As someone who creates content for usabikers.net and tests bikes professionally, my personal bikes all run on Bike Inner Tubes. This isn’t just a matter of habit; it’s a deliberate preference rooted in years of experience with both tube and tubeless systems. While tubeless technology has gained immense popularity, particularly in mountain biking and gravel cycling, I remain unconvinced of its universal superiority for road cycling, especially when considering bike inner tubes as a reliable alternative.
I understand the allure of tubeless tires. They’re widely adopted and seemingly here to stay. I’ve ridden extensively on some of the best tubeless road tires, worked on countless tubeless setups, and even sold them during my time in bike shops. However, certain aspects of tubeless technology continue to bother me, and in some cases, I believe they introduce unnecessary complexities and potential risks for road cyclists. This isn’t about blindly criticizing tubeless systems; it’s about sharing my informed perspective on why I favor bike inner tubes for road riding in the foreseeable future.
Many cyclists have embraced tubeless, and I recognize its advantages, particularly for mountain bikes and gravel bikes. For higher volume gravel tires, the ability to run lower pressures without pinch flats is a significant benefit, enhancing both speed and comfort. Last year, I even completed the Paris-Roubaix challenge on 28mm tires with bike inner tubes and experienced no punctures, a personal point of pride. Yet, I concede that tubeless setups with higher volume tires and lower pressures would likely have been faster in such conditions, something achievable primarily with tubeless technology.
A tubeless tyre unhooked from a rim showing the white tubeless sealant
Potential tubeless mess doesn’t appeal to me (Image credit: Tom Wieckowski)
However, it’s the less glamorous side of tubeless systems that I find unappealing. When everything works perfectly, tubeless tires, especially on fast carbon wheels, feel fantastic. The issue arises when they don’t function as intended.
The primary appeal of tubeless technology is its self-sealing capability. In an ideal scenario, tubeless sealant instantly plugs punctures, allowing you to continue riding with minimal pressure loss. When this works, it’s a dream – no roadside stops, just smooth sailing.
But my frustration stems from when this ideal scenario doesn’t materialize. The added complexity, effort, and cost of tubeless systems, compared to the elegant simplicity of a tire and bike inner tube, are significant drawbacks for me. This is the core issue I struggle to overlook.
Fortunately, punctures are infrequent for me, which certainly influences my perspective. Give me a set of the best road bike tires – personally, I lean towards Continental GP5000 or Vittoria Corsa Pro – paired with latex bike inner tubes, and I’m perfectly content. The performance is more than adequate for my needs; I’m not obsessing over marginal watt savings. Our CN Labs road tire testing also revealed that the watt difference between latex tubes and tubeless setups isn’t dramatically significant.
I’m not keen on the meticulous process of applying tubeless tape to rims. The idea of messy sealant sloshing around inside my wheels and potentially ending up on my garage floor is unappealing. Even less appealing is the periodic maintenance of removing old sealant, cleaning everything, checking valve integrity, and replenishing with fresh sealant. For me, simplicity and ease of maintenance are paramount.
Conversations with fellow cyclists, particularly gravel bike riders, reveal varied approaches. Some regularly change tubeless setups for different events, which simplifies sealant maintenance. Others simply add sealant until tire replacement becomes necessary. I understand these perspectives.
However, dealing with a punctured bike inner tube remains far more appealing to me than troubleshooting a problematic tubeless setup. With bike inner tubes, there are simply fewer variables that can go wrong.
I’m willing to bet I’m not alone in experiencing the unpleasant surprise of sealant spraying from a deflating tubeless road tire, coating both bike and rider while desperately hoping for self-sealing before complete air loss.
As someone meticulous about bike and kit cleanliness, sealant mess is a major deterrent. Dried sealant can be stubbornly difficult to remove from bike frames, and I’ve had expensive cycling shorts stained by sealant splatter.
Beyond the mess on my bike and gear, the cleanup involved in tire changes and wheel work with tubeless systems is also undesirable.
For me, the purported advantages of road tubeless simply don’t outweigh the added hassle of tire changes.
