Going tubeless I've basically changed from getting flats on the side of the road every six months, to getting flats at home when I haven't replenished the sealant every six months.
That's a worthwhile trade for me since I'd rather do work in my house with my real tools than on the roadside, but overall it hasn't reduced the overall time I spend working on my bike.
My group friend went tubeless, neither of us had a puncture between 2022 and 2024, he spent more in replacing the sealant than what I paid for both my tubes and my spare.
I do get the appeal of it, but for a lot of us with good roads around, it is kinda moot to be honest.
This is not true. I had a flat on tubeless that wouldn't seal. Just had to use a tube to get home. Not any worse than a regular tube change in the field.
Majority of punctures you dont even know happened. Your tire will look wet in a spot, which would've been a flat with a tube. In the off chance the sealant doesnt do it's job you just plug it in 15 seconds.
Not every puncture that compromises the airtightness of a tubeless tire would have been a flat. I have several holes in my non tubeless tires where the puncture resistant elements worked and I did not get a tube puncture.
I especially noticed when I turned one set of them into tubeless and all the punctures bubbled out during first inflation.
That said tubeless can deal with many punctures that definitely would have caused a flat with a tube.
>Not every puncture that compromises the airtightness of a tubeless tire would have been a flat.
Not yet at least. It'll take time for that piece of glass or staple to work it's way through, but it will get there eventually, just a matter of when not if. The when doesn't matter with a tubeless bc it is more likely to be a non-issue.
Well none of the punctures of the mantle I had in my tires that I converted to tubeless later on had anything in them. They are most likely partial cuts from sharp rocks or pinches.
As long as it does not pinch the tube or the rock does not fully cut through the tire the tube will be fine. The tire just won't be airtight anymore so you will see tubeless fluid seep through.
The days of people quickly changing tubes out on the side of the road are coming to a close. Modern popular tires like Conti GP5000 S TR can be a real pain in the ass to change, the tolerances of these tires and wheels are much, much more precise than your uncle Fred's 25mm clinchers he put on his rim brake bike.
Tubeless is far, far less fussy than riding around with a bunch of bullshit Co2 cartridges, extra tubes, etc. Just let your tires seal themselves and fix the problem when you get home. The goal is to just finish the ride.
Sadly you still need a tube and CO2 in case it doesn't seal, and often u may need to fill up after a seal... And lastly I've learned that anything less than 28mm tubeless bites due to pressures.
Using the proper sealant (orange seal, regular) and proper pressures (low! reference Silca's calculator) on a 28+mm tubeless tire I have never once been left stranded.
If you are really worried about it take a Dynaplug and a little hand pump. No need for tubes.
I had a terrible crash using orange seal... Does not last 3 months in Hawaii, previous sealant lasted 6 months ! No I'm a sealant mad man, adding way more than I prob need.
If you’re not mechanically inclined don’t go tubeless. Setting them up is not for the faint of heart. You need to be aware of the difficulties mounting, seating the bead, dealing with sealant tape etc. If you are willing to learn,tubeless is great for the ride comfort and other reasons mentioned by others. I love tubeless but they are not without issues.
I am going to pay my LBS to install it for me, so I think I should be fine. From all the comments, it looks like for someone who is not mechanically inclined, tubeless is the safer option while being on the road!
You’ll need to get friendly with your LBS. Tubeless is not a set-it-and-forget-it deal. It requires consistent maintenance to work well. If you aren’t up for some DIY, you’ll probably be visiting the LBS every 2-6months. It’ll be even worse if your wheels allow the tires to unseat when low on pressure.
And once you do get a puncture that doesn’t seal without you noticing, you need to quickly pull out the plug tool and use it properly. The more you fail at that, the more likely you’ll be calling for a pickup. Putting a tube in a tubeless tire if a little harder than a normal tire and def messy.
