mstateglfr 

VegasJen with tubeless on all wheels will reduce threads she starts by almost 70%. Crazy.

Koyote

No, we'll just get more threads like this one. And this one.

indyfabz

You mean there isn’t a trophy for starting the greatest number of threads?

CrimsonEclipse

Hey Jen!
You have 'haters' now.
It shows a new level of recognition.
Congrats!

VegasJen

Not going to get all that excited. Some people here only get fulfillment from bashing others.

bbattle

I got tired of flats while out riding and switched to tubeless several years ago.

I got over three years out of my front Schwalbe tubeless tire before getting a flat that required a tube. The inside of the tire was covered in little hard blobs of sealant where there had been leaks. Then a couple months later, the back tire suffered a major leak but I was able to keep the tire inflated enough to get back to my car. I had neglected to replace the spare tube that I used on the front tire. I replaced both tires and have been rolling for over a year now without any flats.

Still, even with tubeless and sealant, I carry two tubes and a patch kit. And the patch kit is new and not full of dried-out patches that won't work. (that's another story)

Duragrouch

20"/406 tires, cheap Kenda Kwest. For the last several years, after I'm done with a tube, either replacing tires or tube has a couple sticky patches, I carefully cut away the valve stem, flatten it, then put that between the tire and the new inflated tube. So, pokey thing must go through the tire, and three thicknesses of rubber to flat me. Not foolproof, but my flat occurance went way down. I usually see the pokey thing in the tread before it makes it all the way through. I haven't tried the plastic flat strips, those cost money.

Before doing the above, some horizontal plastic window blinds were being replaced, just the right width for flat strips I thought, put'em in just fine, some weeks later got a flat, slow leak so at home; Took the tire off, there were *thousands* of tiny plastic bits inside, evidently that plastic is not designed for very-high-cycle fatigue bending loads. Removed same from the other wheel, vacuumed it all up, patched the tube. Then went to the flattened tube trick above, that works.

rsbob 

Vegas - Fallujah - about the same.

rekmeyata

LMAO!!!!

I run tubes, don't give flats a second thought. Modern tires have improved a lot over just the last 15 years, since then I can count on 1 hand how many flats I've had.

Tomm Willians

I thank my lucky stars the day the wife went tubeless, she could find a thorn like no other. I changed so many flats for her I feel qualified to work a NASCAR pit crew. Strange thing is she always rides behind me so logic would dictate that I’d be the one hitting the thorn right ? Not in her case.
I can’t say enough good about tubeless, I did a century about 4 days ago and while cleaning my bike two days ago found a metal staple buried in my rear tire. It was stuck so deep I had to use pliers to remove it and the tire was still nice and firm.

Koyote

Good for you! Can you comprehend that some people ride in different conditions, and face different road surfaces, than you?

rsbob 

Why do your questions have to be so difficult? Can you stick to, What’s your favorite color?

Koyote

And how is that question germane to the thread?

Duragrouch

Bridgekeeper : Stop. Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.

Sir Lancelot : Ask me the questions, bridgekeeper. I am not afraid.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your name?

Sir Lancelot : My name is Sir Lancelot of Camelot.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your quest?

Sir Lancelot : To seek the Holy Grail.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your favourite colour?

Sir Lancelot : Blue.

Bridgekeeper : Go on. Off you go.

Sir Lancelot : Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.

Sir Robin : That's easy.

Bridgekeeper : Stop. Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.

Sir Robin : Ask me the questions, bridgekeeper. I'm not afraid.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your name?

Sir Robin : Sir Robin of Camelot.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your quest?

Sir Robin : To seek the Holy Grail.

Bridgekeeper : What... is the capital of Assyria?

[pause]

Sir Robin : I don't know that.

[he is thrown over the edge into the volcano]

Sir Robin : Auuuuuuuugh.

Bridgekeeper : Stop. What... is your name?

Galahad : Sir Galahad of Camelot.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your quest?

Galahad : I seek the Grail.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your favourite colour?

Galahad : Blue. No, yel...

[he is also thrown over the edge]

Galahad : auuuuuuuugh.

