The older mountain bike thread but now a road bike review update

[edit: for road bikes] Why switch to tubeless? There's no advantage in weight, comfort or rolling resistance. And the puncture protection is marginal and overrated. Just last weekend on my ride, I helped a cyclist who punctured her tubeless tires with sealant spraying out not sealing the tiny hole. And it introduces more maintenance hassles, as you have to remove the tires to clean out & replace the sealant every 6 months.

I was wondering the same thing. I do have tubeless ready rims, but decided to stick with standard clinchers as that seems to be the popular opinion on the bike forums. I wonder if the hookless rims that @Bill is using makes a difference?
 
Depending on your total weight and pavement conditions, you should be able to run lower pressures on those 25 tires. I run 700x25 (Conti 5000) on my road bike, 87 PSI front 90 PSI rear. Total weight me+bike+water+gear = 210 lbs. That's a bit lower than what Silca recommends, but it works. Those recommendations are estimates. The difference of 85 to 90 and 90 to 95, is small but noticeable.

I figure I'm about 225 with everything on the bike. I might try running at 87 and 90 with the 25s, but I get a little concerned about pinch flats.

What about 30's? I'm running 30's and I'm pretty happy with them. At some point bigger will incur a weight penalty and without pulling up the specs, I suspect it is past the 30 mark.

I just searched Amazon for 30s and found them. I think those will fit, only one way to find out.
 
Not to mention pinch flats common to MTB-ers when traversing rocks/roots or similar which are less of an issue when tubeless. ...
Exactly. In the old days with tubed tires, the minimum tire pressure needed to avoid pinch flats on rugged terrain was too high to get good traction. So choose your poison. Tubeless tires have made a HUGE improvement, now we get the best of both worlds. With road bikes, not so much because that problem never existed. Sure, in days of yore road bikers were running pressures high enough to be counterproductive. But road bikers can simply lower the pressures. The ideal pressures, while lower, are still high enough to avoid flats (whether pinch or other types).
 
[edit: for road bikes] Why switch to tubeless? There's no advantage in weight, comfort or rolling resistance. And the puncture protection is marginal and overrated. Just last weekend on my ride, I helped a cyclist who punctured her tubeless tires with sealant spraying out not sealing the tiny hole. And it introduces more maintenance hassles, as you have to remove the tires to clean out & replace the sealant every 6 months.

For MTB, tubeless is great. It enables you to run super low pressures for better traction without getting flats. But for road cycling, it seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Tubeless tends to have lower rolling resistance due to having less hysteresis (only the tire needs to flex, not the tire and tube). Most of my flats tend to be from pinholes, which for some reason didn't get sealed with the sealant. About half the guys I ride with are running tubeless. They still get flats, but generally their tires seal up enough to finish a ride without issue. I don't mind cleaning sealant, mostly because I don't do it. I just leave the boogers in there. I'm lucky to get a year out of road tires, so there won't be a lot of left over sealant anyway.

The real reason is that I'm getting a new road bike, and it will come with tubeless ;)
 
Got my new 5000 700 - 30 s yesterday, rode on them today and there was a significant improvement in ride quality over the crappy roads I ride on. I'm impressed, my avg speed was less on this ride, but that probably was due more to the headwinds than the tires. Good stuff, thanks.
 
Got my new 5000 700 - 30 s yesterday, rode on them today and there was a significant improvement in ride quality over the crappy roads I ride on. I'm impressed, my avg speed was less on this ride, but that probably was due more to the headwinds than the tires. Good stuff, thanks.

Well good! I am really happy with them myself. We don't have horrid roads for the most part but some have their moments. They aren't mountain bike tires but again they don't pedal like mountain bike tires. I do actually have a measurably faster pace than before, and not just from the numbers. They feel lighter and easier to pedal.
 
Sigh. Had a good 40mi ride this weekend and after unloading my bike back home I realized it’s time to service the hubs quite by accident. I usually drop the wheels off at a shop to do this, but I think I’m going to tackle it myself this time.

I’ll gladly sacrifice a chicken to keep from losing a ball bearing in all this.
 
Sigh. Had a good 40mi ride this weekend and after unloading my bike back home I realized it’s time to service the hubs quite by accident. I usually drop the wheels off at a shop to do this, but I think I’m going to tackle it myself this time.

I’ll gladly sacrifice a chicken to keep from losing a ball bearing in all this.

I won't go back to those days. If you've never serviced a loose bearing wheel, be extremely careful not to overtighten the bearings. Once you do and the axle is dimpled, it's toast.

Edit: You may be in goat territory.
 
F***k. Second flat in about a week. Last week I fixed a flat on a ride. Of course I inspected the tire, visually and running my fingers over the inside of the tire. Nothing. So whatever caused it either, 1. pulled out, or 2. is still in there.