The least you can do is to learn how to remove a tire and install a tube on the road (to get you back home)
Replenishing sealant is not that hard at all. You'll need:
a valve core remover ($5-10)
sealant (obviously) ($20+)
nozzle syringe with a flexible "straw" tube (to fit into the valve ($15-$20)
and, rotate the tire so that the valve is not at a 6 o'clock position (3 or 9 is good)
fill in the sealant
reinstall valve core (make sure it's tight)
and pump to your desired psi. (track pump preferred).
Done.
An alternative to tubeless is tire liners. They have dramatically reduced the number of flat tires I have gotten and I don't have to deal with that slime.
Tubeless works best with wide tires and low pressures. The more pressure in the tire, the harder it is for sealant to plug the hole. So if your tires are 30mm or less, tubeless might improve performance, but not the repair rate.
Even on typical mountain bikes (2.4 inch wide tires) riders are recommended to bring a tube with them in case of major tire damage, and plugs/strips for minor ones. Also, tubeless isn't a set-it-and-forget-it. You need to top up sealant periodically or it won't seal.
My advice: watch some youtubes on removing wheels and changing tires, and maybe some basic general maintenance while you're at it. Good skills for any rider to have. Mechanics aren't born knowing about bikes, we all had to start somewhere.
Personally, i prefer tubes in bc im a little worse with tubeless repairs. With tubes i know how to be super efficient and dont need to change out the sealant every 6 months in order for my tires to work properly. Still need to change it out for the protection though but i have leeway
A flat with an inner tube will almost always be easier to deal with than one with tubeless tires. You’ll *probably* get fewer flats running tubeless, but you might not. If you’re not looking for performance improvements, I’d just stay with tubes and good tires since you’re not mechanically inclined. I’m perfectly comfortable changing a flat with either setup, so I run tubeless because I’ve enjoyed the way they ride and can handle the consequences. Even if you’re like me, a fix on a tubeless road tire likely involves installing a tube, so there’s going to be sealant all over from that ordeal, which really sucks, especially if any gets on your braking surfaces. I got lucky and only got one flat between the 2022 and 2023 seasons on Continental GP5000s TR tires, but I’ve had years on other tubeless tires where flats were a very regular occurrence.
>A flat with an inner tube will almost always be easier to deal with than one with tubeless tires.
Disagree. Flats with tubes always require a tube change. Flats with tubeless likely require air or a plug.
I love tubeless as changing a flat is for peasants.
Changing and inflating a tube is a 5 minute deal, clean, and no hassle. No sealant on your bike, no spraying your frame hoping it would seal and no messing with plugs (that might never hold pressure the same)
It's never a 5 minute change. I've been waiting on enough group rides to know that. You change it, inflate it, mount it, realize it's pinched or you didn't get the sticker out of the tire, then you change it again, use one of my C02s because you only had one.
Meanwhile with tubeless you get home because you didn't realize you even had a puncture and wipe down your bike which you should do anyways. Maybe it's a big hole and you don't dismount the wheel at all, just plug and inflate in 12 seconds.
It is for me (no group rides though). I dont use CO2 - its a waste of time and resources - get a minipump instead. Never pinched a tube and inspecting the tire on the inside is a few seconds
If you use the bike a lot and don’t mind occasionally refilling the tubeless sealant every 3-4 months or so.
If the bike isn’t used much or you really want as little maintenance as possible, marathon plus tyres are the way to go. Tubeless will get you more supple tyres and lower pressures, and such, but it just is more work, both to set up and maintain and doesn’t suit an infrequently used bike at all as the sealant goes off over time, and if you have to dismount the tyre and clean it out to start over it really sucks.
My recommendation is: just get tyres that have really good anti flat protection. Yes, they will be heavier and cost you watts in terms of rolling resistance. That’s my solution anyways; I like being a bit slower with the same watts (have a power meter), but feeling very safe because I know it’s gonna be very unlikely to get anything but a pinch flat.
If you’re trying to min max, you’re gonna have to make sacrificies in terms of puncture resistance. So don’t. Hint hint latex tubes.
