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50+ Thoughts on going tubeless.

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50+ Thoughts on going tubeless.

Old 05-24-21, 02:26 PM
  #51  
tomato coupe
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A 50+ thread about going tubeless? This is about vasectomies, isn't it?
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Old 05-24-21, 02:34 PM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by tomato coupe
A 50+ thread about going tubeless? This is about vasectomies, isn't it?

No, but some may have been vascetomized.
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Old 05-24-21, 08:40 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by BCAC

The bike is an Argon 18 Disc Di2 with carbon wheels and the original 25’s needed 125 psi. The bike isn’t designed for comfort, but my 67year body was fine with it. It really is much more comfortable with the 28’s at 80. I ride longer because I’m less tired and I think I might be a bit faster,
With all due respect, you don't "need" 125 psi unless you're a whale.
It might say 125 on the tire sidewall, but that refers to the pressure it might blow off the rim. In other words, the maximum allowable pressure. Not the recommended riding pressure.
If you weigh 350 lbs, including your bike/gear/clothes, Silca's respected calculator says to ride 98 front/100 rear psi. They don't offer calculations over 350 lbs
I ride 85/89 on my Conti 25's w/latex tubes. I weigh 145. Bike 18. Plus 12 for gear/clothes/shoes

https://silca.cc/pages/sppc-form?sub...6-619a2df01982


​​​​

Last edited by bfaIllini; 05-24-21 at 08:41 PM. Reason: Spelling error
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Old 05-25-21, 03:25 AM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
I do the same. It comes to the point eventually where you actually want to get a puncture just so you can feel it was worthwhile carrying that kit around! I'm still waiting to try my Dynaplug
These replace your bar end plugs. Kind of cool. It even has a trimming knife.

https://us.muc-off.com/collections/n...-puncture-plug

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Old 05-25-21, 06:48 AM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by Lazyass
These replace your bar end plugs. Kind of cool. It even has a trimming knife.

https://us.muc-off.com/collections/n...-puncture-plug
Yeah those look good, very similar to the Panaracer tool I used to use for mtb tubeless repairs. The Dynaplug kit is very minimalist too and weighs next to nothing. It just sits in my wallet with my phone and money, so I'm not fussed about hiding it in a bar end. It's the bulky spare tube that seems like a waste of time to still carry around, but I do as a last resort. So I have a very small saddle pack to carry a tube, levers, patches, boot and multi-tool.


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Old 05-25-21, 07:20 AM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by bfaIllini
With all due respect, you don't "need" 125 psi unless you're a whale.
It might say 125 on the tire sidewall, but that refers to the pressure it might blow off the rim. In other words, the maximum allowable pressure. Not the recommended riding pressure.
If you weigh 350 lbs, including your bike/gear/clothes, Silca's respected calculator says to ride 98 front/100 rear psi. They don't offer calculations over 350 lbs
I ride 85/89 on my Conti 25's w/latex tubes. I weigh 145. Bike 18. Plus 12 for gear/clothes/shoes

https://silca.cc/pages/sppc-form?sub...6-619a2df01982


​​​​
Thanks for your reply. In the case of Vittoria, on their website, they specifically recommend staying within the range printed on the side of the tire. And of course, a range of 100 - 130 by its nature, isn’t a “maximum allowable pressure”. I’m 6’ 3” / 200 lbs and chose to stay toward the higher end of recommended range. I’m sure I could have gone much lower, but chose to stay with the range recommended by both Vittoria and my lbs.

Btw, the tires were great. Over 4,000 miles with one flat on a debris laden road after a strong storm.



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Old 05-25-21, 07:54 AM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by BCAC
Thanks for your reply. In the case of Vittoria, on their website, they specifically recommend staying within the range printed on the side of the tire. And of course, a range of 100 - 130 by its nature, isn’t a “maximum allowable pressure”. I’m 6’ 3” / 200 lbs and chose to stay toward the higher end of recommended range. I’m sure I could have gone much lower, but chose to stay with the range recommended by both Vittoria and my lbs.

Btw, the tires were great. Over 4,000 miles with one flat on a debris laden road after a strong storm.



Love the Steadyrack! I own a few and love them.

I apologize if I came off as a know it all. Whatever works for you is the best for sure.
There is a definite acceptance now, even amongst pros, that softer is better, both for speed and comfort. Pinch flats are the concern of too low, but following the Silca pressure chart, which was designed with input from pro cyclists, probably protects you against those.
Some more good reads:

https://www.roadbikereview.com/threa...or-not.356627/

https://www.renehersecycles.com/myth...ure-is-faster/

Enjoy the riding!
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Old 05-25-21, 08:01 AM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by bfaIllini
Pinch flats are the concern of too low
Which is one of the advantages of going tubeless: you don't need to worry about pinch flats.
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Old 05-25-21, 09:44 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by adamrice
Which is one of the advantages of going tubeless: you don't need to worry about pinch flats.
True, but pinch flats are non-existent if tires are properly inflated. That's why, imho, it's important to use the tire pressure guides like Silca, Wahoo etc and not the from the hip methods
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Old 05-25-21, 10:38 AM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by terrymorse
What do you carry with you for roadside tubeless repair?
Some good answers in these Threads. I just got some Stan's Darts but haven't used them.

