Are Inner Tubes Really THAT Bad For Mountain Biking?

Tubeless mountain bike tires and rims have become very popular over the past 10 years or so and many people swear by them! However, there are people who choose to run inner tubes for mountain biking. - Doddy Investigates, are they really that bad?
Do you ride tubeless or inner tubes and why?
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[@martynjewell5627]

I use inner tubes with the muc off tube sealant in Minion DHRs on my hardtail. Run 28psi on rear and have not had a puncture in about 18 months. Probably cursed my next ride now 😁

[@cloroxbleach9222]

Update us when you get your next flat!

[@sweetalert480]

still okay until now?

[@NaZ2307]

I tried tubeless on my new bike last season. They felt squirmy, and went flat slowly during rides because of all the little thorns. Tubeless doesnt seal instantly all the time. I switched to downhill tubes. I got a more supportive feel from the added material on the sidewall, and no leakage at all. Basically bomb proof. Now i can run my too light weight casing tires until they wear out. I don't mind the weight, as i am 110+kg myself, and got the legs to go with that. I can't tell if I lost traction at all. And most important, i can switch my tires back and forth without the mess. No need to stockpile sealant. No need to top up sealant. No need to worry about the sealant drying in the hot shed in the summer. And also no slushing of sealant when going super slow uphill. I swear this causes friction. Just spin your tire slowly und see how fast it stops. It spins forever with tubes.

[@harveyjoneswoodsman5956]

100% agreed

[@Rennradu]

I don't top up the sealant. But take a 50ml dose with me all the time + one lightweight spare tube 😁

[@ls1125]

I switched to tubeless a couple of years ago and have never found the same feeling as when using tubes, to the point that i think im going to swap back to tubes. Agree about the added support with a tube. Obviously the pressures run with tubes wont be the same as tubeless but even when playing around with the pressures i have never been able to get the same feel. Been contemplating something like a cushcore but in all honesty i cant be bothered with the faffing about when fitting them. Touch wood i have very rarely had punctures with a tube and im similarly 115kg in riding gear running 25 and 28psi front and rear. I always run downhill casing tyres anyway, partly due to my weight, and partly to avoid punctures. The only thing i worry about with tubes is thorns causing punctures, or, pinching the tube when fitting the tyre as my rim/tyre combo is a very tight fit. All in all though, i prefer the stiffer feel of tubes when you are on the side of the tyre, and find i can actually run lower pressures to get nice feel over roots etc without having a squirmy tyre.

[@m0nss7erKill]

I call bs on that. Either your sealant was really not good, your tubeless tape job was really bad or your tires were not tubeless compatible. Most of the times, you wont even notice that you had a puncture with the tubeless. If your tape and tire are fine, sometimes you can get away to run it without any sealant (For about a day, untill you puncture)

[@LooneyTune666]

@@RealMTBAddict hardly a gimmick if almost every professional racer is riding tubeless.

[@darcyphillips70]

Quite possibly the most objective, open & impartial comparison I’ve seen ref: tubes vs tubeless. Thorns are an issue for me in the Wye Valley & FoD & going tubeless for me was a game changer… 2nd only to the dropper post. I carry a Tubolitos as a “get out of jail free card” because it fits beautifully in my Camelback hip bag, weighing nothing and taking up very little space…. that said, I’ve yet to use it. Last summer I pulled 15 thorns out of my front & rear on a single ride, I didn’t notice until I got home and they all sealed when I removed them. I’ll never go back to tubes, but I’m not against them either… they have their place

[@theydisintegrate]

Same here in southern California. I went from constant slow leaks and swapping tubes about once a months after patching a half dozen holes until you eventually can't find all the leaks. I went tubeless a few years ago and have not had one leak since. Game changer and never going back

[@energyideas]

He's completely biased against his what are you kidding me?

[@sepg5084]

If thorns are a problem, you can always put sealant in inner tubes. It is the sealant that does the job anyway.

[@theydisintegrate]

@@sepg5084 what's the benefit of adding back the tubes if the wheels work without them? I guess setup would be easier, anything else?

[@andrewpegler2806]

I too live and ride in the FOD & Wye valley been using Slime inner tubes for around a year with no problems what so ever. Covered over 1400 miles won’t go back to regular tubes now.

