Originally Posted by xylog
I am wondering what the advantages/disadvantages of each are. I have a Mountain bike and I am shopping for new tires.
Please do a search. There is much information already posted.
Keep in mind that you'll need a tubeless rim, or a Stan's conversion to run a tubeless tire. here is my experience with tubeless tires. In 16 months (since I went tubeless) of hard riding, I have NEVER had a flat tire .... NEVER! I've run over countless thorns (I don't even look anymore!), and even pinched the tire once, and the Stan's Sealant always fixed the puncture on-the-fly. I am able to run a low tire pressure, so the slick, and technical stuff is now a breeze. I will never go back to tubes - never. I hate having to stop my ride for flat tires, and I absolutely LOVE the way the tubeless tires handle.
The only downside is that most tubeless tires are a bit heavier than their tubed counterparts, but once you take into account the weight of the tube, they are comparable. Regardless, for reasons stated above, I've never own a 26" tire that requires a tube again.