Help me decide Tubeless or Not

[si_c]

I use a regular track pump (700x32c on 28mm wide rims), I haven't had any need to use anything else yet fortunately.

An alternative to using a tubeless booster is to use a CO2 cartridge, gives enough to seat the bead of the tyre on the rim. Care should be taken though to add the sealant after seating the bead though. I've got some on hand for punctures, but regardless unless you plan to inflate a tyre hundreds of times it's a lot cheaper.

 

[fraz101]

An alternative to using a tubeless booster is to use a CO2 cartridge, gives enough to seat the bead of the tyre on the rim. Care should be taken though to add the sealant after seating the bead though.

That’s exactly what I did….

I used the co2 which seated the tyre to the rim, however once I removed the valve core it de seated again when I injected sealant, I could not get it to reseat so I had to take the wheel down to LBS there and then to re inflate tyre onto rim. Not going down that road again, so unless I can find a reliable way of seating on my own I will go back to tubes.

Not spending £50 on something to do the job so I guess I’ve made my own mind up!

I have a 5L garden pressure sprayer which I’m going to attempt to convert into an airshot! I see a few people have successfully converted into one.

 

[Sea of vapours]

Just for general information, given that the OP's made a decision ...

An issue with many of these options, as per the OP's post above, is that even if some form of compressed air device is available to seat the tyre, it tends to require that the Presta valve core be removed to do so, since the valve core restricts air flow and may not allow the rapid inflation required to seat the tyre. If the tyres don't stay on the shoulders without pressure this is clearly a problem when the pump / Airshot / whatever is removed. Similarly, removing the valve core later to top up sealant may lead to the tyre becoming unseated.

There is now a solution to this in the form of two new valves with 3-4 times the flow rate of Presta valves (but using Presta style pump heads to inflate). This means that there is no need (nor ability) to remove the valve core during inflation. Additionally, both these can cope with sealant being injected through the valve, they say, so once the tyre's initially mounted there's no need to remove it, or the valve core, until it's worn out, so minimal risk of ever needing to reseat it. They also mean that inflating with a track pump is much easier since you're pumping through the valve itself.

These are the Hi-Flow Valve from 76 Projects and the Reserve Fillmore Valve. I have a pair of the former and they work very well indeed. Both are very much not at the cheap end of the tubeless valve market, but they do have the potential to remove much of the extreme faffage many people seem to suffer.

 

[si_c]

There is now a solution to this in the form of two new valves with 3-4 times the flow rate of Presta valves (but using Presta style pump heads to inflate). This means that there is no need (nor ability) to remove the valve core during inflation. Additionally, both these can cope with sealant being injected through the valve, they say, so once the tyre's initially mounted there's no need to remove it, or the valve core, until it's worn out, so minimal risk of ever needing to reseat it. They also mean that inflating with a track pump is much easier since you're pumping through the valve itself.

These are the Hi-Flow Valve from 76 Projects and the Reserve Fillmore Valve. I have a pair of the former and they work very well indeed. Both are very much not at the cheap end of the tubeless valve market, but they do have the potential to remove much of the extreme faffage many people seem to suffer.

Good to know, thanks!

 

[mickle]

Honestly, who can be arsed?

 

[fraz101]

Honestly, who can be arsed?

Definitely feeling that way about it too.

 

[T4tomo]

Definitely feeling that way about it too.

Just be sure you make a decision before ordering your new wheels...

 

[vickster]

Just be sure you make a decision before ordering your new wheels...

Too late!

 

[matticus]

I do run 47mm tires on my gravel bike, at about 32 psi. As for tubeless on narrower road tires, personally I doubt I would bother, anecdotally more people seem to have bother on the smaller volume road tires.

Ditto that. (I've followed the trials/successes of many long-distance riders, and the roadies often decide that fixing issues with many miles still to ride is a ball-ache. And the setup is more hassle with higher pressures. So I've stuck with tubes on the road, and - so far - tubeless on my CX race bike [33mm, 20-28psi]. I think MTB riders have extensively proven the tech over many years on fatter tyres )

 

[fraz101]

Just be sure you make a decision before ordering your new wheels...

I have both tubes and tubeless tyres waiting to go on when they arrive.

I’m going with tubes as of now 😎

 

[T4tomo]

whoooooshhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[Dogtrousers]

whoooooshhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Was that the sound of someone releasing air from an air blaster?

 

[13 rider]

I have found new tubeless tyres seat reasonably easily with a track pump . However used tubeless tyres can be a pig to reseat . I do everything I can to ensure I don't unseat the tyre ,top up sealant through the valve core . I have purchased a twin cylinder track pump which does low pressure high volume to seat the tyres and I have got my tyres to reseat with this
I have covered nearly 16000 miles without the need to stop at the side of the road ,Yes extra faff at home but for me I'd take that over a roadside puncture anyday

 

[T4tomo]

I have found new tubeless tyres seat reasonably easily with a track pump . However used tubeless tyres can be a pig to reseat . I do everything I can to ensure I don't unseat the tyre ,top up sealant through the valve core . I have purchased a twin cylinder track pump which does low pressure high volume to seat the tyres and I have got my tyres to reseat with this
I have covered nearly 16000 miles without the need to stop at the side of the road ,Yes extra faff at home but for me I'd take that over a roadside puncture anyday

If its the bike in your avatar, your experience is irreverent to the OP though. There is a world of difference between running tubeless in say 45mm or 33mm tyres at 30psi on wide rims vs 25mm tyres at 80psi on 17mm rims for example.

The industry is still trying to catch up on the tech crossover to road, with valves such as those SoV has pointed out, and standardising / matching tyres & rim sizes but all that was learned in the MTB world doesn't quite translate as easily to narrow tyres and higher pressures in practice.

 

[13 rider]

If its the bike in your avatar, your experience is irreverent to the OP though. There is a world of difference between running tubeless in say 45mm or 33mm tyres at 30psi on wide rims vs 25mm tyres at 80psi on 17mm rims for example.

The industry is still trying to catch up on the tech crossover to road, with valves such as those SoV has pointed out, and standardising / matching tyres & rim sizes but all that was learned in the MTB world doesn't quite translate as easily to narrow tyrexs and higher pressures in practice.

Far point ,The 13 in the avatar runs tubes . My tubeless set up is on my gaint TCR with 25 mm tyres