Tubeless tyres - opinions?

Excellent post by Chris Harris. Especially point 2. Make sure the rim and hook area are spotless. 
 

Also take a clean damp rag and wipe around the bead of the tyre to be fitted. 

Instead of using soapy water to help the tyre slide on to the lip, I use a bit of sealant as once it's sealed the sealant helps further secure it. it's easily cleaned off the tyre/wheel afterwards.  
 

Get some TESA tape. It's basically the same as Stans tape but you get 66m for £10. 
 

When you fit the tape, after cleaning the rim, use a cloth to press out the bubbles as you go along and then going round the wheel again doing this. Some use a hairdryer at the same time to mould the tape. Once it's done properly it won't need doing again. 
 

When fitting the valve use something sharp but round, a hole punch, to create a small hole that fits the valve head and then gently push the valve through it. Do not use a knife. The knife creates a slit that just doesn't fit tightly round the valve. 
 

As mentioned already, a cheap 20ml syringe fits inside the valve to apply and top up sealant. 
 

I've been tubeless since Hunt brought out their first set of wheels. I've sworn by Schwalbe tyres until I bought a set of 2020 Pro Ones and they are rubbish. Constantly lose pressure. As in, overnight they go flat. I had an older set of Pro Ones on the same wheels and hardly touched them. I'm waiting for a set of GP5000 to arrive to give them a try. 

1. Take a look at this VeloNews tech article on Hooked vs. hookless rims, tire choice, and pressure recommendations. https://www.velonews.com/gear/tech-faq-hooked-vs-hookless-rims-tire-choi...

I love them on my Hybrid, and really don't like them on the road bikes I've used them on.

I'm running Pro-Ones on my Mavic Rims and Huchinson Sector 32s on my commuter's Hunt wheels - I've had no issues with the Mavic RIms, but the commuter is a different story - The front is rock solid and doesn't lose any pressure at all, last topped up 2 weeks ago - the rear on the other hand was fine until a broken spoke meant the removal of the rim tape to replace it, since then I've struggled to get it to maintain pressure - First fix was to check the inflated wheel in a bucket of water and found a steady leak aroind the valve. I reapplied the rim tape which made it better and although there was still a slight leak the sealant sealed it - Then the rear Sector blew out on a fast downhill run, a 3 inch split parallel to the bead which couldn't be sealed and needed a pickup from the missus as a tube just popped out of the split. New Sector fitted. Then on the next weeks club run it deflated again - I assumed it was a puncture, which had sealed as I could pump it up, but a few hundred meters on it did the same, this time it looked like the valve was the problem, so a tube got me home - luckly I had one

I'm going to redo the rim tape again - I've some new 22 mm and 24 mm as I'm not sure what width I should be using on a 22mm internal rim (I'd previously used 19mm

My experiences are:

1. Set the tubeless tires up with a tube on an old rim a few days before. That helps shape them, & gives you some chance of seating them tubeless without a burst tank.

2. After removing any old tape, clean inside rims with cotton wool & rubbing alcohol (usually available cheap at supermarket). 

3. Tubeless tape needs careful application to avoid bubbles. (My first try was a failure.) My experience is that the more rigid tapes (such as Effetto) are more difficult to apply correctly. I now use Stans which seems similar to masking tape.

4. Tubeless valves need tapping into place, very gently with a rubber hammer. (Otherwise they leak air around valve & the sealant does not seal that. I learnt this the hard way.)

5. You have some chance of seating the tire without a burst tank. If you don't have a burst tank, the flat tire setting on a service station air pump will do the job, with a Presta to Schrader adaptor. This is without the valve core. After the tire seats, deflate, inject sealant (as below), install valve core, re-inflate, swish tire around to spread sealant, keep checking pressures until it holds.

6. Topping up sealant is dead easy, there are some common syringes (without needle of course) that engage well after you remove the valve core. (A pharmacist of nurse friend can probably get you one.) Wash the syringe with water & re-use.

