Tubeless: Do You Carry a Tube?
 

This has probably been discussed before -- so sue me -- but I always pack a spare tube with me even though my mountain bike is tubeless, and not only have I never used it, but it's been several years since I've ridden with anyone who suffered a failure that required one.

So am I lugging this thing around for nothing, or am I just lucky?

Do not ride tubeless myself.
I do know that being out in the middle of nowhere with no rescue possible and walking 10+ miles would completely suck.
I carry two tubes just in case. Weight is less of an issue when already over 200 lbs.

Rode with my brother once when he had a large puncture and it did not seal properly. Crap all over the place and he borrowed one my tubes to get back.

Carry tube, they weight nothing.

Only an idiot wouldn't carry a tube and something to boot a tire with.

OP here. For the record, in addition to the tube, I also carry a boot, a plug kit, extra Stans, a spare valve, a spare core, and a core remover. I should get a merit badge.

I typically don't (road and gravel tubeless).

I do typically carry a repair and inflate cartridge, darts, and a small mini pump, ​​and have Vittoria airliners installed in most of my wheelsets which will get me home even if just won't seal.
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Yes.

I always carry an extra tube if I ride the tubeless bike and 2 spares if I ride the clincher bike. Force of habit after living in an area covered in Goat Heads.....

I never carry a spare tube for mountain biking. Just a Dynaplug kit and mini-pump. Never had to walk out in the last 15 years or so I've been running tubeless. If I was riding somewhere very remote I probably would carry one though. Riding forest single track I'm never more than a couple of miles from the trailhead.

For road tubeless I do carry a spare tube simply because road tyres are more fragile and I could easily be 50 miles or more from home. I haven't had to use it yet though in 2 years of riding tubeless.

I carry a spare tube. I had to give it to someone I was riding with once because they were running tubes and pinch flatted.
I don't really see the benefit in not carrying one. I do need to get a plug kit though.

I do, yes, for road tubeless. I’ve used one once in several years, and would have used a second time but was unable to remove the tire, resulting in a “call of shame” to Uber. I started riding road tubeless in ‘13 or ‘14.

Since Schwalbe Aerothan tubes came out, I not only carry those as spares for their lightweight and spacesaving compactness, but have converted a troublesome tubeless setup to tubed with them.

I always carry a tube (and some sort of boot), and have twice needed it 2 times over the past 10 years for gashes that were too big to seal.

Also carry a 2oz bottle of Stans, valve core remover, extra Presta valve (and Schrader since my fork and shock use those), and tire plug kit. I have either used, borrowed, or wished I had had every single one of these items over the years. If not for myself, them for someone else on the ride.

I do the same, and I have had the "opportunity" to use every one of these items on my mtb rides. I also carry a small needle-nose plyers after that one time when I couldn't get the valve stem nut loose with my fingers.

I carry two tubes, along with tire boots, plug kit, etc. I also carry CO2 (with one cartridge) and a pump.

Always ......I have helped 3 other riders this year alone with flat repairs. I also carry an I-beam multi-tool and a quick link, patches, co2 inflator as well as a pump. When I ride my Domane I have a tube in the downtube and one in my back pack for someone in need !!

Idiot here. I'm almost at 26,000 miles tubeless without a ride-ending puncture. Don't carry a tube, plugs, or even a pump or inflator.

Tubes are like umbrellas. If you don't have one, it will rain.

So how do you really feel? :roflmao2:

7,500 road tubeless miles without a ride ending flat.
I took a nail in the tread and out the sidewall, still came home.
Found it next day hanging out of the still hard tire.

I carry a Turbolito tube and a Turbolito patch kit. (Expensive, but tiny and light.)
Spare core and remover.
Micro pump
Bacon kit (unused)
presta to schrader converter (I could reseat a tubeless at any garage)
Tire boot.
And for Karma purposes only…. A regular flat kit, used many times and never an unhappy customer!

Barry

Only if I were riding with a group ... or another rider for over 40mi.

Sometimes by myself for over 50mi.

I have had to use a tube twice on my gravel bike, but both were my fault. Let the sealant volume drop too low in the summer once (it evaporates faster with higher temps), and didn't have enough left to seal a puncture that would have been fine with a plug. Also, while listening to music, didn't really notice a puncture that was spraying sealant everywhere until the tire was almost flat, and the sealant was all gone (w/o headphones or high wind noise you can usually hear a major puncture).

I have also learned the hard way in a race that it's best to just spend the $40 on a Dynaplug racer tool that works REALLY well, and quickly, and to just keep it in your jersey pocket for quick access. Even if you don't care about the stop time, you want to get a puncture plugged as quickly as possible to minimize sealant / air loss. A co2 should snap the tire back on the rim if it un-hooks a bit from total air loss, but there are some situations where it won't, and there's another time you need a tube.

But does anyone carry a spare clincher folding tire? :roflmao2:






I did once years ago before I knew about tire booting.

I do carry a tube but it's more out of habit. Three years on tubeless and zero flats/punctures of any kind. I, too, sometimes wonder why I'm doing that.

I carry a tube, CO2, pump, and strips of bacon.

Depends. If there is no cell service, no bike services, potential for walking 10+ miles just to get phone service, or no rescue will be forthcoming, sure, I've carried an extra used tire. Shred a tire and that boot will not be helping you. I also would prefer a tire replacement rather than a boot if I'm flying down a mountain at 40 mph+.