[Closed] road tubeless, opinions

I've used them for a few months now, (Schwalbe Ultremo tubeless) and found them to be excellent. Bit of a pig to fit. I reckon I've done over 2500 miles on them and had my first noticeable puncture the other day. Pressure dropped to about 50psi. Put a few drops more sealant in and reinflated, still leaking. I was ready to write it off, but when I removed it i fount a shard of metal still sticking through on the inside. Removed that reinflated and it seems fine now. Probably getting a bit thin now (they are a race tyre) I'm thinking I'll try Hutchinson Fusions next as they are supposedly a little tougher. I have Shimano RS61 wheels

Ultremo tubeless here - one word, SUPERB!

Really like mine - Schwalbe ZX tubeless.
No problems fitting either.

The amount of times is caught/split a tube when fitting with levers... never again! 🙂

speaking as someone with Ultegra 6700 tubeless compatible wheels; an expensive solution to a non-problem. Ive had 1 puncture thats required roadside repair in 2.5yrs of riding at least 100 miles a week all year round (was commuting 160 miles a week from June til February). I don't want to run road tyres at such a low pressure that pinchflats would be an issue. I'd rather not have to pay £45 for a tyre.

YMMV - if youre always getting punctures it may be a solution. Why are you considering it, just because you can or because you have issues with tubes?

I also didn't get many punctures when running clinchers, either or the commuter or the good bike. But I prefer tubeless because I can run lower pressures without worrying about pinch issues. I now run tubeless on everything (except the bmx). Lower pressures equal more comfort and grip, with no downside. They cost a bit more it's true but I'm not really fussed about this.

Currently running 25mm fusion3s on the good bike, and 28mm sectors on the commuter (put on a fortnight ago). I've run 23mm Atoms, 23mm Fusion2s, 25mm Intensives, and 25mm Bonty R3s so far. I preferred the R3s the most I think, although the wear rate was high. The 28mm sectors are nice too.

25mm R3s fitted to Easton EA90 RTs last week. Went on without tyre levers, inflated first time with a track pump.

I've only done 50 miles or so on them so not really sure if they feel much different yet. Running at 95 psi, might try a little lower.

What pressures are you riding Reggie? Beej's 95 is what I use in tubes so no benefit there (though I weigh 70kg, for all I know beej is a 100kg ex rugby player).
What about extra rolling resistance with lower pressures? I recently rode with a bit less than 90 in my GP4000 rear and it was like riding with a flat.

BTW not trolling. Genuinely curious if I'm missing something or just fall outside the Venn diagram of suitability.

65kg flyweight... I did play rugby though. Well, I was a corner flag.

Why? I've ridden more than 2500 miles without punctures on tubes and I don't get snakebites as my roadbike tyres are properly pumped up. Why would you want them soft on a roadbike?

If anything, go for sprints and tubs and lose some weight/gain some performance.

I'm with the crashing monkey, honestly struggling to see the upside of tubeless for road. I've been lucky with punctures, think I've had maybe 1-2 in 10 years or so! I'm also 70kg and run at 100psi front and back.

Been using them on 6700s for about a year now. No issues to report so far and like being able to run a softer tyre.

They have a nice feel too, very similar to tubular tyres - just without the hassle.
Rolling resistance is supposed to be on a par with tubs too. I think tubs are completely pointless outside of the pro peleton.

Sometimes its nice to drop the pressures to 80psi for rough roads, but thats not all tubeless is good for.

Same as nickc and crashtestmonkey - love my USTs on the MTB, but I just can't see the advantage on the road...

Those of you using them, what pressures are you running them at? Any other advantages?

I run 80psi on the good bike (25mm Fusion3s on Archetypes)

and 70psi on the commuter (28mm sectors on Archetypes)

Once you realise that lower pressures aren't slower you wonder why people run 100+ psi in their rock hard tyres.

The advantages are clear mogrim: less pressure = more comfort and more grip, with no downside. What's not to like?

But you won't get snakebites at 70psi on tubes/road tyres unless you ride like a wally.

I have Easton EA90 RTs which I bought to use with clinchers and to look into using tubeless - got a great deal at CRC. Current thoughts are there aren't many tyre choices, they're pricey and wear well. I do like the idea though - better grip, lower rolling resistance and better feel all sound good to me plus the ability to seal small punctures of course- all mine seem to be caused by small flints and thorns.

But you won't get snakebites at 70psi on tubes/road tyres unless you ride like a wally.

