|   old skool vs. tubeless tires and rims | Sonyisdope
Feb 18, 2002 2:26 PM | | I have a really nice wheelset, but I am wondering if it is worth it to get tubeless wheels? I mean, when I go to the trails will people laugh at me now, because I don't have tubeless wheels? I don't want to get laughed at. Anyhow, what are your opinions?
Passat. |
| Old School | mountainbiker2
Feb 18, 2002 3:16 PM | | I laugh at the tubeless riders. |
| re: laugh at them when you look back | jockster
Feb 18, 2002 3:22 PM | | dont worry about what people think of your gear. If you ride well enough no one will say anything. The most recent issue of MT bike action has a piece on all of the reasons not to ride tubeless, and there are a lot of them. The top reason is cost. If you get a leak in your tubeless are you going to trash a $60 tire, put a tube in it and defeat the purpose, repair it and pray that it holds air?
That should stir thing up a little. |
| You actually have 2 options. | TNC
Feb 18, 2002 5:31 PM | | Tubeless tires are repairable from the inside much like car and motorcycle tires with patches. However, if you run a latex/water mix inside, or even the new Slime for tubeless stuff, you will probably never have to fix anything until the tire wears out. We get some unbelieveable mesquite thorns here, and I have yet to have a thorn hole that the latex/water mix from Stan's system wouldn't seal. Good UST tires with the sealant are fairly bulletproof. I've been using 5 different UST tires from Specialized and Geax on 3 different bikes with great results. This is a new option that really works. |
| tnc answer question? | dan
Feb 18, 2002 7:39 PM | | my bike came with tubeless(hutchinson mosquito) and been riding it for couple months now and just got thorn flat.the dealer mentioned that they put Slime in them but for some reason got flat.I took it off and cleaned up the Slime.I tried to patch it with conventional bike tube patch kit but the patches wont stick.so either I need to clean it better or get car tire patch kit.what do you think? what's better liquid latex or slime(the slime that's available everywhere.dont know about NEW slime)? |
| 2 possibilities. | TNC
Feb 18, 2002 8:30 PM | | Slime does now make a tubeless type, and it does have a little different element to it--possibly some very small rubber pieces in it--black specks. I've been using the liquid latex mix in mine and have gotten some really big thorns in it. The mix has sealed it every time. One thing that does happen, however, when you get a really big thorn, is that you have to let the air pressure go down from say the normal 40 psi when you pull the thorn out. I do this at home after the ride. The tire goes down to around 20 psi and then stops. Also you don't point the hole down to the ground because you don't want to lose any of your mix after you pull the thorn. When the tire has gone down in psi to where it stops losing air, you then rotate the tire around to the spot where the hole is. Spin the tire a little, and then air it up. Sometimes it will lose a little air overnight, but the next time you air it up it has sealed permanently at that hole. It really seems crazy that this stuff will seal anything when you see the water and latex mix, but it does. I use about 1/3 cup, or 3oz. of the mix for each tire. I use a pretty fair amount of the latex in that 3oz. mix--a good tablespoon or so. The water in the mix in a UST tire lasts a lot longer than in conventional tires because they are more airtight. I'm sure you can get a hole big enough that nothing will seal, but on UST tires we haven't gotten one here. Conventional tires converted to tubeless in this method have had some problems in our area because of these large mesquite thorns. I suggest you read some of the posts in the "weight" section for about the last month or so to get a good idea about this whole deal--most of them are listed under references to "Stan's System". |
| re: old skool vs. tubeless tires and rims | Mauka Rider
Feb 18, 2002 5:13 PM | | If you race, then tubeless is the way to go...but for trail riding Old School all the way. More tire choice and when you install a tube, add some baby powder to the inside of the tire and you can have a ride similar to a tubeless system. If you really want tublless, try No-Tubes which converts your system you have now to tubeless for $12.00!! But I still dont like the tubeless system. P.S. The No-Tubes system is lighter then the Mavic or other tubeless system made. |
| There's a new tubeless option. | TNC
Feb 18, 2002 5:23 PM | | Now you can use just about any quality wheelsets available and run tubeless tires. There's been some mention of it around here, especially in the weight forum on this site. It's called Stan's system. And now he has even another option with a new rim strip system to allow use of conventional or tubeless tires on conventional wheels. If you look in the "weight" section of techtalk and go back for the last month, you will learn about all you want to know about. I've got 3 bikes setup this way and it works great. I use UST tires on different wheelsets. I even have some 2.2 tires on Sun Rhino Lites that work perfectly. You get the tubeless ride and traction quality and also flat proofing with the latex inside. I haven't had a flat with this system, and that's saying something for here in West Texas with king-size mesquite thorns and such. I'd never worry about what some fashion conscious wanker thought about my bike or parts selection, but the tubeless thing really works. |
| And there's an even newer option... | DeeEight
Feb 18, 2002 8:22 PM | | Love semi-tubeless tires, available in road, bmx, and Mtb sizes, including DH models. A butyl rubber membrane is bonded across the beads and seals the whole tubeless tire. No glueing, latex mixing, special rimstrips, or fancy compressors or high volume pumps. |
| And what keeps it from flatting? | TNC
Feb 19, 2002 6:25 AM | | This is one of the major benefits of the latex no matter what tubeless deal you're running. Where I live you gotta have some flat protection. Other places may not need it. |
| who cares what others think | dan
Feb 18, 2002 7:08 PM | | |
| re: who cares what others think | sonyisdope
Feb 18, 2002 8:34 PM | | I was just kidding with the "will they all laugh at me" thing. People have been laughing at my bike for years. I still buy purple anodized stuff, just because it is always on sale the cheapest :) Anyhow, thanks for the input, I will probably try to do the "convert my shit to tubeless" thing.