Fast forward to this morning. The rear felt a little light on air, but I pumped both tires up and they seemed to be at the same pressures initially so I didn't think more of it. About halfway through a 25 miler, the rear started feeling a little light. Roughly six miles from home, I had to stop. I pulled the wheel off, and very carefully inspected it for a hole, and couldn't find anything. Instead of throwing a new tube on, I decided that since it held air that long, I should be able to pump it up and make it home and then deal with it in cooler, more comfortable conditions where I had more tools.

I ended up doing a bucket leakdown test on the tube to find the hole - not so much to save the tube, but rather to identify the specific location on the tire where the problem was. And I found it. It was an almost microscopic shard of metal which couldn't be seen or felt from the inside, but I was able to see it under a strong light with the tire entirely removed from the rim. I dug it out with a small flat blade screwdriver. It was indeed long enough to push through and puncture the tube during the stress of a ride. I've had that happen before. Continental GP 5000's are great tires, but they are also great had hiding subcutaneous metal wires hiding out to stick themselves through your tube at the worst possible moment.
 
F***k. Second flat in about a week..
Just had a similar problem last week, except rim tape was hiding the culprit.

I’m almost to the point of changing the rim tap every time I change the tube instead of just at tire change intervals.

Had an uneventful 35mi loop at the Tour de Paris this morning. Hot and brutally humid though. 86*/77%rh.

66efb9e7d9270b290bc65b97dc23bbc5.jpg
 
I've had several instances where the rim strip itself was the issue. Sometimes the edge of the tape fold upwards as it gets older and causes slits or punctures in the tube. Also, if the rim strip slips out of place, it can leave the spoke hole exposed a little, and the tube can get a hole from it.
 
One thing I've noticed with the 12 speed DI2 rear derailleur was that I did have a noisy gear issue which was separate from the limit screw misadjustment which I had fixed. It made noise in one sprocket as if it were misaligned but not in the higher or lower sprockets. Whatever caused that seemed to work itself out after about 1,500 miles and now everything is working pretty smoothly. I just passed the 2,000 mile mark yesterday.
 
One quick thing to check is the attachment bolt of the derailleur hanger. I had some grinding and it went away when I tightened it. It was surprising how loose it was.
 
Wow, just wow. Today wasn't my day for pneumatic tires.

So I'm going to meet a friend at a gym grand opening about ten miles away. Mile three I get a 'whap whap whap' and pull a big thorn from the rear tire. I put my spare tube in, ride to the place, hang out for a bit, and ride back. About a mile later on the return I get another flat. No I don't have patches. But I do see the culprit. A shard of metal wire sticking out. Whelp, there goes my safety net.

I did manage to locate an Uber capable of transporting me and my bike (good.) I get home, pull the pair of tubes I had at the ready, install one, and pfffffffffffft. It had a hole in it. I don't know if it was a bad tube, or if I munched in on the install. That is THREE TUBES in one day.

The remaining tube held but now I have no spare, save for some Continental Race 28's (for up to 25's) which I could probably use temporarily in a pinch. I used to use the Park Tool sticky patches which worked just fine on mountain bike tubes, but never worked well on road tubes.
 
...That is THREE TUBES in one day...
I feel your pain. I've had sneaky metal slivers hiding in my tires that would reveal themselves at random times. Numerous flats over several weeks. It's sooooo frustrating! Fingers crossed as I haven't had a flat in a while.
 
Well that was frustrating. Yet ANOTHER flat. No evidence of anything remaining in the tire. did a leakdown test, and the tube was leaking at the sidewall. Nothing sticking in or out of the sidewall when the leak was. I think it was actually a pinch flat. I ran over something sketchy on yesterday's ride.
 
Anyone running TPU tubes? I saw a Youtube on them. They seem pretty advantageous - lighter than latex, holds air better, lower rolling resistance, higher costs. I was about to pull the trigger on a pair but, at least for the set I was looking at, some of the reviews were pretty horrible - bad tubes from the box, seam failures within hours, etc...

 
Still running Continental 5000 S TR tubeless, totally satisfied. 3600mi and no flats so far (of course I just jinxed myself!).

I was on a Fondo a month ago and noticed my front tire was getting soft mid ride. I eas able to pump it up at each sag stop and made the last 30mi with ease. With a tube it would have been an instant flat. When we got back to camp I injected the front with a fresh dose of Orange Seal and that tire has been fine since, no leakage.

Again, sold on tubeless. Yes, it’s messy and fiddly, but it offers the same advantages tubeless tires offered the automotive world when the replaced tubes.
 
I was running latex, actually had my last one fail due to old age versus a pinch or puncture. I just use continental black rubber now, not chasing the watt or so supposed saving in rolling resistance.

Haven't had a pinch flat in a while, do you check your inflation before the first ride of each day?
 
I was running latex, actually had my last one fail due to old age versus a pinch or puncture. I just use continental black rubber now, not chasing the watt or so supposed saving in rolling resistance.

