9 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Tubeless On My Road Bike 

No faff when you have a good LBS

I went Tubeless, and went with Vittoria Air Liners. I have NO regrets. It CAN be REALLY HARD to get the tires on/off with the liners in them, but it has been awesome for me. I can run lower PSI, and my ride feels amazing. I have TWICE in the past year came home and realized my rear tire had literally 5PSI in it due to a puncture that did not seal in time/properly. I didn't even know it was so low! The air liners allow you to run-flat. I love it. I run 25c tires too.

I did. Now I’m sticking with tubes.

Agreeee

I agree. Running 25mm and zero issues, even at higher psi..

What the Hell are you talking about? I have a closet full of tubeless crap. I bought everything from every brand. I gave tubeless years of chances to prove itself. I finally got it through my thick head that it is a shit option for road bikes. For the last year and a half tubes have brought back peace of mind and a shit load of free time.

So I got a used bike which has tubeless only rims (Stans Iron Cross wheels) and can't be f'ed setting them up tubeless so I am running tubes inside the tubeless tyres. It works fine....Ha ha 🤣🤣

Exactly 👍

I'm now looking at tubes with slime pre filled for when I end up replacing my current tubes, seems to be a decent middleground between tubeless henefits like closing up small punctures and the ease of installation and maintenance of tubes.

Yeah, sure. Tubeless tires are a lot more expensive, and they're a far bigger pain in the neck to set up, but once you get past all of that, you get a very, very small improvement in puncture protection. Plus, you get to show everyone that you're a serious cyclist. What's not to love?

Weak

🤡🤡🤡 i don't know anyone who switched back from tubeless on the road or on gravel. sure continue riding you heavy and puncture prone butyl tubes with narrow tires at t high pressure! it's what's always been working 🤡🤡 with enough sealant (Silca looking at you 👀🏅🏆) and a little air I hardly ever notice any punctures on a ride only when I'm home cleaning and pumping my tires. And the few that won't seal plugs do wonders. no co2 cartridge just a regular type Minipumpe is all that you need.

Well I guess you're not interested in going fast. GP 5000 for me and not a single puncture in 2 years. But then I live in beautiful SE Qld

Gator skins are 100% puncture protectors. Ran them for 5 years all year with no punctures. But they are horrible to fit - thankfully never had to change a tube out in the road. They are very heavy and terrible for rolling resistance. I am going over to Tubeless GP 5000

@@stickymiky123 Sitting in a ditch, trying to plug a tubeless tire that won't seal, isn't going very fast. 😉

does it need maintenance? like change the sealant every 6 months? in motorcycle i have to change the sealant about 6 months, if not it would be sticky annoying as hell to remove them from the rim.

@@heliosans No,the sealant drys out over time. I heard that it could last six months,but I put some in every 3-4 months. Had no problems in the last four years.

And remove the tyres to clean out the dried out sealant otherwise youll be spinning an extra 100g + before the tyre wears out

@@craighenry7915 how he's y were your tyres after several tops ups😳

@@glennoc8585 Most the tires only last for two fill up,so it doesn't get to hard. At least on my road tires. Gravel tires last a least a full year,so weights a little more.

If you can't mount a tire on a rim.. you should stay off a bike lol

agreed

But did you add extra glitter and navel lint first? 😁🤣

To avoid flats, tubeless sealant can be put in the inner tube. I use this technic non tubeless tires and it works well. When I change the innertube, after 1 year in general, I can see the spots that were filled up by the sealant points where tube stick to the tire, and the is usually still the glass debri

I did feel the need to try tubeless and tan them for a few months, but I went back tubes. Tubeless is just too much faff and too much mess. Oh, and I’ve tried putting sealant inside tubes but it didn’t seal so ditched that, too.

@@veganpotterthevegan again, making unfounded assumptions. You really aren’t very bright are you? Maybe you need to get some red meat into your system as you’re clearly lacking something up top!

@@veganpotterthevegan and you are jumping to unfounded conclusions because you don’t know what you’re talking about, so who’s really deflecting?

@@veganpotterthevegan What 25mm tubeless tire can you run at 90 psi??....What about 23mm?? Please respect the ETRTO guidelines limiting maximum tire pressure to 72.5 psi / 5 bar for Tubeless Straight Sidewall (TSS) or ‘Hookless’ type rims.

I think whats happened now is the formulations are now better with high pressure and more "sticky". I've been waiting to see how it plays out. my last tyer under 30c just didn't seal. And tried everything and hole really wasn't that big. In my area of Suffolk has a lot of sharp flinty/glass debris on the surface and the tyers tend to cut rather than a puncture. And my tyers with latex tubes have survived things that my tubeless set-up just wouldn't have which is a strange thing to say. So i am reluctant to swap over. Though my Rovals Rapides CL ii are meant to be a very good setup this way and easy to do. Tubes even latex tubes are a lot easier oh don't know.

Been running tubeless for 3 years now. For starters, no risk of pinch flats, you can run lower pressures (way better grip), most small punctures just heal themselves. If you come from MTB, road tubeless isn't that different to setup.

LBS 😂😂😂😂😂😂 easy

On some wheels, the tires don't produce the "ping" sound when their beads seat, but rather seat silently. As long as the beads are seated, this is all that matters.

Try Goodyear Eagle F1 clinchers, these 25 mm units measure more closely to 25 mm than its competition.

You have shitty sealant.

