I have never used any tubeless tires, so I can't speak from experience. Typically only mountain bike racers use tubeless simply because of the great cost of the wheelsets. And whereas weekend roadies only pause for a moment before plopping down a grand for wheels, weekend mountain bikers tend to have the rough, tough, I'll-make-do attitude that doesn't usually jive with wheels that cost more than their bike. Perhaps with increased popularity, we'll see a price reduction if this technology withstands the test of time.
Tubeless tires aren't really a new concept, but the new designs are! You'll see UST used in association with tubeless tires, it stands for Universal System Tubeless, which is a patented design by Mavic (a wheel manufacturer). Several tire companies were granted permission to make tires for Mavic's UST wheel such as Continental and Michelin. Just remember, your car tires are tubeless...so maybe it's a concept to which we should give some consideration.
Even though, I've never used tubeless tires myself, I've heard some stories of experience from friends and I did find this very informative review that matches up with what I've heard from other people's experience...
Review by Dale Garvey
Hi, big spenders we are about to talk serious dollars.
Is going tubeless a worthwhile consideration for the committed mountain biker or just an outrageous indulgent pose? The Crossmax wheelset (RRP $1399 and $1499 Disc) does cost as much as a complete entry-level serious mountain bike!
There is no clear-cut answer to this question. Depends on your level of MTB fanaticism and how far you are prepared to support your passion with bulk $$$$.
There is no doubt you get the ultimate in cutting-edge wheel technology with this wheelset (and so you should for the price) The looks and quality workmanship certainly reflect this, but they deliver much more than an enviable status symbol they really do offer some unique practical advantages.
My Experience
I have used a set for day-to-day riding for the past 2 months not a long time but lots of kms in various conditions. For me they have been an excellent purchase.
UST stands for Mavic's patented concept "Universal System Tubeless". The company focussed on the fact that punctures were a constant source of frustration to cyclists, yet motor vehicles did not suffer this vexing problem. Knowing that the tubeless system for vehicles had almost eliminated punctures, they worked in conjunction with selected tyre companies to introduce the UST tubeless bicycle system. It works on the same principal as with cars- the shaped tire edge seals against a specially formed rim section. To maintain the air seal, the unique spokes do not penetrate to the inner rim wall.
With normal tubed tyres, to avoid pinch-flats I run as high as 60 psi in the wheels. This of course makes the bike skitterish (jumps up and down on bumps) when you have to break hard for, say, a bend coming up fast. You end up sliding all over the place (fish-tailing not good). The same high pressure causes the bike to lose traction on slow steep technical climbs (the tyre bumps up on a rock then comes down on loose gravel and skids end of traction). The ride is also as hard as charity.
Vastly Improved Traction
This is the major advantage of tubeless tyres. They give amazing traction because you can run them a lot lower without the pinch-flat problem. I weigh about 68 kilos and now run 35 psi in the tubeless tyres. This gives a far greater tyre footprint (more surface area to grab for traction) and they also tend to wrap around the surface bumps rather than bouncing off them.
Rolling Resistance
The improved traction aspect of course raises the spectre of rolling resistance. If it grips it sticks, hence the bike will be harder to push - right? We all know that smooth slim road tyres pumped up to over 100psi roll on smooth surfaces with very little resistance. Surely soft fat knobbly tyres on rough surfaces would exhibit high rolling resistance. Practical experience, however, shows that matters are not that simple.
Off-road bike riding always includes a vast and ever-changing range of terrain and surface types. There is no real correlation with road conditions - simple generalisations cannot apply to MTB conditions.
