An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on-all-my-road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I generally
agree with the points he makes.
zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:
An article on Cycling NewsIt’s certainly true that sealant struggles as the pressures rise, and even with wide road tyres ie 32mm your talking 60/80psi which will reduce the
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on-all-my-road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I generally
agree with the points he makes.
size of the cut that sealant can seal or mean that it will not seal until it’s dropped low enough.
Which can happen with gravel tyres as well though rarely mostly I’m just not aware of it! More that I notice a wee blue scab when cleaning the bike post ride!
The advantages are clearly much less for road, this said a remarkably
number of people can’t cope with punctures ie removing a tyre and putting a new tube in, even my reduced capacity for home maintenance can cope with that!
And so the advantages I think will be more individual for some a puncture
is ride ending event anyway so tubeless reduces that at the extra cost of getting it topped up every 6 months or so.
I’m unconvinced by the tyres are going to blow off the rim argument that I’d chalk to him being a bit conservative roadie!
This said I’m not convinced that tubeless is a need for all folks, I only run it on the gravel bike, the commute bikes have tubes as does the MTB, which is mainly that the maintenance costs/effort doesn’t for me warrant it.
Roger Merriman
On 2/16/2025 6:33 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:
An article on Cycling NewsIt’s certainly true that sealant struggles as the pressures rise, and even >> with wide road tyres ie 32mm your talking 60/80psi which will reduce the
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on-all-my-road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I generally
agree with the points he makes.
size of the cut that sealant can seal or mean that it will not seal until
it’s dropped low enough.
Which can happen with gravel tyres as well though rarely mostly I’m just >> not aware of it! More that I notice a wee blue scab when cleaning the bike >> post ride!
The advantages are clearly much less for road, this said a remarkably
number of people can’t cope with punctures ie removing a tyre and putting a
new tube in, even my reduced capacity for home maintenance can cope with
that!
And so the advantages I think will be more individual for some a puncture
is ride ending event anyway so tubeless reduces that at the extra cost of
getting it topped up every 6 months or so.
I’m unconvinced by the tyres are going to blow off the rim argument that >> I’d chalk to him being a bit conservative roadie!
This said I’m not convinced that tubeless is a need for all folks, I only >> run it on the gravel bike, the commute bikes have tubes as does the MTB,
which is mainly that the maintenance costs/effort doesn’t for me warrant >> it.
Roger Merriman
I had a conversation with a bike shop owner just last week on the
subject. I was renting an MTB for our stay in St. Croix, and he made
sure I was aware the the bike had tubes. We had a conversation over the benefits of tubeless off road, and both agreed that unless you ride off
road at least several times a week, trying to maintain a tubeless setup
isn't really worth the effort. I have tubeless wheels/tires on my MTBs
but switched back to tubes because the sealant won't do it's job well
when the bike sits for two weeks at a time (I spend the vast majority of
time on the road).
An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on- all-my-road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I
generally agree with the points he makes.
On 2/16/2025 4:57 AM, zen cycle wrote:
An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on- all-my-
road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I generally
agree with the points he makes.
+1
It's an immature technology (relying on what a former RBT contributor
called "frog snot") but it has its place. That place is observed
trials, with ridiculously fat tires under ridiculously close to zero
pressure with a lot of irregular bashing and twisting. Tubes pinch and shift in that environment. The more your riding mimics that, the more tubeless works for you.
On 2/16/2025 9:54 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 2/16/2025 4:57 AM, zen cycle wrote:
An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on- all-my-
road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I generally
agree with the points he makes.
+1
It's an immature technology (relying on what a former RBT contributor
called "frog snot") but it has its place. That place is observed
trials, with ridiculously fat tires under ridiculously close to zero
pressure with a lot of irregular bashing and twisting. Tubes pinch and
shift in that environment. The more your riding mimics that, the more
tubeless works for you.
I agree with guy completely. In fact I am not a retro grouch at all but
some things on bikes have not proven to be all that much better.