Potholes?

honestly struggling to see the upside of tubeless for road..... . and run at 100psi front and back.

drop the psi and it may become evident 😉

I run 100psi - will I be ok with punctures etc? What are the drawbacks etc?

POSTED 28 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
mtbmatt - Member
But you won't get snakebites at 70psi on tubes/road tyres unless you ride like a wally.
Potholes

Read 'riding like a wally'. You should really be avoiding potholes. Better for you and the bike.

I've just converted both my road bikes this weekend (posh bike + winter trainer/audax/do it all bike) so a bit early to tell.

Those who have never punctured and don't see the point, you've just been lucky. I've been for thousands of miles at a time and then several in one month and it's always a cacky cold winter ride or commute when you could do without the interruption, but there are also those that ride through urban areas (bike lanes/paths murderous for detritus) and pick up glass etc. regularly, there's our southern brethren that pick up razor sharp flints and it is actually a good argument for going tubeless - I've an audax nutter friend that has done 18,000 miles on tubeless without a single puncture (well, you know, one that hasn't just been sealed up with the latex fluid!).

Lower pressure tyres etc. I'm less convinced is a major argument - it can be done with clinchers and wider rims anyway, and to be honest, with the exception of 'clydesdale' riders, most people probably keep road tyre pressures too high anyway (so many just look at min/max inflation and whack it somewhere in the middle or at max!). Pinch punctures again unusual, normally the result of just completely failing to keep pressures high enough - a sort of 'begginner' problem that's not likely to happen to those serious enough to spunk the extra cash on going tubeless.

Technical anecdote stuff:
I've just put schwalbe ultremo zx tubeless on the posh bike (Velocity A23 rims, stans rim tape and valves) and they are very, very good right out of the box, proper 'glued to the road' type feeling in the dry, not ridden in wet yet. Second bike is same rims, but went with hutchinson intensives which were scary on their maiden voyage as it was soaking wet and they hadn't gone throught that horrible chemical outer coating.

All tyres inflated just fine with a vigorous track pumping, they all struggled to seal around the valve without fluid in but were fine once it was added. I'm just keeping an eye on pressures now to get a feel for rates of deflation. Must get used to pumping them up with the valve upright (i.e. at the bottom of the wheel) so that it doesn't have fluid sitting in it waiting to spurt out onto the pump head.

What mtbmatt said, its not just about punctures or pressures.

Tubs are an utter ball ache, and how is your braking on light carbon rims?

Lower pressure tyres etc. I'm less convinced is a major argument - it can be done with clinchers and wider rims anyway, and to be honest, with the exception of 'clydesdale' riders, most people probably keep road tyre pressures too high anyway (so many just look at min/max inflation and whack it somewhere in the middle or at max!)

I'm all new to this and I'm 15stone 3. Should I stick with 100psi for now? It feels ok. Of course 80psi feels really comfy but I don't want the trade off of puncture and lower pressure on way home/for rest of ride due to carring a tiny pump.

compressor thing the way to go?

Carbon? I'm still using GP4's 🙂

drop the psi and it may become evident

stiffer sidewalls with tubeless? As above, I rode with sub 90 in my rear GP4000 and spent the whole ride double checking it wasnt flat it felt that spongey and wallowy. I cant imagine wanting to ride it at, say, 70 even if I could (this is in old skool 23mm flavour). Or did you get used to it and then find the grip/comfort benefits?

riding into a pothole when you are alone is dopey it's true but if you ride in a group it can happen, so the 'wally' comment isn't particularly useful boblo.

Or did you get used to it and then find the grip/comfort benefits?

That's it. The idea that you should ride around on rock hard tyres is just something in your head. Once you deal with that it's easy!

I've just fitted some tubeless to a mate's bike, and initially set them at 80psi. He just couldn't get his head round it and pumped them up to 100psi - even before he'd tried 80psi! Old habits die hard eh?

Well I'm sorry princess, dint mean to offend. If my group rode me into a pothole, I'd reconsider the merits of riding with that group.

I've done about 10k Miles on my current road bike and have had 1 puncture in that time due to hitting a big stone whilst faffing with a misbehaving Garmin. I did destroy a tyre and bend a wheel on my tourer though hitting a massive pothole at about 45mph coming off a pass in the Rockies. Mebbies tubeless would have saved the day....?

