After a long hiatus of not posting anything due to lack of creative content, I'm back.With this in mind, I will open the door to the world of tubeless tyres.
- History of UST and tubeless.
- Are they worth it for the average cyclist?
- Why are people so resistant to change?
- Cons
- Recommendations.
- My thoughts.
History of UST.
This started with Mavic teaming up with Michelin and Hutchinson sitting them down to talk about ditching the innertube. A few years later in 1999 Mavic released the Crossmax UST Tubeless wheelset. Tubeless works by having a continuous rib moulded into the bead of the tyre. When you then pump air in it forces the pressure to build and then to seal the bead with the flanges of the metal rim of the wheel creating an air locked seal.
Later in 2006, Shimano came up with the Road tubeless set up in partnership with Hutchinson tyres. With lack of marketing and proper sponsorship it really never took off, with pro riders still wanting to ride tubular tyres and the average joe just sticking to tubes.
However, I believe this is starting to change.
Are they worth it?
I personally think yes. The reasons behind this are simple. By using a small amount of a liquid latex solution in the tyre and pumping it up you almost eliminate flat tyres, you can run lower pressures to make riding more comfortable and adding more grip for the winter.
There are many brands that supply a version of this such as Stans No Tubes, Mavic, Bontrager, and Schwalbe.
One main benefit is you are able to run a lower pressure in the tyre. This will allow for more grip and less deformation of the tyre over rough surfaces improving grip on even the bumpiest of roads.
Thanks to the sealant you will install in the tyre you can almost wave goodbye to pesky flats at the side of the road. Pinch flats become a thing of the past as there is nothing to pinch. This could be a big help for people who are cycling with heavy loads like commuters, tourers, and cycle couriers. Though it is still advised you carry a tube, tyre boot and patch kit in case the worst comes to the worst.
Even riding in the snow with no studs I could run low enough pressure to get some grip!
Don't want Change?
I see a lot of comments online of people hating change. Be it tubeless, disc brakes or anything crazy the bike world comes out with. I think people see a system they have grown up their whole life with and refuse to accept that there could be something better out there. Some people say it is the bike companies forcing you to buy new stuff. If you didn't buy new stuff they wouldn't be in business they wouldn't innovate new products to make riding safer, smarter and easier.
People will try to put you off. "The tyres are really hard to put on" "They are really hard to inflate". I will cover these in the cons of tubeless later.
The best thing about tubeless is it doesn't take a lot to change the industry on this one. You can still use a tube in a tubeless tyre in you so wish. If you wish to take part in the revolution of tyre technology you can jump on.
Cons.
You really need to pick the tyre combo to go with your rim. Mavic has made a tyre and wheel system where the bead seat diameter (B.S.D) on the tyre and the wheel are the same. In the past tyre manufacturers have made the B.S.D too tight where rim manufacturers have made this measurement bigger. When you put these two together you get a rim and tyre that almost seem impossible to work together.
You can still get a flat. If you get a big enough slash in the tyre or you haven't topped up the sealant. I personally don't see this as so much as a con as unless you are running a solid tyre the risk of a flat is always a possibility.
They can be an arse to pump up. This comes down to that B.S.D measurement again, too loose, air will just come out the side. so not so much of a con if the rim and tyres work well together.
Price, at the moment some of the tyres can be expensive but the more this is adopted that will change when Specialized realised their first tubeless Roubaix tyres they were £70.00 a tyre!!! They have now come down half that price to £29.00 so the prices are slowly coming down.
Recommendations
With Mavic launching an extensive line and the tyre and wheel system Mavic are right up there on the list of what to buy if you want to go tubeless. You can get most of their wheel selection now with a UST option.
Other companies are slowly coming forward with road tubeless kit. Stans No Tubes have really beefed up their arsenal in the last year or so bringing carbon rims and wheelsets. Zipp have released the 303 & 404 in tubeless options.
Tyre options are becoming more and more common also. with Mavic, Specialized, Bontrager and Schwalbe all making more and more for us to chose from.
My verdict.
As you may guess from reading this I'm super pro tubeless. If the industry adopts this as standard, I can only see winners for those already using tubeless, those who are not sure and people who don't want to change for whatever their reason can still use the same system with a tube.