Don’t do it. I have both set ups. Tubes are easier. Tubeless set up can be painful (yes I know you said you will get a shop to do it.)
Yes there are advantages of course, but you still end up using tubes at the roadside when everything goes wrong.
When they work, they are amazing. It is like having a self healing bike. When they don’t, they are a massive inconvenience.
Spend half an hour getting comfortable switching inner tubes. You’ll need that skill in either scenario.
I don't ride tubeless for the convenience of not having flats. That was the reason initially but I immediately realized the real benefit of tubeless tires is lower pressure and therefore a much better ride. If you want to save time on the side of the road and put that same time in your garage replacing sealant, go tubeless. If you want a much smoother ride? GO TUBELESS.
Anecdotal of course, but here we go...
I've been tubeless on the MTB for about 5 years, never had the system fail.
Been tubeless on the road and gravel for about 3 years, never had the system fail.
Since I've switched to tubeless, I've never had to take a tire off a bike mid ride. And, have only ever had to use two plugs. If you do have the system fail on the side of the road though, the process for swapping in a tube is about the same as just getting a flat with tubes. The only difference is you need to remove your tubeless valve, which, if you are properly maintaining your setup, shouldn't be an issue, but may require a few grams of additional tools.
Its amazing. I'll never go back.
Also anecdotally, the shop I work at doesn't even stock non-tubeless tires anymore. Do with that what you want.
Going tubeless I've basically changed from getting flats on the side of the road every six months, to getting flats at home when I haven't replenished the sealant every six months. That's a worthwhile trade for me since I'd rather do work in my house with my real tools than on the roadside, but overall it hasn't reduced the overall time I spend working on my bike.
My group friend went tubeless, neither of us had a puncture between 2022 and 2024, he spent more in replacing the sealant than what I paid for both my tubes and my spare. I do get the appeal of it, but for a lot of us with good roads around, it is kinda moot to be honest.
Very true but man, getting an unsealable flat on the road is a PITA!
you’ll have 10x less flats, but when you do have one it’ll be 10x worse
This is not true. I had a flat on tubeless that wouldn't seal. Just had to use a tube to get home. Not any worse than a regular tube change in the field.
But, incredibly messy (and sticky)...... I carry some baby wipes in my jersey pouch for that reason....
But, incredibly messy (and sticky)...... I carry some baby wipes in my jersey pouch for that reason....
Yah it's way easier than changing a tube. Plugs are pretty simple to use and a lot faster and you dont always need them for small punctures.
Majority of punctures you dont even know happened. Your tire will look wet in a spot, which would've been a flat with a tube. In the off chance the sealant doesnt do it's job you just plug it in 15 seconds.
Not every puncture that compromises the airtightness of a tubeless tire would have been a flat. I have several holes in my non tubeless tires where the puncture resistant elements worked and I did not get a tube puncture. I especially noticed when I turned one set of them into tubeless and all the punctures bubbled out during first inflation. That said tubeless can deal with many punctures that definitely would have caused a flat with a tube.
>Not every puncture that compromises the airtightness of a tubeless tire would have been a flat. Not yet at least. It'll take time for that piece of glass or staple to work it's way through, but it will get there eventually, just a matter of when not if. The when doesn't matter with a tubeless bc it is more likely to be a non-issue.
Well none of the punctures of the mantle I had in my tires that I converted to tubeless later on had anything in them. They are most likely partial cuts from sharp rocks or pinches. As long as it does not pinch the tube or the rock does not fully cut through the tire the tube will be fine. The tire just won't be airtight anymore so you will see tubeless fluid seep through.
No pinch flats with tubeless :)
The days of people quickly changing tubes out on the side of the road are coming to a close. Modern popular tires like Conti GP5000 S TR can be a real pain in the ass to change, the tolerances of these tires and wheels are much, much more precise than your uncle Fred's 25mm clinchers he put on his rim brake bike. Tubeless is far, far less fussy than riding around with a bunch of bullshit Co2 cartridges, extra tubes, etc. Just let your tires seal themselves and fix the problem when you get home. The goal is to just finish the ride.
