Tyres
Tubeless tyres
Tyres that seal directly to the rim with no inner tube, holding liquid sealant that plugs small punctures as you ride. Less weight, fewer flats and more grip at lower pressure.
Also known as: tubeless, tubeless tires, TLR
Key facts
- Standard
- tubeless-ready tyres and rims
- Size
- 2.3–2.6″ on trail bikes
Why riders switch
- No pinch flats. Without a tube there is nothing to pinch between rim and rock.
- Lower pressure. The tyre can run softer, so it wraps around roots and rocks and grips better.
- Self-sealing. Sealant closes thorn holes and small cuts, often before you notice.
What you need
A tubeless-ready rim or rim tape, tubeless valves, a tubeless-ready tyre and sealant. The whole job is described in tubeless setup.
Casing
Tyres come in casings from light cross-country to reinforced enduro and downhill. A heavier casing weighs more but supports the tyre in corners and resists cuts — the usual choice for rocky trails and e-bikes.
Keep it working
Sealant dries out: top it up every two to six months, sooner in heat. Carry a plug kit for holes too big to seal on their own.
Related articles
- Wheel size — Mountain bikes roll on 26′′, 27.5′′ or 29′′ wheels. Bigger wheels roll over obstacles more easily and carry speed; smaller ones are quicker to turn and throw around.
- Gravel — Long rides on unpaved roads and easy trails on drop-bar bikes with wide tyres. Somewhere between road cycling and mountain biking — and the reason many riders discover dirt.
- Tyre pressure — The cheapest upgrade on any mountain bike. Too much air and the tyre skips and slides; too little and it squirms, burps and hits the rim. The right number depends on you, the tyre and the trail.
- Tubeless setup — Converting a wheel to tubeless: tape the rim, fit a valve, mount the tyre with sealant and seat it with a burst of air. Forty-five minutes the first time, fifteen once you know it.