CanadianBiker32

ok I like to ask what are the benefits to riding Tubeless tires on a fat bike
presently i run tubed tires , on my newer kona Wo
right in snow up here in ontario, canada
-30 temperatures etc

what are pros and cons?

Leebo

Less weight, like 1-3 lbs, no flats. Orange seal has a low temp version. Are the tires and rims tubeless ready?

gecho

Probably not enough fat bikers in this forum to get many replies concerning niche fat bike topics. Mtbr has endless topics on the subject, though if you started a new thread they'd just telling you to search for one of the dozens of existing discussions.

bruised

Any weight saved on rotational mass has greater benefit than weight saved elsewhere on the bike.

Reducing the rotational mass makes the bike easier to get moving, easier to accelerate and easier on climbs. It will make it feel more nimble on cornering and rough terrain too.
going tubeless can save around 2-3 lbs per wheel so it's significant.

It's also one of the easier ways to shed weight on a bike which is quite heavy to begin with.

gecho

How do you save 2-3 lbs per wheel when a Surly fat bike tube is about 1 pound?

bruised

Well, not everyone is running the lighter Surly tubes when they make the switch. Also, many folks like to switch to a lighter tire and even a lighter rim at the same time as making the tubeless switch, which makes sense if the primary reason for going tubeless is to shed weight. (I understand this is beyond simply 'going tubeless').
If you're only interested in going tubeless to reduce concerns over pinch-flats/punctures, or just looking to improve ride quality, then you're not going to save a whole lot of weight by just removing the tubes. (When doing the calcs, remember to add back in the weight of the sealant and tape).

I'm on the MTB site more than I am here and it's common to hear people talk of a combined saving of 2-3lbs over what came with the bikes as stock. Clearly this isn't coming from removing the tube alone.

I dropped a few ounces switching to a lighter tire (because I wanted the different tread for snow riding) but I haven't gone tubeless yet, and I may not. One of the issues is that when running very low psi, like 5psi or lower, the tires can roll on the rim and you get a 'burping' effect which drops air from the tire. That's not good where I ride as I'd risk running the tire off the rim then having to deal with it in very low temp conditions. (It was minus 35F when I rode last). Though for many, it isn't a concern.

Anyway, it's another one of those areas which spotlights the law of diminishing return. People are spending more than I'm willing to spend, chasing a few ounces here and there. The point is, wheels/tires are perhaps the easiest area to shed weight (other than the rider) and the benefits are more noticeable due to the points I mentioned in my last post. How much weight you shed is limited by how much money you're willing to throw at it.

Tubeless Pros:
Lower rolling mass
Supposedly an improved ride
No pinch flats

Cons:
Setup cost/time
Incompatible with certain types of tires and rims
Renders wheel/bike non-standard and probably voids warranty
Slow/gradual air loss possible
Low pressure burping/air loss
In-field repairs

Feel free to add to the above quick-list.

Burton

I'm running a slightly modified Norco Bigfoot with what appear to be identical tires and rims. I also live in Montreal, Canada so the conditions here are going to be close to identical to what you have there. My advice would be - don't bother.

The move to tubeless tires was started by mountain bikers so they could run lower tire pressures without getting pinch flats. Your maximum recommended tire pressure is already only 20psi and I've run as little as 10psi without getting pinch flats so the only possible gain MIGHT be weight savings.

But even that's not true because anyone that runs tubeless will tell you the chances of getting a tubeless tire reinflated in the field are zero so the recommendation is always the same - carry a spare tube. So between a spare tube and the tapes and sealants required to convert your current rims and tires to tubeless - you'll hurt your eyes looking for any weight savings.

And the bike probably weighs about 35lbs anyway and if you dress for winter a couple ounces won't change the overall picture much.

I'm not against tubeless tires - currently there are Schwalbe IceSpiker Pros on XT rims in a tubeless setup on my primary winter bike. I just can't see any advantage to going tubeless on the fat bike and so far haven't seen any reason to go for studded tires either. The bike has its uses and limits and neither one will change either.

I actually got the BigFoot for the beach - where it'll have fewer limits than in snow anyway. Anybody remember sliding down hills on inner tubes as a kid? Well fat bike tires when they start floating in wet slushy snow have just as little control.

modernjess

I love them on my FS 29er, and I've toyed with the idea of going ghetto tubeless on my Moonlander as they aren't designed to run tubeless but, honestly I'm convinced it's not worth the trouble for me.

First of all the set up on the clownshoe rims is a hack, I know it's possible but seems sketchy. And I've seen a couple of guys this year on the trails in the snow running tubeless that have burped out their tires and are taking a long walk through the woods back to the car. Ok that's on them for not being prepared with a tube, but as others have said it can be darn near impossible to re-seat the big volume tubeless tire with a hand pump. I don't need the hassle, especially in the deep winter. Changing a tube is one thing but trailside repair on a hacked tubeless giant tire in the woods in deep cold is a situation I don't want to find myself in.

The dangers of getting caught out in the cold and the set up hassles are not worth the weight and handling improvements in my mind. That's just me, if you are so inclined then by all means go for it.