Anyone gone tubeless on road bike?

[betty swollocks]

Do you still need to use sealant when installing the tyres?

Haven't tried it.
Don't see the point of not using sealant.

 

[Lee_M]

Just to be different I've gone from tubeless back to tubes.

Maybe it's my weight (14.5 stone) but I had 3 punctures that refused to seal, one was on the tyre wall so could be forgiven but the other two were smack.in the middle of the tyre.

They'd seal fine and then leak again as soon as I started riding again.

Given I had to carry a tube and pump/gas anyway it seemed all too much bother.

Been much happier and more reliable since I reverted

 

[mustang1]

Yes

Yes

No. You can install some tubeless tyres without sealant. UST standard was designed to allow tubeless tyres to be inflated with a track pump without sealant. Tyres which are not UST compliant may need sealant to keep them airtight. Some tyres are designed to need sealant. I had a Schwalbe one which was seeping sealant from new and the distributor advised me to paint the inside with sealant and reinstall.

A major benefit of tubeless is punctures mostly seal up and let you keep riding. Why would you not want to use sealant?

Thank you for that good explanation. The only thing I was concerned about was installing the the tyre and perhaps a little (apprehensive is too strong a word) because the sealant may leak during installation and make a mess.

Anyway, since I last posted on bought a bike with tubeless wheels and tyres.

 

[colly]

I fitted tubeless a few weeks ago. So far so good. I can't tell if the rolling resistance is less or not but I can definitely say they are more comfortable to ride.
Tight to get on to be sure, it was a bit of a struggle, but I have had the same with clinchers. I used levers to get the tyre on, tubeless specific levers no less, but with determination they went on.
The rims are two way so no messing about with sealing the spoke holes and I inflated them using just a mini pump. The first outing was just local 'just in case' I had a problem but it was fine.
I let the air out and squeezed in some sealant. Both rides since then have been on wet mucky roads and one ride it was raining like it was St. Swithen's day.

I rode one road in particular because it's ALWAYS got a shody surface. The usual pot holes of course but for some reason all the council do with this road is 'dress' it. After a short time most of the granite chips have been moved aside and we are back to a dimpled rutted surface as before.
I noticed how much better the ride was on this surface. I could still feel the dimples and ruts but the tyres just smoothed it out.

IRC Roadlite Tubeless is what I settled on. Time will tell if it's a good move.

 

[Oxo]

Mavic now do a range of tubeless - wheels and tyres made for each other. Takes the faff away, as the tyres can be easily seated with just a track pump: first time (and in my experience), every time.
I've taken them on and off several times, just to be sure.

Thinking seriously about buying some Mavic wheels with tubeless tyres for my road bike. My main concern is that I read some less than flattering comments in the past about Mavic tyres. Are you happy with yours now you have had them for a while?

 

[HLaB]

I'm due to get a new set of Hunt wheels today prefitted with tubeless. I've been happy with my tubeless disc (other than the initial mess) and everyone I know personally seems to like them so I took the plunge on the Hunts.

 

[betty swollocks]

Thinking seriously about buying some Mavic wheels with tubeless tyres for my road bike. My main concern is that I read some less than flattering comments in the past about Mavic tyres. Are you happy with yours now you have had them for a while?

Wheels came with Yksion Pro tyres. They feel plush, grippy and fast, once you get the pressures (for your weight) dialled in. Wear well too. Two punctures over the winter, I'm aware off, which were both fixed by Stan's Race sealant, with minimal loss of pressure.

 

[Milkfloat]

Thinking seriously about buying some Mavic wheels with tubeless tyres for my road bike. My main concern is that I read some less than flattering comments in the past about Mavic tyres. Are you happy with yours now you have had them for a while?

I have read that Mavic Tubeless tyres are made by Hutchinson, who certainly know a thing or two about tubeless tyres. I know they setup a partnership in 2013, so it could be true. Personally, I would run them for a while and see how you get on.

 

[Oxo]

Wheels came with Yksion Pro tyres. They feel plush, grippy and fast, once you get the pressures (for your weight) dialled in. Wear well too. Two punctures over the winter, I'm aware off, which were both fixed by Stan's Race sealant, with minimal loss of pressure.

What pressures are you using? I weigh 70 kilos and planning on 28mm tyres.

 

[lazyfatgit]

What pressures are you using? I weigh 70 kilos and planning on 28mm tyres.

Schwalbe One pro 28mm on c zero rims 96kg 73psi front 83psi rear. Still experimenting.

Ive run much lower when i was too lazy to inflate before a quick (1km) ride to the shops but the front felt really squirmy.

 

[betty swollocks]

What pressures are you using? I weigh 70 kilos and planning on 28mm tyres.

I'd try about 75-ish psi front and 80-ish rear and take it from there. Experiment: see what feels right for you and the varying road surface conditions where you are.

 

[Sea of vapours]

At 65kg, on 28mm tyres, I've settled on 60 front and 75 rear after 3.5 years of downward tweaking. Well, I reached those pressures over 2.5 years and I've not reduced either in the last year.

 

[Oxo]

Schwalbe One pro 28mm on c zero rims 96kg 73psi front 83psi rear. Still experimenting.

Ive run much lower when i was too lazy to inflate before a quick (1km) ride to the shops but the front felt really squirmy.

I'd try about 75-ish psi front and 80-ish rear and take it from there. Experiment: see what feels right for you and the varying road surface conditions where you are.

At 65kg, on 28mm tyres, I've settled on 60 front and 75 rear after 3.5 years of downward tweaking. Well, I reached those pressures over 2.5 years and I've not reduced either in the last year.

Thanks for that info, very useful. I have ordered Mavic's with 28mm tyres. Looking forward to them being delivered to LBS next week.