Greatest cycling invention of the last 25 years?

[Fastpedaller]

Whilst I have never had them on a pedal bike, they are far superior for motor vehicles so I can't see why they'd not have the same benefit on a bike

Maybe something to do with the differing pressures and loads involved, comparing bikes with cars.

 

[Fastpedaller]

When I rode tubes I would be at 100+ psi. On tubeless for road riding I'm 60 rear, 55 front and on gravel 55 rear, 50 front. I could probably go lower still but I still have a hangover regarding pressures from my tubed days.

Could the lower pressure for road riding result in more chance of rim damage from our lovely roads?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Could the lower pressure for road riding result in more chance of rim damage from our lovely roads?

Also - does the lower pressure increase rolling resistance??

 

[Alex321]

Maybe something to do with the differing pressures and loads involved, comparing bikes with cars.

Indeed. You are likely to be running at close to twice the presure a car tyre will run at, and with far thinner rubber as well.

Could the lower pressure for road riding result in more chance of rim damage from our lovely roads?

Possibly slightly so, but not really much more, even if the tyre gets very compressed, it will still provide a little buffer.

Also - does the lower pressure increase rolling resistance??

So long as you don't go silly low, it actually tends to improve it.

 

[PaulSB]

Could the lower pressure for road riding result in more chance of rim damage from our lovely roads?

I don't think so and speaking for myself it's very rare for me to hit a pothole at any speed let alone fast enough to do damage. I would be disappointed if I couldn't avoid 99.9% of potholes deep enough to cause damage.

I ride 32mm tubeless. To accommodate this on my new road bike I've chosen DT Swiss carbon gravel wheels. Pretty much bullet proof.

Also - does the lower pressure increase rolling resistance??

I would say not and if there is at my level it wouldn't make any noticeable difference. What does make a difference to rolling resistance is tyre quality. It's well worth paying for the very best one can afford.

 

[rydabent]

But wheels need to be heavier....

How so???

 

[Punkawallah]

How so???

I’m going to guess ‘more sturdy, and less susceptible to pot-hole damage’.

 

[Andy in Germany]

How so?

The hub is larger and carries the Disc itself, and the wheels need to be more solid because of the forces involved when braking near the hub as opposed to braking on the rim. I doubt most people will notice the difference overall.

 

[Jameshow]

How so???

Because they are cross spoked with more spikes as the spikes take the braking load where as a rim brake can be 16 spokes radially!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

where as a rim brake can be 16 spokes radially!

And about as robust as fondue cheese

 

[Jameshow]

And about as robust as fondue cheese

Yes if your 109kg+ if your 70kg no worries

Not had any problems with mine despite lejog etc.

 

[PaulSB]

A puncture yesterday made me think of this thread. I ride tubeless and yesterday punctured and the tyre sealed, after a few more miles things didn't feel right so I pulled over. I'd lost more pressure than I realised at first, down to 12psi. My buddy whipped out his electronic pump and within a couple of minutes the pressure was at 65psi. The stop was perhaps 5 - 6 minutes against the 20 or so a tube would have taken.

I realise for some modern "tech" is nothing more than a marketing opportunity. I would disagree, tubeless was already on my invention list, electronic pumps added yesterday and I'll be purchasing one today.

The puncture was an hour's hard ride from home. My wife was going out at 5:15pm, she wanted to eat at 4:45 and I was expected to cook - my turn. I needed to be home by 3:45. I walked in at 3:47, oven on by 4:00, meal cooking by 4:05 and served at 4:47.

Any invention that saves my domestic skin is valuable!!!! 🤣 Seriously though, the combination of tubeless and an electronic pump changed a 20 minute problem into a 5 minute inconvenience. A good result in my book.

 

[Punkawallah]

A puncture yesterday made me think of this thread. I ride tubeless and yesterday punctured and the tyre sealed, after a few more miles things didn't feel right so I pulled over. I'd lost more pressure than I realised at first, down to 12psi. My buddy whipped out his electronic pump and within a couple of minutes the pressure was at 65psi. The stop was perhaps 5 - 6 minutes against the 20 or so a tube would have taken.

I realise for some modern "tech" is nothing more than a marketing opportunity. I would disagree, tubeless was already on my invention list, electronic pumps added yesterday and I'll be purchasing one today.

The puncture was an hour's hard ride from home. My wife was going out at 5:15pm, she wanted to eat at 4:45 and I was expected to cook - my turn. I needed to be home by 3:45. I walked in at 3:47, oven on by 4:00, meal cooking by 4:05 and served at 4:47.

Any invention that saves my domestic skin is valuable!!!! 🤣 Seriously though, the combination of tubeless and an electronic pump changed a 20 minute problem into a 5 minute inconvenience. A good result in my book.

Or, you could just have a ‘team car’ to follow you on your rides ? :x)

 

[Binky]

A puncture yesterday made me think of this thread. I ride tubeless and yesterday punctured and the tyre sealed, after a few more miles things didn't feel right so I pulled over. I'd lost more pressure than I realised at first, down to 12psi. My buddy whipped out his electronic pump and within a couple of minutes the pressure was at 65psi. The stop was perhaps 5 - 6 minutes against the 20 or so a tube would have taken.

I realise for some modern "tech" is nothing more than a marketing opportunity. I would disagree, tubeless was already on my invention list, electronic pumps added yesterday and I'll be purchasing one today.

The puncture was an hour's hard ride from home. My wife was going out at 5:15pm, she wanted to eat at 4:45 and I was expected to cook - my turn. I needed to be home by 3:45. I walked in at 3:47, oven on by 4:00, meal cooking by 4:05 and served at 4:47.

Any invention that saves my domestic skin is valuable!!!! 🤣 Seriously though, the combination of tubeless and an electronic pump changed a 20 minute problem into a 5 minute inconvenience. A good result in my book.

I've got an electric pump but I haven't as yet taken with me on a ride, I still just carry my mini pump. Electric pump is primarily for doing tyres at home and for when I travel abroad.
I'm still not convinced the faff of tubeless is worth it for me. I know the convenience of a self sealing hole is great and of course can plug it if sealant doesn't work but if that fails then it's getting tube in on roadside and mess involved plus inevitably getting a tube into a tubeless setup will be trickier I believe. I'm sure some will say no but as tubeless are a snugger fit alone then getting tube in as well must make it so? Plus when back need to remove tube soonish otherwise it all gets gunked up.
Anyway, as I've said before if I rode gravel I definitely would but for road at present it's not for me.
I'm definitely not criticising anyone for going tubeless, if it works for you then good.

 

[Mike Ayling]

Or, you could just have a ‘team car’ to follow you on your rides ? :x)

Magnificent!