[pulser955]

I need new tires and I was thinking about trying tubeless. But I am a little afraid to. I am a vary aggressive rider and I do allot of race group rides and see speeds in the high 50s on twisty technical canyon roads. I know lots of people love tubeless becasue they like to run lower PSI and get a softer ride. Right now I use Vredestein Fortezza Quattro Tricomps at 120psi and I love the ride. Vary fast tire and feels vary stable at vary high cornering speeds. What I am really afraid of is the tire flexing when transitioning from corner to corner. Like when you exiting from a right hand corner and going straight in to a left-hand corner. If you get allot of flex in the tire becasue of the lower PSI it would cause instability. And might make the bike do the death wobble or a tank slapper from back in my motorcycle racing days.

 

[Undecided]

In my experience it's not an issue. I have had slow leaks on tubulars in races, though, where I had the same concern when I knew that pressure had dropped, but not how much it had dropped. But if I'd known that the pressure had only dropped to the 85/95 psi at which I ride tubeless tires, I wouldn't have been concerned.

 

[pmt]

Part of what makes Road Tubeless possible is slightly stiffer sidewalls, so they aren't squirrelly at all. Mine handle quite well.

 

[NoahD]

I have tubeless and I like it and trust it. However, you seem to like and trust what you have. Why switch?

 

[rruff]

If you get allot of flex in the tire becasue of the lower PSI it would cause instability. And might make the bike do the death wobble or a tank slapper from back in my motorcycle racing days.

Even though I'm not a fan of tubeless road tires, I wouldn't worry about that. Instability when cornering is most likely going to occur because of road imperfections and sand/dirt/gravel. Low pressure is going to help that because you will have a bigger contact patch and better traction, as well as more "suspension".

 

[pulser955]

I have tubeless and I like it and trust it. However, you seem to like and trust what you have. Why switch?

I just want to see what I am missing. I tried wide rims and sent them back after a few rides. So I guess tubeless could be the same thing.

 

[looigi]

I just want to see what I am missing. I tried wide rims and sent them back after a few rides. So I guess tubeless could be the same thing.

What about wide rims didn't you like?

 

[Jay Strongbow]

What I am really afraid of is the tire flexing when transitioning from corner to corner. Like when you exiting from a right hand corner and going straight in to a left-hand corner. If you get allot of flex in the tire becasue of the lower PSI it would cause instability. And might make the bike do the death wobble or a tank slapper from back in my motorcycle racing days.

I think your imagination has gotten the best of you. that simply has no basis in fact.

 

[pulser955]

What about wide rims didn't you like?

I didn't think they really made any difference in ride quality. I just didn't think they were wirth the money.

 

[pulser955]

I think your imagination has gotten the best of you. that simply has no basis in fact.

Really? So a tire with low PSI can't flex from side to side in a high speed corner?

 

[carlislegeorge]

....that simply has no basis in fact.

...since when is this a requirement for a RBR discussion?

 

[stevesbike]

I'd worry more about a blowout at speed on a twisty road (happened to me once = 50k hospital bill). I now rider tubulars on technical descents - can still flat but tire tends to stay on rim even deflated vs. clinchers that leave you with very compromised braking/handling.

 

[looigi]

I didn't think they (wide rims) really made any difference in ride quality. I just didn't think they were wirth the money.

In my experience, improved ride quality stems from running about 10 psi lower pressure that the wider rim allows. Also, it's my experience that the reduced pressure does not adversely affect handling due to the more vertical sidewalls of the tire when mounted on a wider rim. These effects are not huge, so I would agree that if you have serviceable 19mm rims, the benefit of wider rims itself may not be worth it, but if getting new rims or wheels, it's simply a matter of which you prefer, since more wider rims are becoming available and the cost is is similar to like quality 19mm rims.

 

[pulser955]

In my experience, improved ride quality stems from running about 10 psi lower pressure that the wider rim allows. Also, it's my experience that the reduced pressure does not adversely affect handling due to the more vertical sidewalls of the tire when mounted on a wider rim. These effects are not huge, so I would agree that if you have serviceable 19mm rims, the benefit of wider rims itself may not be worth it, but if getting new rims or wheels, it's simply a matter of which you prefer, since more wider rims are becoming available and the cost is is similar to like quality 19mm rims.

I was replacing a set of crap Bontrager racelites. I got a set of Hed Ardennes and did a few rides on them. The wider rim made the tire rub on the frame a bit. And I just didn't think they made any difference. So I sent them back and got some Campy Zonda 2 way fits. I am allot happier with them.

 

[rruff]

These effects are not huge.

Yep... you reduce pressure to get back the ride quality that you lost by making the sidewalls more vertical, and end up also negating any Crr benefit you might have gotten.

IMO the biggest benefit is better aerodynamics with 23mm+ tires if the rim is deep enough and nicely rounded.