Advantages of tubeless tires?

[Skaredshtles]

So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:

1. They're heavy
2. They're expensive
3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat

Any others?

-S.S.-

 

[Anthony Sloan]

SkaredShtles wrote:

> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em

> -S.S.-

"This food is terrible, and there's not enough of it."

Don't like 'em. Don't buy 'em.. It really is that simple.

A

 

[Bob]

"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>
> 1. They're heavy
> 2. They're expensive
> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> Any others?
>
> -S.S.-

They're really coooooooool...........

 

[Shaun Rimmer]

"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>
> 1. They're heavy
> 2. They're expensive
> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> Any others?

Nope, I think you've just about got it covered.

Shaun aRe

 

[B A R R Y B U R]

>"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>>
>> 1. They're heavy
>> 2. They're expensive
>> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
>> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat

Have you actually ridden them? They're great in some conditions, not so great in others.

Disc brakes are heavier and more expensive than V-brakes. Again, sometimes they're an advantage,
other times they're not.

You payz your money...

Barry

 

[Andy Chequer]

Mr Fagerlin is such a fan of this answer-without-a-question that he's got a whole website devoted to
its worship

www.yestubes.com

as opposed to

www.notubes.com

Andy Chequer, it's very funny.

 

[Lennie Garcia]

One major advantage to using tubless is that pinch flats are less likely to happen and you can run
with lower tire pressure with one HUGE caveat.

If you use lower tire pressure and you land a jump wrong (wheels slightly turned) the tire can fold
and releasing all the tire pressure just as if you had a blow out.

I know this from first hand experience and it has caused me to crash twice after I lost tire
pressure in the front tire.

"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>
> 1. They're heavy
> 2. They're expensive
> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> Any others?
>
> -S.S.-

 

[John Morgan]

> 1. They're heavy
> 2. They're expensive
> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> Any others?

Don't forget:

- They can be difficult to mount properly.
- They often leak air quickly, especially if you are victim to the above statement.

-John Morgan
--
"I tried lube, careful prying, careful digging and even not so careful digging. Little chunks of
rubber." --Sad Bob

 

[Iddqdatworldonl]

SkaredShtles wrote:

> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>
> 1. They're heavy
> 2. They're expensive
> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> Any others?
>
They roll better.

Regards

Bruno

 

[Skaredshtles]

B a r r y B u r k e J r . <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>>"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>>>
>>> 1. They're heavy
>>> 2. They're expensive
>>> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
>>> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> Have you actually ridden them? They're great in some conditions, not so great in others.

Yep. I rode them for 4 rides. Then I got a pinch flat. I hadn't gotten a pinch flat the prior 3
years on tubed tires. I'm going to put on my Zmax's tomorrow......

-S.S.-

 

[Chris]

"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
>
> 1. They're heavy

Usually by about the same weight a tube would add. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but the total
weight is about the same.

> 2. They're expensive

They're also more durable and puncture-resitant than standard tires. Plus, whatever money you would
be spending in tubes, you're not anymore. Do the math on how many tubes you usually replace in the
lifetime of a tire, then see how the cost works out.

> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em

Unless you're complaining about one specific model not being available, I have to disagree with this
statement. All companies make UST versions of their best-selling/most popular tires, often in
multiple widths. From semi-slicks to bigass DH tires, it's all there. What can't you find?

> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat

I have not had a flat in two years of tubeless riding. And, tubeless tires are patchable.

>
> Any others?

They can be difficult to mount...the tradeoff for me is I don't have to pull them off the rim again
until the tread wears down, or I want to try a different tire. They do lose air...so do tubes.
Aren't you checking pressure and pumping up before every ride anyway?

If you want to be really slick, you can seal off a non-UST tire and put it on a UST rim san tube.
That way, you get the performance of tubeless (excepting extra casing toughness) with less weight
than even the best tubed set-ups.

Tubeless is superior in every way, says me: handling, flatting, durability, maintenance. As I've
said before, I expect tubes to be a distant memory by the time I have kids on bikes.

Chris

 

[Skaredshtles]

"Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

>
> "SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
<snip>
>
> They're also more durable and puncture-resitant than standard tires. Plus, whatever money you
> would be spending in tubes, you're not anymore. Do the math on how many tubes you usually replace
> in the lifetime of a tire, then see how the cost works out.

Hmmm... let's see. My last tube outlasted 3 tires. And I think it cost around $3. Pretty good
return, even considering the tires never cost more than $25 each.

>> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
>
> Unless you're complaining about one specific model not being available, I have to disagree with
> this statement. All companies make UST versions of their best-selling/most popular tires, often in
> multiple widths. From semi-slicks to bigass DH tires, it's all there. What can't you find?

Ritchey ZMax. I returned to these after about 4 different "popular" tires that I tried. I was
initially bummed that they weren't available, but now I'll just put on my old ZMax's with a
tube.........

>> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> I have not had a flat in two years of tubeless riding. And, tubeless tires are patchable.

Lucky man. I had a flat on the fourth ride I did on tubeless (pinch flat, no less). And I was
running the tire at 30 lbs.... not what I would consider particularly low pressure.

<snip>
> to try a different tire. They do lose air...so do tubes. Aren't you checking pressure and pumping
> up before every ride anyway?

Yep - I had to pump up the tubeless before EVERY one of the 4 rides. With my old wheels I would only
have to add air a couple times a year.

> Tubeless is superior in every way, says me: handling, flatting, durability, maintenance. As I've
> said before, I expect tubes to be a distant memory by the time I have kids on bikes.

They better get better than they are then....... until then I'll be riding tubes with my ZMax's.

