there's also this option:

running a tubeless setup with regular clincher wheels and clincher tires (similar to actual car wheel and tire setups where it uses air pressure and sealant to hold tire in place).

STAN'S tubeless conversion kits (and other similar systems) are super popular Mountain Biking, and they do have road conversion kits.

NoTubes Support Center


^ I've actually watched the videos and almost tried it out... just to experiment, the installation process looks kind of fun (in a sick OCD way).

But as has been mentioned before clincher set ups are pretty much awash weight wise and even cost wise now.

I have a 1500g clincher wheel set (easton EA90) then you use a thin rim tape (I still have my ROX SUPERDUTE rim tape on my rims for 4 years now its about 5g per wheel) and then some thinner tubes (expensive but great Continental Supersonic 55g tube cheap: chen shin super lights from ebay 70g tube often under $7 tube) with nice tires I use a 25c (which actually run 27mm) Continental Grand Prix 4000 that weigh 220g per tire (actually less sometimes). the thin inner tube + wider 25c (which run closer to 28mm) provide a nice supple ride that you can run with 90psi or even lower. (compared to the rock hard 19c tires plus thick 110psi tube and tire combos of yesteryear)

tubeless tires are going to weigh 30-100g more + tape/glue. these days clincher models are minimally heavier than the tubeless versions.

but the true wild card seems to be the tubeless setup with clincher tires. the aforementioned stan's system even uses super lightweight rims that do actually save up to 300g per rim. Although the recommended tires in their systems are a bit heavier (280 grams).