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycl...nner-tube.html

https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...-flat-kit.html
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Old 05-25-21, 01:41 PM
  #61  
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I spent a year with tubelss (or maybe less, I can't remember exactly) before I quit...for me, they were way more trouble than they were worth. Maybe the ones I had were just crappy ones (they were Mavic, that came with a wheel set) but in that year i destroyed THREE of them.
The lower pressure was softer, but no big deal. Since I went back to tubes, I've never once thought of going tubless again.
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Old 05-25-21, 01:46 PM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Ogsarg
I resisted tubeless for about 5 years and flatting 6-8 times a year. After a particularly bad period of several flats in a short time, I took the plunge. My wheels were tubeless ready so it was just a matter of getting the tires, valves, and sealant. Was a bit of a hassle to set the bead on the first try but i don't expect that to be much trouble going forward. I know from finding sealant on my seatpost, that I have prevented at least one roadside repair so far.

Just to be clear, I would not bother with tubeless if I was getting 1-2 flats a year or less.
Everboyd knows that flats always come in threes!
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Old 05-25-21, 02:10 PM
  #63  
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wow, and here i was all set and eager to go tubeless!

i’m riding on 700x32 conti gator hardshells, 50-80psi depending on the ride. 99% road riding. 195lb + 30lb bike and stuff. usually do 20-50 miles, speeds from 10-40, never so far from civilization that i couldn’t uber/lyft my way back from a total disaster, but i got the hardshells because a lot of my riding is through the city, the usual debris in the road, broken glass etc. no flats yet on this setup (about 1000 miles in), knock on wood.

i was planning on going to some lighter, lower RR tires in the same size and setting them up tubeless... but this thread has me thinking it’s too much hassle.
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Old 05-25-21, 02:36 PM
  #64  
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so if I use stans in my tubes do I need to replace it each year? I know it has plugged some leaks as the tube was stuck to the tire. a couple of times Once I had the wrong pump sealed the tube before I took the tire off when I got home.
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Old 05-25-21, 04:17 PM
  #65  
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Originally Posted by Iride01
We're up to post 30. Need 20 more thoughts to pass 50 as is the title. <grin>
Yeah, I thought it was "50 thoughts". Ya know, like "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover."

No tubeless for me - I do not flat that much. Kind of like disc brakes - I do not ride in muddy or wet conditions, and know how to use my rim brakes if I do get caught. So I don't see much need for either.
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Old 05-25-21, 04:26 PM
  #66  
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Tubeless

On both bikes I put tubeless and replaced OEM wheels on my bianchi with i9 for tubeless. The ride is smooth (can operate at lower pressure if you want) and I've had a few punctures that have filled and allowed me to continue ride and get back home without problem. Peace of mind is one big factor. But I also find with current tires (Hutchinson Sector) I'm getting a very nice ride for long distances. Cons would include that they are slightly more challenging to change with the sealant. I'm sold on tubeless.
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Old 05-28-21, 03:02 AM
  #67  
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Originally Posted by Chinghis
Yeah, I thought it was "50 thoughts". Ya know, like "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover."

No tubeless for me - I do not flat that much. Kind of like disc brakes - I do not ride in muddy or wet conditions, and know how to use my rim brakes if I do get caught. So I don't see much need for either.
It's pretty obvious that there is no "need" for tubeless or disc brakes. But that says absolutely nothing about any potential benefits of them. Personally I've found both of these developments to be an overall improvement, even if there are some minor downsides too.
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Old 05-28-21, 03:07 AM
  #68  
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Originally Posted by BCAC
Thanks for your reply. In the case of Vittoria, on their website, they specifically recommend staying within the range printed on the side of the tire. And of course, a range of 100 - 130 by its nature, isn’t a “maximum allowable pressure”. I’m 6’ 3” / 200 lbs and chose to stay toward the higher end of recommended range. I’m sure I could have gone much lower, but chose to stay with the range recommended by both Vittoria and my lbs.

Btw, the tires were great. Over 4,000 miles with one flat on a debris laden road after a strong storm.
IME with tyre manufacturers they usually recommend pressures on the high side (sometimes hugely so) simply because they are less likely to have failures that way. Anyway I bet your current setup with 28c @ 80 psi is a huge improvement in ride quality.
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Old 05-28-21, 06:00 AM
  #69  
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Originally Posted by terrymorse
About the assertion that tubeless is better because of fewer flats:

1. Isn't that because everyone uses sealant in their tubeless tires?

2. Wouldn't using sealant in a tubed tire provide the same flat prevention benefit?
I don't have scientific proof, but my gut feeling is, there would be a small number of punctures that would seal in a tire and tube, but not in a tubeless tire. This is because the sealant would collect in the space between the tire and tube, forming the seal.

