merlinextraligh

Anyone riding road tubeless on their tandem?

If so, what tires, rims?

And how is it working out?

merlinextraligh

I guess the answer is no.

I love tubeless on my MTB.

Our new Co-Motion Java will have Velocity Cliff Hanger rims which are reportedly tubeless compatible, so I think we'll try it there.

But I was really more interested in Tubeless on Road tandems. Guess, the selection of rims that are 1) tubeless compatible, and 2) suitable for a tandem may be a limiting factor.

oldacura

I've never tried tubeless on any of my bikes. Fellow MTBers seem to like them to be able to run lower pressures off-road. As with most everything else, there must be advantages & disadvantages - especially w/r to road riding. What are they?

akexpress 

We are running tubeless on our new adventure tandem but don't have enough experience to give an opinion. We run tubeless on our fat tire and mtn tandems without issues and same on our singles. I have stayed away from tubeless on our normal tandem as we travel with it extensively and take the tires off so the rims fit in the cases better and tubeless could be a big mess.

oldacura

Seems like tubeless could be lighter than tube tires and able to seal small punctures. However, if one did need to do a road repair, could be messier. True?

Bad1

I've been using tubeless now for over a year and a half with out any problem, using orange seal sealant. Using Schwable 700/25 pro one tubeless with out any problems. Tubeless wheelset are Hed Belgium plus with 28 hole W.I.hubs, DT aero comp, 2nd set Enve SES 5.6 with DT 240 hubs, DT aero comp spokes with no problems, the ride is smooth and fast. It's all about if you want to commit to a tubeless set up and just a little bit more of your time and what tubeless brings with it!

Barrettscv 

I'm using Schwalbe S-One 700x30 with Velocity A23 rims on my adventure bike These measure out to almost 32mm wide.

I set it up tubeless on Velocity A23 rim. The tire was eventually easy to install tubeless with a standard floor pump. I did pre-fit the tire using a tube and let it take shape at 80psi for 48 hours. This allowed the tire to seat quickly and hold air with 30 ml of sealant.

The Schwalbe S-One is lightweight and very fast rolling. The S-One helped me maintain the same kind of speeds I produce on my road bike with 700x25 Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. At 80 psi rear, 70psi front, The Schwalbe is not as plush as an open tubular tires, but it rode more smoothly than 700x25 Vittoria Rubino Pro tires. I'm sure it becomes super plush at 20% lower air pressures, I'll experiment with the air pressure in the future.

The S-One is 31.7mm wide after a week of inflation at 80psi. The micro-dot texture and compound provides super high levels of traction on pavement. The tire is wide enough for all the firm gravel near my home in Illinois.

.

Bad1

So are you talking about a single bike like your "adventure bike" sounds like it if so your in the wrong thread "Road Tubeless on Tandems" is the subject. What you are referencing has no object use concerning tandem usage. The S ones would get chewed up on a tandem and are not suited to serve you well.
There is no way a clincher rides as well as a tubeless tire set up properly. As far as a standard floor pump inflating a 700/25 or 700/28 tubeless it's not going to happening no matter how fast and hard you stroke it, as far a having a set take hold on the tape with a tube in the tire no more than 45 minutes is enough.

DubT

I accidentally purchased a pair of 700 X 28 Schwalbe ONE tubeless tires thinking they were the standard ONE tires. Since I had them and the tandem needed a new rear tire I installed it on the rear wheel (HED3), all I had to do was add the new tubeless stem. The tire installed very easily and a CO2 cartridge filled it on the first attempt. It is holding air extremely well.

Running 80psi in the rear and 100psi in the front (700 X 25) tube type Schwalbe ONE, the ride is more comfortable than before, it is actually noticeably different. The ride is so much improved that I have ordered 2 more of the 700 X 28 Schwalbe Tubeless ONE tires.

310 pound team, Calfee Tetra.