Hora - 100psi minimum I reckon for that weight, probably best 110+ for rear if using 23's. It's all a bit of give and take, wider rims you can run slightly lower, wider tyres too. Michelin tyres have a good pressure guide printed on which allows for the tyre width too, I think it'd put you at 95-105psi on 25's but probably 115 on 23's but that's me just guessing from memory.

Ta- I'm on 23's so will go to 110psi.

The CO containers- any (cheap) recommends?

I'm just a bit too blue peter for cartridges (can't stand the waste, even if recyclable), and pumping tyres up by hand keeps you warm whilst stopped 😉

does anybody know where you can get schwalbe ultremo or one 23c tubeless at a good price, can't seem to find any.

cheers.

try starbikes.de

cheers mashie

Another +1 for Bonty R3s, they feel nicer than the fusions and corner better. Not had personal experience, but schwalbe's offerings appear to be a bit too thin for anything but nice days.

Had them down to 70 and 80psi in a wet bumpy, technical crit, I had a frankly disgusting amount of grip. I am sub 60kg though, 80/85psi are normal pressures.

Biggest advantage, IMO is that during the winter you can run nice supple grippy tyres that you can take off with your hands, rather than gatorksins or similar, which frankly are not inspiring in the corners on wet winter's day.

I ran tubes for 1500km, with two punctures, tubeless for 10500km and no punctures.

ollie51 - Member
Another +1 for Bonty R3s, they feel nicer than the fusions and corner better.

How does a road tyre corner better - does the inferior one have you off on corners? I mean you can't know the grip until you reach/exceed its limits?

crashtestmonkey - Member
drop the psi and it may become evident
stiffer sidewalls with tubeless? As above, I rode with sub 90 in my rear GP4000 and spent the whole ride double checking it wasnt flat it felt that spongey and wallowy. I cant imagine wanting to ride it at, say, 70 even if I could (this is in old skool 23mm flavour). Or did you get used to it and then find the grip/comfort benefits?

harsh =/= efficient

How does a road tyre corner better - does the inferior one have you off on corners? I mean you can't know the grip until you reach/exceed its limits?

Obviously...

So you regularly crash your road bike on corners in the dry?

does anybody know where you can get schwalbe ultremo or one 23c tubeless at a good price, can't seem to find any.

Schwalbe are being very protective about who they let have stock. They're trying to make sure it's IBD's only with bricks and mortar stores (as they put it). I totally understand why, it's a relatively new product to market, they want experienced shop staff fitting them to customers bikes wherever possible...

Anyway... For anyone interested in Schwalbe Tubeless Road tyres, my email is in my profile. I can help out as I have a few.

Experience wise, well... What to say? I've been running tubeless on MTB's for 12 years now, but spent ages telling myself "they aren't going to be of any real benefit on a road bike". How wrong I was! Only done about 250 miles so far on my Tubeless 25c Schwalbe The One's on Stans Alpha 400 rims, but they are fantastic! I'm 75kg give or take, I have to run 110psi+ in 23 road tyres, or 100psi in 25's with tubes. I started at 90psi with the 25c tubeless setup, but that felt way too firm. I've settled on 75psi, and the grip and comfort are fantastic, but the speed is exceptional too! They are definitely a big step towards tubs in terms of performance over clinchers, but with none of the drawbacks. Yes, the tyres are expensive, but then again, they're still a lot cheaper than tubs and they do give you about 80% of the performance benefit.

I can't wait for Schwalbe to bring out a tubeless version of the Durano now, so I've got a genuine 4 season ready tyre to use on a winter road bike too, rather than just a softer race tyre. Though that said, from those I know that do put the miles in, they're getting bigger milages out of tubeless Schwalbe's than they are out of the tubed versions, probably due to more rubber in the carcass perhaps.

So you regularly crash your road bike on corners in the dry?

Of course not.

If a road tyre does corner better, you can do things on that tyre which would otherwise lead you to crash on the inferior one. What's so hard to understand about one tyre offering more grip over another?

If a road tyre does corner better, you can do things on that tyre which would otherwise lead you to crash on the inferior one. What's so hard to understand about one tyre offering more grip over another?

When amateurs who think they're a bit better than they actually are, pay for their own kit rather than get given it for free, they will steadfastly defend their choice of equipment and attempt to belittle anyone else who questions their choice, or says they find another product superior!

Remember just how "good" Conti Vert Pro's used to be according to most people on here? 😉

harsh =/= efficient

I get that. I dont find 95-100psi harsh, I did find the lower pressures disconcerting, similar to riding a super-tacky MTB tyre on the road it felt draggy and bouncy like I had a flat.