Who makes the best tubes for 29er?
#2
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 2,888
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1346 Post(s)
Liked 3,269 Times
in
1,439 Posts
"Best" can mean a few things: suppleness, weight, flat protection, etc. Polyuretane tubes like the Smartube made by Pirelli score pretty high in all categories, but they're expensive. I prefer to let my tires provide the flat protection, so I just run the standard butyl Q-tubes the shop stocks. Never tried the Slime-infused ones, but I hear they can be messy.
#3
Mother Nature's Son
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Sussex County, Delaware
Posts: 3,111
Bikes: 2014 Orbea Avant MD30, 2004 Airborne Zeppelin TI, 2003 Lemond Poprad, 2001 Lemond Tourmalet, 2014? Soma Smoothie
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 838 Post(s)
Liked 1,414 Times
in
801 Posts
No way to definitively answer that question. If you are talking about riding gravel or off road, tubeless seems like the way to go. I have never had a tubeless set up, but, if I was doing more gravel/off road, I would likely give it a try. I am at least 95% good, smooth pavement and do not get many flats. I like Continental for butyl tubes, but I really prefer latex tubes. That is more for the ride, but the loss of grams is a bonus. There really is a noticeable difference when using latex over butyl. I would not use them for gravel or off road.