[@atk1097]

A tip when fitting an innertube is to slightly inflate it so when you use the tyre levers the chance of it being caught and pinched is highly reduced. The slime tubes are actually great, I have just replaced the tyres on my sons bike due to wear and as I was pulling the tubes out of the old tyres they seemed stuck and only then I realised the tyres were full of thorns and they were literally "nailed" down. I patched about 10 holes just to be on safe side and reused the innertubes still. Been going strong since 2016. I have had both tubes and tubeless wheel bikes and I prefer the stiffness/extra support of innertubes.

[@elrusito5034]

As a newbie in biking, this is a pretty good explanation of the drawbacks tubes have against tubeless. Sadly, I'm one of those people who value cheapness and readyness over quality, tubeless-ready rims and sealant can get very expensive in my country, I'd rather patch up a tube a million times over having to buy sealant. Also, life hack: you can use old tubes as snake bite patches. Just cut wide hoops, clean the insides, and cut them open when necessary. A quarter of a tube can be cut into 10 to 15 hoops, and you can use one of those as a rubber band to tie them together.

[@benconnelly5246]

Yeah it really irritates me when I see litter on the trails I'm a keen believer in leaving everything better than you find it n quite often end up picking up other peoples litter

[@the_spanner_ch7mp]

Never regretted going tubeless. Where i live i have the same problem as you Doddy THORNS , regular punctures whilst out riding even with tubes with sealant in. Grrrrrr Went tubeless and changed my tyres to Vittoria Barzo's and what a difference! No flats , get home notice thorns in tyres. not had a flat tyre in about 2 years now. Great stuff Doody and GMBNTech

[@socas_nic]

Inner tubes and inner tube sealant ✌️ costs €10 works flawlessly 27 psi on the rear 23 on the front on my hardtail never had a single problem! Instantly seals thorn punctures and obviously avoid hitting rocks head on.

[@YuhriZ]

could you give example of taht ? i think about trezado/stans to inner tube, like african bike travelers

[@socas_nic]

@@YuhriZ Muc off has a special tyre sealant that goes inside the tubes, Doddy even mentioned it in the video. You simply remove the valve core, put sealant in, fill it up with air and you are good to go 👍

[@n2o_spark]

Pro tip for repairing tubes, and tyres even. You can use an old tube as the patch and the vulcanising cement. That way you can fix a hole of any size, even in a tyre.

[@simonm1447]

This is an interesting tip, thanks

[@yaface120]

I would fully recommend the bike hut sealant inner tubes for anyone thinking about it. Tried going tubeless but always found there was a slow puncture. So gave up with tubeless and got the sealant inner tubes. Been riding twice weekly for a year with them now and not one puncture!

[@su1raM]

First thing I've done when bought my 2nd hand bike with tubeless setup, wacked tubes in. Running 18psi front, 25 rear, der Baron/Kaiser setup wery happy with it, no punctures in 3 months yet with 92kg weight. I was using specialized, schwalbe and conti tubes, first two are really crappy, had punctures often, with conti tubes all hell ended.

[@howardwhite5131]

Something I found that you can use for thorns is a Kevlar tire liner that fits between the tire the tube, it adds weight but adds some peace of mind.

[@cameronmcknight5852]

I still run inner tubes. I’m in TN, thorn city in the summer. With a puncture guard between the tire and tube I have absolutely no issues!

[@SmirksNZ]

We use old inner tubes as bungie cords to hold bikes onto a basic towbar bike rack (the 2 arm no clips style). They don't scratch, don't slip, and have a ton of force when pulled tight. They can also be used to make slingshots for the kids.

[@peter-zs4ml]

Are we gonna talk about the purple everything? :D Tubeless only on my primary bike. It eliminated my frequent goat head leaks when tubed.

[@mm7wabanamateurradiowomble30]

Have been running Slime in all tubes on all bikes for many years, bikes, barrows, sack trucks. . Great when You pull a dozen large thorns out the tyre and its a 'a bit soft' . just slowly rotate it a few times, bang some air in. and carry on :-) yeah its a bit more weight but worth it for the reliability and near instant sealing of small punctures. Still had to patch a few snakebites over the years but have not had to patch a tube after pulling out a thorn over 15+years on various bikes. (Slime is not the only one I have used, there are others that do the same job). back in the mists of time we used to pour liquid latex inside tubes.. before Slime was around.

[@158158cow]

I like to repurpose tubes by making “dropper diapers”. I zip tie a cut tube to the seat rails (2x) and then around the seat post collar (1x). It keeps winter muck from going straight to the dropper. I also like this for manual seat posts!