-S.S.-

 

[Di]

So why do you ask for others opinion when you only want to argue with them, you seem happy with your
present cheap tire/tube setup. Keep it, no one is going to try to persuade you to go tubeless. I've
been happy with tubeless tires, I have them on 2 bikes, only 1 flat in 1-1/2 years, it was repaired
with superglue without taking the tire off the rim or even the wheel off the bike. Keep your tubes,
I'll keep my tubeless.

"SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> >
> > "SkaredShtles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> So what are the advantages that I'm missing....? The only ones I can see are:
> <snip>
> >
> > They're also more durable and puncture-resitant than standard tires. Plus, whatever money you
> > would be spending in tubes, you're not anymore. Do the math on how many tubes you usually
> > replace in the lifetime of a tire, then see how the cost works out.
>
> Hmmm... let's see. My last tube outlasted 3 tires. And I think it cost around $3. Pretty good
> return, even considering the tires never cost more than $25 each.
>
> >> 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
> >
> > Unless you're complaining about one specific model not being available, I have to disagree with
> > this statement. All companies make UST versions of their best-selling/most popular tires, often
> > in multiple widths. From semi-slicks to bigass DH tires, it's all there. What can't you find?
>
> Ritchey ZMax. I returned to these after about 4 different "popular" tires that I tried. I was
> initially bummed that they weren't available, but now I'll just put on my old ZMax's with a
> tube.........
>
> >> 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
> >
> > I have not had a flat in two years of tubeless riding. And, tubeless tires are patchable.
>
> Lucky man. I had a flat on the fourth ride I did on tubeless (pinch flat, no less). And I was
> running the tire at 30 lbs.... not what I would consider particularly low pressure.
>
> <snip>
> > to try a different tire. They do lose air...so do tubes. Aren't you checking pressure and
> > pumping up before every ride anyway?
>
> Yep - I had to pump up the tubeless before EVERY one of the 4 rides. With my old wheels I would
> only have to add air a couple times a year.
>
> > Tubeless is superior in every way, says me: handling, flatting, durability, maintenance. As I've
> > said before, I expect tubes to be a distant memory by the time I have kids on bikes.
>
> They better get better than they are then....... until then I'll be riding tubes with my ZMax's.
>
> -S.S.-

 

[Super Slinky]

Chris said...

> > 1. They're heavy
>
> Usually by about the same weight a tube would add. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but the total
> weight is about the same.

I use Michelin Jet S tires which are available in both styles. The tubeless version weighs 700g, the
regular weighs 500g. Regular tubes are about 160g, ultra-lights about 100g. So I agree the total
weight is about the same, unless you use ultra-light tubes, but that has its own problems.

> > 2. They're expensive
>
> They're also more durable and puncture-resitant than standard tires. Plus, whatever money you
> would be spending in tubes, you're not anymore. Do the math on how many tubes you usually replace
> in the lifetime of a tire, then see how the cost works out.

Performance has had Jet S tubeless on sale for months now for $20-25. I haven't made up my mind
about durability yet. I have had a couple of flats with my tubeless tires this season. Actually,
that is a good point to bring up, because they never actually went flat after being punctured. Just
a slow leak that gave me plenty of time to get air in before I had to walk. Tube punctures seem to
go flat much faster.

> > 3. There's really a poor selection of 'em
>
> Unless you're complaining about one specific model not being available, I have to disagree with
> this statement. All companies make UST versions of their best-selling/most popular tires, often in
> multiple widths. From semi-slicks to bigass DH tires, it's all there. What can't you find?

If your favorite tires come in tubeless versions, you have all the selection you need. If not, then
tubeless sucks.

> > 4. You have to carry a tube with you anyways for when they flat
>
> I have not had a flat in two years of tubeless riding. And, tubeless tires are patchable.

They're patchable, but getting them inflated on the trail may be a different story. I carry a tube
for backup.

> They can be difficult to mount...the tradeoff for me is I don't have to pull them off the rim
> again until the tread wears down, or I want to try a different tire. They do lose air...so do
> tubes. Aren't you checking pressure and pumping up before every ride anyway?

YMMV, but I have no trouble mounting mine. You just have to make sure all of the bead is in the
center trough before you try to get it over the edge of the rim.

> If you want to be really slick, you can seal off a non-UST tire and put it on a UST rim san tube.
> That way, you get the performance of tubeless (excepting extra casing toughness) with less weight
> than even the best tubed set-ups.
>
> Tubeless is superior in every way, says me: handling, flatting, durability, maintenance. As I've
> said before, I expect tubes to be a distant memory by the time I have kids on bikes.
>
> Chris

What made me want to try tubeless was the promise of lower rolling resistance. I think it is true,
but it is kind of a subjective thing and hard to prove that you aren't just imagining it.

 

[Super Slinky]

SkaredShtles said...

> Yep - I had to pump up the tubeless before EVERY one of the 4 rides. With my old wheels I would
> only have to add air a couple times a year.

I've never had tires hold pressure for half a year. My tubeless hold air better than any tubes I
have used. They lose air at about half the rate of tubes. I know that isn't what most people
experience with tubeless, but holding air hasn't been a problem for me (yet).

 

[Skaredshtles]

"di" <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> So why do you ask for others opinion when you only want to argue with them, you seem happy with
> your present cheap tire/tube setup. Keep it, no one is going to try to persuade you to go
> tubeless. I've been happy with tubeless tires, I have them on 2 bikes, only 1 flat in 1-1/2 years,
> it was repaired with superglue without taking the tire off the rim or even the wheel off the bike.
> Keep your tubes, I'll keep my tubeless.

Please don't top post.

Thanks,

-S.S.-