The selection of tyre pressures, width and tread patterns will always involve compromise, with selections made based on practical experience and intimate knowledge of the riding area. With tubeless tyres you are able to experiment with tyre pressures over a range of something like 25 60 psi. I have found that a good starting point for me is 35psi - this gives vastly improved traction on the technical climbs but still rolls well on the flat sections. If I were to race on a very smooth hard-packed rolling course, I would probably use higher pressure. Most general mountain biking, however, involves some technical climbing sections, and so I use 35psi to maximise traction. Using that pressure with ordinary tyres invariably leads to the dreaded "snake-bites"
Other Users
Before we leave the issue of rolling resistance, I note that users commenting on the UST system (www.mtbreview.com) commonly referred to noticing lower rolling resistance, even with low pressures. Many said that they could push a gear harder with the new system. Considering all aspects of the wheels, 52 respondents to the above US site gave the Crossmax USTs an average rating of 4.67 on a scale of 5 max!
The renowned tyre designer, Specialized, has the theory that this lessened rolling resistance is due to removal of the squirming interface between tube and tyre- where heat is produced and energy is thereby lost.
I have a growing feeling that they do roll better but I cannot be sure. You certainly go faster overall with tubeless but this may well be the result of the better traction offered in off-road conditions.
Comfort Factor
The large air volume in any MTB tyre will give good shock absorbency at low pressures. The problem with conventional tubed MTB tyres is that you cannot avail yourself of this benefit because low pressures generally means regular punctures. My first impression with tubeless at 35psi was that I was riding a full suspension XC bike. Comfort is enhanced with tubeless.
Pinch Flats
Do they stop them? Again, no simple answer. I have had two punctures to date. Both involved hitting something sharp-edged and with quite a hard thump. The sort of impact you would expect to result in a pinch-flat. Getting moving again is no big deal loosen the tyre off one side of the rim and put a tube in. Subsequently fixing the small hole in the tyre to go back to running tubeless, involved sanding the inside tyre surface around the hole, cleaning with a solvent (I used acetone) and smearing the area with ordinary handyman silicone (I formed a "blister" of this about 3 mm thick over the hole tapering off for about 20mm all around) As this takes overnight curing it is best done at home just carry an inner tube for trail-side fixes.
I have found that Selleys Urethane Bond (something like a flexible superglue) also works for fixing holes in the tyres (sand, clean and apply as above). The Mavic recommended fixes ("patches or anti-puncture spray") do not work.
I have had no further problems with punctures or pinchflats and I do think that the circumstances of those I had were a bit freakish just bad luck/bad line. The tyres do not seem to lose air over prolonged use.
You do have to use soapy water on the rim and tyre beads to get the initial seal. I've successfully used both a track pump and a mini-pump to seal the tyres on the rims.
Oh, Those Hubs
Other advantages of the Crossmax's are the magnificent Mavic hubs. These roll like nothing else. They are so free running that you can coast faster and longer than with any other wheel. Furthermore,the ceramic braking surface on the rims gives enhanced braking and protection against rim failure from the abrasion of repeated braking.
I should point out that the spokes are unique straight pull Mavic creations and are not widely available. Hence I would advise obtaining a few of these from Mavic before going on a long bike tour to strange places (they are not prone to spoke breakage but it is smart to be prepared).This is a downside of cutting-edge technology.
Weight
More tubeless tyres are becoming available as the system spreads. I'm currently using Michelin Wildgripper Comp S and happy with them. Tubeless tyres are heavier than normal because of an added layer of special rubber on the inner surface. It is there to seal off any small punctures (like the common, thorn holes). Hence the UST combination I currently run is slightly heavier (by 100 grams) than the earlier Crossmax tubed set. Both sets are still super-light wheelsets (I am a confirmed weight freak)
Good for Me Good for You?
I have been a fan of Crossmax wheels for some years after good experiences with the earlier wheels and Mavic's back-up service. They make a very strong wheel which does not go out of true, even with repeated bush use (although I am a careful rider) All sealed bearings and parts are replaceable and Mavic more than stands by it guarantee. Despite the high initial cost, for me they have been a good investment.
