Originally Posted by
12boy
Can pretty much any tire be tubeless? I have Kenda Kwests and some BMX 2" tires for my swift, but I've read the flat protection for tubeless is very good, perhaps better than a tubed Marathon. Is all you need to do is replace the rim tape and perhaps the valve stem? I am assuming the Stan's sealant winds up being lighter than the inner tube.
Virtually any tire can be tubeless. Check out the Stans video on youtube. Normally you use 2 ounces of goop per tire. The lightest 20" 406 tubes from Kenda are just under 3 ounces in 1.75 width. The big rolling resistance difference with tubeless is you don't have the tube/tire friction as the tire flexes. You probably get better grip with the more supple tire system. In mountain bikes most the tubeless guys are running much lower tire pressure because you don't get pinch flats without a tube to pinch. They feel the lower pressure gives them much better traction.
The goop seals small punctures quite well in the contact area, not as well in sidewalls.