7. My rims are not specified as tubeless compatible, but work fine.

Last time I replaced one of my tubeless tires, it took me no longer than a tubed tire, seated first time (with a burst tank), sealed first time.

I find the ride better (mainly due to lower pressures). I am 80 kg, run 25mm front at 60 psi, 28 rear at 70 psi, add 5-10 psi to both for crit racing. Modern tubeless tires are supple, IMHO you don't lose speed due to lower pressures.

Schwalbe Pro Ones but watch the quality control as one pair I had never sat true on the Stans rims I had.  Much better on the Hunt wheels that replaced them, but one was still lumpy so replaced it.

Dont run near 100psi as pressure forces the sealant out too fast for it to clog.  80 psi should be good enough for most.

Stans sealant and Schwalbe Dot Blue both watery piss - use Orange Endurance.

Watch a video before fitting- Hunts is excellent - had my summer wheels lose virtually no air all winter.  CO2 canisters work fine but you can get a booster tank for £40.

Get a set of Anchovies/Worms with tool - the Lezyne one works.

One thing rarely mentioned as an advantage is that you can ride home on much lower pressures more comfortably than with a tube that just continues to lose air.  Quite a few times if I've been feeling lazy I've done the few miles home on silly low pressures rather than stop and fix.  Unless you have an anchovie sized tear they nearly always seal eventually.  Sometimes stopping is the worst thing you can do.  Stop after it seals or is totally flat.

Have 1 L shaped hole that I'm struggling to fix with anchovies.  Forgot as mentioned below that a standard inner tube patch on the inside can work wonders so will try that.  Will seal enough for a ride but leaks overnight.

Hutchinson Fusion5 are very good but haven't exhausted them yet.

Hutchinson Sector 28 are outstanding and last forever.

Schwalbe Pro One 28s. The only tyres i've owned that I wold not buy again. Perform great but dont last long. I found they wore very quickly but then they are a race tyre. I'd avoid.

Stans sealant is great. I'm trying CaffeLatex now because it's cheap and I fancied a change. It's already sealed some holes well.

I run Schwalbe Pro-Ones tubeless, I'm on my second set now, reckon the first set lasted about 8000 km.

Only had one puncture that wouldn't seal in 4 years.

The lower pressure makes the whole ride much more comfortable.

Topping up the sealant is currently a bit of a faff so if you're starting from scratch I'd definitely get Milkit valves. A mate has them and they make sealant checks and top ups an absolute doddle. I'll be fitting some next time I change my tyres.

I run tubeless on both road and CX.

Schwalbe G-One 38mm on the CX and Schwalbe Pro One 28mm on road. Both fitted absolutely fine, only the rear on the CX needing a couple of attempts to get it seated..

Road bike - the tyres lasted a year and about 6000 miles (inc a LEJOG and some riding in Gran Canaria) with no issues although by the time I finally changed them, the rear was virtually down to the canvas! Zero punctures (or at least, no noticeable ones). 

CX - had one puncture that wouldn't seal (rear tyre) and I'll admit it was a faffy mess to clean up. However, the setup has saved me from punctures that would have required a tyre removal and new tube so overall, it was a time and cost saving.#

Lower pressures so a much more comfortable ride on and off road. As for kit, I would never use Mavic rims as they appear to have their own proprietary diameter that, while it may only be a mm off "standard" 700c, is enough to make fitting some tyres an absolute pig. And I would never use Continental tyres as I've found the quality control shocking over the years and fitting them is often a nightmare, they're some of the tightest tyres around and that, when you're sitting by the roadside in the rain, is not good.

Never had any problems with Schwalbe or Specialized tyres, they've always been excellent. Most wheels that advertise themselves as tubeless ready are fine - honourable exception as above is Mavic with their attempt to force everyone into useing their wheel/tyre combination.

My tubeless set up holds air better than my latex tubes, I can go at least a week (or more) without needing topping up, the latex tubes needed it 2-3 times a week.  Lower pressure mind.

