Creating tubeless road tires



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M

Montymobile

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OK, I know that non UST MTB tyres work fantastically as tubeless with a sealant like Stan's
Notubes, but has anyone tried it on clincher road tires? I'm not that worried about the weight
reduction - more interested in the puncture proofing properties. Any of the theory heavyweights
please comment. (Jobst)?
 
Well, even if no-one has tried it has anyone even got any theories as to whether it would work OK?
 
I see no reason why it wouldn't work. After all, a road rim isn't designed that much different from
an off road rim, is it? Basically, it's just diameter and width. If their are any design
difficulties, I can't see "em, But then, I never really delved too deply into tubeless designs

I'm sure someone will come up with one. They're certainly catching on with the ATB croud!

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": http://www.geocities.com/czcorner
 
Originally posted by Montymobile
OK, I know that non UST MTB tyres work fantastically as tubeless with a sealant like Stan's
Notubes, but has anyone tried it on clincher road tires? I'm not that worried about the weight
reduction - more interested in the puncture proofing properties. Any of the theory heavyweights
please comment. (Jobst)?

Don't know much about these guys but if weight is not the problem and you want a tire that won't go flat check out these guys...

http://www.greentyre.com/english/index.html

JBP
 
Thanks for input Preston, but I'm sure solid tyres are terrible.

Thanks to another posting I found a way to search all the old posts on rbt and see that this subject has been aired fairly extensively as far back as 93, but not really from the angle I'm coming from!

Interestingly the older (and not so old - 2000/1) threads relate mainly to the advent of tubeless MTB rims and the original consensus seems to have been that no-one could see any advantage - too heavy, expensive, increased risk of flatting, necessity for stiff sidewalls would increase rolling resistance, impossible to fix punctures, etc. etc. etc.

Well, UST tubeless would appear to have proved the detractors wrong, but what has really tickled my fancy is the Stan's Notubes system, which seems to offer UST tubeless advantages in normal MTB tires without the disadvantage of cost, and with the added advantage of improved puncture protection by the use of a sealant. It appears to work very well if the apparently non-partisan postings and various reviews are to be believed.

It just made me think that if one could do this with MTB, why not road....I've had a spate of flats recently in races & a system like this, if it worked, would be fantastic. The only issues I can see are the higher pressures one runs in road tyres. Sealing the rims should not be an issue - hell, Ksyriums are essentially road-going Crossmax's.

So once again, I invite input from the theory heavy weights who no doubt will come up with a problem I didn't think of, while I wait for my Stan's kit to arrive from the USA so I can try the experiment!

Originally posted by prestonjb
Don't know much about these guys but if weight is not the problem and you want a tire that won't go flat check out these guys...

http://www.greentyre.com/english/index.html

JBP
 
Originally posted by montyzuma
Thanks for input Preston, but I'm sure solid tyres are terrible.

......

Ksyriums are essentially road-going Crossmax's.

So once again, I invite input from the theory heavy weights who no doubt will come up with a problem I didn't think of, while I wait for my Stan's kit to arrive from the USA so I can try the experiment!

Didn't know what you actually wanted to use the wheels for. Comutting and such. Not racing. Yea I wouldn't suggest solid wheels for racing, although don't know for sure.

The solid wheels had one set that only weighed 320 grams or so which is not that much off of a tubed-tyre and tube.

My concerns would be the ability to absorbe bumps, how well it will stay on rim in cornering/sliding. And also just plain wear on rough roads.

Yes the Ksyriums look like they could be used for the basis of a tubless system but I think I would be worried about two items: 1 ability to seal properly given the small beads of a road tyre vs a ATB tire... and second, if the tyre should go flat during a ride, how difficult would it be to geat a re-seal if the bead is not seated on the rim? This is also an issue with ATB tubless. I think I'd be carrying a tube with me as a backup (sidewall cuts, large punctures and such where only a patch/tube may be the fix).

JBP
 
Here's an update - have been running the system for 3 months now & works well - no flats in that period. Weight of my wheels is the same (60g of Stan's=the 60g lightweight tubes I was using). Set up on Mavic Ksyriums (no need to seal spokeholes) & Axial Pro tires. Using pressures up to 130 psi with no hassles!
 
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