Tubeless Tour Experiences . . .

[Rixtoy]

I have crossed over to the dark side and love my tubeless Schwalbe's on my carbon Endurance bike (Cannondale Synapse) for normal local riding (up to 100 miles)..

Anyone have experience using tubeless configurations on a tour like the Southern Tier? Interested in how many flats you had ( I have a fair idea of nominal tubed flats on that tour) and if you had to insert a tube to get you to the next stopover?

What tire/rim combinations and what sizes?

Many Thanks.

Rick

[driftlessregion]

The dark side would be carbon frames but that is another subject altogether.
I intend to tour on tubeless Compass tires this year after loving them on local rides last year. 45 psi @ 35 mm and oh so comfy, more rubber on the road for safety and just as fast as any other tire.

[Rixtoy]

The dark side would be carbon frames but that is another subject altogether.
I intend to tour on tubeless Compass tires this year after loving them on local rides last year. 45 psi @ 35 mm and oh so comfy, more rubber on the road for safety and just as fast as any other tire.

Thanks - didn't mean to imply using a carbon frame for a cross country - just asking about the tubeless.

[staehpj1]

The dark side would be carbon frames but that is another subject altogether.
I intend to tour on tubeless Compass tires this year after loving them on local rides last year. 45 psi @ 35 mm and oh so comfy, more rubber on the road for safety and just as fast as any other tire.

Thanks - didn't mean to imply using a carbon frame for a cross country - just asking about the tubeless.

I'd ride the ST on carbon with no hesitation.  I rode it on an old Cannondale Crit bike with 14# of UL gear camping and cooking. I don't see any reason why a carbon frame wouldn't have been fine for that kind of tour.

I love the tubeless setup on my MTB, but have never run tubeless on skinnier tires.  It sounds like a good idea, but I have no experience with it.

[dkoloko]

I have 35mm tubeless tires on my touring bike. I have not done a tour yet on this bike, but have several years use as an all-around bike, grocery shopping, etc. No flats, but I wonder if I had a flat and sealant sealed tire and I didn't know it. Recently, I put a tube in rear tire. Tire was losing seal, and I got tired of going to bike shop and having them remount tire. No problem with front tire. Both front and rear wheels have Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires on Bontrager Tubeless Ready 36-hole rims. I have a Schwalbe Tire Booster; didn't do the job. Needed compressor to mount tire.       

[staehpj1]

I have 35mm tubeless tires on my touring bike. I have not done a tour yet on this bike, but have several years use as an all-around bike, grocery shopping, etc. No flats, but I wonder if I had a flat and sealant sealed tire and I didn't know it. Recently, I put a tube in rear tire. Tire was losing seal, and I got tired of going to bike shop and having them remount tire. No problem with front tire. Both front and rear wheels have Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires on Bontrager Tubeless Ready 36-hole rims. I have a Schwalbe Tire Booster; didn't do the job. Needed compressor to mount tire.     

how frequently did you get flats before you went tubeless?

I know that I got thorn flats regularly before tubeless on my MTB.  Something like weekly maybe.  After going tubeless it went to never having a flat, so I can be pretty sure I get thorn punctures all the time, but they are sealed up by the sealant in the tubeless tire.

[Rixtoy]

I have 35mm tubeless tires on my touring bike. I have not done a tour yet on this bike, but have several years use as an all-around bike, grocery shopping, etc. No flats, but I wonder if I had a flat and sealant sealed tire and I didn't know it. Recently, I put a tube in rear tire. Tire was losing seal, and I got tired of going to bike shop and having them remount tire. No problem with front tire. Both front and rear wheels have Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires on Bontrager Tubeless Ready 36-hole rims. I have a Schwalbe Tire Booster; didn't do the job. Needed compressor to mount tire.     

"Yep" on the compressor - but I just bought a small compressor at harbor Freight (100 psi) and it works great. Recently replaced my tubeless Schwalbe PRO Ones with the new configuration of that tire and had to break and reseal the tubeless tires for the first time. Based on a lot of research I got the new tires on my MAVIC rims , removed the valve core and used a compressor to get the tires against the sidewalls. Then after the air let out, I inserted 2 oz of ORANGE sealant with the valve stem at 5:00 position, re-inserted the Presti valve and used a basic floor pump to pump up the tires to 80 pounds. worked perfectly - no mess, no fuss. I love them.