I have pulled at least 20 thorns from each of my hardpack summer tyres in less than a year, the majority would have been massivly inconvenient or ride enjoyment destroying changes of tube, some requiring multiples and repairing.  Got to use an anchovie on a wet day.  It is incredibly satisfying to pull out a huge thorn and watch the hole seal.  And the smuggness felt continuing the ride.

I find getting the bead away from the rim seal to be an absolute nightmare, and dread having to do it trailside (hopefully never needed, but I do carry a tube, got to be prepared).

I like Orange Endurance Seal gunk, LBS set everything up, I stick in a bit every few months, but after about a year the contents of the rear had snotted up, but I still hadn't experienced loss of pressure.  The front still had some liquid left in it, hadn't been as long.

My valves have clogged but I have cleaned them out.  I decided to buy a Topeak TurbiBoster X pressure tank and am glad I did.

I will never stop using tubes/going ghetto tubeless on my old bikes, but I am very pleased that I decided to go tubeless on my new bike.

I've fitted tubeless to probably 10pairs of wheels over the last few years. Found them pretty much fit and forget. If you take your time getting the rim tape right then it's fine. Sometimes I put the rim tape on and then inflate the tyre with a tube over night to make sure the tape is well stuck down. Other times I haven't bothered. I usually some wood glue (or "Copydex" equivalent) on the valve seat.

Its been proven they have a lower rolling resistance which is important to me as I do a bit of TT and road race. But it's the lack of punctures I like. The only one I've had sealed enough to get me home without having to change a tube in or repair it. I don't bother topping up unless I am changing the tyre for a reason, you can hear sealant sloshing round within the wheel much longer than the recommended "top up every 3 months". Good to know pinch punctures not an issue either.

I'm a fan and just fit and forget them. Hutchinson, Vittoria and previously Schwalbe Pro Ones but I think there are better available now

I've been experimenting with tubeless and am becoming quite frustrated with the constant attention they seem to need. I'm using Conti 5000s on one set of wheels and Hutchinson on another.  Here's what I learned. 1. Mavic rims need Mavic tyres, or Hutchinsons - because no others will sit; 2. Fitting valves onto asymetric rims takes patience; 3. Rim tape may come unseated which means you have to take a goo-filled tyre off, clean everything, refit it, reseat the tyre and refill with sealant, 4. If you get a cut in your tyre and you're not carrying a plug then see 3. 5. Given the above, you're pretty much obliged to check your tyre pressure daily.

That said, they do ride well and give you a certain amount of (perhaps misplaced) confidence that you won't get a puncture (unless its a serious one). 

PS: There may be an assumption that this is user error on my part, given I've had problems with all my tyres - but they have been fitted and refitted by bike mechanics I trust....

I'd vote for Continental GP5000TL in 28mm. Got them front and rear and haven't noticed any issues with grip, punctures etc.

I use 25mm Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance 11 Storms on one of my bikes.  They ride nicely but when they wear out I am going back to inner tubes and 25mm Continental Grandsport Race tyres which I have on my other bike.  The tubeless hold pressure, the ones with inner tubes also hold pressure, I dont have to top one pair up any more often than the other.  When out on the road I always carry a spare inner tube (I had 2 Schwalbe Pro One tyres split which the sealant couldn't deal with) and I run both at the same pressure (about 75psi), both offer the same levels of grip (neither has gone from under me) and both offer the same (subjective) level of comfort.  I never suffer with snakebite punctures, i cannt bring myself to run a road tyre at uch a low pressure that my rim will basically make contact with the road if i hit a bump.  The difference is one pair dont need sealant topping up a couple of times a year and there is also a big differnece in price for (as far as i am concerned) no noticable difference in performance.  No doubt the pro tubeless brigade will be on telling me that I am talking rubbish, saying how you can run them at lower pressure, no snake bite puctures and so on but you asked for real world opinions and based on my experience I will not be going back to tubeless.

Disclaimer, my evidence is based on all road use on 25mm tyres, not the 28mm you asked about.