Thinking about new wheels but confused by tubeless tyres.

[Galveston]

Hello chaps,

I've been looking at options for a wheel upgrade (from cheap and nasty came-with-the-bike nameless things) and reckon that an Ultegra 6800 wheelset looks like a good value for money option.

These are "tubeless compatible", but some of the comments I've read imply that these rims don't work too well with good old fashioned tubed tyres. The obvious thing to do is to get some tubeless tyres... but the available range seems pathetic.

Can I just whack on my faultless old Gatorskins or is it time to embrace new fangled technology? If the later, can anyone recommend a sensible tubeless tyre for commuting and pottering about in the countryside?

Thanks, Rob.

[Matt_N]

I don't see the point in them honestly, they don't ride as nice as normal tubed tyres, let alone tubs and the range of tyres as you say is rubbish.

You can just run them as you would normally with an inner tube.

[CVP]

Matt_N said:

I don't see the point in them honestly, they don't ride as nice as normal tubed tyres, let alone tubs and the range of tyres as you say is rubbish.

You can just run them as you would normally with an inner tube.

I'll take a contrary stance here.

The wheels I ride most of the time on my road bike are Shimano C24's set up tubeless using Hutchison Fusion tyres. So far they have been absolutely faultless. I've been running these tubeless now since Jan 2012. The current tyres have done over 2,000 miles on UK roads with zero punctures. I run them at 90psi (72kg rider) as opposed to 100psi for a standard clincher. I find them smoother rolling than a tubed tyre and in the wet I find them more grippy than a Gatorskin. Schwalbe have just released a tubeless road tyre and if that's as good as the Durano S's I use on my commuter then when it comes time to replace the Hutchison's it will be off to Schwalbe for me.

Maintenance is pretty straightforward, add new latex once every 3-4 months. Once a year I pop the tyre off the rim and just wash out the old latex, refill latex, pump up with track pump and I'm set for another 3-4 months.

As a precautionary measure when I out I do carry a spare tube in case the system fails, but have not had to use it yet. I really like mine. Agreed the range of tyres is not there compared to standard clichers but the ones out there are fairly reasonable IMHO.

[Galveston]

Thanks chaps.

Wheels are ordered, still scratching head about tyres but I'll probably transfer the existing in the short term.