Anyone running tubeless?

[Caph]

Has anyone fitted a UST rim to a hub motor and tried running UST tyres? I'm thinking of making the switch but thought I'd get feedback first.

The general (non-electric) consensus seems quite positive and they aren't that much more expensive than standard tyres plus I'd like to get some nice quality rims fitted in any case.

 

[Streethawk]

Think you mean UST . They're good for MTB's depending on how bad your area is for thorns/glass etc, but MTBers always have the option of quickly shoving a tube in if the solution doesnt seal, and sometimes it just doesnt. With a hub motor this would be a real pain. Even if you have to fix a tube you can do it without removing the wheel, but you have no choice if you're putting a tube into a punctured tubeless tyre.

On an electric bike with a hub motor, i wouldnt bother personally.

 

[Caph]

Think you mean UST . They're good for MTB's depending on how bad your area is for thorns/glass etc, but MTBers always have the option of quickly shoving a tube in if the solution doesnt seal, and sometimes it just doesnt. With a hub motor this would be a real pain. Even if you have to fix a tube you can do it without removing the wheel, but you have no choice if you're putting a tube into a punctured tubeless tyre.

On an electric bike with a hub motor, i wouldnt bother personally.

Yes, I did mean UST! Updated accordingly.

My new front hub motor has a connector so I can change the front wheel as easily as a standard wheel (no quick release though).

 

[Caph]

I've just ordered a new set of wheels. I was going to try out the USTs but boy did I get a shock when I saw the price. Even the cheaper Shimano wheels are close on £300!

I eventually plumped for a set of Mavic Crossrides. I'll leave USTs until they get a bit cheaper or I get a lot richer!

Has anyone else upgraded their wheels?

 

[Kalkhoff USA]

It is possible to run tubeless without a UST rim. I've run tubeless road tires on some Mavic Ksyrium wheels for a few years with great results and no problems.

You'll need a kit to convert the wheelset (Google "no tubes" and you'll find tubeless kits) The real important thing to the setup is to make sure that there's almost no room in the rim channel below the seated tire bead. Sometimes this means adding another rim strip between the sealant tape and the rubber rim strip that comes in the kit. You'll know you've got it right when it's very nearly impossible to get the tire on (carbon fiber tire beads do NOT stretch) If you don't get it right your tires will "burp" once in a while when they're bumped hard or encountering a lot of lateral force.

Also, if you're looking further into this, try to enjoy some healthy skepticism with the various accounts you read online about tubeless. There are a large number of mountain and cyclocross racers that have done tubeless conversions with non-tubeless tires with poor results and disastrous outcomes.

Unless you're racing, the cost/benefit ratio probably won't really be worth it. Tubeless has really low rolling resistance and allows running lower pressure than other clinchers, which doesn't really matter for everyday riding. Then again, you may have some technical terrain to get over very quickly.

Hope this helps.

 

[Tex]

i run crossmax tubleless on my optibike for fast singletrack work. despite the weight of the bike i've not had a puncture yet over some pretty rough stuff

 

[Caph]

Thanks for the tip Kalkhoff, I might well try out a conversion kit after I've done a bit more investigation. If I understand correctly you're saying that a conversion should work OK as long as I use a tubeless tyre and don't try it with a standard tyre?

Those are some serious wheels you guys are using, Ksyrium and Crossmax. I'd almost double the value of my bike if I fitted them!!!

I'm in the process of upgrading my electric MTB with entry level decent parts - Rock Shox, Cane Creek, Raceface, Mavic, Wellgo etc. I want to be able to quick release the battery and disconnect and swap the front wheel in a couple of minutes. Then I'll be able to easily switch between electric for getting in to work and non-electric for the weekends. It's proving an interesting job - I'd never even heard of a zero-stack headset until after I'd bought the wrong one and realised it wouldn't fit! There's so many variations on things these days.