Ride strategy/kit for running tubeless

JoeBlow

Active member
Jul 7, 2019
729
448
South West, UK
I went tubeless some time ago and never had a flat since so I'm beginning to wonder if I am carrying too much kit. I don't mean on a long ride in the mountains, I know what to carry for that but rather shorter rides in bike parks. I dislike a back pack so I manage to get tyre levers, multi tool, quick link, CO2 inflator and tubeless repair kit into a bum bag which I don't find too bad but as soon as I put an inner tube in I become conscious of it being there and a bit of a distraction.

What do you carry as a minimum assuming the scenario described here? Is a spare tube and a tubeless repair kit too much? Is everything too much if I can walk back to the trail centre in 1/2 hour or so? Perhaps some of you would not carry anything, I see plenty of riders, mostly out and out downhillers, apparently doing just that.

Al
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,017
9,456
Lincolnshire, UK
It's all about consequences. If the consequences of getting a flat at the furthest point is only a 30min walk that does not bother you, then go ahead and leave the fixings behind. But if it is a two hour slog in the rain and cold wind and that does bother you, then take them with you.

For me, the fixings are my talisman. I am convinced that if I leave them behind, I will get a flat.

Since going tubeless many years ago, I have only had three flats. The first two* were faulty tyres where the carcass split along the bead and nothing would have fixed it (well maybe some steel wire stitching, if such a thing could be done). The third was my own stupid fault and I ran out of sealant. But I had the fixings and I was soon on my way.

PS: The faulty tyres were Conti Trail Kings 27.5x2.2" BCC and were bought at the same time and were a duff batch. The 4" tear was in the same place next to the bead and in the same place rotationally from the logo and on the same side of the tyre. They went after about 700 miles and within 50 miles of each other.
TK failure 2.jpg
 

Mteam

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 3, 2020
1,872
1,807
gone
I went tubeless years ago, but still for a long time carried around a spare tube, tyre levers and all that stuff.

I still do carry that stuff if I'm out on an all dayer, but for the last couple of years I have switched to carrying just a co2 canister & valve, small multitool and some tubeless repair plugs/anchovies.

The co2 cannister , valve ( the valve is partially screwed onto the canister, but not enough to pierce the seal) & small multitool are strapped to the frame with a nukeproof strap, the tubeless anchovies are taped to the inside of the battery cover - there's enough room on the orbea wild fs to do this.

So the vast majority of rides I do without any kind of bag/backpack/hip pack etc.

I've only actually had one puncture in the last 2 years, and the tubeless anchovies and co2 fixed it with no trouble at all.

I think its important to get a co2 valve which allows you to control the flow of co2, so you dont shoot your entire load the second you pierce the seal, I like the lezyne control drive Co2 valve for this. And I also use a large 25g co2 cannister, or two 16g co2 cannisters, so I have enough co2 to fix more than one puncture
 
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JoeBlow

Active member
Jul 7, 2019
729
448
South West, UK
I think I may have found a solution. My new bike, arriving Wednesday I've just be informed, takes a bottle cage so that frees up the central sleeve in my Bontrager bum bag. If I put the spare tube in there, vertically, the bag is considerably less noticeable. Still not sure if a tube and a tubeless repair kit is overkill though.

Al
 

Norcalsl

Active member
Jul 12, 2020
148
143
Northern California
This is all that I carry. No tubes required.

 

apac

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Aug 14, 2019
1,326
1,173
S.Wales
This is all that I carry. No tubes required.

Me too. Not needed it yet, but it's an all in one package.
 

BrentD

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2020
168
134
New Zealand
I dislike a back pack so I manage to get tyre levers, multi tool, quick link, CO2 inflator and tubeless repair kit into a bum bag which I don't find too bad but as soon as I put an inner tube in I become conscious of it being there and a bit of a distraction.
Have you had a look at the Tubolito tubes? About 1/3 the size of a regular tube at an only slightly eye watering cost.

.
 

flash

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Nov 24, 2018
1,050
986
Wamberal, NSW Australia
The only flat I've had was a tear in the side wall, so I needed a tube to keep going...

For some time I have been carrying a Tubilito. Yes they're eye wateringly expensive. Yes I already have the tubes that came off the bike when I went tubeless. But the Tubilito is worth it, to me. So much smaller, lighter and easier to pack.

My kit of spare tube, 25 gram CO2 plus adaptor, tyre plugs and levers is smaller than a standard tube on it's own. I'm thinking of mounting it like I saw Doddy do under his saddle on GMBN the other day.

I already have an EDC tool and pump on the bike so I only need to carry water.

Gordon
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,702
the internet
But the Tubilito is worth it, to me. So much smaller, lighter and easier to pack.
Maxxis Ultralight tubes are also tiny, weigh 90g, are easy to pack... but cost just £5-8

I carry 2 (of the above) tubes, tyre&tube patches, multitool with chaintool, 10mm hex bit, CO2 head, 2xCO2 carts, 2x quicklinks all in a small frame mounted Dakine Hotlaps bag.
No need for any sort of bag/rucksack/pack at all.
 

Andrie

Member
May 20, 2020
171
68
NorCal
The only flat I've had was a tear in the side wall, so I needed a tube to keep going...

For some time I have been carrying a Tubilito. Yes they're eye wateringly expensive. Yes I already have the tubes that came off the bike when I went tubeless. But the Tubilito is worth it, to me. So much smaller, lighter and easier to pack.

My kit of spare tube, 25 gram CO2 plus adaptor, tyre plugs and levers is smaller than a standard tube on it's own. I'm thinking of mounting it like I saw Doddy do under his saddle on GMBN the other day.

I already have an EDC tool and pump on the bike so I only need to carry water.

Gordon

Gordon, the EDC pump head is also CO2 inflater. So you don’t need to carry extra one. I tested a 20g is way more than enough to inflate a 29x2.6 tire and it will fit inside the EDC pump.
 

Andrie

Member
May 20, 2020
171
68
NorCal
Not to 40psi it aint ;)

Are you saying you’re a fat ass and needed that kind of pressure? I kid, I kid.

in all seriousness it will give you 25 psi on tubeless or even more if you use tube. If you need more, there is that thing that you put the canister into called EDC pump ;)
 

flash

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Nov 24, 2018
1,050
986
Wamberal, NSW Australia
Gordon, the EDC pump head is also CO2 inflater. So you don’t need to carry extra one. I tested a 20g is way more than enough to inflate a 29x2.6 tire and it will fit inside the EDC pump.

I know but I've found the head REALLY difficult to get out sometimes. Enough I just carry another one. I've found I need 25gram cartridges to fill a tyre to my liking.

Gordon
 

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