Tubeless - help me ...
 

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[Closed] Tubeless - help me make my mind up.

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I've just got a set of stans flow rims.

With my old wheels, I have two sets of tyres, DH and trail. The DH are 2.5 high rollers dual play (with reg tubes), the trail are 2.35 single ply high rollers (with DH tube rear).

I'm considering just running my "DH" tyres all the time tubeless. I'd like to get rid of the inconvenience of changing tyres all the time.

Running my dh tyres tubeless will be about 200g heavier than my trail setup. I've just dropped 700g going from my old wheels to new one, combined with my trail setup, my bike feels so much faster and responsive, traits i really want to keep.

I've read and it makes sense to me that tubeless has lower rolling resistance, how does this pan out in real life experience?

So i guess my question is really whether my DH tyres set-up tubeless will roll almost as fast as my tubed, trail setup.


 
Posted : 29/10/2011 11:18 am
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There is less rolling resistance, more comfortable, more grip, better puncture resistance and less weight with tubeless. However it's a comprimise.

Run light tyres and it's posible to punch flat/tear them.
Run sealent and some/all of the weight saving disapears.
Lower rolling resistance allows you to run lower pressures = more grip, but then your back at the start with higher rolling resistance, so there's still a tradeoff, it's just better than tubes.

etc etc

I find I need about the same pressure tubed or tubeless otherwise the tyres fall over in the corners and always run sealent.

The bigest downside of tubeless (IME) is the noise! On tarmack it sounds like I'm being attacked by a swarm of bees as the tyres rumble along without 200g of tube in each wheel to dampen the noise!

I ran 2.35 SP high rollers tubeless with no issues appart form in the lakes where I got 3 rear pinch flats and eventualy tore the rear tyre. As above though, had to run about 30psi in them (27 with tubes) to stop them rolling arround in the corners as the sidewalls are obviously less suported than with tubes.

Ohhh, and tubeless is cheep. A pint of sealent lasts ages and costs less than 3 innertubes.


 
Posted : 29/10/2011 11:41 am
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I went tubeless at the beginning of the summer. Tbh, I didn't really notice any difference in how it felt to ride or anything... touch wood no punctures yet though (although I haven't ridden since the beginning of July so not had a full season of testing!).

I'll keep my tubeless set up on that bike until such at time that it would need more sealant or some other maintenance, and then I'm going back to tubes!


 
Posted : 29/10/2011 11:45 am
 DT78
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I,m tempted, even have the kit. 2 riding buddies think it is brilliant, however I have witnessed both trying to fix split sidewalls, swearing covered in white stuff...which kind of convinced me to stick with tubes. That and I swap tyres a few times a year based on conditions.


 
Posted : 29/10/2011 11:50 am
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My main point of interest is rolling resistance.

I'll be running same pressure as if im tubed, but tyre will be more compliant to obstacles, so i'll be getting more grip anyway. No need t lower the pressure.

Anyone else?


 
Posted : 30/10/2011 12:56 pm
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I'll be running same pressure as if im tubed, but tyre will be more compliant to obstacles, so i'll be getting more grip anyway. No need t lower the pressure.

I've gone from 40psi tubed to 25psi tubeless, the advantage is very noticable, I'd recommend giving it a go.


 
Posted : 30/10/2011 1:28 pm
 IanW
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Well I dont really have experience of tubeless in the sort of enviroment requiring DH tyres. I run either nobby nics locally or 2.35 high rollers on trips, trail centres, brecons, peaks etc.
The lighter tyres do tear easier but i would think that its the same tubed or tubeless. So if the terrain you ride requires DH tyres put them on tubeless if you can get away with standard run those tubeless.

Either way not much point in buying flows and putting a tube in them.


 
Posted : 30/10/2011 1:29 pm
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So you felt like you need around 30psi,spoon.. what do you weigh?


 
Posted : 30/10/2011 1:41 pm

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