THE RIGHT TIRE CHOICE

Tubeless technology is growing in the world of road cycling, with wider tires, lower pressures and claimed improved rolling resistance (and hence speed) fast becoming the order of the day for many brands and riders. But what are the pros riding, and what do the experts think? Our CORIMA engineers take a closer look at the question and shed some light on the high-performance pros and cons.

What is a tubeless tire?

Tubeless tires have long been the “go to” option on the off-road scene. Mountain biking has for some time now seen an almost exclusive use of tubeless tires. Without an inner tube, pinch flats are no longer, and the lower pressures tolerated increase comfort and grip. Liquid sealant within the tire instantly seals small punctures so you can keep on riding. In cyclocross, and now as the gravel scene explodes, the wider tires – 32mm to 50mm – ridden at pressures below 5 bar (72.5 PSI) are almost exclusively tubeless. Supple and easy to handle, they are relatively painless to fit. The lower pressures mean they are also reliably airtight (providing they are compatible with the rims), and the liquid sealant has a good chance of doing its job in case of a puncture. In the rare case of a larger puncture the sealant cannot cope with, it is possible to simply insert an inner tube and inflate as with any standard clincher tire.

The perfect off-road solution

Our CORIMA G30.5 Gravel wheel, launched in 2020, is Tubeless Ready (TLR). This wheel takes all our experience and research to bring a high-performance wheel to the gravel trails. Its wider rim accommodates 28-60mm tire widths, inflated to a maximum of 5 bar, for ultimate comfort and convenience on long gravel rides. Provided it is ridden with compatible tires, we believe it offers the very best solution for off-road adventures.

Take it to the tarmac

Yet when it comes to road riding, are the benefits proving as attractive? One would think that with lower pressures, improved comfort and rolling resistance as well as the apparent reduced risk of flatting, switching to tubeless would be a clever move. A professional cyclist’s job is to win races, so why wouldn’t they want the ‘faster’ tire with self-sealing puncture repair?

While there may be some professional teams testing tubeless today, our experience shows that the concerns of the technology still outweigh the positives. There are currently no clear standards for tubeless rims and tires, making compatibility and airtightness a real concern in some cases. This can mean anything from wrestling an impossibly tight tire onto a rim, to a serious safety issue with a looser tire blowing off at speed.

From a practical standpoint, the narrower tires used on the road – usually 23-28mm – are stiffer than their off-road counterparts and notoriously difficult to mount, with a high-pressure pump or compressor often required to sit it properly. The limited amount of sealant tends to dry over time or block up the valve and, in case of a puncture, the higher pressures of road cycling mean that it is sometimes expelled so quickly that it doesn’t have time to do its job. Riding on a flat tubeless tire cannot be done safely without damaging the rim, so carrying a spare inner tube becomes inevitable on a ride… and with it the mess of puncture repair by the roadside with liquid sealant all over your hands and bike.

Classic clinchers or tubulars?

The technology and performance of clincher tires has improved significantly in recent years, both on the aerodynamic and weight fronts. The marginal extra mass and friction of the inner tube / tire combo may be a concern for the racers, yet can be reduced with a clever inner tube choice. Intuitive and easy-to-install, with a multitude of market choices and reliable standards developed over the years, we believe they still remain the most convenient, practical and safe option for many the performance-conscious cyclist.

Both our Astana Premiertech and Team Delko professional cycling teams ride our race-proven MCC DX and WS Black tubular wheelsets. Followed by team cars and support crews to quickly switch out punctures, they enjoy the slight weight gains and historic road feel of tubular tires.

The verdict

At CORIMA, we aim to develop the fastest, most reliable product for high performance, and we pride ourselves in being at the leading edge of carbon wheel design. Our wheels are offered in both clincher and tubular, rim and disc brake options.

Whilst tubeless technology may be making ground off-road, we strongly believe that at the current time, while standards are not yet set and safety and convenience are key, tubulars and clinchers remain the best high-performance option on the road cycling scene today.