Reading the other day on cycling news about the new shimano wheelset that has be release with the new Ultegra SL group set. They bemoan the fact they are not tubeless. Is this way the road tubeless is heading, only available in top line models, (like MTB wheels) and not trickling-down to like other bike technology?

Is this way the road tubeless is heading, only available in top line models, (like MTB wheels) and not trickling-down to like other bike technology?

Another way to read it might be "only wanted in top line models, thankfully not trickling down like other bike technology." In two years add electronic shifting to that list.

Reading the other day on cycling news about the new shimano wheelset that has be release with the new Ultegra SL group set. They bemoan the fact they are not tubeless. Is this way the road tubeless is heading, only available in top line models, (like MTB wheels) and not trickling-down to like other bike technology?It HAS trickled down to MTB wheels. Mavic 2nd to lowest set of MTB wheels come tubwless. Not with a UST rims, but a UST rimstrip.

Shimnao trickles everything down every few years. The DS wheels just came out tubeless and you will ned a couple of years to see if it catches one first. It's too sone to trickle down tubeless to Ultegra or lower.

eDA should arrive for 2008-09 and you could see it in Ultergra and lower by 2011.

I am very tempted by the idea of tubeless wheels/tires for the roadie. I have been on Mavic UST rims and tires bascially sice them came out.

On my 3rd pair of UST wheels!

... and always will be.

... and always will be.Don't be suprised if they catch on really fast! The idea of being able to run your tire on a flat like tubulars plus the bonus of adding a latex sealent to prevent flats is VERY appealing. The weighst will eventually weight less than a standrad clincher/tub set-up and have the benefits of a tubular without gluing!
Flats could be a thing of the past or VERY rare.

I say 2-3 yrs (2010) they will be common. I look foward to it!

Don't be suprised if they catch on really fast!

Why? Tubeless is still far from taken over the MTB world, and there are more advantages (and fewer disadvantages) to MTB tubeless tires.



The idea of being able to run your tire on a flat like tubulars plus the bonus of adding a latex sealent to prevent flats is VERY appealing.

What does not having a tube have to do with either of these? If a tubeless tire/rim interface can be designed to retain a flatted tire, then a standard tube-type tire can too. And sealants are already being used in tubes.

The weighst will eventually weight less than a standrad clincher/tub set-up and have the benefits of a tubular without gluing!

This was the claim for tubeless MTB tires too - and yet, even after being out for many years, tubeless MTB tires still weigh the same as a standard tire + tube.


Flats could be a thing of the past or VERY rare.

This is highly doubtful - it certainly hasn't happened in the MTB world. When I go on MTB rides, the riders of tubeless tires seem to have just as many flats as those regular tube-type tires. And the standard fix is the same - put a (new) tube in the tire.

[quote=Mark McM]Why? Tubeless is still far from taken over the MTB world, and there are more advantages (and fewer disadvantages) to MTB tubeless tires.
Acutally is has grown a lot on the MTB side. Satn's conversion with regular tires and Tubeless Ready Tires from many companies will help even more.


What does not having a tube have to do with either of these? If a tubeless tire/rim interface can be designed to retain a flatted tire, then a standard tube-type tire can too. And sealants are already being used in tubes.
Sory, I mis-typed. I meant running lower PSI like tubulars without pinch-flatting.

This was the claim for tubeless MTB tires too - and yet, even after being out for many years, tubeless MTB tires still weigh the same as a standard tire + tube. The new lighter UST tires and Tubless Ready tires are in fact lighter!

This is highly doubtful - it certainly hasn't happened in the MTB world. When I go on MTB rides, the riders of tubeless tires seem to have just as many flats as those regular tube-type tires. And the standard fix is the same - put a (new) tube in the tire.
I have not recived ONE, not ONE falt on UST or Regular sealed tires in 5 yrs. Then again I had very few flat son the trails anyways. They were always pinch flats.

If the sealent is good, maintained and enough is in there, 99% of flats will be sealed. Much better than Slime tubes.