[dkoloko]

"how frequently did you get flats before you went tubeless?"

Not often--except on tour!

[dkoloko]

"Yep" on the compressor

There are compressors and there are compressors. A borrowed compressor couldn't do it.

[staehpj1]

Some tire rim combinations are harder than others.  Also there is some technique and some luck in getting them seated.  I have actually managed to seat a Stans No Tube setup on my MTB with a floor pump.  I have a compressor and typically would use it but tried doing it with the floor pump just to see if it was possible.  I seated one side the best I could by hand and worked the other bead against the rim as best I could.  I pumped a few explosive strokes and was surprised to see the tire seat just fine.  It went easy enough that I think I just might have been able to do it with a frame pump if I had to.  I'd think using a belt around the tire would help, but I didn't need to.  It probably helps that it was a previously seated tire and not a new one that was coming out of a box from a folded condition, so the bead was nice and smooth and round.  It probably would have been much harder with a brand unused new tire.  A repair where one side remained seated would make it easier.

I don't remember for sure, but I think I had a crappy little 3.5 gallon harbor freight compressor when I first went tubeless and it worked fine with no fuss at all.  I may not be remembering that right though and just might have had a much nicer California Air Tools 10 gallon compressor by then.

[dkoloko]

Some tire rim combinations are harder than others.  Also there is some technique and some luck in getting them seated.  I have actually managed to seat a Stans No Tube setup on my MTB with a floor pump.  I have a compressor and typically would use it but tried doing it with the floor pump just to see if it was possible.  I seated one side the best I could by hand and worked the other bead against the rim as best I could.  I pumped a few explosive strokes and was surprised to see the tire seat just fine.  It went easy enough that I think I just might have been able to do it with a frame pump if I had to.  I'd think using a belt around the tire would help, but I didn't need to.  It probably helps that it was a previously seated tire and not a new one that was coming out of a box from a folded condition, so the bead was nice and smooth and round.  It probably would have been much harder with a brand unused new tire.  A repair where one side remained seated would make it easier.

I don't remember for sure, but I think I had a crappy little 3.5 gallon harbor freight compressor when I first went tubeless and it worked fine with no fuss at all.  I may not be remembering that right though and just might have had a much nicer California Air Tools 10 gallon compressor by then.

With the wheel I had trouble with, seating the tire wasn't the problem. After the tire was seated, before could pump air to fill, tire would pull away from rim. In my case the same combination works on front but not the back. I don't think a different tire will make a difference. I have had others say how easy it is mounting tubeless tires. With my problem wheel, it is easy for the bike shop with their compressor. Even if I had a compressor such as the bike shop's I wouldn't be happy. Shouldn't have to remount a tubeless tire as often as I have had to do it.

[driftlessregion]

"Thanks - didn't mean to imply using a carbon frame for a cross country - just asking about the tubeless."
I apologize for taking us off course with an editorial comment that in my cycling circle would have brought a big laugh.

[staehpj1]

With the wheel I had trouble with, seating the tire wasn't the problem. After the tire was seated, before could pump air to fill, tire would pull away from rim. In my case the same combination works on front but not the back. I don't think a different tire will make a difference. I have had others say how easy it is mounting tubeless tires. With my problem wheel, it is easy for the bike shop with their compressor. Even if I had a compressor such as the bike shop's I wouldn't be happy. Shouldn't have to remount a tubeless tire as often as I have had to do it.

I don't think we mean the same thing when we say "seated".  To me it is "seated" is when the bead pops tightly onto the bead of the rim making a tight seal all the way around.

[dkoloko]

I don't think we mean the same thing when we say "seated".  To me it is "seated" is when the bead pops tightly onto the bead of the rim making a tight seal all the way around.
[/quote]

That's what I mean.

[staehpj1]

My tires don't typically "seat" until there is 20 psi or more pounds of pressure in them.