Road Tubeless worth it?

wombat

Lives in a hole
I wouldn't be using CO2 Lyle. It leaks out of a tube faster, and in a tubeless setup the drier gas will make your sealant dry out faster than normal. You could use it to seat a tyre and lock the bead in, but you'd want to let it down and refill with a pump.
 

scblack

Leucocholic
How is anyone else going with tubeless for the road lately?

My tubeless system is running PERFECT. Have used Hutchinson Fusion 3 road tubeless tyres on my Campagnolo Shamal two-way fit rims for just on 12months now and about 6,000kms. I have had only one flat in that time, for a cut that would have flatted anything due to a slice over 10mm long on a country road. Stans tubeless is working fine. I got a compressor from Bunnings for $70 and works fine, with a $3 adaptor from the bike shop.

If you have the right rims, I highly recommend tubeless for the roadie. My experience has been great.
 

casnell

Likes Bikes and Dirt
How is anyone else going with tubeless for the road lately?

My tubeless system is running PERFECT. Have used Hutchinson Fusion 3 road tubeless tyres on my Campagnolo Shamal two-way fit rims for just on 12months now and about 6,000kms. I have had only one flat in that time, for a cut that would have flatted anything due to a slice over 10mm long on a country road. Stans tubeless is working fine. I got a compressor from Bunnings for $70 and works fine, with a $3 adaptor from the bike shop.

If you have the right rims, I highly recommend tubeless for the roadie. My experience has been great.
Agree 100%. My experience is 3 years now and 1 slow leak plus 1 slice. On the second set of Fusion 3s.
 

steve24

Likes Bikes and Dirt
on my 2nd rear Schwalbe. Loving the tubeless. After 5 weeks off the bike the rear still had 60 PSI

Running DT Tricon 1700, sealed rim.
 

Cave Dweller

Eats Squid
Given up on road tubeless after 1 1/2 years.

Too many flats/torn tires (mostly from rides in the rain). I have not had stans repair even one tubeless flat, its just sprays latex everywhere.

Putting a replacement tube in road side is such a pain. The beads are so tight. I have had so many pinched flats to the tube trying to get the tyre back on. Fulcrum 2-way fits with Specilized Roubiax or Schwalbe ones. They are fine to put on and off at home with a bit of soapy water.

I would rather go tubular, it would be much easier to change road side.
 

Crimson

Likes Dirt
I bought a new pair of wheels last year (Hope Mono RS / Stans Alpha 400) and after discovering just how much of a pain in the ass fitting regular tubes/tyres (or at least Schwalbe Duranos) are, I've decided to go tubeless in the search of a better fit.

I thought I'd bought everything I need - Stans Sealant, Stans valves, Hutchison Fusion tyres, but now that I've watched the movies on how to fit them, I've realised I'm missing some (possibly vital) pieces - Core Remover, Injector and I also only have a floor pump.

I'm reluctant to start the process in case I can't complete it as this is my daily commuter, but I can now see several cuts forming in the existing tyres so I need to address it sooner rather than later.

Would there be anyone in or around Melbourne that would be able to help me out? I'm happy to compensate you for your time and effort.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
I bought a new pair of wheels last year (Hope Mono RS / Stans Alpha 400) and after discovering just how much of a pain in the ass fitting regular tubes/tyres (or at least Schwalbe Duranos) are, I've decided to go tubeless in the search of a better fit.

I thought I'd bought everything I need - Stans Sealant, Stans valves, Hutchison Fusion tyres, but now that I've watched the movies on how to fit them, I've realised I'm missing some (possibly vital) pieces - Core Remover, Injector and I also only have a floor pump.

I'm reluctant to start the process in case I can't complete it as this is my daily commuter, but I can now see several cuts forming in the existing tyres so I need to address it sooner rather than later.

Would there be anyone in or around Melbourne that would be able to help me out? I'm happy to compensate you for your time and effort.
Just put the sealant in before you seat the last bit of the tyre bead, I've never used an injector or core remover. If you have a nice tight bead / rim fit then a floor pump will be fine. If it won't go up with a floor pump then you can dump a co2 into each one to seat the bead. Just make sure you release the co2 and replace with air once it seals up as the co2 is apparently not good for the sealant.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
My road tubeless (Schwobble One on stock Giant rims) went up with a high volume floor pump just fine.

You cant pull the bead into the rim hook like you can with MTB tyres, not enough room or flex int eh tyre. But there is also less volume to work on, so the floor pump is more effective. As said, smear sealant over the beads to lube/assist sealing, put the sealant in and pump it baby!

