Is it worth going Tubeless?

What are tubeless tyres and do I need them?

Tubeless tyres have become more popular in recent years and there are many benefits to the system.  

In short, tubeless tyres don’t require an inner tube, as traditional tyres would use, and instead the tyres interface with the rim to create a seal and hold air. Tubeless sealant is added to the tyre to seal the system if any punctures crop up.

No punctures! Sounds great right?!… Yes and No.

Tubeless has many advantages over inner tubes and road, gravel and MTB riders can all benefit:

• More traction
• Lower pressures
• More comfort
• Smoother ride
• Punctures sealed

Running lower pressures can be a great way to improve ride comfort, but with inner tubes you run the risk of pinch punctures. With a tubeless set up, you can run lower pressures safe in the knowledge that sealant will fill any holes. 

Lower pressure enables more traction and together with wider tyres, you can  absorb bumps better. This makes for a more comfortable ride. For mountain bike trails and gravel, more traction will give better handling. This will give you more confidence on the trails. So if you're looking at new tyres for your gravel or mountain bike, then tubeless has a lot to offer.

What about my road bike?

Absorbing road buzz makes for a much smoother ride. Whilst typically higher pressures can roll faster, the more comfy and happier you are, the harder and faster you can ride. Even the Pros are now running far lower pressures than they would have 5 or 10 years ago. More traction and improved handling will also give you more confidence on those long descents.

So there are lots of great performance benefits to tubeless.

But it isn't a perfect world. To convert to a tubeless system you'll need to ensure your tyres and rims are tubeless ready and you use tubeless rim tape and valves.

Check out our range of tubeless products from DT Swiss, MilKit and Halo.

Tubeless sealant needs to be added to seal the system and should be topped up every so often, to ensure continued puncture protection.

When setting your wheels up tubeless, a booster pump or compressor is needed to seat the tyre onto the rim and create the seal. Keeping sealant topped up can sometimes be a tricky job but there are lots of great systems that are making this easier.

We recommend the MilKit Tubeless Kit, which ensures no air is lost when the valve core is removed. You can also use the injector syringe to measure sealant levels. This makes topping up sealant and keeping your tubeless system running much easier. 

Is going tubeless worth it?

We would say it depends. If you’re looking for the best performance for your road or gravel bike, then yes. Would we recommend converting your loaded touring bike to tubeless? Probably not. For all you mountain bikers, it’s a no-brainer!

If you’d like more info pop in store and we can talk you through your options. 

Tyres alone make a huge difference to how a bike rides and we carry a large range of quality tyre brands to suit almost any type of bike. Many models also come with great puncture protection. 

Tubeless setup is £20 per wheel and we have a range of the best tubeless products in store. 

We work with loads of great tyre and tubeless brands so you'll have plenty of options if you want to switch: DT Swiss, Rene Herse, Halo, Vittoria, Teravail, MilKit, Panaracer & Schwalbe.

Disclaimer: You MUST use tubeless specific tyres, rims and tape when converting your bike. Mixing incompatible components just won't work. Safety first!