Originally Posted by
stapfam
Never thought about tubeless on road bikes but they are still uncommon on MTB's. Big problem is that fact that once a tubeless tyre gets punctured you have to repair it. How do you repair it? Put a tube in it.
My problem with road tyres would be the lack of tyres suitable for use in the wheels. I like a particular tyre and that is not made in tubless.
You put a tube in it, as an emergency repair, the tire can be repaired, much the same way as a tube is, you glue a patch to the INSIDE of the tire. Early tubeless tires in automobiles were dealt with the same way, you put in a tube to repair it, until you could get to a shop for a proper repair. What is currently up for debate is whether the extra cost for a tubeless tire is worth it. In Mountain biking, where you may run a lower tire pressure for better off road performance, it's handy because of fewer pinch flats. Over time, you will find more and more rims being made tubeless compatible, and better selections of tubeless tires, and less of a price premium, which will lead to a general adoption of tubeless tires. I suspect that most bicycles will have tubeless tires, 40 years hence, a few cheap Wallyworld bikes will be the only ones that still have tubed tires. Tubes will still be available though, as an emergency flat repair, although a cartridge that contains a sealant, and gas like CO2 may be another option.