GaryPitts

For those that have gone tubeless, any reservations after having lived with it for a while? Any horror stories of gashes or flats on the road that left you stranded? I'm looking at the Bontrager R3 package for the Domane. Kinda funny since I just got in a set of Pro4 Service Courses that I was looking forward to trying I can sell those on eBay though and not lose anything, so not a concern.

fa63

I have been tubeless for over two years now. In that two years, I have had one flat that the sealant couldn't take care of - big cut in the sidewall from glass which probably no tire would have survived. With the regular tire/tube combo, I would get at least 2-3 flats per year.

Currently, I am using Bontrager R3 25 mm tubeless tire in the front, and Hutchinson Secteur 28 mm tubeless tire in the back. I rate them both highly; they ride well, grip well, and of course the comfort is incredible even at 90 psi front / 95 psi rear (I am a big guy, so I run fairly high pressures). So I would highly recommend that you give it a try. Also, go for the 25 mm tires instead of the 23s if you can.

Good luck.

Elduderino2412

i've been tubeless on roadie for about 3 months, and love it. I have a set of stan's alphas

been tubeless on MTB for a long time. Only way to go on MTB.

fuel0707

I'm using the Bontrager R3's on a set of their RXL wheels. I got the wheelset and tires in late January. So far, I'm very happy with the ride quality but there have been a few issues along the way.

The nice thing that I've experienced with my setup is that you can set the tire bead with a regular floor pump, just as Bontrager shows in their online video. However, I've experienced issues when pulling the tires to clean up the rubbery gunk that the sealant forms over time. (When I've pulled the tires, I've done it while working with mechanics at my LBS who sold me the tires and wheels.) Both times that we pulled the tires, we ended up having to replace the rim strip. For some reason, the rim strip loses its seal with the wheel and when trying to inflate the tire and seat the bead, a hole develops somewhere and the sealant goes everywhere. But replacing the strip (which was handled under warranty) has fixed the problem.

I've not had any problems on the road and I have about 6-700 miles on these tires. I do carry a tube in a seat pack just in case I get a puncture that the sealant doesn't handle. But thus far, I've not had an issue on the road.

I'd say that I'm pretty happy with the tubeless setup though I am concerned about the rim strip issue. My shop has contacted Bontrager about the rim strip issue but I've not heard what they've found. But the big plus for me is that if I want to convert back to a regular clincher setup, it's pretty easy. However, I don't have any plans to do that. Plus, I love floating over railroad tracks and speed bumps while my friends get jarred over those same hazards. The ride quality is really that much different in my experience.

whitemax

I loaded up my Stans alpha wheelset last Sept. with sealant (Hutchinson tires) and rode on them for prolly 4-5 hundred miles. I rode them at 100psi and they rode great. I don't currently have them on my bike at the moment and wondered how long the sealant will last. Seems I heard that it is good for 6 months. The issue of the rim strips you mentioned has me a little concerned. The tires are going down very slowly but still have air in them. I wonder if I need to change out the sealant or just pump em back up and press on. Any thoughts?

Racer Ex 

Year two. Never going back.

Elduderino2412

you should add some sealant about every 6 months. Mine lose about 20 PSI a week, so i reinflate them about once a week. Seems like my tubes lost about 10-15 PSI a week when i had them. If your wheels are deflating faster, you can check for leaks w/a spray bottle, soap and water(i just use simple green b/c i'm lazy). Stems are usually the culprits. If stem is leaking make sure it's threaded tight, and shake some sealant where it is at.

chi-james

I've been riding Fusions for a few months now on some converted da-7801 wheels and love it, mainly for the flat protection that sealant provides, but also running lower pressures. The tires themselves are just okay imo. My biggest reservation? It was really really difficult to mount the tires and I dread trying to insert a tube if I get a non-sealable puncture.

Hiro11

I also found the Hutchinson tires to be unbelievably tight to mount on Shimano WH6700 rims. Carefully checked and rechecked the bead to make sure it was in the center trough. However, there was no way I was getting them on with just my hands. I broke several plastic levers in further attempts. A bead jack finally got the damned things on. Maybe it's just that combination.

The ability to run the tires at 80 PSI was nice but the fear of a non-sealable flat requiring me to tube these infernal things up on the side of the road finally killed the idea for me. Regular clinchers work just fine and are generally far cheaper.

bonz50

if I were inclined to go tubeless, what would you do? do you need special wheelsets/tires/etc??

just dank

yes

bonz50

feel free to expound on that a bit....

fa63

You need tubeless compatible wheels, a tubeless valve and tubeless tires. Some folks convert conventional clinchers to tubeless by using Stan's tape and tubeless tires, but I would never do that given tubeless compatible wheels have a specially designed bead to secure the tubeless tire in case of a blowout, while conventional clinchers do not.