IMO, Stan's is a fairly low-end sealant. As many have mentioned in the comments, the top two sealants are Muc-Off and Silca. I've used both, and both have sealed up punctures wonderfully.

WTF ! Pierce Gatorskins 😮

Tubulars are no good outside racing.

@@yonglingng5640 Okay team authority of no knowledge or cycling experience.

@@Shopsmith10er You have no idea how much of a bike I've worked on.

@@yonglingng5640 No, I don't know nor give a fish heads soup to care. Keep working on your bikey's.

Are you gluing your tubs? I know people love to complain about how difficult it is to remove a tubeless tire, but removing a tubular tire?!?! I've done it once on the side of a road and left my hands raw. Sold my tubular wheelset the next day.

if you can even get the valve out to enable this, in dark at -2 with a little wet road salt you aren't getting that off there. there are some areas where tubless needs further development.

@Ryan Terence Not all seemingly old-school items are bad. People stick with them because they just work, especially when there never was a need for them to go tubeless.

For this occasion...Uber is the solution.

You know that you can still pump your tyres and ride it? Even if the sealant doesn't seal the tyre completely you can still ride your bike at lower pressure which should seal it eventually.

@@bikemirror6620 that presumes...you can pump it...and it'll hold a little air. But I've found if the hole is too big or once you break the bead, if you don't have Co2 to "air blast" the bead back on...our cute little bike pumps...are just training weights...yer walking... I love riding tubeless...but I'm pretty sure they are good until they are JUST BAD. Haven't had an issue while RIDING with them yet; but at the house, mounting them, filling them...that experience isn't going to go well roadside.

@@stillededge if that happens likely you tire is too old and needs replacement. No different from a tube tyre, when it is old likely to get morr punctures. For you to damage a fairly new tubeless tire, likely you damage the same tube tire that you can't run them anymore with tubes. Tubeless tires are stronger that is why it is more expensive

@@bikemirror6620 I haven't been tubeless long enough to have "old" tires - I hope. First set lasted less than two years before they were "worn": got maybe 4k miles out of them. BUT "DAMAGED" may have been an issue with my second set of tires. I Had to fight them on the rim and "had" a tendency to max the pressure out..."I" may have created the micro holes in the sidewall that kept oozing sealant? Or maybe damaged the bead? I don't like taking credit for that though - since I never exceeded max pressure...even though that was higher than would I "SHOULD" have been using?

only if you can get that valve out. or it will be the taxi of shame....tubes aren't going anywhere.

@@gaza4543 Correction: If you can even debead the tire that is.

Best comment here. Someone who actually has a brain and uses commen sense! 🤣 the bias here is insane. Both have good purpose. Just depends where your riding.

This is why I don't want to go tubeless on my road bike, but could consider if I do ride gravel/MTB/both one day.

@@yonglingng5640 I'm on my 5th set of 32mm Panaracer Gravelkings slicks, no issues whatsoever, and they can be seated with a track pump.

@@cosinus_square Because your operating pressures are lower.

@@yonglingng5640 I ride @60psi, unless the road is extra smooth 100psi is a detriment.

Road bike tires are usually at 28mm or less. They require higher pressures on average. This is why it can be hit or miss on road bike.

Not really, when you're riding the 1-2 ounces (for road tires), it just "coats" the tire. Even on my MTB which does have 4 ounces, it just coats the rim and you don't really notice it.

Illogical comment.

I’ve had very few flats with either, but that’s only one of the many benefits of tubeless. Lower tire pressure is the point, and there’s nothing gimmicky or made-up about that.

you are just unlucky dude, bad day.

Liners between tube and tire? Could you explain that further please? How do you install that?

@@arbjful It's basically a puncture-resistant strip that goes between the tire and the inner tube, giving your clincher setup some extra defense against sharp debris. I reckon there may be some strips that stick to the inside of the tire to ease installation because trying to install an adhesive-free liner when you're installing the inner tube can be tricky to line everything up and can potentially miss the center.

@Dimus What liners do you use? I sometimes fancy running a pair, even though I've never gotten a puncture in 10+ years of cycling.

Don't knock electronic shifting, it's like magic. So fast, so secure. Di2 user here. I was skeptical before making the leap. Agree on all the other gizmos though.

😂😂😂 stuck in the dark ages

Also skeptical with disc brakes, now own both. We are all reluctant, until we try it and it gets cheaper.

Its called progress.. dont like progress?😅

That confirms that humans (especially when they get older) are afraid of change. But you seem to be young enough to appreciate gear shifting after all ... one of this modern crap invented a century ago. I probably can continue your list for other things in your life, like you will never use electric cars, solar panels or heat pumps in your home. But no worries, I am pretty certain that in 10 years time half of your "never" will turn into "can't live without" ... like probably 15 years ago you thought you will never need a smartphone ... I assume you have one by now. Cars made the switch from tires with tubes to tubeless half a century ago. When setup gets easier and sealant more functional why not switching also on bikes? When a lot of components will be manufactured through 3D printing in the next decade why not having the saddle made as well. Don't limit your imagination to all 3D printed saddles in the future will be stuck in look and functionality of the first generation. And what is wrong with adding safety through a radar ... I was reluctant in getting one myself until I saw another rider having one ... since then I don't want to live without a radar especially on a road bike ... literally your life might depend on it. And with getting older, doing more endurance or bike packing rides comfort might overrule performance or adding more gravel sections to your rides, which means wider tires are a nice way to go ... probably no need for you right now but why rule out by saying never?