Tubeless tires for one. I rarely have flats and I don't deal with
sealant and setting up tires. I can swap out a tire and tube in a hurry
and if I flat a new tube on the road to get back. My tubes have multiple >patches and last for years. My road bike riding is all on pavement. I am
not going around gravel and bad surfaces unless I am forced by mistake.
Along with this I will mention another item that at least for me has
limited benefit. I don't like cables buried in the tubes. THE standard >exposed cables are quire easy to change out and until they manage making >buried cables as easy as exposed I rather opt out.
My next list is the infamous press fit BB. I have BSA threaded and even
some manufactures have come back to this standard. Much more reliable
and almost no maintenance ever needed. Buy a new BB and go forward.
I will say the disk brakes are better and while rim brakes work fine
disk allow better stopping in rain and when in mountains and such. They
also allow bigger tires and less concern for wheel setup.
OK I am done but never a tubeless for me
On 2/16/2025 12:51 PM, Mark J cleary wrote:
On 2/16/2025 9:54 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 2/16/2025 4:57 AM, zen cycle wrote:
An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-
on- all-my- road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-
embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but
I generally agree with the points he makes.
+1
It's an immature technology (relying on what a former RBT
contributor called "frog snot") but it has its place.
That place is observed trials, with ridiculously fat
tires under ridiculously close to zero pressure with a
lot of irregular bashing and twisting. Tubes pinch and
shift in that environment. The more your riding mimics
that, the more tubeless works for you.
I agree with guy completely. In fact I am not a retro
grouch at all but some things on bikes have not proven to
be all that much better. Tubeless tires for one. I rarely
have flats and I don't deal with sealant and setting up
tires. I can swap out a tire and tube in a hurry and if I
flat a new tube on the road to get back. My tubes have
multiple patches and last for years. My road bike riding
is all on pavement. I am not going around gravel and bad
surfaces unless I am forced by mistake.
Along with this I will mention another item that at least
for me has limited benefit. I don't like cables buried in
the tubes. THE standard exposed cables are quire easy to
change out and until they manage making buried cables as
easy as exposed I rather opt out.
My next list is the infamous press fit BB. I have BSA
threaded and even some manufactures have come back to this
standard. Much more reliable and almost no maintenance
ever needed. Buy a new BB and go forward.
I will say the disk brakes are better and while rim brakes
work fine disk allow better stopping in rain and when in
mountains and such. They also allow bigger tires and less
concern for wheel setup.
OK I am done but never a tubeless for me
Agreed. It seems that fashion often transforms "better under
this very limited circumstance" to "You gotta have this!!!"
Really, most "modern" examples of bicycling fashion are
chasing diminishing performance benefits. Any decent quality
bicycle is an amazingly efficient machine. Aero cables,
fancy bottom brackets, tubeless tires give practically
unmeasurable performance benefits.
And I suspect a fair number of tubeless setups are bought by
people who never learned to fix a flat.
But I'm an admitted retrogrouch.
On 2/16/2025 2:23 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 2/16/2025 12:51 PM, Mark J cleary wrote:
On 2/16/2025 9:54 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 2/16/2025 4:57 AM, zen cycle wrote:
An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-
on- all-my- road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-
embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but
I generally agree with the points he makes.
+1
It's an immature technology (relying on what a former RBT
contributor called "frog snot") but it has its place.
That place is observed trials, with ridiculously fat
tires under ridiculously close to zero pressure with a
lot of irregular bashing and twisting. Tubes pinch and
shift in that environment. The more your riding mimics
that, the more tubeless works for you.
I agree with guy completely. In fact I am not a retro
grouch at all but some things on bikes have not proven to
be all that much better. Tubeless tires for one. I rarely
have flats and I don't deal with sealant and setting up
tires. I can swap out a tire and tube in a hurry and if I
flat a new tube on the road to get back. My tubes have
multiple patches and last for years. My road bike riding
is all on pavement. I am not going around gravel and bad
surfaces unless I am forced by mistake.
Along with this I will mention another item that at least
for me has limited benefit. I don't like cables buried in
the tubes. THE standard exposed cables are quire easy to
change out and until they manage making buried cables as
easy as exposed I rather opt out.