For the details feel free to do a search; it has been covered many times on here and elsewhere on the internet.

fuel0707

I've heard estimates on the sealant lasting 6 months or so. One source suggested adding sealant every 4-6 months and once a year, pulling off the tires and cleaning up the tires and the wheels from the rubbery debris that forms as some of the sealant congeals. I do know that when we pulled my tires off about 6 weeks ago, it was interesting to see how much liquid sealant was still inside (which is a good thing) and that there was a decent amount of little rubbery globs to remove.

My tires do leak down a bit but I make sure to pump some air in to them every 3 or 4 days if I don't ride in the interim. I do see some leakdown overnight on the order of 5 psi. And if I have to leave home for work, I'll go ahead and pump them up to about 90-100 psi.

HDK

I'm have Campagnalo Shamal Ultra's with Schwalbe Ultremo ZX tires. The tires were easier to mount than the Continental 4000 s. that I was using previously. I like the idea of not getting flats form the cinders they put down around me in the winter.

thechemist

"Are you tubeless???"

Astrozombie

I think your thread needed a poll

GaryPitts

Nah... I'm not really interested in numbers, just to hear what experiences, especially negative, that users of tubeless have had. I want to know all the bad stuff before I jump in. I think I already know the good stuff

Maxpilot

I've been running the exact combo you are interested in. The tires run very smooth and I like the handling. They roll very fast. I have over 1500 miles with no flats. I have run over stuff too because I hear and see the sealant that comes out for a couple seconds after a puncture. It works.

These tires are the hardest tires to mount I have ever seen. I also broke 2 plastic levers getting them on. I was able to seat the bead using a floor pump, but I replaced my rear tire due to a cut which was still holding air, but I just wanted to be safe... I had to use CO2 to seat the bead on this one. I think the tires Bontrager sources are not consistent. Some fit extremely tight. Also, I have heard the newer tires have a different bead material that does not stretch which I think makes them harder to mount.

I like them after I get them on. I carry a tube and CO2 cartridge just in case but have never had to use them. The R3 TLR tires are a good complement to the Domane. Very smooth ride.

GaryPitts

So, what would I need to carry in order to be able to fix a gash? A tube, a boot, and a couple of metal tire irons? Do they make small metal tire irons? I've only used the plastic ones. And wouldn't all the sealant make for a really messy roadside fix? I've only gashed a tire once, but obviously it happens.

pmt

Search the Forums for "Road Tubeless" and all your questions will be answered. It's all already been covered here.

The short answer is yes they're great, yes it's easy to handle flats, but be absolutely certain your PRACTICE handling flats in the garage AT HOME before trying to do it out on the road.

garciawork

I have been tubeless for 3 or 4 years. First on a set of stock wheels on a low end tarmac, then a set of neuvations, then a set of stan's alpha's, now on to fulcrum racing 3 2 way fit (two sets, one on each bike). The fulcrums are by FAR the best I have used, you don't typically need sealant or a compressor to air them up, although it is recommended to make sure the tire is bedded 100%. In this time I have had two flats the sealant couldn't handle (big chunks of glass) and a two other flats that were my fault... remember to change/add sealant every 6-8 months! If you forget, the sealant either leaks out as it seals punctures, or dries up.

I haven't carried tubes or a pump in years, and I LOVE it. I have had to make the call of shame a couple of times, but I am ok with that for the rolling resistance, comfort, and flat protection a properly set up tubeless wheelset offer.

sfrider 

So if you get a flat the sealant can't handle you either make the call of shame (lol, love that phrase) or you stuff a tube in there and reinflate? Then when you get home you... replace the tire?

garciawork

I always do. Some people boot them, or just leave a tube until the tire wears down I'd imagine, or if its just a puncture that didn't seal because you are a moron like me who NEVER thinks about replacing the sealant you can add some at is should seal right up when inflated. It has only happened twice that it seemed like a large puncture, and both times it also could have easily been the sealant. From the Stan's video's at least, his sealant looks pretty freaking effective. Just note that the best thing to do when you hear a leak is find it, and get it to face the ground, that will let the sealant pool and do its job better. I have also found that when there is barely any sealant left (*replace sealant before you get to this point*) if you get a little drop of the stuff coming out, hold your thumb over it and leave it for 30 seconds and it will give the sealant time to coagulate and seal.

gilaasepeda

im using padrone on rear and fusion at front on rs61 for 5 month. padrone i think got less puncture resistance then fusion. my padrone puncture by small sharp shatter glass about 2 mm but im fix it using patch and glue now up running fine. good thing padrone then fusion is i found padrone easy to mount just using thumb more flex compare to fusion, there is no way for me mount fusion using thumb i broke plastic lever once.

padrone also no need requirement sealant, but fusion suggested using sealant.