#@!? punctures, &&??!#! rain!

souter

Did a final pre-w200 spin today, took on a bit more than I bargained for so was mighty relieved to start my final descent down Stocking Lane as the rain was starting to get to me through my optimistic clothing choice.
Then tump tump tump, front wheel flat.
Eventually wrestled it off, found the debris and spent about 15 minutes struggling to get the tube back on with increasingly numb fingers till frustration got the better of me and I tried to lever the last bit on.
Pfft!
So back to square one and I'm starting to get really cold, but persevere and make a decent puncture repair and eventually get the tyre back.
Just about to clip in when I notice the back is soggy, so unscrew the valve cover and Pop! valve comes off along with all the air.
Swear quite a lot, but thankfully the valve screws back on and I get the bike on the road again. Am now shiverring uncontrollably, hypothermia on a June bank holiday, my normal poor descending further worsened by paranoia that another blowout is just round the corner.
Needless to say, did get home ok, had a hot bath and my mood has improved somewhat.

zil

Sorry to hear about your woes, I have a one word solution for you though - tubeless :P

souter

zil wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your woes, I have a one word solution for you though - tubeless :P

Ok, I'll bite - my extensive research (wikipedia) suggests these are a no brainer, at the very least for commuting. What's the catch?

In the meantime I'm going work on my thumb strength with one of those springy things.

km991148

souter wrote: »

Ok, I'll bite - my extensive research (wikipedia) suggests these are a no brainer, at the very least for commuting. What's the catch?

In the meantime I'm going work on my thumb strength with one of those springy things.

was wondering myself, quick google yeilds this:

http://bicycle-gear.suite101.com/article.cfm/tubeless_tire_pros_and_cons

one day though!

IM0

not sure what tubeless is going to do for you to change anything [oh yeah they are so much easier to change with numb fingers in the rain, and wait for cement to dry ] the thing is though when you have days like this you can look back on them and say yeah that really sucked but on the upside it was one of the best baths/showers Ive ever had!

zil

km991148 wrote: »

was wondering myself, quick google yeilds this:

http://bicycle-gear.suite101.com/article.cfm/tubeless_tire_pros_and_cons

one day though!

Just going through the list you posted.

[*]Tubeless tires systems are more expensive.

True if you get tubeless rims, but they're not that bad if you convert non tubeless rims over. I spent about €40 to convert my non tubeless rims and tyres to tubeless using stans tubeless kit. If you run mid range pressures then you shouldn't need new tyres but if your running either very low or very high pressures.

[*]They can also be heavier depending on the type of system and tire used.

Much of a muchness when it comes to weight, you lose the tube but gain some liquid sealent and sometimes some airtight tape. Personally I wouldn't worry much about the weight difference.

[*]Set up is fiddly and tires are hard to pump up without the aid of a compressor.

Depends on the tyres. I had tight fitting tyres so it was a breeze, took me longer to put the tyre on than it was to seal it. I know some people who have had problems but a load of soapy water on the tyre (to help get an airtight seal) and a floor pump or a compressor and your fine.

[*]Tubeless tires are difficult to fix on the trail though you can install an inner tube as a last resort.

Forget about this your never actually going to fix a tubeless tyre on the trail. You just throw in a normal tube (they still work even after you convert) and fix things when you get home.

[*]Valves can clog easily through excessive use of sealant.

This does happen from time to time, but just include checking your valves as part of your regular maintance and you'll spot it and clear it out well before it becoems a problem.

[*]Limited availability on tire sizes and tread patterns.

The vast majority of mountain bike tyres come in tubeless versions, not so sure what the situation is on the roadie side of the line but don't think it's quite as good.


The benefits are of course much much higher puncture resistance from thorns and sharp objects and also the elimination of pinch flats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_BsT8D9JYY

short circuit

Been confused on this a long time .. so might as well get my questions answered now that the topic has come up ...

Can I convert my Open Pro rim + Conti sport contact into tubeless?
What all do I need to get to do this?
I am assuming running at 60-75PSI will be OK as thats what i use now front-rear .... perhaps I could even go a little lower if I turn this to tubeless as there is much reduced risk of pinch flats .. ?
Do I have to start with brand new tyres? Or will my used ones work?

Thanks, SC

zil

short circuit wrote: »

Been confused on this a long time .. so might as well get my questions answered now that the topic has come up ...

Can I convert my Open Pro rim + Conti sport contact into tubeless?
What all do I need to get to do this?
I am assuming running at 60-75PSI will be OK as thats what i use now front-rear .... perhaps I could even go a little lower if I turn this to tubeless as there is much reduced risk of pinch flats .. ?
Do I have to start with brand new tyres? Or will my used ones work?

Thanks, SC

I don't know specifics for certain tyre/rim combinations but you can always check for yourself. The two biggest conversion kits are notubes.com and no-flats.com . They both have lists on their forums of tyre/rim combinations that do and don't work.

Assuming your current tyre and rim will work then you'll need a conversion kit which usually consists of air tight rim tape/strip valves and sealant. For 26' wheels tubeless conversion kits should work for 90% of tyres and rims, for 700mm you have to make a decision based on what kind of pressure you normally run. If it's mid range then you can get a cyclocross conversion kits that fits 700mm rims, if your running high pressure then you need to get one of the road kits which come with tubeless specific tyres (and therefore a huge price hike).

Yup if you want to you can run much lower pressures on tubeless, without the risk of pinchflats the only thing you have to worry about is running so low a pressure that the tyre starts to deform too much.