What is bike tubeless tire? What are the pros and cons? Where does it come from? Why tubeless tires are not that popular? Does it worth the effort? You can find the answers here.
Where does tubeless tire come from?
The tubeless tires were initially used in a small scale on mountain bikes and then became popular. With the unexpected achievements of bicycles equipped with tubeless tire system in the Tour de France, SUMLON believes that the tubeless tires will become more popular in the road vehicle field in the future. The tubeless tires can reduce the speed loss caused by bumpy road. With the use of tubeless tires, the vibration transmitted to the handlebar and seat is significantly reduced. Especially at low tire pressure, the probability of tubeless tires damage is much lower than that of traditional inner tube and outer tire systems. The use of tubeless tires contributes significantly to speed, comfort and safety. If you want to use the tubeless tires, this guide will give you all the information you want to know about it.
What is tubeless tire on bicycles?
Most people learned tubeless tire system firstly from the car tires. Tubeless tires on bicycles and on cars are the same air-tight system that holds the tires to the hub by air pressure. Unlike other conventional tire systems, the conventional inner tube and outer tire systems seal air and provide pressure through the inner tube, while the tubular tire system is secured to the rim by glue.
Tubeless tires were first used on mountain bikes 20 years ago. Mountain bike with tubeless tire system showed a huge advantage in bumpy mountain-road sections and soon became a common choice for experienced mountain-bike enthusiasts. Tubeless tires began to appear on road bikes about a decade ago, but as cyclists did not see a clear distinction between tubeless tires and other conventional tire systems, the tubeless tires did not quickly gain popularity in the road bike field. Until around 2017-2019 we saw gravel road bikes becoming very popular. Gravel road bike with tubeless tire system also showed very good off road performance. Since then, the tubeless tires have come to the attention of road cyclists.
Pros and Cons of bike tubeless tires
Pros – Comparative advantages of tubeless tires
Due to the absence of the inner tube, the risk of tire breakage due to low tire pressure is greatly reduced. This design greatly improves the riding stability of bicycles. We do not have to worry about tire breakage caused by friction between inner tube and outer tire and deformation of inner tubes. Small punctures will also be promptly replenished by the internal tube repair fluid. In extreme cases, you can even install a inner tube inside the tubeless tires and continue your ride. The puncture resistance of the tubeless tires is greatly improved compared to the tires with inner tube. If you’re a mountain bike rider, this advantage must appeal so much to you. If you’re a road bike rider, tubeless tire systems offer lower rolling resistance than conventional inner tube and outer tire systems. Yes, the tubeless tires are also particularly unique in the road bike field.
Cons – Defects of tubeless tires
The tubeless tires have many advantages over conventional tire systems with inner tubes, such as less vulnerability to punctures, lower maintenance costs and a more stable riding experience. However, they also have some disadvantages: in terms of stiffness, tubeless tires are typically harder than inner tube and outer tire systems and may lead to reduced ride comfort, particularly on bumpy roads. Their relatively small contact area with the ground may result in poor grip on slippery or uneven surfaces. Once you damage the tubeless tires, it may be more difficult to repair than the tires with inner tube. A damaged tubeless tires may require more sophisticated repair tools to repair them. In addition, compared with the traditional tires with inner tube,s tubeless tire manufacturers provide fewer models and are more expensive.
It is prone to air leakage and pressure loss, requiring frequent pumping. This can be quite troublesome for daily riding. SUMLON suggests that if you are not participating in competitive racing but are instead riding for daily enjoyment or training, you might prefer to choose the inner tube and outer tire system. Even if you are using tubeless tires, if you don’t have an important race today, we also recommend adding an inner tube to your tubeless tires to reduce a lot of additional hassle.
Why tubeless tire is not that popular?
We know you can use tubeless tires at lower tire pressures without taking into account the risk of inner tube rupture. As the interior of the tubeless tires are also filled with tire repair fluid, they can be repaired by themselves. They are also lighter because they do not have tubes. Plus, they’ll make you faster. Without the inner tube, friction between the inner and outer tubes is no longer present. So, on road vehicles, the rolling resistance of tubeless tires are lower than that of traditional tire system with inner tube. So why aren’t professional road cyclists using a tubeless tire system on a large scale?
The main reason is that professional riders prefer tubular tires. For a professional road bike rider, tubular tires offer significant advantages. Because the tubular tire is directly bonded to the tubular tire shaped rim instead of the complex rim that tubeless tires require. Tubular tire systems are generally lighter. In addition, when the tubular tire is damaged, the entire bicycle can still be in a state where it can be ridden for a short time. But this is not a huge advantage for non-pro cyclists, as you need to sacrifice your expensive carbon fiber rims if you want to keep riding after you brake the tubular tube. It’s not a cost-effective decision to do it on a day-to-day basis.
Is it necessarily lighter than other tires?
Not necessarily. With the special air nozzle and repair fluid for tubeless tires, the weight of the entire tubeless tire system is not significantly different from the traditional inner and outer tire systems, and maybe even heavier (about 10 grams).
How to install tubeless tires?
First, you need to prepare a wheel rim that works with the tubeless tires. The rims supporting the tubeless tires have a specific physical structure design. If you have previously used a tire system with an inner tube, the new tubeless tire will most likely not fit directly on the original rim. Yes, you need to buy new rims. In addition, you need to purchase special air nozzle and repair fluid for your tubeless tires.
We know that installing tubeless tires is very hard. SUMLON suggests that you go to the nearby bicycle shop to install the tubeless tires and find a professional maintenance personnel to help you complete this. You can assemble it by yourself, but you need to purchase some tools. You can easily find a course on maybe YouTube to teach you how to mount a tubeless tire.
Tire pressure
If you want to ride more comfortably on bumpy roads, tubeless tires are definitely worth considering. Tubeless tires can operate at very low tire pressures. Many tubeless tires support a minimum safe operating pressure of 60 PSI. In contrast, other tire systems pose significant safety risks at 60 PSI. Both the inner tube and outer tire system and the tubular tire system must use higher tire pressures, typically a minimum of 80 PSI. On bumpy roads, the inner tube and outer tire system and the tubular tire system will clearly transmit the vibrations from road imperfections to your arms, which is very uncomfortable. When the tire suddenly hits a larger obstacle, tubeless tires have a much higher chance of passing safely. This is partly because the tubeless tire system has no inner tube and partly because the lower tire pressure provides greater cushioning.
Check your rim before buying tubeless tire.
Additionally, if your rims only support tires which are narrower than 28mm, then DO NOT choose the tubeless tire system. Tubeless tires narrower than 28mm must be with higher tire pressures, which significantly increases the risk of punctures. The tubeless tire system is not a one-time purchase; you need to regularly add sealant to your tubeless tires. This will cost you a considerable amount of money. If you are not ready for this, do not buy tubeless tires.
BTW, SUMLON have been manufacturing bicycle parts for over 15 years. Contact us if you are looking for a bike parts factory or a one-stop wholesaler. Peace.