Do it on a Saturday morning, so you still have time to take it your LBS in the event it all goes pear shaped :)
 

bell.cameron

Likes Dirt
Just put the sealant in before you seat the last bit of the tyre bead, I've never used an injector or core remover. If you have a nice tight bead / rim fit then a floor pump will be fine. If it won't go up with a floor pump then you can dump a co2 into each one to seat the bead. Just make sure you release the co2 and replace with air once it seals up as the co2 is apparently not good for the sealant.
The CO2 kills it straight away and it doesnt recover. better of just pumping like mad or using an air compressor.
 

Alo661

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Given up on road tubeless after 1 1/2 years.

Too many flats/torn tires (mostly from rides in the rain). I have not had stans repair even one tubeless flat, its just sprays latex everywhere.

Putting a replacement tube in road side is such a pain. The beads are so tight. I have had so many pinched flats to the tube trying to get the tyre back on. Fulcrum 2-way fits with Specilized Roubiax or Schwalbe ones. They are fine to put on and off at home with a bit of soapy water.

I would rather go tubular, it would be much easier to change road side.
Kick it old school, with your spare tub on your shoulders!
 

scblack

Leucocholic
Compressor

I reckon if you are going tubeless you HAVE to have a compressor. Mine cost $70 from Bunnings and is used on my roadie and MTB. On initial fit of a new tyre, the bead will seat easily and then you could get away with a high flow pump. But once you have to re-seat the bead seems to be stretched slightly and I would be pumping furiously for ages to get a tyre up. The compressor just pumps away, allowing you to nudge the bead for a seal.

I reckon its necessary, and not a big cost at all.
 

creaky

XMAS Plumper
Freezes it, sets it and kills its ability to seal.
I just found this supposed quote from the Stan's people on another forum:

Using CO2 is not recommended as it may set up the sealant. During a race though do what you have too to win. Just make sure the valve is at the top. And give the sealant a second to flow down to the bottom of the tire so not to be blasting right on the sealant. - Pete

It can shorten the life of the sealant in that it can turn the once liquid sealant into one rubber ball. If you must use CO2, you can inflate the tire without sealant, then deflate the tire and add your sealant through the valve stem. With most tire and rim combinations, the beads of the tire will stay on the benches of the rim making re-inflation much easier. -Mike
There seems to be a very mixed experience amongst users on the effect of CO2 on the sealant. Maybe the 'freezing' is the reason, I doubt there is a chemical reaction.

Personally, I have used the CO2 a couple of times in the past and haven't noticed any difference in the speed of developing the "white ball" as compared to normal use of pump or compressor.

Back on topic, I find that the smaller tyres are easier to seat with a floor pump cause they have less volume to fill with air, as noted by a previous poster.
 

Mafra

Likes Bikes
Had a search and thought I'd do a thread dig rather than create a new one.

I've got about 2000km on my Schwalbe One on Stans Alpha 400s set up tubeless, and I'm wondering if anyone does any regular maintenance on their tubeless setups, in particular road, but also mountain/cx in terms of "topping up" the sealant periodically?

Or do people go to the effort of stripping the tyre off completely, cleaning out the monster and any remaining sealant and starting "afresh"?

as an aside, very happy with the 25mm Schwalbe Ones, riding on decent roads but also commuting so lots of broken glass and rubbish.
Have just bought a new pair as I'm not convinced on durability, something they have apparently worked on with the newer Pro Ones - but it's impossible to find them in 25s so I have had to go back to 23mm for this next set.

Subjectively, they don't appear to be wearing any worse than my recent GP4000S 2s, but definitely not wearing as well as the rubino pro's i'd used before those... apples and oranges though.
 

OCD'R

Likes Dirt
I do a couple of top ups (every 3 months or so) in between the full clean out and goober removal (12 months).
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Put a tube in the front Schwobble One tubeless this morning... I got a hole about two months ago that wouldnt seal and dumped stans everywhere - it got a tube at the time but I was able to take the tube out and it sealed and behaved for a while.

The hole was right on the edge of the capability of stans and for the next coupe of months it would give a spurt/hiss every now and then that would always reseal itself. This morning it did this three times in a row though and lost too much pressure...

It will be fine with a patch on the inside.

2500kms on these tyres and I willl never go back to tubes. Love them. Rear is pretty stuffed at this distance, front not very worn but lots of little cuts. Lots of glass on my commute...
 

casnell

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Put a tube in the front Schwobble One tubeless this morning... I got a hole about two months ago that wouldnt seal and dumped stans everywhere - it got a tube at the time but I was able to take the tube out and it sealed and behaved for a while.

The hole was right on the edge of the capability of stans and for the next coupe of months it would give a spurt/hiss every now and then that would always reseal itself. This morning it did this three times in a row though and lost too much pressure...

It will be fine with a patch on the inside.

2500kms on these tyres and I willl never go back to tubes. Love them. Rear is pretty stuffed at this distance, front not very worn but lots of little cuts. Lots of glass on my commute...
+1, I wont go back to tubes on any bike.
 
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