[@Mububban23]

Can we just have a moment of appreciation for Doddy's thumbnail efforts? 😀

[@gmbntech]

It's a great pose! 😅

[@SingleTrackMined]

I use tubes, always will. I also run 60 psi in them. Have been for more than 20 years. I almost never have flats. Once every 3-4 years I'd say. My son had tubeless and it was such a ridiculous hassle with no benefit whatsoever he went back to tubes, too. He also agrees with me now that you can run high pressure since you have suspension, weight transfer and tread for traction. Edit: Schrader valves ftw!

[@fenderOCG]

Correct. The hassle is unreal if you're just a little unlucky

[@biketimist6943]

Hassle? You do the exact same things except the tube part.

[@HavokTheorem]

Suspension and tread don't affect the basic fact that the same tyre with higher pressure, plus a tube, is stiffer than the equivalent tubeless setup. Tyres deform to comply with irregularities that are smaller than would even cause the suspension to move, but you still feel them as vibration. More importantly, the tyre cannot deform as easily when at high pressure to make contact with the ground. The best tread pattern in the world isn't much help if those tread blocks are not touching terra firma. I am not a tubeless zealot but strangely I've never had a pinch flat since converting my rims to tubeless with some parts that cost less than a few new tubes would, and I've shed almost a kilogram of rotating mass concentrated as far as possible from the hub. Basic physics seems to imply that a wheel with a lower moment of inertia will take less energy to move. Do whatever you like with your bike, it's your life - but I do think that calling tubeless 'a ridiculous hassle with no benefit whatsoever' is utter BS. That's just you focusing 100% on the negatives and 0% on the positives. The effect is that the conversation ceases to be about what's objectively more suitable, and becomes about justifying your biases, and it nullifies your affirmation that your son agrees with you - the power of suggestion is strong and you are evidently not afraid to voice your opinion.

[@Bianchiboy]

I stopped reading after 60psi.

[@SingleTrackMined]

@@HavokTheorem I think tubeless tires offer no benefit whatsoever. I have proper suspension setup to keep my tires on the ground and I know how to position my body to apply traction where it's needed. You can think anything you want. I know I know from long experience what works best and it isn't the lightest, fastest, latest, greatest. It's something that works as designed and lasts. My justification for my biases is that I have ridden thousands of miles for decades and my 26" Intense keeps up just fine. I have ridden all the new big wheeled bikes and I find no benefit to me. YMMV but I ain't no noobie idjit. I KNOW what works.

[@TheArsenalGoonship]

I ride in the desert Southwest of the USA. Haven't ridden with tubes in over 10 years and would never go back. We have cacti and very sharp rocks to contend with that don't particularly play well with tubes.

[@tommontgomery2674]

I ride tubeless on my best bike but tubes on everything else and always carry a spare along with a patch kit. Too many thorns where I ride to do without sealant, especially on a hardtail, but sealant works well in a tube except for pinch damage. I only get pinch damage if I am riding in rocky terrain with low pressure. Pump it up for rocks! The sealant makes it harder to patch the snake bite, of course. I recycle by cutting old tubes up for rubber bands. You can also use a section of tube to put your tools in with folded ends and a tube rubber band around it.

[@corail53]

I would be interested to see what the weight difference is between a cored tubless set up vs tube would actually be. I can't imagine it would be much different.

[@purplegarage05]

yeah it really isnt much difference especially once you throw tire inserts in the mix. tires and rims are the weight that really matters

[@superawesomefuntimego]

I am so happy to have ditched tubes. To be fair, they were not bad, but I just could not stand all the flats. Sometimes a couple on a ride. Last year, riding with tubeless tires, I rode about 1500 miles mountain biking total and not a single flat all year. Every puncture self sealed quickly. With tubeless, I can also feel what the tire is doing better than when running with tubes, so I feel slightly more confident.

[@wadeintonature2975]

I love keeping oldschool tech with my oldschool 98 yeti.

[@Evertb1]

I am riding tubeless for 2 years now but I can't say I find it a revelation. I don't care about the weight and I still don't like the hassle with latex. So there are times I really think about going back to using inner tubes. I used to adept to the wet season with my choice of tires but I don't do that anymore because of the latex and all the extra cleaning. On the other hand I can't recall the last time I needed to repair a puncture. Will I stay with tubeless? I will see the next time I need a new set.

[@mihalis1010]

I rode tube in my tires the first few days I had my bike. I had to have the pressures uncomfortably high, causing a harsh ride and lower traction. Gave up when I pinched a tube on a pointy rock. Switched to tubeless and haven't ever had an issue since.