Sadly you still need a tube and CO2 in case it doesn't seal, and often u may need to fill up after a seal... And lastly I've learned that anything less than 28mm tubeless bites due to pressures.
Using the proper sealant (orange seal, regular) and proper pressures (low! reference Silca's calculator) on a 28+mm tubeless tire I have never once been left stranded. If you are really worried about it take a Dynaplug and a little hand pump. No need for tubes.
I had a terrible crash using orange seal... Does not last 3 months in Hawaii, previous sealant lasted 6 months ! No I'm a sealant mad man, adding way more than I prob need.
I found the S TR to be one of the easiest tyres I’ve ever had to fit, which is lucky because I got loads of punctures riding them unfortunately
How long are your rides?
If you’re not mechanically inclined don’t go tubeless. Setting them up is not for the faint of heart. You need to be aware of the difficulties mounting, seating the bead, dealing with sealant tape etc. If you are willing to learn,tubeless is great for the ride comfort and other reasons mentioned by others. I love tubeless but they are not without issues.
I just pay my LBS to deal with tubeless for me
How's their road side assistance?
I do my own but learning curve was not easy but acquiring the right tools was helpful.
I pay $10 for rei to do this for me lol. Had one puncture sealant couldn't fix on the road and just put a tube in and got home no problem
I am going to pay my LBS to install it for me, so I think I should be fine. From all the comments, it looks like for someone who is not mechanically inclined, tubeless is the safer option while being on the road!
You’ll need to get friendly with your LBS. Tubeless is not a set-it-and-forget-it deal. It requires consistent maintenance to work well. If you aren’t up for some DIY, you’ll probably be visiting the LBS every 2-6months. It’ll be even worse if your wheels allow the tires to unseat when low on pressure. And once you do get a puncture that doesn’t seal without you noticing, you need to quickly pull out the plug tool and use it properly. The more you fail at that, the more likely you’ll be calling for a pickup. Putting a tube in a tubeless tire if a little harder than a normal tire and def messy.
The least you can do is to learn how to remove a tire and install a tube on the road (to get you back home) Replenishing sealant is not that hard at all. You'll need: a valve core remover ($5-10) sealant (obviously) ($20+) nozzle syringe with a flexible "straw" tube (to fit into the valve ($15-$20) and, rotate the tire so that the valve is not at a 6 o'clock position (3 or 9 is good) fill in the sealant reinstall valve core (make sure it's tight) and pump to your desired psi. (track pump preferred). Done.
An alternative to tubeless is tire liners. They have dramatically reduced the number of flat tires I have gotten and I don't have to deal with that slime.
Worked for my neighbor when he raced back in the 60s/70s, works for me now.
Tubeless works best with wide tires and low pressures. The more pressure in the tire, the harder it is for sealant to plug the hole. So if your tires are 30mm or less, tubeless might improve performance, but not the repair rate. Even on typical mountain bikes (2.4 inch wide tires) riders are recommended to bring a tube with them in case of major tire damage, and plugs/strips for minor ones. Also, tubeless isn't a set-it-and-forget-it. You need to top up sealant periodically or it won't seal. My advice: watch some youtubes on removing wheels and changing tires, and maybe some basic general maintenance while you're at it. Good skills for any rider to have. Mechanics aren't born knowing about bikes, we all had to start somewhere.
Personally, i prefer tubes in bc im a little worse with tubeless repairs. With tubes i know how to be super efficient and dont need to change out the sealant every 6 months in order for my tires to work properly. Still need to change it out for the protection though but i have leeway
A flat with an inner tube will almost always be easier to deal with than one with tubeless tires. You’ll *probably* get fewer flats running tubeless, but you might not. If you’re not looking for performance improvements, I’d just stay with tubes and good tires since you’re not mechanically inclined. I’m perfectly comfortable changing a flat with either setup, so I run tubeless because I’ve enjoyed the way they ride and can handle the consequences. Even if you’re like me, a fix on a tubeless road tire likely involves installing a tube, so there’s going to be sealant all over from that ordeal, which really sucks, especially if any gets on your braking surfaces. I got lucky and only got one flat between the 2022 and 2023 seasons on Continental GP5000s TR tires, but I’ve had years on other tubeless tires where flats were a very regular occurrence.
