Tubeless

[Venod]

UST is a well known tubeless system but you need the special rims and the tyres tend to be heavier and less supple, tubeless ready tyres are probably designed to be airtight, I have run tubeless with normal rims and split 24" tubes as the sealing strip (known as Ghetto Setup) but special tubeless ready rims make the job easier, I use Stans tubeless rims and tape and manage to fit them with a track pump easily, I run non tubeless tyres (Vittoria XN pro) tubless on the CX and they have been fine.

The riders I know who run UST also add Stans fluid as an aid to puncture repair, but they could run them dry.

 

[Motozulu]

I'm a tinkerer, me so even though my rims on the fatty are non tubeless ready - and even though the Surly Nate and Larry tyres are so slack on the rims you can pull them off with your fingers - I was determined to go tubeless. The benefits to being tubeless on a fat bike are even greater (do you want to be knelt in the rain, trail side, wrestling a great huge tyre on and off?).
So today I managed it (after 2 failed attempts).
Using a mix of the fattystrippers gear (excellent kit) and a bit of ghetto method chucked in, they went up first time and 5 hours on haven't lost any pressure at all and no signs of leaking Stans fluid. I did a walk through on another forum I use - hope it helps!

http://www.mtb-uk.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=373&p=3491#p3491

 

[Flyboy]

My fat bike is tubeless ready , the tyres are a nightmare to get off,how did you manage to get that amount of air volume in quick enough to seal the tyre .

 

[Flyboy]

Just looked at your old post

 

[fossyant]

I've not tried it yet. I can see the benefit but it sounds very messy. Happy with tubes TBH !

 

[Flyboy]

I'm a tinkerer, me so even though my rims on the fatty are non tubeless ready - and even though the Surly Nate and Larry tyres are so slack on the rims you can pull them off with your fingers - I was determined to go tubeless. The benefits to being tubeless on a fat bike are even greater (do you want to be knelt in the rain, trail side, wrestling a great huge tyre on and off?).
So today I managed it (after 2 failed attempts).
Using a mix of the fattystrippers gear (excellent kit) and a bit of ghetto method chucked in, they went up first time and 5 hours on haven't lost any pressure at all and no signs of leaking Stans fluid. I did a walk through on another forum I use - hope it helps!

http://www.mtb-uk.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=373&p=3491#p3491

I have just had a look at your other post and job well done , my fatty is actually tubeless ready wheels and tyres . Might even give that a go . Or LBS as they have a proper compressor

 

[Motozulu]

Yes, my mates pop bottle compressor was a life saver - wouldn't go up with a track pump. I would recommend the fattystrippers stuff if you have TL ready rims - that should work fine. My issue was non TL rims and tyres - I could literally get my fingers between rim and tyre when deflated. The foam building up the bed gives something for the air to work against. Just checked - pressures still rock solid.

 

[Motozulu]

I've not tried it yet. I can see the benefit but it sounds very messy. Happy with tubes TBH !

I made it look and sound harder than it was - it was actually a cinch - I just wanted to do a thorough walk through.

 

[fossyant]

Huge benefits for lower pressure if you are doing DH, but general XC like me, not so sure - higher pressure for low rolling resistance. If I start picking up thorns lots, I might switch.

30 PSI is where I run, but if tubeless you can run lots lower.

 

[Flyboy]

My tyres and wheels are tubeless ready so prob a no brainier really but they are 4.7 so could take some sealing quickly

 

[mjr]

Nothing in there to snakebite.

That about tubeless, but this about tubulars:

I have pinch flatted too many of those.

I would expect it's still possible to snakebite a tubeless but less likely because tyre sidewalls are usually thicker than inner tubes...are they thicker than tubulars? I've not much experience of them... plus most tubeless systems have sealant in, so you might not notice minor pinch flats. I'd still be a bit worried about denting rims if I went much lower than with tubes, though. Am I missing something because I don't ride MTB much? (Holidays and deep freezes, really.)

Another question on this subject, if you have fluid in your tyre , is there ever a chance that at low or high speed , it would gather in one place and give you a sort of giro effect like you have an egg in your tyre. Or am I just stupid

I think I've read there's a slight imbalance at very very low speeds but it's only really noticeable if you spin the tyres with the bike on a stand and not after the first few pedal revs in real use... and I expect most tubeless sealant is much thinner than what's in Slime tubes.

 

[screenman]

"That about tubeless, but this about tubulars:"

You got me there mjr, I thought this topic was about tubeless. I might of course be reading you wrong.

 

[screenman]

"I would expect it's still possible to snakebite a tubeless but less likely because tyre sidewalls are usually thicker than inner tubes...are they thicker than tubulars? I've not much experience of them... plus most tubeless systems have sealant in, so you might not notice minor pinch flats. I'd still be a bit worried about denting rims if I went much lower than with tubes, though. Am I missing something because I don't ride MTB much? (Holidays and deep freezes, really.)"

Most of the tubulars I have ever owned have quite thin side walls.

 

[Jody]

Huge benefits for lower pressure if you are doing DH, but general XC like me, not so sure - higher pressure for low rolling resistance. If I start picking up thorns lots, I might switch.

30 PSI is where I run, but if tubeless you can run lots lower.

Tubeless tyres roll well even at low pressures and are perfect for xc. Sounds conterintuitive i know.
http://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/tubeless-latex-butyl-tubes

Well worth the time to set up. Which isn't long once you have your head round it. Lighter wheels that spin up easier, less resistance and offer more traction. All for a little initial faff

I have run tubeless for about 2 and a bit years. Standard giant rims with rim tape and some stans valves/sealant. Had multiple punctures and none have stopped me apart from a very heavy landing at Degla which snapped the chords inside the sidewall and forced it to rip. Wiped the sealant out, stuck a tube in and got back on it again.

I wouldn't go back to tubes now.

 

[Nigeyy]

I don't use tubeless, but I'm intrigued to try them -perhaps on my next bike if they come standard. I hesitate because I can't justify spending extra money on something that I can't -at the moment -see how it will offer an advantage commensurate with the investment required.

I should add I'm an xcer who runs higher pressures and rarely has p*&nctures. I carry a spare inner tube so I just zip in a new inner tube quickly after I've checked for anything that was causing the puncture -and to be honest, I can't actually remember the last time I had to do that on the trail.....

But I'll never say never; and I will say that everyone who tries them seems to like them, which is why I'm intrigued. I'm also in the camp of not being bothered about fat bikes (having an fs) but again, everyone seems to like them -I think you have to keep an open mind but also with an eye on your wallet!