[@TraceyAllen]

A bit of sealant in a tube will help you prevent thorns from doing real damage.

[@michaelhayward7572]

Inner tube material makes great first handlebar wrap if double wrapping bars, road bike or Jones type alt bars for bikepacking.

[@glynparry5796]

I had no luck with tubeless so running Tannus armour and tubes for nearly 2 years with no issues.

[@mabecka]

Try using a Tannus armour tire insert. An insert made for use with innertubes and lower pressures. Maybe with a Tubolito tube. Light and made for running lower pressures. I just moved away from tubeless. I also went from a DD Maxxis Aggressor tyre to an EXO. Same width, almost tha same weight with Tubolitos.

[@davewalsh8278]

I use a section of an old tube as a sleeve to protect my multi-tool from the elements.

[@bensieber657]

Pinch flats with tubes are down to rider error - running too low pressure in the tires. And I've had just as many flats from glass and nails and stones etc. running tubeless as with tubes. The difference being repairing a tube vs. plugging a tire. All too often tire plugs are only so-so at sealing and create slow leaks that are a constant hassle, and a permanent feature of that tire. Ultimately I've found that I hate the mess and hassle and cost of going tubeless and have returned to using tubes. Easier tire swaps, better (more affordable too) options for rims and tires, and less mess and hassle over the life of a given tire.

[@randombuilds8336]

I've never had a pinch flat, and I've hit things hard enough to flat spot rims. But I've also never run lightweight tubes or tires. There's a reason dirtbikes still run tubes, I know some people swear by tubliss or mousses, but 95% of people just run tubes.

[@deeznutz8033]

95% of people don’t run tubes 😂😂😂I’m willing to bet it’s the opposite of what you said

[@chrisward7582]

@@deeznutz8033 no one I know is tubeless. Although I am old enough to still ride a 26

[@tomrodgers6629]

My experience with slimes has been bad. I bought four four failed with small holes. I still run tubes I trust them more. they are quick and easy to fix or replace. plus you have a patch kit , you can help others on the trail no matter what size innertube they are running and you don't have to give away your spare tube. I suggest running a tire liner adds a little weight but decreases the probability of a pinch flat. I would talk about my experience with my set up but I don"t want to jinx myself. Lol

[@jckdnls9292]

Inner tubes is the best all around with little to less hassle .. everything is simple about it.. puncture? Quick patch on the go.. no mess...

[@jerohmjallorina1728]

@GMBN Tech This is a great informative video. One of the best if not the best. Love the advise on reusing the inner tubes and keeping the environment clean. Doddy is a library of knowledge. I have a question though: Would a hardtail experience more punctures compared to full suspension bikes, especially on the rear tyre? #GMBNTech #GMBN #MountainBiking #MountainBike #MTB #BikeLife #Cycling

[@Thebowber]

Borrowed a bike off my dad recently, it's converted to tubeless and I counted 12 leak points in the front tyre as it was sat in my house, every one of them would have meant stopping to repair a puncture if it was fitted with tubes.

[@jackcook137]

I rode inner tubes for a while there easy to repair but pop quickly

[@Mr.Fox2023]

I have run tubed for many years (and previously snot tubes, amazing how many 'wounds' a tube can sustain and still keep pressure! ) with fairly low pressures between 24 and 26 psi., and have never had many problems, perhaps 1 or 2 times a year at most. Just got another bike and this is already running tubeless so will be gauging what they are like over next few weeks/ months, but first impressions are very good! FYI I ride mostly rocky terrain here in Ostrichland, Maxxis tyres and my 'go-to' tube is a bright orange Tubolito as it's compact and light. BTW Doddy I could listen to your videos all day long as I like to consider myself a bit of a spanner monkey and always looking to improving my knowledge. Last I have a hack for your viewers..... if you ever run out of threadlock/Loctite try Marmite! Every time I try to open the jar it feels like it's arc welded tight. Plus it tastes fantastic.

[@kevincross9206]

I actually went tubeless on my road bike before my mountain bikes, but wouldn’t go back. I’m amazed at what they cope with. That said I remember a time riding at Whinlatter where I slashed the rear tyre in two places and the tube was bulging out of both and it still stayed up, and I only realised when I got back to the car!! On a different note Doddy, I’m a tart for my colour coordination clothing to bike, but you’ve taken it to another level here! 🤣🤣

[@energyideas]

The same pressure and tires will not rim out due to a tube or tubeless. the physics is that it doesn't matter if the pressure is the same the tire will hold up exactly the same. The pinch punctures are because there's a loose nut behind the wheel installing the tire incorrectly. I have to carry a tube with me when I go tubeless. They have problems too.