Haven't had a pinch flat in a while, do you check your inflation before the first ride of each day?
Not with a gauge, I can feel if it needs pumping up or not. I don't think the aforementioned pinch flat was caused by underinflation, more hitting a sharp object on the road.
 
I think the bad reviews are from folks that don't know how to install a tire/tube. The TPU tubes are pretty finicky and pinch easily during installation. Once they are installed properly, they seem to have decent performance.
 
I think the bad reviews are from folks that don't know how to install a tire/tube. The TPU tubes are pretty finicky and pinch easily during installation. Once they are installed properly, they seem to have decent performance.
Noticeably better than butyl?
 
Anyone running TPU tubes? I saw a Youtube on them. They seem pretty advantageous - lighter than latex, holds air better, lower rolling resistance, higher costs. I was about to pull the trigger on a pair but, at least for the set I was looking at, some of the reviews were pretty horrible - bad tubes from the box, seam failures within hours, etc...
...
TPU tubes are the lightest: lighter than butyl or latex. And they have lower rolling resistance than butyl, but not as low as latex. They are very durable.
I prefer latex tubes - lighter than butyl even if heavier than TPU, and lowest rolling resistance. Also smoother and more comfortable, another benefit of the high compliance that also gives them low rolling resistance.
If find latex tubes last as long as butyl, I have some that are a couple of years old. They can be patched with a normal patch kit.

You can't go wrong with either one, TPU or latex, both are better than butyl. Yet you better have a fast, light bike with good tires to notice any difference.
 
... The real reason is that I'm getting a new road bike, and it will come with tubeless ;)
A couple of years ago my new road bike came with tubeless even though I specifically asked for tubed tires. They probably thought they were giving me a free upgrade. <sigh> First thing I did upon receiving it was convert it back to tubed tires. I don't want tubeless on my road bike because compared to latex inner tubes it's not faster, it's not lighter, it doesn't prevent flats, and it is messier and higher maintenance. You have to replace the fluid every 6 months or so, and I only get flats once every year or so. So tubeless would be messier and higher maintenance: removing tires, cleaning out grotty old fluid, replacing and remounting tires and replacing the fluid more often than I get flats today.

Each to his own, it's a subjective thing. I do think tubeless is great on the MTB. In that application the extra mess & hassles is well worth the superior traction of running low tire pressures, and the puncture resistance.
 
I recently converted my wheels to tubeless. I'm very happy so far. I did my front and rode it like that for a few weeks. Got a double puncture a couple of weeks ago. The front (tubeless w/ Stan's Race) sealed up well, and just needed a little top-off with the CO2. Later in the ride, the rear got a puncture (Latex w/ Flat attack sealant). That one also sealed up and needed a small top-off with the CO2. I had much less confidence in the tube though. I've had enough punctures with the tubes that didn't seal that I decided to switch to all tubeless.

Another issue with road tubeless is the hookless rims. A lot of manufacturers are switching to hookless to save on costs, and this means that you are more limited on your tire choice and pressure. Just something to keep in mind.
 
... Another issue with road tubeless is the hookless rims. A lot of manufacturers are switching to hookless to save on costs, and this means that you are more limited on your tire choice and pressure. Just something to keep in mind.
With carbon rims, the hookless design is stronger and more durable. One of my MTB carbon rims was a Reynolds from 2014 that failed / delaminated right along the hook bead. No coincidence.
 
Bike thread! Love my stumpjumper. Carbon frame and wheels, handles like a dream. Finally got some good lights this year, as most of my weekday rights are after dark.

i-4Wg9CzW-L.jpg


Fatbikes for the winter!
i-kmd3kQj-L.jpg



i-Md88gFS-XL.jpg
 
Delivered Thursday. I get it back from the fitter in about a week. I'm going tubeless. Can't wait to take her for a spin!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20231107_145200.jpg
    IMG_20231107_145200.jpg
    500.8 KB · Views: 19
Snow here today, so I just got off the trainer, climbed 2,000 feet in about an hour, all I can take today. The trainer is nice, but it is more grueling than outside, and too easy to jump off and sit on the couch.
 
Ah. The bike shop said I could mount a bento box on my top tube with some screw attachments. Top ramen and katsu on the move does sound good.
 
Ah. The bike shop said I could mount a bento box on my top tube with some screw attachments. Top ramen and katsu on the move does sound good.
Lol. I have one there too. I'm a GU guy while riding. I've yet to see a Katsu flavor :)
 
Snow here today, so I just got off the trainer, climbed 2,000 feet in about an hour, all I can take today. The trainer is nice, but it is more grueling than outside, and too easy to jump off and sit on the couch.

Great day for a ride here, partly cloudy, low 70s. Did 39mi with 3000ft of climbing, lots of short stingers, several were 15-16%.
 
Back
Top