Originally Posted by
FlashBazbo
End of analysis. If you rarely flat, there is no reason to go tubeless.
100% agree.
Originally Posted by
FlashBazbo
Maintenance-wise, the tipping point is somewhere around 12 pinhole flats per year. Why? Because every month, you've got to deflate your tubeless, check the goop level, top up the goop (adding still MORE weight to your tire), and re-inflate. Roughly the same degree of effort as changing a tube. And you can't count cuts, because cuts destroy both types of tires. So, if you have fewer than 12 pinhole flats per year . . . don't do tubeless.
And this I find suspect.
I check my sealant every 6 weeks and that's being particularly... particular. I've never had to add to the front more than once per tire. The rear, which obv sees more flats, usually needs to be topped off every other 6-week check.
In terms of effort, checking the level through the valve stem with a dipstick, topping off and filling up with a track pump is a painless 3 min operation - way easier than levering off one side of the tire, checking for debris, changing the tube, re-mounting and then re-inflating with a mini-pump (CO2 has the advantage here). There's also something to said about picking the time and place of your battleground - at the end of the day with a beer in hand beats the hell out of having your ride interrupted and getting beat down by the sun or being bitten by mosquitoes on the side of the road.
Given the above, I'd put my break-even point at somewhere around 6 flats per year at the outset and lowering it 4 or so after becoming proficient (admittedly, the learning curve can be a pain in the ass).