[@KDog2264]

I run tubeless, I have the same problem as you Doddy, Thorns! Mine are from blackberry bushes. I do keep a tube on my bike for bad splits and holes.

[@stevetaylor2818]

For long distance trail riding I use Tannus inserts with inner tubes After 12,000 mountain bikes miles (multiple tires but same inserts) 1 puncture on the front and three on the rear (Average 1 puncture every 3000 miles) You would think were heavier, but you can use lighter tires (don't need DD tires) but still getting similar protection as the tannus insert protects the side walls and the rims. I once put a one inch split in my tire (probably on a sharp Kentish flint) but did not know about it until I got home and washed the bike and could see the orange Tannus insert sticking out! Try doing that to a tubeless would have been a blow out! And more polite, as never burp LOL Used to use tubeless years ago, so much nicer and less messy to be back on tubes (especially in the spring and autumn when I can find myself changing back and forward between full winter mud tires and less muddy spring tires as the weather changes its mind on what season it wants to be!)

[@guidodezwaan]

I like the added puncture protection, but i also ride heavy enduro tires for puncture protection because a flat tire is the worst. Swapping a new tire is a hassle, but i rather clean up the mess in my workplace then fix a flat tire in the rain and mud on the trail.

[@TrIpMo1981]

Dirtjumpers and bmxers all ride with tubes. You don't want your tyre to burp in a berm as you lose speed, or pumping. Also how the hell Doddy gets a puncture so fast. I ride tubes on all my bikes, got 1 puncture in 3 years....

[@WorkLessRideMore]

Since going tubeless over a year ago I never have gotten a flat and I get better feel on the trail. In AZ cactus everywhere and no punctures.

[@nicktonge7604]

Great video, thanks

[@foreverhungry84]

ran tubes for 30 years with no issues because i line my tyres with kevlar strip. zero punctures even when the tyre was bald and worn.

[@Hooter747474]

Why is it a good thing that tubeless lets you run your pressure so low low you can smash your rim to bits vand not get the early warning of a pinch flat? Inner tube $5, vs new rim an wheel rebuild because you spent all day blissfully smashing your rim in?? If you're smashing your rims into rocks, you're killing your rims. Put a couple more psi in your tires and your rims will thank you.

[@SingleTrackMined]

Finally someone who gets it. Why ride around on almost flat tires? I don't understand.

[@williambrazil3760]

100%, it's not really a "pinch" it's a big whack to the rim. I changed to 2.2 down from 2.6 on my HT, and after riding the FS for ages landed heavy and "pinched", I can still feel the rim on rock now

[@SingleTrackMined]

@@RealMTBAddict Amen. Learning on a rigid in the early 90s was good training. The worst part of running high pressure is standing around waiting while others fix flats lol

[@tobyvision]

@@SingleTrackMined I still can't believe people can feel the difference of 2 psi. Very few tire gauges are even accurate at that level. But I can't even tell the difference between any two modern suspension designs, so maybe I'm a caveman.

[@kookamunga2458]

All the twelve year old boys in my hometown including me when I was twelve used discarded bike innertubes for one thing . Make sure your kids don't make slingshots out of these innertubes . Slingshots and Glass do not go together very well and someone could lose an eye . There are literally hundreds or safe things old tube can be made into .

[@jamesbailey8449]

There is a lady called Judy McNeil that runs a company called beerbabe. She makes custom bike bags out of old inner tubes and they are fantastic.

[@andyamos8594]

Having several bikes and not using all of them all the time, maintaining tubeless, cleaning sealant and replacing it makes me appreciate the fit and forget inner tubes. But yeah, thorns and the need for higher pressure not to mention weight, mean my larger tires are tubeless.

[@roystonjames7794]

You convinced me a year ago to go tubeless, so when I got my new wheels from Hope I bit the bullet and tried tubeless and never looked back, it feels different, cant put my finger on it. Been tubeless for 6 months and no puncher as of yet even at low pressures .

[@TheQuietBeast]

I run tubes. Mostly because it is easy and I have various bikes so one bike might stand for long time with no use. Tubeless sealant gets old. And also, I haven't got so much problems with tubes. Might get a puncture a few times a year but that is not so big deal I think. Easy repair :) But also, you didn't talk about the rolling aspect. They say tubeless roll better.