Setting up a brand-new wheel and tubeless tire? Relatively straightforward. But as someone who tests tires regularly, switching tubeless tires becomes a more involved chore. Removing a tire, cleaning sealant residue from the rim, carefully trying to salvage sealant, installing a new tire onto a sealant-coated rim, hoping for proper seating and sealing – it’s a task I don’t find enjoyable.
In contrast, removing a tire and bike inner tube and installing a fresh tire feels remarkably simple and clean. Yes, tools and techniques exist to minimize tubeless mess, but when changing a tire, my priority is efficiency and minimal hassle.
A stack of tubeless tyres and a wheel on the floor along with tubelss sealant
A little spilled sealant tends to go a long way (Image credit: Will Jones)
Before joining Cyclingnews, I worked as a bike mechanic for years. While wider rims and larger tires have improved tubeless experiences, and updated ERTRO guidelines promote better compatibility and user experiences, I still overwhelmingly prefer a simple tube and tire swap over any tubeless installation or troubleshooting.
The labor cost for tubeless tire service – removing tires, applying fresh tubeless tape, possibly replacing clogged or corroded valves, and adding new sealant – significantly exceeds the cost of a fresh bike inner tube and tire. However, for those seeking professional service, a skilled mechanic can ensure a perfect tubeless setup.
Another concern is the uncertainty and stress associated with tubeless punctures that sealant can’t handle. This “tubeless anxiety,” akin to range anxiety in electric vehicles, is a common sentiment.
If sealant fails to seal a puncture due to size, a roadside stop becomes inevitable, often with sealant already coating you and your bike.
What if the tire completely loses pressure and unseats from the rim? What if you can’t reinflate it quickly enough to reseat it on the road? These scenarios, among others, can leave you stranded, limping towards home, desperately searching for the nearest bike shop and hoping your tubeless setup will cooperate enough to get you there.
Plugging the puncture with a tubeless repair plug is the next step. If successful, plug tools can be effective. However, if plugging fails – due to awkward puncture location, incorrect plug size, or continued air loss – you’re still facing trouble. The likely resolution? Installing an emergency bike inner tube, often a challenging task with a tight-fitting, sealant-covered tubeless tire.
Then there are issues like faulty rim tape causing leaks, clogged or leaky valves, and dried sealant buildup on expensive carbon rims.
Paradoxically, some cyclists adopt tubeless to avoid the perceived difficulty of changing a bike inner tube. They believe tubeless will eliminate puncture worries. But are they truly prepared for all potential tubeless-related issues?
In my view, changing a bike inner tube is a fundamental cycling skill. Knowing how to fix a flat tire (or address a tubeless issue) is essential for any ride beyond a short distance. And for me, changing a tube is undeniably simpler and less problematic.
While nobody enjoys flat tires, a bike inner tube puncture allows for a clean repair process. I can thoroughly inspect the tire, remove debris like thorns or glass, check rim tape condition, install a new tube or tire boot if needed, and then confidently inflate the tire and continue riding, assured of a reliable repair.
On the topic of cleanliness, I strive for neatness, but sometimes, cleaning a sealant-covered rim and tire requires hosing everything down, resulting in wasted sealant.
Some tubeless sealants raise environmental concerns. Flushing sealant down the drain doesn’t feel environmentally responsible. While “green” sealants exist, the nature of their function, how they dry, and their staining properties still make me question their overall impact.
Safety is another factor. I’m uneasy about the small, but present, risk of tubeless tire blowouts.
I’ve used both hooked and hookless rims with tubeless tires on and off-road without major issues beyond punctures. However, common sense suggests that if a technology potentially increases blowout risk and crash potential, even marginally, it warrants caution.
I hope to never experience a tubeless blowout and trust that tubeless technology will continue to improve and become more reliable.
Modern bike components and trends push towards tubeless adoption. Wider rims and road tires are well-suited to tubeless setups, making it an easy choice for many.
The lower pressures tubeless allows enhance comfort and reduce vibrational losses, contributing to speed – benefits I fully acknowledge.
Perhaps I will eventually embrace road tubeless on my personal bikes. Technology evolves, and I anticipate further advancements in tubeless systems.
But for now, I’ll continue to look forward to dry summer rides, enjoying my best wheels, fast tires, and the familiar hum of latex bike inner tubes on the road.
