Originally Posted by
69chevy
For what it's worth, I planned to run them tubeless when I bought them. I was going to install an alloy sleeve over the valve stem like a friend did, so I could wrench the valve in tight.
Since I had a new set of GP4000II tires I didn't want to waste, I decided to wait and try the tubeless once I wore out the newish Continentals.
A couple thousand miles later, with no pinch flats, I'm convinced the wider rim design largely reduces the pinch flats I would get occasionally with my narrower wheels.
I'm now ordering another set of the GP tires, since I didn't get a flat with the HED wheels all year.
EDIT: I'm 195# and experimented with pressures as low as 75#, which is why I was so surprised about not flatting with tubes.
Flats....it's a sordid affair. There are just so many variables that one is left having to make generalizations in order to get anything done....with that - here are some of mine:
1. Flats for the vast majority of riders and racers I interact with are something that really seldom occurs. Personally I can't tell you the last time I had a flat while road riding but I am sure it was at least 3-4 years ago.
2. rim widths - allowing us to run wider tires at lower pressures absolutely helps reduce the number of flats one will experience.
3. Tires - they aren't crap anymore. They actually work. If in good shape and inflated correctly and selected for the rider and application correctly then yeah...bye bye flats.
4. Some riders will have flats. Always. Change the tires, rims, pressures, routes, application, use, terrain, etc....and some will still always end up with flats. Some say user error. Some blame some other factor. In reality some people just ride over stuff they shouldn't, lard butt their way over obstacles, and are generally not very aware of what they do to their bike. That's life.
5. Some locations of the country make riding road tires in a tubeless setup the preferred way to go. These areas (like areas with goathead thorns) also happen to be areas that have a lot of interesting things called mountains and enjoy a lot of that style of riding as well. That product went tubeless a while ago so carrying it to road is the only thing that makes sense to these riders.
6. Having spent a helluva lot of time riding all sorts of setups I have come to the following conclusions: tubulars are tubulars. Tubes are tubes. Tubeless is tubeless. The vast majority of riders (90%) will not be able to tell the difference if they aren't told before they ride it. The amount of money I charge a customer to set up their tubeless system far outweighs the cost of tubes for nearly the life of the same setup (for riders in my area). Latex tubes give a supple ride. Tires made to be tubeless do not give a supple ride. They are hard and stiff....huhuuhuhuhuhuhuhuh.
I am currently riding a disc cyclocross setup on mostly road conditions with high end gravel tires. Front wheel is latex tube. Rear is tubeless. Rear, since the switch, has felt dead.
BTW - as many already know the pressure you run your personal setup at will far outstrip the differences in any of these systems.
Nothing like taking a hardened racer and telling them to run at 85psi on their high performance tubulars instead of the 150 they have been riding for the last 20 years and then seeing their face after the race after they thank me for changing their life.