[@Malesoun]

Disappointed that there was no mention of Bike for Good when discussing recycling old tubes. BFG will take your old tubes and turn them into bags, wallets, etc. 😀

[@mtbkmaniac1]

I was all about tubes (with sealant due to goatheads) prior to getting a plus tire E-Bike. In our local mountains, just about dusk I got several flats due to rocks. It was sketchy trying to get out before dark (no lights) plus the annoyed looks from your riding friends as I am tearing my rear wheel off again! When I added more pressure to 35 lbs ( I used to use 45 lbs in my 26 in wheels) it became too stiff and would slide on any loose rock or soil. I washed out unexpectedly several times. I couldn't take the torment anymore! I went tubeless. (I put a flat tire defender insert in after a bit.) I inflate to 25 lbs now. No thorns, sidewall burping or pinch flats since. My one problem going tubeless really is tire sidewall thickness. If you damage a sidewall on tubeless, it's nearly impossible to seal. (friends have used dirt to rub on the cut) Sedona sandstone killed my regular Specialized Butcher 2.6. I was fighting slow leaks for 2 days. It would seal at night, then leak on the ride. I recently tried the Butcher Trail version with T7 compound. It's been very durable Also, I got a syringe tool and reuse all my sealant that is not dried. (Very Smurfy) You can use the included tube to inject the sealant into your tire through the valve hole itself. This is valuable, because you put the tire on the rim first, then the sealant. No mess. You can use the syringe to remove the sealant prior to tire removal as well. Lastly, the injector tube can be used as a dipstick to check the sealant level in the tire without removing the tire.

[@gaza4543]

I did use tubeless but recently the sealant hasn’t been sealing. Don’t know they have removed an additive but something is different holes that would normally seal don’t. And I mean tiny thorns or glass. Anyhow because I had to keep throwing tubes in I thought I just keep them in. I wouldn’t use the TPU ones currently there very hard to repair. Same goes for the road bike I just don’t see the benefit there at all. By the time sealant has chance to think about sealing it’s literally all in the road up the frame and all over me and no longer in the tyre. Tubeless is a messy faff and expensive. In the summer in hot weather here in Suffolk you’ll be lucky if you have any left in the after a few days. It evaporates so quickly some times.

[@johndunbar2393]

I just recently got a bike that is tubeless compatible. I bought the stuff to make it tubeless, but haven't got that done yet. I run tubes and green slime in them and never have any issues, but I'm not bombing down nasty trails either. So, that makes a difference. I am excited to try tubeless, but it's not really a necessity for me and where I ride.

[@hanstubben]

Inner tubes never more for me. Doddy you forgot to mention RoboCop hair from tires on the side of tarmac, ever I switched to tubeless, I never had to bother about them.

[@kalelragnar]

I’ll never go back to tubes. Switched a little over a year ago and haven’t had any issues since. With tubes the thorns got me every ride. To be fair to those running tubes, I probably could have explored other sealant options, I was using that green stuff that Walmart sells and it wasn’t doing the trick for me.

[@SosiskaTheHorrible]

I don’t even take the wheel off to fix a puncture, just slide it out, patch, put it back in, pump and away! 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@buddy7136]

My limitations between budget and space I swap out my knobbies for a gravel tire on my hard tail when I decide to grind some pavement. Not having to mess with the mess is why I run tubes.

[@Frdd2290]

I been using inner tubes for about 8 months now and running same ones. No puncture at this point I been doing plenty of different trails. I just carry an extra one in case.

[@sdavies840]

Tubeless with tyre inserts. Means I can run super low pressures. 15psi rear and 12psi front works best for me.

[@gabrielgostelidelacruz6235]

Been riding for years, never had a problem with punctures. I keep my PSI at 30+ ..

[@bengonzales1182]

My first bike came with inner tubes, but some friends helped me make it tubeless the same day I got it so I never really got to test the difference between having inner tubes and tubeless. My new bike came already tubeless though.

[@Destide]

Remember to talc your tubes and leave a space between the valve nut and the rim.

[@timallix4407]

I've had my Norco Sight VLT e-bike for 2 months now, it is my first tubeless bike, and I was excited to never have to deal with flats again. However, I have been dealing with a slow leak in the rear tire. How can a tubeless have a slow leak?? Why doesn't the sealant take care of that? Do I have enough sealant? Earlier today I tackled it. I put the wheel in the bathtub to find the leak... it was a leaking valve (with some stringy sealant residue on the rubber seal). I had a spare tube on hand, so I cleaned up the sealant as best I could (what a mess, yuck), which took an hour, and put in the tube. Now the question is, do I go down that tubeless road, or just switch back to tubes? I have never liked having sticky stuff on my hands, and I carry a tube in my pack anyway, I see no reason not to go back to the good old inner tube. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Conclusion: not a fan of tubeless.

