Just currious if anyone here knows the stats or percentages on how many guys/gals run tubeless vs tubes on the circut. PB did it for the UCI DH'ers, so currious to see if there's anything similar for XC.
Thanks!
Thanks!
What does this accomplish (only 1 bead glued)? Lowers chance of burp by 50%?Not-So-Secret pro-tip.
Most elite racers use tubular cement to glue at least one of their beads to the rim.
It helps a lot since one bead has a hard time moving it goes a long way. It's 100% necessary on UST setups as far as I'm concerned. 90% of people have no problem keeping air in UST setups.What does this accomplish (only 1 bead glued)? Lowers chance of burp by 50%?
Tubular cement is not contact cement. The former stays a bit tacky.Very interesting on the tubulars and contact cementing the once side. Thanks guys.
That does not make sense. There is a huge reduction in flat risk as pinch flats are largely eliminated. Every one that I know that runs tubeless has experienced that elimination of pinch flats.It helps a lot since one bead has a hard time moving it goes a long way. It's 100% necessary on UST setups as far as I'm concerned. 90% of people have no problem keeping air in UST setups.
The other 10% can't make them work at all.
Pro XC racers absolutely hate UST. I know some of them must be beyond the moon now that Mavic makes pro-issue tubular wheels.
Tubeless has definite performance advantages, but there isn't any real reduction in flat risk- especially with race weight tires with thin sidewalls.
It's like tubulars- the rewards outweigh the risks.
You can certainly pinch flat a super high tpi race tire, slice right through the casing. Race stuff is fragile, that just the way it is. The main failure you see with tubeless race tires is sidewall cuts.That does not make sense. There is a huge reduction in flat risk as pinch flats are largely eliminated. Every one that I know that runs tubeless has experienced that elimination of pinch flats.
Some people don't seem to be able to use tubeless though. Often due to their higher weight and harder riding style. Or they refuse to put enough air in.
When you say Pros hate UST do you mean the heavier tires or tubeless in general?
FWIW I think it depends on what tires you run, like others have mentioned in this thread. If you run xc "race" tires that are fragile, yeah you probably should run tubed.So if I'm an agressive rider who likes to push through corners and stay off the brakes in rocks, I should stick to tubes?
I have seen riders pinch flat "converted" tires. They cut clear through the casing rather than just the inner tube.That does not make sense. There is a huge reduction in flat risk as pinch flats are largely eliminated. Every one that I know that runs tubeless has experienced that elimination of pinch flats.
Some people don't seem to be able to use tubeless though. Often due to their higher weight and harder riding style. Or they refuse to put enough air in.
When you say Pros hate UST do you mean the heavier tires or tubeless in general?
It is a lot of hassle, but I don't pinch flat or flat from thorns either.To be honest it seems like a pretty big hasstle (dealing with the goop if I get a puncture, worrying about burping, denting rims, etc) for not much benefit (a very slight reduction in weight once slime/goop is involved and less friction which can be negated in tubes by using talc).
I'm 200lbs and ride fairly hard, so not sure this is a great idea for myself. Either way, interesting to hear some points about what the xc whippits are doing these days.
Lower pressure grips better, thus if you like to corner aggressively you might like tubeless. Once you get it dialed it's great.So if I'm an agressive rider who likes to push through corners and stay off the brakes in rocks, I should stick to tubes?
I use about the same pressure with tubes or tubeless. If the tubeless is tubeless ready or DIY "converted" (I rarely do the latter) I usually need to run HIGHER pressure to prevent squirm in the corners.Lower pressure grips better, thus if you like to corner aggressively you might like tubeless. Once you get it dialed it's great.
I don't run tires that weigh much less than 650g. I know it's not a perfect method of determining how tough a tire is, but typically if it's under 650 for a 29er... the sidewalls are probably too thin to hold up.