And they do look cool. (ask Mummy to sell the Porsche)
Dale Garvey
GLUING TUBULAR TIRES
Two kinds of glue are used to secure tubulars to rims, road and track, the latter having become uncommon. Over the years many glues have been available by: d'Alessandro, Clement, Continental, Michelin, Vittoria, Wolber, Pastali, Tubasti, and others. With the decline of tubular use, these brands have become so scarce that riders in the USA turned to other sources, one of which was 3M Fastack (R) that compares favorably with the others and cures faster than most.
Road tubulars preferably should have a rubberized base tape, one coated with latex, to improve adhesion to pressure sensitive glues. These glues behave similar to typical sticky tapes, sticking better to slick surfaces than cloth, so that rubberized base tapes stick better to partially dried rim cement than to bare cloth. Do not modify tubular base tape with cleaning solvents because they affect rim cement adversely. Track tubulars, to be glued with hardening adhesive, should have bare cloth base tapes because shellac type track glues adhere poorly to rubberized tape. Hardening glue is used on track tires to avoid rolling losses typical of pressure sensitive rim cements.
Because road tires are intended to be changed on the road, their glue must be manually separable and reusable; it must be sticky. However,being gooey, it allows the tire to squirm on the rim, which causes rolling losses independent of inflation pressure. That road tires move on the rim is apparent from the aluminum oxide (dark grey) that invades rim cement during use and cloth textured wear marks from base tape in the rim.
Mounting the Tire
Stretch the new tubular tire on an old rim, inflate hard and let stand while applying cement to the rim on which the tire is to be mounted.Rim cement dries fairly rapidly, some faster than others. If this is a low viscosity rim glue, it may require more than one coat. Apply additional coats when the previous one has become firm enough to not
draw strings when pressing the finger into it.
When a good coating (0.5mm) of rim glue has set enough to be firm to the touch, deflate and remove the tire from the stretching rim and mount it on the glued. With the wheel standing upright on the floor, start by inserting the valve stem into the rim and stretch the tire, pulling down with the hands to both sides away from the stem, working
around the rim until reaching the bottom with only a short section of tire not yet in place. Lift the wheel and thumb the remaining section onto the rim. Inflate the tire enough for it to take shape, centering it on the rim before inflating hard.
Were the glue still soft and mobile, it would get on the sidewalls while mounting the tire. Glue should be firm enough to not make a mess. Because pressure sensitive glues are also thermally sensitive, heat from braking, while descending montians, often melts rim glue enough to make it flow from under the tire in contrast to hard (track)
glue. While track glue (Tipo Pista) is more cumbersome to use, it has its benefits for heat but primarily for timed events where fractions of a second make a difference.
Mounting track tires is done the same way as with road glue only that it takes several coats of shellac, the last of which must not be allowed to dry, so the bare cloth rim strip will be wet by the glue as the tire is inflated. Mounting the tire cleanly is more difficult and removing the tire sometimes requires tire irons.
Tubular tires are meant for road bikes while tubeless tires are meant for mountain bikes. Let's discuss tubular tires first. Tubular tire is a tire with a tube already encased in it. It's the way bicycle tires were originally made.
Clincher tires, the sort that you're probably more familiar with, didn't come around until later. Clincher tires are the type that have a bead that grabs onto the rim of the wheel and use an inner tube that you must install.
Obviously this means that clincher tires go with clincher wheels and tubular tires go with tubular rims as tubular wheels do not have the extended surface for a bead to grip.
Now is a good time to point out that clincher tires come in two types of beads: wire & kevlar. Kevlar beaded tires are commonly referred to as "foldable tires". That is because you can fold the tires up without damaging the bead. Wire beaded tires must remain circular because folding them will break the wire bead. It is important to point out here that kevlar beaded tires are NOT kevlar belted tires! Many people are confused about this fact. Kevlar beaded tires are NOT more puncture proof than a wire beaded tire. So what is the advantage of a kevlar beaded tire? Well, for one, it is foldable so you could carry one with you in your pack as a spare (long trips) and second, the kevlar beaded tire is lighter in weight than the wire beaded tire.