[@jeremyyau3560]

I put stans sealant in my tubes, works well.

[@ohne_speed]

Only two punctures... meanwhile I haven't got one for 4 years. :D

[@maxeffort110]

The music everytime Doddy changes a tube 🤣

[@Cheapsh0t247]

Is lower psi a hang-over from non-suspensions days, logically if you have a good suspension setup and soft compound trail tyres you can run decent psi that you would only rim out if you bottom out the suspension. Personally dont know, worth a test but i havent seen a pinch puncher for a few years not sure if thats better suspension or better tubes, tires? I sometimes think that the racing aspects of the sport don't always transpose to the majority who enjoy causal weekend riding. I have seen many a lightweight or race component mean that mates have had to walk back to the van early when out on weekend rides.

[@jazavz]

Doddy's like the Alton Brown of biking! #learningwithfun

[@alexcunliffe3432]

Tubes, very useful for inflating an "out the box" tyre and getting it to shape before setting up tubeless. Tubeless, a must if you live anywhere with hawthorn hedges. Forget anything else; it is worth it for this alone!

[@nexusparadigm4062]

As of 2022 I am STILL running 26" wheels with inner tubes for DOWNHILL. "Hit me" :) :) Edit: I also put standard SEALANT into TUBES. I know this is weird... but it works. And in downhill weight doesn't count (bike is anyway around 20kgs).

[@SnootchieBootchies27]

Ive done this on my DH bike for the last few years as well. DH casing, DH tubes and sealant in the tubes. Only had one flat in the last few seasons and that was a weird bullet hole right through the tread that would have made anything go flat.

[@patrickcarbonell627]

I am hesitant to convert to tubeless due to the fact that I only see my bike every 6 months since I work in another country and only able to ride my bike when I am home for a month or so. The anticipation of putting in air after it had deflated so much for that span of time seems to be more favorable to tubes. I am not sure. Any tubeless fan have a say on this with a bike not used for too long?

[@englishmtbinfrance3572]

Went tubeless on all my bikes since 2017 haven't had one puncture since. Before that when I was on tubes I got a puncture every single ride!

[@DanuelNuel]

Doddy I have question for you. Why ppl hate schrader valves? For me they have sturdier build and I never damage inside mechanism.

[@socas_nic]

Exactly my thought😅

[@CodSlap]

Smart people don’t hate them - it’s rather an image thing. At least back in the day, cheaper bikes usually came with Schrader/auto valves while higher-quality bikes came with Presta valve rims / tubes. Older road bikes also had such narrow rims that a larger Schrader valve hole would have compromised the structural integrity of the rim a bit, so the narrower Presta was a better choice. ...and if top-of-the-line racing bikes came with Presta valves, they had to be better... right? 😀 So it turned into a marketing thing. ’Proper’ bike manufacturers still probably dread speccing their models with Schraders for the ’seen as a cheapo choice’ -image thing, and that’s likely why Presta has become the norm. If you know what you’re doing, though, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Schrader valves. I like them more than Prestas. I run both Schraders, as well as Prestas with a Schrader adapter as a permanent add-on.

[@bjornhanses2836]

Presta I cheaper, that's why,

[@socas_nic]

@@bjornhanses2836 really?

[@nicklowe536]

I have run tubes with standard slime in them touching wood I have only had one puncture it couldn't sort in the last ten years of riding like this one day I may take the step and go tubeless

[@derekwallace22]

As I don't race I am not worried about weight and I buy inner tubes that are pre slimed, Carry a spare as same and don't have any issues with punctures?

[@xnirvanaXnevermindx]

Tubolito+dhcasing 🤟

[@bchearne]

I’ve found that the shape of a pinch puncture makes the repair suspect. The puncture can tear under the patch and expand out past the patch edges

[@Pesmog]

Where I can, with MTB's I run tubeless due to the number of thorns I have to put up with. My record is 11 thorns in an XC rear tyre and it still held air running tubeless and sealant. That wouldn't have happened with a slimed tube. I later repaired every one of the 11 punctures and am still using the tyre tubeless ! One con with tubeless is that you do need a little more nous to fit them as it is a whole new skillset and you need a bit more equipment than you do with a tube. Air shot devices are okay, but sometimes you just need a mains compressor with a 25l air tank supplying continuous high pressure air to get a tubeless tyre to blow out. Breaking the bead on a muddy slashed tubeless tyre on the trail to fit a back-up tube can be a total faff and is another technique you need to learn. A couple of mates have tried tubeless and struggled with fitting, sealing and breaking the beads, so went back to tubes. My hybrid bike still runs slimed tubes.