My next list is the infamous press fit BB. I have BSA
threaded and even some manufactures have come back to this
standard. Much more reliable and almost no maintenance
ever needed. Buy a new BB and go forward.
I will say the disk brakes are better and while rim brakes
work fine disk allow better stopping in rain and when in
mountains and such. They also allow bigger tires and less
concern for wheel setup.
OK I am done but never a tubeless for me
Agreed. It seems that fashion often transforms "better under
this very limited circumstance" to "You gotta have this!!!"
Really, most "modern" examples of bicycling fashion are
chasing diminishing performance benefits. Any decent quality
bicycle is an amazingly efficient machine. Aero cables,
fancy bottom brackets, tubeless tires give practically
unmeasurable performance benefits.
And I suspect a fair number of tubeless setups are bought by
people who never learned to fix a flat.
But I'm an admitted retrogrouch.
For road bikes that probably explains a lot of adopters, but
there are purposes for which tubeless (even in this current
primitive state) solves real problems.
On 2/16/2025 12:51 PM, Mark J cleary wrote:
On 2/16/2025 9:54 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 2/16/2025 4:57 AM, zen cycle wrote:
An article on Cycling News
https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/i-use-inner-tubes-on- all-my-
road-bikes-heres-why-i-still-havent-embraced-tubeless/
It's a long read, and not very well written (imho), but I generally
agree with the points he makes.
+1
It's an immature technology (relying on what a former RBT contributor
called "frog snot") but it has its place. That place is observed
trials, with ridiculously fat tires under ridiculously close to zero
pressure with a lot of irregular bashing and twisting. Tubes pinch
and shift in that environment. The more your riding mimics that, the
more tubeless works for you.
I agree with guy completely. In fact I am not a retro grouch at all but
some things on bikes have not proven to be all that much better.
Tubeless tires for one. I rarely have flats and I don't deal with
sealant and setting up tires. I can swap out a tire and tube in a hurry
and if I flat a new tube on the road to get back. My tubes have multiple
patches and last for years. My road bike riding is all on pavement. I am
not going around gravel and bad surfaces unless I am forced by mistake.
Along with this I will mention another item that at least for me has
limited benefit. I don't like cables buried in the tubes. THE standard
exposed cables are quire easy to change out and until they manage making
buried cables as easy as exposed I rather opt out.
My next list is the infamous press fit BB. I have BSA threaded and even
some manufactures have come back to this standard. Much more reliable
and almost no maintenance ever needed. Buy a new BB and go forward.
I will say the disk brakes are better and while rim brakes work fine
disk allow better stopping in rain and when in mountains and such. They
also allow bigger tires and less concern for wheel setup.
OK I am done but never a tubeless for me
Agreed. It seems that fashion often transforms "better under this very limited circumstance" to "You gotta have this!!!"
Really, most "modern" examples of bicycling fashion are chasing
diminishing performance benefits. Any decent quality bicycle is an
amazingly efficient machine. Aero cables, fancy bottom brackets,
tubeless tires give practically unmeasurable performance benefits.
And I suspect a fair number of tubeless setups are bought by people who
never learned to fix a flat.
But I'm an admitted retrogrouch.
On 2/16/2025 4:04 PM, AMuzi wrote:
On 2/16/2025 2:23 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
It seems that fashion often transforms "better under this very
limited circumstance" to "You gotta have this!!!"
Really, most "modern" examples of bicycling fashion are chasing
diminishing performance benefits. Any decent quality bicycle is an
amazingly efficient machine. Aero cables, fancy bottom brackets,
tubeless tires give practically unmeasurable performance benefits.
And I suspect a fair number of tubeless setups are bought by people
who never learned to fix a flat.
But I'm an admitted retrogrouch.
For road bikes that probably explains a lot of adopters, but there are
purposes for which tubeless (even in this current primitive state)
solves real problems.
Right. Those purposes constitute what I noted as "better under this very limited circumstance" above.
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