Tubular tiresare tires with the inner tube already sewn into the tire. There is no bead to mount as the tire is perfectly round.
What are the advantages of tubular tires for my road bike?
+ Tubular tires provide a better feel of the road.Now this is obviously a subjective opinion. Many people who ride them agree with this statement, however many also agree that clincher tires have come a long way such that the difference is hardly noticeable. It is definitely not noticeable with a low-end bike. You're going to have to get on a good frame and a good set of wheels before you can truly bring out the feel of a tubular tire.
+ The rolling resistance of a tubular tire is less than that of a clincher tire. This is indisputably true. The reason is because tubular tires can be inflated to much higher pressures than clincher tires. Some brands go as high as 220 psig! On average, tubular tires inflate to 170 psig. Of course, this helps to translate into a "better feel" of the road which means you will feel every bump and curve in it as it's going to be a very stiff tire. But that stiffness, like in frame stiffness, translates into efficiency. There is no wasted energy compressing the tire.
+ Tubular tires weigh less than clincher tires.This is also true. But the realistic downside that disputes this fact is unless you are a racer with a support team, you're going to have to carry an extra tubular tire in case of a flat. Whereas a clincher tire rider will only have to carry an inner tube at most and could get away with just a patch kit. Patching a tubular tire's inner tube on the side of the road is NOT an option, as we'll discuss later. So if you're carrying an extra tubular tire, then the weight savings is negated and in fact, the tubular tire rider is carrying more weight than the clincher tire rider. But most tubular tire riders are racers.
+ Tubular rims weigh less than clincher rims. The rims for a tubular tire don't have to have the ears for a bead to grab onto and so therefore are lighter in weight.
+ Tubular tires accelerate faster due to the lower rotational mass of the tire and the rim. Yep, it's true! In acceleration and decelarion, the mass on the edge of the wheel is the most significant. A lighter weight on this outside diameter will translate into less force needed to accelerate the wheel. Once you're cruising at constant speed, there is no further acceleration and so there is no advantage to the wheel's outer weight. The only thing of factor in that case is the overall weight and aerodynamic profile.
What are the disadvantages of tubular tires?
- You can't patch the tire on the side of the road.Unless you're willing to spend a few hours and have a sewing kit, tire glue and tire patch kit with you, it's just not going to happen. The solution to a flat tubular tire is to put on a new tubular tire, which you'll have to carry with you or get from your support team.
- It's a lot of work to patch a tubular tire.I'll provide a guideline below for patching a tubular tire, but it suffices to say here that you'll have to open the threaded seam to pull out a portion of the inner tube, patch it, and sew up the tire (hence these tires are also called "sew-ups"). It's a lot of work. I've never done it and never will. Most people who use tubular tires simply toss 'em if they flat and replace with new tires. Quite an expensive proposition when you read the next disadvantage. Even once they are patched, because the tubular tire is cloth ply and thinner than a clincher tire, you can actually feel the patch as you roll around on it....whump...whump...whump....OK, it's not that bad, but you can feel it. And that bothers some people. Especially people that paid $100 for a tire that they expect the best.
- They are expensive. Due ot supply and deman, they are quite expensive in the U.S. In Europe, they are priced better, but still more than clincher tires. In the U.S., a good tubular tire averages about $75. Yep you read that right. They can go as high as $200 and as low as $45. But if you're using tubulars, you aren't going to use a cheap quality tubular tire...what's the point in that?
Who uses tubular tires?
Tubular tires are commonly used by bike racers. These people have support teams to handle the disadvantages of tubular tires. The majority of track cyclists use tubular tires as sprinting is a very significant part of their race. People who just like the nostalgia of a tubular tire use them also. I, in fact, use tubular tires for time trials. But overall, they are much more of a headache to deal with and so for the average biker, I would not recommend them at all. Use them only if you've got the time or money to compensate for the tubular tire's slight advantage.
