Dirtyhanz2
Senior Member
I am setting up a new set of wheels for touring they can go tubeless or tubes looking for real world advice for the tubeless option
Thanks for any advice
Thanks for any advice
Tubeless for touring
- Thread starter Dirtyhanz2
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
If you've got robust tyres then not a lot of point. It's extra faff, but a thorn etc won't stop you riding if you do do it. Do you get many punctures anyway ? I rarely get a flat on any of my bikes, so I don't bother !
I am still on tubes on all my fleet.
My thoughts are, if you are proficient in repairing punctures at the road side, then you might as well stay with tubes. Going tubeless can reduce the frequency of roadside repairs, but if they fail then they fail in a big way and you may have to fit a tube anyway.
If your touring plans are for this summer, I would stick with what you know and understand. Make the switch to tubeless with rides locally and for about six months.
My thoughts are, if you are proficient in repairing punctures at the road side, then you might as well stay with tubes. Going tubeless can reduce the frequency of roadside repairs, but if they fail then they fail in a big way and you may have to fit a tube anyway.
If your touring plans are for this summer, I would stick with what you know and understand. Make the switch to tubeless with rides locally and for about six months.
Go tubeless. With tubed I've had to do lots of swapping over / faffing as I do a lot of off-road on questionable surfaces when in Europe.
On a recent trip to Ireland, was almost at the top of a mountain pass when I noticed a needle sharp wire sticking out. My first time tubeless. Took out the wire to see the tyre leak some white "stuff". Since I had no option other than to continue I did for 40 miles until I could find a cycle shop. When checked there was very little air loss. Some more gunk and tyre pumped I managed to do further 300+ miles no problem.
On a recent trip to Ireland, was almost at the top of a mountain pass when I noticed a needle sharp wire sticking out. My first time tubeless. Took out the wire to see the tyre leak some white "stuff". Since I had no option other than to continue I did for 40 miles until I could find a cycle shop. When checked there was very little air loss. Some more gunk and tyre pumped I managed to do further 300+ miles no problem.
Dirtyhanz2
Senior Member
Thanks for the replies
The wheels are 650b x48
I was thinking that tubeless maybe be more comfortable over a longer distance
With regards to normal tubes I haven’t had a puncture for about 18 months but I do use marathon pluses
The wheels are 650b x48
I was thinking that tubeless maybe be more comfortable over a longer distance
With regards to normal tubes I haven’t had a puncture for about 18 months but I do use marathon pluses
dimrub
Senior Member
I have a tubeless setup on both my bike (gravel) and my son's (also gravel) and it served us well so far. You just need to top up the sealant periodically, once it dries up, and carry with you a tiny puncture kit. I do also carry an inner tube just in case, but haven't had to use it so far. We're timid tourers, and have only travelled in Western Europe so far (or back at home in Israel where help is always near), but this very experienced tourer who's done some very remote regions of the world is using a tubeless setup too:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yMKKxgAtNw
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yMKKxgAtNw
One of the main advantages of a tubeless set up it does allow you to run lower pressures as there is no danger of pinch flats . So it will be a more comfortable ride
Tubeless is a faff to set up but I'm a convert ,went tubeless on my new bike in 2019 ,21000 miles later I have yet to stop at the side of the road to fix a puncture .
The main draw back when touring is if you have to break the bead , it will be difficult to reseat it with a small hand pump
dimrub
Senior Member
Apparently, there's a trick to this, but I haven't tried it myself yet:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rkbkjNvPdk
dimrub
Senior Member
I had a very bad experience with a mini pump, regardless of the issue of reseating a tubeless tire. To address that, I recently ordered a "midi-" pump, which can be used as a floor pump, yet is compact enough to be carried around while on a tour. I haven't received it yet, I can report when I get it and try to use it.
andrew_s
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gloucester
Confession: I don't to tubeless.
I can deal with a puncture in a reliable 15 minutes, doing it properly, so there are no future issues with it.
In normal use, with a normal amount of punctures during the life of a tyre, you don't save any time.
What you don't spend at the side of the road dealing with a puncture is spent at home trying to get the tyre to seal or dealing with sealant.
"Can run lower pressures" is only an advantage if you want to run low pressures. Personally, I find that the handling penalties of the tyre squidging over sideways on corners become objectionable before I get pinch punctures.
Whilst most punctures may seal, if it doesn't seal you've got problems. You can't get the tyre to reseat with a minipump.
If you want to bung a tube in, you've got to find and remove all the sharps that did seal, without the hole in the tube to tell you where the sharp is. If you don't, your tube will just puncture fairly soon.
There's also the issue of being in training for punctures. If you've not had to deal with a puncture in a couple of years 'cos they all self-sealed, the chances of having failed to bring your tyre levers or whatever are higher than if they are in reasonably regular use.
Overall, I reckon that having to phone for rescue is more likely with tubeless that with tubes, which is why I'm still using tubes.
I can deal with a puncture in a reliable 15 minutes, doing it properly, so there are no future issues with it.
In normal use, with a normal amount of punctures during the life of a tyre, you don't save any time.
What you don't spend at the side of the road dealing with a puncture is spent at home trying to get the tyre to seal or dealing with sealant.
"Can run lower pressures" is only an advantage if you want to run low pressures. Personally, I find that the handling penalties of the tyre squidging over sideways on corners become objectionable before I get pinch punctures.
Whilst most punctures may seal, if it doesn't seal you've got problems. You can't get the tyre to reseat with a minipump.
If you want to bung a tube in, you've got to find and remove all the sharps that did seal, without the hole in the tube to tell you where the sharp is. If you don't, your tube will just puncture fairly soon.
There's also the issue of being in training for punctures. If you've not had to deal with a puncture in a couple of years 'cos they all self-sealed, the chances of having failed to bring your tyre levers or whatever are higher than if they are in reasonably regular use.
Overall, I reckon that having to phone for rescue is more likely with tubeless that with tubes, which is why I'm still using tubes.
T4tomo
Legendary Member
this is a massive advantage if doing some tricky terrain mountain biking as it improves your grip significantly.
Not sure how much more comfort the OP needs on 48mm tyres.... the comfort / Rolling Resistance sweet spot will be reached long before you get down to risk of pinch puncture psi's.
@OP some more supple tyres than M+ may give what you are looking for in comfort ride, but at a penalty of not being as P resistant.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
A CO2 cannister will seat it though, and these are easy enough to carry. However, as with others here, I have run tubeless on several bikes for several years and have never had to unseat a tyre whilst out and about. I have had, perhaps, 5 punctures that the sealant didn't deal with but all of them were dealt with by inserting a repair 'worm', which can be done with the wheel still on the bike and takes 5 minutes. These repair kits are small and easy to carry. I do carry an inner tube but have never had to use one.
I run tubeless 28 mm Schwalbe pro ones) with mixed results. The ride quality is very good and I’ve escaped a few punctures where the tyres have re sealed themselves. But I’ve also had a couple where the sealant couldn’t cope and the tyre has been relegated to be used with tubes. Also the tyres lose 30 psi over a week so need pumping before each weekend ride. The puncture rate has been higher than the duranos on my other wheels. I’ll be taking the tubed wheel set when I go away with the bike for a few days next month.