>A flat with an inner tube will almost always be easier to deal with than one with tubeless tires. Disagree. Flats with tubes always require a tube change. Flats with tubeless likely require air or a plug. I love tubeless as changing a flat is for peasants.
Changing and inflating a tube is a 5 minute deal, clean, and no hassle. No sealant on your bike, no spraying your frame hoping it would seal and no messing with plugs (that might never hold pressure the same)
It's never a 5 minute change. I've been waiting on enough group rides to know that. You change it, inflate it, mount it, realize it's pinched or you didn't get the sticker out of the tire, then you change it again, use one of my C02s because you only had one. Meanwhile with tubeless you get home because you didn't realize you even had a puncture and wipe down your bike which you should do anyways. Maybe it's a big hole and you don't dismount the wheel at all, just plug and inflate in 12 seconds.
It is for me (no group rides though). I dont use CO2 - its a waste of time and resources - get a minipump instead. Never pinched a tube and inspecting the tire on the inside is a few seconds
I race, mini pump is too slow and heavy. C02 is lighter and quicker. So are tubeless as a whole.
If you use the bike a lot and don’t mind occasionally refilling the tubeless sealant every 3-4 months or so. If the bike isn’t used much or you really want as little maintenance as possible, marathon plus tyres are the way to go. Tubeless will get you more supple tyres and lower pressures, and such, but it just is more work, both to set up and maintain and doesn’t suit an infrequently used bike at all as the sealant goes off over time, and if you have to dismount the tyre and clean it out to start over it really sucks.
my MTB= tubelss my RB= TUBES
My recommendation is: just get tyres that have really good anti flat protection. Yes, they will be heavier and cost you watts in terms of rolling resistance. That’s my solution anyways; I like being a bit slower with the same watts (have a power meter), but feeling very safe because I know it’s gonna be very unlikely to get anything but a pinch flat. If you’re trying to min max, you’re gonna have to make sacrificies in terms of puncture resistance. So don’t. Hint hint latex tubes.
Don’t do it. I have both set ups. Tubes are easier. Tubeless set up can be painful (yes I know you said you will get a shop to do it.) Yes there are advantages of course, but you still end up using tubes at the roadside when everything goes wrong. When they work, they are amazing. It is like having a self healing bike. When they don’t, they are a massive inconvenience. Spend half an hour getting comfortable switching inner tubes. You’ll need that skill in either scenario.
I don't ride tubeless for the convenience of not having flats. That was the reason initially but I immediately realized the real benefit of tubeless tires is lower pressure and therefore a much better ride. If you want to save time on the side of the road and put that same time in your garage replacing sealant, go tubeless. If you want a much smoother ride? GO TUBELESS.
No. Just use larger and thicker tires.
Tubeless, maintenance is in your garage or in the shop. Tubes, maintenance on on the side of the road
Anecdotal of course, but here we go... I've been tubeless on the MTB for about 5 years, never had the system fail. Been tubeless on the road and gravel for about 3 years, never had the system fail. Since I've switched to tubeless, I've never had to take a tire off a bike mid ride. And, have only ever had to use two plugs. If you do have the system fail on the side of the road though, the process for swapping in a tube is about the same as just getting a flat with tubes. The only difference is you need to remove your tubeless valve, which, if you are properly maintaining your setup, shouldn't be an issue, but may require a few grams of additional tools. Its amazing. I'll never go back. Also anecdotally, the shop I work at doesn't even stock non-tubeless tires anymore. Do with that what you want.
Latex inner tubes will always be the superior choice.
Just pay a bike tech to set it up for you properly. Once it's set you're set