg and ran 85/90, I was wondering where is the border before I hit the prone to pinchflats? As I’d love to run them lower but not so low to risk the dreaded pinch flat zone.
  • thecycleclinicthecycleclinic Posts: 394
    Well this is my 4th year on road tubeless tyres. Maybe 70000km so far. Theres nothing to be afraid off.
    www.thecycleclinic.co.uk
  • bobonesbobones Posts: 1,149
    Winter is actually the time when you reap the benefits of tubeless most as the avoidance of having to repair punctures by the roadside in the cold, dark, and wet, getting your hands filthy and cold is a major selling point. I had a puncture the other morning, but I didn't even realise it until I was back home, washing my bike and noticed the the pressure on the rear was down a bit. Pumped it back up to 80 psi and that was it. I should probably top up the sealant but I'm not going to stress about it.

    No worries about pinch flats either so 60-80 psi is the norm for me.

    Good winter tyres available at £30 a pop so not all that expensive, but there is a learning curve to get over so I will agree that they may not be for everyone.
  • darrell1967darrell1967 Posts: 406
    I had 2 punctures today in central London.

    The first one was near St Pancras at about 7am. Luckily I had a spare tube, gas and tyre levers and we are involved on the return on Camden Town Hall meaning I sat in the warm while carrying out the repair.
    The second one was on the Grays Inn Road about 5.15 pm and this time I chucked my toys out the pram and wheeled it into Condor cycles where they fitted new Gatorskin Hardshells.
  • thecycleclinicthecycleclinic Posts: 394
    What this got to do with tubeless tyres.
    www.thecycleclinic.co.uk
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