Tubeless set up for MTB racing...

I'm looking for opinions about tubeless set-ups...

My concerns are primarily weight and not flatting. Does anyone in here run straight tubeless? If so, do you add a sealant and is it worth the extra weight? Do you ever ride below 40psi and have any problems?

Or...

Is there anyone who runs a standard tire with Stan's conversion kit (because its lighter than tubeless)? If you use this set up how often do you have to clean your tire out and refill?


I might try to run Kenda Karma UST's and perhaps carry Innovations "seal and flate". I pretty much don't want to run tubes...

The SO rides tubeless tyres and uses a sealant in them, it works reasonably well but it is not foolproof. He does ride them at a lower pressure than a normal tyre set up, he is about 14 stone (quick maths: 196 pounds) and I think he runs them about the 40/45psi mark. Making the probably fairly accurate assumption that you are significantly lighter than this then I would have thought you should have no problems riding lower than 40 psi if you want to. I run a normal tubed tyre set up and run my front tyre, Panaracer Fire XC Pros at 30 psi with no problems (I'm about 140 pounds).

The So uses them as a general tail tyre rather than a race tyre however he has single handedly put everyone in our riding group off using tubeless tyres, ever. He probably doesn't really get any more flats than before but the hassle of fixing them in the wilds when the sealant doesn't quite work is magnified (very messy and they can be a b*gger to seat on the rims) and they are usually fixed by putting a tube in them anyway. I'm not convinced they are a great idea for long rides (especially anywhere near thorns). As for racing, I have a feeling that they are best used here but I have no direct experience of them in that context.

I know several of my friends do, and one ping of a rock on the rim, some damage and - a flat and putting in a regular tube anyway. many of them think that it isn't worth the extra cash to get tubeless with mtb.

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Originally Posted by han-grrl

I know several of my friends do, and one ping of a rock on the rim, some damage and - a flat and putting in a regular tube anyway. many of them think that it isn't worth the extra cash to get tubeless with mtb.

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Were they running a psi below 40 and how much do they weigh?

I've been running tubeless this season. I've got a set of Mavic Crossmax (super-light) and run Kenda tires. For my races at Ft. Ord (hard-packed fast courses) I run super-narrow low-profile tires (like the Klimax Lite) with higher pressure. For Sea Otter yesterday (lots of mud and sand), I ran the Kharisma with about 35psi in the front and 40psi in the back. I weighed 159 yesterday morning. I don't run any sealant.

Knock on wood, I've never gotten a flat on my mtb.

My only negative comment is that I find it more difficult to mount & dismount tubeless tires than a standard clincher, but that's the nature of having a tight seal on the tires/rims.

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Originally Posted by velogirl

I've been running tubeless this season. I've got a set of Mavic Crossmax (super-light) and run Kenda tires. For my races at Ft. Ord (hard-packed fast courses) I run super-narrow low-profile tires (like the Klimax Lite) with higher pressure. For Sea Otter yesterday (lots of mud and sand), I ran the Kharisma with about 35psi in the front and 40psi in the back. I weighed 159 yesterday morning. I don't run any sealant.

Knock on wood, I've never gotten a flat on my mtb.

My only negative comment is that I find it more difficult to mount & dismount tubeless tires than a standard clincher, but that's the nature of having a tight seal on the tires/rims.

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Thank you for this....this was exactly what I was looking for. Mavic Crossmax makes for a nice set up. My brother runs Crossmaxes and they are indeed super light. I unfortunately have Bontrager Race Discs which are not quite as light. Maybe I'll spring for a new wheel set next year.

no and probably about 160-170 lbs.

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Originally Posted by madisongrrl

Were they running a psi below 40 and how much do they weigh?

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