So sealant in a tube probably provides slightly better flat prevention.

Add to this, little mess normally, as the sealant is contained in the tube, and the ability to change the tire, while reusing the tube with sealant in it, instead of needing new sealant.
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Old 05-28-21, 10:08 AM
  #70  
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Originally Posted by alo
I don't have scientific proof, but my gut feeling is, there would be a small number of punctures that would seal in a tire and tube, but not in a tubeless tire. This is because the sealant would collect in the space between the tire and tube, forming the seal.

So sealant in a tube probably provides slightly better flat prevention.

Add to this, little mess normally, as the sealant is contained in the tube, and the ability to change the tire, while reusing the tube with sealant in it, instead of needing new sealant.
So do you run tubes with sealant?
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Old 05-28-21, 04:11 PM
  #71  
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
So do you run tubes with sealant?
Yes.

I have small punctures which the sealant seals, approximately once a month, and large punctures that need to be patched, approximately once a year.

To only need a puncture repair approximately once a year is a real benefit.

With the amount of riding I have been doing recently, I wear out the back tire in a little over a year. The front tire lasts a little longer. So I am talking about one puncture repair in the life of the tire.

The future is unknown. There is a possibility I might have a bad run, with a lot of large punctures in a short time.

I know, different people ride in different environments, and have different numbers of punctures.

Last edited by alo; 05-28-21 at 04:20 PM.
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Old 05-28-21, 04:38 PM
  #72  
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Originally Posted by alo
Yes.

I have small punctures which the sealant seals, approximately once a month, and large punctures that need to be patched, approximately once a year.

To only need a puncture repair approximately once a year is a real benefit.

With the amount of riding I have been doing recently, I wear out the back tire in a little over a year. The front tire lasts a little longer. So I am talking about one puncture repair in the life of the tire.

The future is unknown. There is a possibility I might have a bad run, with a lot of large punctures in a short time.

I know, different people ride in different environments, and have different numbers of punctures.
Well since running road tubeless with sealant I haven’t had a single puncture in 18 months. The tubeless tyres I’m running are pretty tough though, so that does help a lot. I don’t think the sealant has had to do any work yet, other than seal around the tyre beads.

One thing I’ve always liked about tubeless tyres is the ability to plug them from the outside if you do get a large puncture that the sealant can’t handle. I’ve only ever had to do that with mtb tyres when not running any sealant on Mavic UST rims. Much quicker than changing a tube. But since running sealant I’ve never had to plug any holes since.
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Old 05-28-21, 04:57 PM
  #73  
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I will explain some more.

When doing this, you get small punctures which seal with sealant. When you do have a large puncture and need a puncture repair, you take the tube out and inflate it to see where the leak is. The tube stretches, and the small holes which have sealed with sealant leak. So instead of patching one just puncture, I have patched several of the larger punctures. I have left the very small ones to seal again with sealant.

I replaced a tire recently and used the same tube. It took several days to stop leaking. Whenever I have that tube out again, I plan to patch the larger holes.
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Old 05-28-21, 05:00 PM
  #74  
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
Well since running road tubeless with sealant I haven’t had a single puncture in 18 months. The tubeless tyres I’m running are pretty tough though, so that does help a lot. I don’t think the sealant has had to do any work yet, other than seal around the tyre beads.

One thing I’ve always liked about tubeless tyres is the ability to plug them from the outside if you do get a large puncture that the sealant can’t handle. I’ve only ever had to do that with mtb tyres when not running any sealant on Mavic UST rims. Much quicker than changing a tube. But since running sealant I’ve never had to plug any holes since.
Maybe your tires are more resistant to punctures.

Maybe you are in an area where there are few things to puncture tires.

Maybe you have had more seal with sealant than you think.

Where I am, there are several types of plants with sharp spikes on them. They are impossible to avoid, if you go where I go.
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Old 05-28-21, 05:37 PM
  #75  
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Originally Posted by alo
Maybe your tires are more resistant to punctures.

Maybe you are in an area where there are few things to puncture tires.

Maybe you have had more seal with sealant than you think.

Where I am, there are several types of plants with sharp spikes on them. They are impossible to avoid, if you go where I go.
Yes of course there are lots of variables. But I got a lot of punctures when running tubed tyres. We live in a rural area full of prickly plants and farm vehicles spreading debris all over the roads. So I would say it’s a good test for puncture resistance. For that reason I do tend to run tyres that have a high puncture resistance rating (currently Pirelli Cinturato Velo). With a good quality sealant, these appear to be bullet proof. I certainly don’t see any need for a tube inside.
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