At the moment I'm running a set of Mavic all roads. With Specialized Roubaix 30-32 tyres and I really can't fault them.
I would highly recommend anybody to jump on ship with this.
Sorry for the long delay in not posting I'm hoping to start posting a little more regularly from now on.
Keep spinning
Mike.
Later in 2006, Shimano came up with the Road tubeless set up in partnership with Hutchinson tyres. With lack of marketing and proper sponsorship it really never took off, with pro riders still wanting to ride tubular tyres and the average joe just sticking to tubes.
However, I believe this is starting to change.
Are they worth it?
I personally think yes. The reasons behind this are simple. By using a small amount of a liquid latex solution in the tyre and pumping it up you almost eliminate flat tyres, you can run lower pressures to make riding more comfortable and adding more grip for the winter.There are many brands that supply a version of this such as Stans No Tubes, Mavic, Bontrager, and Schwalbe.
One main benefit is you are able to run a lower pressure in the tyre. This will allow for more grip and less deformation of the tyre over rough surfaces improving grip on even the bumpiest of roads.
Thanks to the sealant you will install in the tyre you can almost wave goodbye to pesky flats at the side of the road. Pinch flats become a thing of the past as there is nothing to pinch. This could be a big help for people who are cycling with heavy loads like commuters, tourers, and cycle couriers. Though it is still advised you carry a tube, tyre boot and patch kit in case the worst comes to the worst.
Even riding in the snow with no studs I could run low enough pressure to get some grip!
Don't want Change?
I see a lot of comments online of people hating change. Be it tubeless, disc brakes or anything crazy the bike world comes out with. I think people see a system they have grown up their whole life with and refuse to accept that there could be something better out there. Some people say it is the bike companies forcing you to buy new stuff. If you didn't buy new stuff they wouldn't be in business they wouldn't innovate new products to make riding safer, smarter and easier.
People will try to put you off. "The tyres are really hard to put on" "They are really hard to inflate". I will cover these in the cons of tubeless later.
The best thing about tubeless is it doesn't take a lot to change the industry on this one. You can still use a tube in a tubeless tyre in you so wish. If you wish to take part in the revolution of tyre technology you can jump on.
Cons.
You really need to pick the tyre combo to go with your rim. Mavic has made a tyre and wheel system where the bead seat diameter (B.S.D) on the tyre and the wheel are the same. In the past tyre manufacturers have made the B.S.D too tight where rim manufacturers have made this measurement bigger. When you put these two together you get a rim and tyre that almost seem impossible to work together.
You can still get a flat. If you get a big enough slash in the tyre or you haven't topped up the sealant. I personally don't see this as so much as a con as unless you are running a solid tyre the risk of a flat is always a possibility.
They can be an arse to pump up. This comes down to that B.S.D measurement again, too loose, air will just come out the side. so not so much of a con if the rim and tyres work well together.
Price, at the moment some of the tyres can be expensive but the more this is adopted that will change when Specialized realised their first tubeless Roubaix tyres they were £70.00 a tyre!!! They have now come down half that price to £29.00 so the prices are slowly coming down.
Recommendations
With Mavic launching an extensive line and the tyre and wheel system Mavic are right up there on the list of what to buy if you want to go tubeless. You can get most of their wheel selection now with a UST option.
Other companies are slowly coming forward with road tubeless kit. Stans No Tubes have really beefed up their arsenal in the last year or so bringing carbon rims and wheelsets. Zipp have released the 303 & 404 in tubeless options.
Tyre options are becoming more and more common also. with Mavic, Specialized, Bontrager and Schwalbe all making more and more for us to chose from.
My verdict.
As you may guess from reading this I'm super pro tubeless. If the industry adopts this as standard, I can only see winners for those already using tubeless, those who are not sure and people who don't want to change for whatever their reason can still use the same system with a tube.
At the moment I'm running a set of Mavic all roads. With Specialized Roubaix 30-32 tyres and I really can't fault them.
I would highly recommend anybody to jump on ship with this.
Sorry for the long delay in not posting I'm hoping to start posting a little more regularly from now on.
Keep spinning
Mike.
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