passat |
| re: old skool vs. tubeless tires and rims | sal bass
Feb 18, 2002 9:07 PM | | while i would never run tubeless, i work at a shop where several people gashed their sidewalls several times and lost races because of it.
it seemed that as soon as tubeless showed up, more people than usual were gashing tires open. i'm in north texas so there's lots of rock and root to do that on here.
also, those UST tires are bricks. the python UST is heavier than an Air Light Python WITH a tube. what happened to all the concern with rotational weight? fly wheels on a bike?
let them ride the tubeless. i've never pinch flatted in my life. never gashed a tire open and never lost knobs. 'casue i'm a weak @ss rider? no. it's called skills BABY!
ok, so i digress.
sonyisdope, just ride what you have and ride well.
leave the tubeless to the mountain riders who praise, bolt on grips, egg beaters, carbon anything, air forks for racing, leftys, ......... |
| Disagree on some UST issues. | TNC
Feb 19, 2002 6:51 AM | | Hey, fellow Texan, I can relate about the rocks you mention. I'm in Abilene, and we have a few in our area too. Some of what you say about UST tires, especially early on, is true. Some them are too light weight and are fragile for freeriding or just plain rough, rocky terrain. I've noticed this to be true more so with some Michelins. However, lately more tires have come out that are quite tough and have no tendency to tear or puncture. I work at an LBS part time and have gotten to check out alot of them. My favorites in the UST types are some of the newer Specialized models. I'm even running 2.2 Enduro UST's on a Bullit. Yeah they weigh about 830, but a non-UST Enduro with a tube would weigh about the same--and I don't consider those ultra-light weight tubes to be suitable for this kind of use. I'm referring to a real 200g tube for such a large tire. These new Specialized tires hold up with no problems. I do go for the Pro models that have the harder compound, which helps. The tubeless quality in traction and rolling characteristics is a real deal and not just marketing hype. With a little latex/water mix they have been about bulletproof--no flats on 3 bikes running UST's and latex. BTW where in north Texas are you? |
| Disagree on some UST issues. | sal bass
Feb 19, 2002 4:45 PM | | near grape vine.
as for the UST bit about traction. if you're riding a bullit, that's a whole different story.
i think the original post was about a basic XC bike.
as for traction, i've ridden UST. i can run down to 28 psi too with a standard tire and tube.
this is just like the saddles with cut outs. if you need one there is something wrong with the fit of the bike. even if the person who fitted you show documents about his certifation blah blah blah.....they are a hundred ways to fit someone. i fit people and it usually takes a week until i get enough feedback to suggest changes.
anyway, have fun the UST. |
| Ah, North Shore. | TNC
Feb 19, 2002 6:08 PM | | You have a decent trail there even if it is crowded sometime. I recall a rock or two there. Now I'm sure those not familiar with what we're referring to are seeing British Columbia instead of Lake Grapevine in Texas. |
| get the tubeless....fit in... | ibismojo
Feb 18, 2002 10:01 PM | | listen to what those dumbasses have to tell you...it's important....really...important...you don't want to be called that loser with tubes now do you? no...we don't want that...get the tubeless...get them before they start calling you the fag with the tubes. get the tubeless...before it's too late.... |
| re: get the tubeless....fit in... | sonyisdope
Feb 18, 2002 10:31 PM | | No way man. I'm going to shave my mustache and get a mohawk to fit in. |
| LOL--nm | TNC
Feb 19, 2002 6:23 AM | | nm |
| the people I laugh at are ... | GlowBoy (formerly WriConsult)
Feb 19, 2002 12:23 PM | | ... all these guys with high maintenance full-suspension, disc-braked, tubeless-tired rigs, riding around on crushed rock rail-trails, who still don't know how to handle their bike or even what gear to ride in.
- Dan |
| the people I laugh at are ... | sal bass
Feb 19, 2002 4:47 PM | | forget the skills. some of these extreme DUDES don't even know how to tune their rear derailleurs.........properly. |
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