Tubes are often overlooked in favor of tubeless tires, but I think theyre getting a bad rap. One major advantage tubes have over tubeless is their compatibility with different rim sizes. You can slap a tube in a wide range of rims, from narrow road rims to wide mountain bike rims, and theyll work just fine. Try doing that with tubeless tires! The rim size and shape have to be spot on, or youre left struggling to get the tire to seat properly.
And dont even get me started on the hassle of finding tubeless tires that are compatible with your specific rim size. Its like searching for a needle in a haystack. With tubes, you can just grab a standard 700x23c tube and know itll work in your road bike, or a 27.5x2.2 tube for your mountain bike. The versatility is unmatched.
Now, I know some of you are going to say, But tubeless tires are more efficient and offer better traction! And yeah, thats true. But lets be real, how many of us are racing at the pro level? For the average rider, the benefits of tubeless tires are minimal, and the added hassle of finding compatible rims and tires just isnt worth it.
So, am I crazy for thinking tubes are the way to go? Are there any tubeless tire enthusiasts out there who can convince me otherwise? What are your thoughts on the compatibility of tubes vs tubeless tires?