[JRogers]

I have been running Mavic UST rims and UST tires (Conti Vertical Pro 2.3) on my trail bike with good success. I also toss in a little bit of Stans for insurance and have had few flats. The tires need replacing now, though.

There are three options: UST tires, tube tires and Stans sealant or UST tires and keep some Stans in there as well.

I like the idea of saving some weight and having a variety of options (I do have a Kenda BG 2.35 single ply that's been sitting here...) but I also don't like fixing flats, constantly having to air up my tires or in general being hassled.

So, the question is: is the security of UST tires worth the extra weight, cost and loss of options? Eithe way, I definitely want to run tubeless, so the "well if it leaks uncontrollably, just stick a tube in it" argument has no value. I don't have the cash to keep buying tires that work.

If it helps, I ride a Giant VT. I am a decent sized dude ('bout 185) and ride reasonably hard...definitely pushing on the downhills....but I could certainly use any possible "help" on the ups.....

 

[mtbslcruz]

I run tubeless on all my bikes.I have rolfs on my ss,bontragers on my xc racebike and mavics on my trailbike and I run regular single wall tires on all of them with stans in them.I havent had a problem yet and I have been runnung them for almost 2 years like that.Iam also a decent size guy (about 190) and tide a blur as a trailbike with 2.2 kenda karma tires.On my ss I have continental explorer supersonics and on my xc racer I have python 2.0.Give it a try,it works great.

 

[oldfart]

The disadvantage to Stan's particularly with non-UST tires is it is sometimes a real bear to air up. If you have a compressor it's pretty easy but a foot pump, like last night, can sometimes not be enough to do the trick. And if you change tires often, you'll go through a fair bit of sealant and it's messyness.

Last night I was installing a set of wire bead, maxxis 2.3 Minions on a Stan stripped set of Mavic 729 rims. the front went on easily but the rear tire had been sitting under a stack of tires and had been pressed flat over time so the beads wouldn't push out against the edges of the rim strip. I sacrificed a CO2 as a last resort and it worked fine. These tires will likely be on until they need replacing. I may ditch the rims soon and get 823 as a replacement.

 

[Reactor]

I use UST tubeless with Stan's. It's about the same weight as a tire and tube, and the tougher casing stands up to punishment better than an non tubeless tire. With the Stan's inside it seals any puncture you get, never had a flat running it. It is lighter than a tire and slime tube.

I have used non-ust tires with Stan's. Generally a bear to air up, if you get a sidewall gash it won't generally seal. It is lighter than USt tubeless, and I'd consider running it again if I were seriously racing cross country.

I run both on maVic rims (crossmax enduros, and xm-819 disc), so I can't really comment on how well the Stan's strips work, but I've never heard any major complaints.

I'm about 185 and ride fairly hard, in Arizona, land of rock and cactus.

 

[JRogers]

Thanks guys. I decided to go with UST + stans. Got a new pair of Michelin All Mountain 2.2 USTs. Too bad my bike was stolen....gotta fix that now...