The preference for employing tubeless tires for their gravel bikes is increasing day by day among gravel riders because of their host of benefits as opposed to traditional tire and tube setups. As Steven Rindner says, although the tubeless approach in tire technology is not any new trend and has been in existence for decades however its popularity has increased like anything among cycling enthusiasts. Rindner also considers the secret of this increased demand lies behind the craze of youngsters to enjoy off-road gravel riding.
But what are tubeless tires, and what is the cause behind their increasing popularity among gravel riders across the world? As it term implies, it is easily understood that tubeless tires are basically a species of tire that does not need an inner tube. Rather, the tire itself has the attribute of forming an airtight seal alongside the rim of the wheels, thereby eradicating the necessity for using a tube altogether.
The Benefits Of Going Tubeless
By employing tubeless tires, gravel riders can enjoy numerous benefits while gravel riding.
First of all, tubeless tires offer a more relaxing and smoother riding experience over rough terrain. With no internal tube that often bounces around and leads to jarring effects, tubeless tires offer a more stable and comfortable ride.
Secondly, tubeless tires also deliver enhanced traction and control. Given that, one can have a gravel ride with tubeless tires even with a lower pressure without any changes of pinch flats, tubeless tires offer an increased ground contact patch that means greater gripping capability and better control. This becomes specifically helpful while riding on loose gravel or in wet or sleeper conditions, whereas getting proper traction appears to be challenging.
The third major benefit of tubeless tires lies in their increased reliability. Without an internal tube to rupture, a rider is less likely to come across any sort of mechanical issues or cause tire flats. Even if there is a puncture, these tires can be fixed with a good sealant to fill the cracked area or hole making it shut. Therefore, riders can again continue their ride after having a short break without the need to spend hours changing a tire.
Finally, having a transition to tubeless tires can help immensely as it lessens weight. According to Steven Rindner, with no tubes inside, overall tire setup weight gets reduced. This can be an appealing feature for people who always want to make their bikes lightweight.
However, there are certain limitations of tubeless tires too. For beginners, the initial installation and setting up can be fairly challenging. The seal that comes between the rim and tire needs to be tight and secured to avoid air leakage, which needs some kind of homework before getting started with tubeless
Moreover, tubeless tires are relatively costlier than traditional tube and tire setups, especially when one needs to invest in brand-new rims.
Despite all these potential weaknesses, the advantages of using tubeless tires are evident for gravel riding. They are designed to bring a smoother experience in riding, enhanced gripping and control, as well as reliability. All these matter significantly when it comes to the safety of a rider, especially on a diversity of consistently changing terrines. So they contribute to a safer considerably enjoyable ride.