[@jdssurf]

Here in Bakersfield CA and around Southern California we got tons of thorns, what tubes and sealant do you guys recommend for 27.5 hardtail

[@JK-ki7yv]

I’m doing xc races in summer. For a long time I was riding with tube. Once I tried tubeless I didnt look back. Tubeless are just rolling much more easier for my type of riding

[@fatpinarellorider]

I still run inner tubes. I can't be bothered with sealant. Maybe if someone else did it for me?🤔

[@Rennradu]

I'm running tubeless on the MTB: gr8 comfort, lightweight and no punctures. But I run Tubolitos on the road, because it's more of a faff to seat a road tubeless tyre.

[@larsweibel6192]

I've tried out tubolito: one tube lost air super fast, had to pump my tire before every ride. The other one was better but still not great. Noticed no difference by the weight difference

[@waynech370]

You can use the the valve of an unusable inner tube for tubeless too.

[@AZTECKTHEBIGBOSS]

Personally, solids would beat the crap out of both tubed and tubeless any day. I get that a lot are against them considering the extra weight they give(better to have beafed up legs than wasting extra time to do tube/sealant swap), but in reality, there'd be nearly zero chance of punctures in comparison to the later two. With the right amount of researching on making them lighter, it can and will do better in my honest opinion. Don't mind hearing other's opinions on this as I like to learn new things.

[@JoeJoe-C137]

Am still 50/50 not sold on tubeles at all, even with cushcore just don't perform the same as tubes

[@cccycling5835]

Tubeless all the way. Worth the faff. I’m a really heavy rider and get pinch flats and thorn punctures all the time.

[@Ethan-um7cp]

I live in the desert. Tubeless is great, until it dries up, which is fast. I spent a small fortune on sealant, and was constantly cleaning tires. I went back to tubes. Much happier, way less work, and a heavier wallet. I can make time to ride, but over the years, the time and cost of maintenace has increased dramatically. From disc brakes, to indexed shiters, to fork/shock/bushing/bearing care, to constantly replacing 1x drivetrain components, tubeless was just a big waste for me and a bridge too far. In fact my next bike will be a hardtail, and I am seriusly considering a 2x or 3x drivetrain and cable pull brakes, they just last so much longer cost less over time, require less maintenance and offer better range.

[@owenbirch6188]

If you can still get hold of them, maxxis freeride tubes are pretty much indestructible.

[@Jtw0912]

Where I live we have TONS of tumbleweeds and goat heads, tubes don't last long at all...

[@gmbntech]

We could imagine that's puncture galore! 😅

[@Fantaman058]

Innertubes for life i also tried a view times Tubeless it didn't work for me, my tubeless setup for DH use on both my wheels didn't lasted for 5 minutes.I have been riding innertubes for the past 20 years on diffirent types of bikes & only had like 3 flats in total.

[@mickpowell8503]

I use self sealing inner tubes. At my level, the whole tube v tubeless really wont make a jot to my riding so I go with the old faithful.

[@CodSlap]

Deffo not an eco-friendly or ’always use this’ -type of recommendation, but if you go on really long rides - multi-day bike packing, long tours, that sort of thing, where getting a fire going at the end of the day, in a pinch, or in poor / wet / sub-zero winter conditions can be vital, old inner tubes make for a great firestarter. A BIC lighter and a 2-3cm strip of inner tube; takes a while for the inner tube to catch fire, but once you get it burning with flame, it burns hot and for a long time. Definitely long enough for you to start building a proper fire from other, smaller tinder. Doesn’t have to be fully dry stuff either. More of a survival-type tip no-one will hopefully ever need, but there you go.

[@ElectronicPleasure]

I've never seen an innertube in Glentress. No one leaves their tubeless lying around unless genuinely forget and that happens anyone and everyone.

[@jaimevalsantos4296]

Im running tubeless and there is really nothing significance on weight. But the feeling of worry free on punctures is really great.

[@corail53]

Up until the bead gets unseated. Seen that happen quite a few times because folks were running too low of psi.