Bridgekeeper : Hee hee heh. Stop. What... is your name?

King Arthur : It is 'Arthur', King of the Britons.

Bridgekeeper : What... is your quest?

King Arthur : To seek the Holy Grail.

Bridgekeeper : What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?

King Arthur : What do you mean? An African or European swallow?

Bridgekeeper : Huh? I... I don't know that.

[he is thrown over]

Bridgekeeper : Auuuuuuuugh.

Sir Bedevere : How do know so much about swallows?

King Arthur : Well, you have to know these things when you're a king, you know.

rsbob 

I have Germane ancestry if that helps. (I know, we NEVER see threads go off track). But without my quip, Duragrouch would not have posted some classic lines from Monty Python and that would have been tragic. And that would make a Black Knight indeed!

Koyote

That is a great movie.

Duragrouch

And quotable, equally important. High up on the list of assets.

zymphad

If I was getting as many flats as Jen, tires/tubes/tubeless wouldn't be what I would be concerned about. It would be the bike route and roads choosing to ride as it seems no tires/tubes/tubeless can fix the roads she is riding on? Just guessing. I'd try to find different roads to ride instead.

bruce19

I've been riding since around 1983 and I've probably averaged 3-4 flats a season. A wild ass guess of course. About 5 yrs ago I converted a rear wheel on a road bike to tubeless. I was skeptical but became impressed. I then converted my 3 and my wife's 2 road bikes to tubeless front and rear. Have not had a flat since that time. 5 yrs of flat free cycling. I'm good.

PeteHski

I had a very similar experience to this. Tubeless was basically the end of roadside flats for me.

Duragrouch

I have no experience with tubeless. So it sounds like all tubeless use a semi-liquid sealant to seal any punctures, rather than the tire being impervious to puncture. So two questions:
- Is this any different from having a sealant in a tube?
- How much of a sticky mess is the sealant? I changed tubes on a friend's bike, gotta be 5 years ago, and recall a sticky mess inside the front tire. I assumed the tube had sealant in it, as I was totally clueless to tubeless, and I think was not tubeless as I didn't notice the inside of the rim having holes sealed.

Troul 

the sealant typically used in the tubeless setup tends to have particles in the liquid &/or the ability to react fast with the puncture a lot quicker, also the amount used is likely more than what a tube will contain. Also, the wheel needs to support tubeless, where as a non tubeless capable wheel wouldn't hold up to just using the tubeless ready tire with sealant.
it can get sloppy if you had to put in a tube when caught mid ride with a tire that cannot benefit from the sealant. it would behooved of the rider to inspect the tire for debris prior to inserting a tube, otherwise the effort could go wasted from a sharp object not removed from the tire. Tubeless has its place, & it has a high entry cost that may pay off in short use. If PR, racing, being competitive is the goal, going tubeless might not be worth it.

squirtdad

I would be interested to know what tire pressures people are using

I have not gone tubeless, which is not bashing tubeless, personal preference.

I have run sealant in tubes, which is a bit different as I understand tubeless the sealant is there to prevent flats and help seal the tire/rim interfaced

My experience with tubes is that sealant does not work well with higher pressures....like 100 psi plus, just sprays out and makes a mess if the puncture is significant.

With my current tires at 80 psi (32mm and I am 225) Sealant has worked with tubes, one time I could see the 2 spots it was coming out of and as I pumped air back in how sealant volume worked and plugged up.

over all with tubes I have had best luck with Caffelatex

I really question sealant for higher pressures and if any body could explain and function differences between tube sealing and tubeless sealing

icemilkcoffee 

I think the general consensus is that tubeless works best at lower pressures. For a while I ran 28mm at 80psi and it sealed well and gave a very comfortable ride (another advantage for road tubeless). But I would not go narrower/ higher pressure than that.

VegasJen

I thought I was supposed to be able to run lower pressure with tubeless as well, but according to the Silca calculator, I'm still supposed to be at 95psi. I'd rather not get into my weight, but I'll just say me + bike + all miscellaneous gear (small took kit, pump, water, back up tube, etc) with which I ride is <190#.