Wayne

Bad1

Dub T be careful using tubeless tires on non tubeless rims, I've previously have talked to Hed & Enve on this subject, both of there replies were you could get away with it on a single bike but on the tandem you are rolling the dice and risking that a tire could possibly roll off, with the extra weight and forces that are in play.

geoffs

We're using Schwalbe Supreme on Blunt 35 rims with Stans Race Sealant. I find the race sealant works better on my Seven using Hed Belgiums and Schalbe Pro one tyres. No problems so far in about 2000kms for the tandem and they roll really well

DubT

Thanks for the input!

racefacelefty

I'm running tubeless Schwalbe Pro One on both my road bike and tandem. with no issues. But both rim sets are tubeless ready rims.

I'm fascinated by the statement that the tire could roll off the rim. How is having a tube in a clincher going to hold it on the rim in any different way to a tubeless tyre which invariably is tighter on the rim anyway?

Bad1

Tubeless rims have a different 90 degree lip to secure the tubeless tire to which also has the same designed to accommodate the rim, where a regular rim is lacking that secure snap that you get when a tubeless tires is correctly installed.

racefacelefty

I found with tubeless on a standard rim I got the snap anyway. And with sealant installed removing the tyre when deflated required a deliberate effort to loosen the tyre bead from the rim.

I do wonder how much of the 'do not use' is marketing rather than an actual safety issue.

I would definitely not attempt to convert tubed tyres to tubeless use though, whether the rim in tubeless or not. I think the safety is from the tyre, not so much the rim.

merlinextraligh

What rims are you using on the tandem?

racefacelefty

I built a set of light bicycle 55mm tubeless ready (with tape) rims.

Gtmather313

Warning to all Schwalbe tubeless tandem tire users....you're probably exceeding the manufacturer's load limit and are risking your wellbeing! I have thousands of miles on Schwalbe One and One Pro 25/28mm tires on my single road and gravel bikes and have nothing but praise for their comfortable ride and low rolling resistance. However, I strongly recommend that you follow Schwalbe's Pro One 28mm "Maximum Load" recommendation of 75kg per tire. (That's 330lbs for your team, tandem, water bottles, etc.) the 25mm have a 70/kg limit and I am pretty sure the first gen Schwalbe One's 28mm tires have a 70kg/308lb limit. I don't think this older tire is on their website.

I learned about this load limit the hard way.....had a rear tire sidewall failure while decending on my tandem at +45mph. Ugly, ugly wreck....smashed tandem, destroyed wheels, surgery, 10 screws & a long titanium plate plate on my clavicle, stoker had compartment syndrome and more. Post crash I called Schwalbe and learned of their per tire load limit and they said they do NOT reccomend tubeless for tandems regardless of weight. Hard to find it on their website so here's a link: https://www.schwalbe.com/en/road-reader/schwalbe-pro-one.html
Be safe and have fun.

pdlpsher

Thanks for the tip Gtmather313.

racefacelefty

Terrible to read about your accident, hope you recover well.

What weight was your tandem team all up?

How old were your tyres?

While all manufacturers publish weight limits, and I read Schwalbe's prior to this incident, I have always added a bit as I believed them to be conservative to avoid product liability issues. Maybe not and I am wrong.

Gtmather313

Team weight at time of crash: 340 lbs plus 33 lb tandem. Call it 375 lbs total weight. Tires had about 100 miles on them and were ridden with my 13 year old son the previous weekend. When my son was the stoker our total team weight was 320 lbs.

DubT

I just took the tire off, cleaned it up and installed a tube.

Bad1

Good moves

racefacelefty

It is a serious worry that the manufacturer uses a weight limit excuse on a tire when your total weight is around 170kg spread across 2 tyres with a weight limit of 150kg if 28c was used.

I guess a daily inspection of the tyres and harder pressures is essential. Reduced pressure definitely puts more strain on the sidewall as it flexes more than at high pressure. I run 110psi rear and 100psi front on my 25c.

25c combination with the 55mm carbon rims I have is more comfortable than the DT Swiss rims with 25c tubed Gatorskins were.

waynesulak

I am very sorry of your crash and wish you strength in your recovery.

On Schwalbe tires:

I give credit to Schwalbe for publishing weight limits. I have trouble finding them on other tires. From my very small sample of items purchased, I have had no issues with defects on Schwalbe products vs other manufacturers which I have had issues. In general my feeling is that the brand is more expensive with better quality control than other brands. That said we do not run Schwalbe tires any more but do use Schwalbe tubes which are not cheap.