Tube vs. Tubeless tires

[SkyRider]

What are the pros and cons?

 

Which is best for Bangkok roads?

[DILLIGAD]

What bike?


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[canthai55]

Tubeless run cooler, and can be repaired with a plug without wheel removal. Not good for a bike which runs quickly, but adequate for a city run around, or to get you home. Tubes here of very poor quality, but if running spoke wheels they are required. Unless you have one of the sealing products installed to allow you to run tubeless with spokes. Have cast / forged wheels on all my bikes except the CRF - and that will be changed over shortly.

[biker Bob]

Tubeless for me. Riding in Bkk and Samut Prakarn.

[SkyRider]

Sorry for the late reply.  It's a Click 2016-2017. Orange, so it came with spoke wheels. I replaced them with alloy wheels, and not realizing there was tube and tubeless wheels, the Honda shop ordered wheels that could only fit tubes. I had read that tubeless run cooler, faster, and are easier to fix flats, so I got a special valve and switched the wheels to tubeless. Now I'm wondering if that was the correct decision, and am interested in getting different opinions on this. 

 

Biker Bob, why do you prefer tubeless?  

[DILLIGAD]

Tubeless is easier to repair (if only to get you home) with plug kits.
If a (larger) bike is difficult to get the wheel off and maybe the size of tube is unavailable, it can be a worry out 'in the wilds'. With a Click neither are big problems, I feel.
The rims can be different to hold a tubeless tyre so you may want to check out your set-up????


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[papa al]

Tubes on laced-wheels

(+)cheapest <==> commonest

(-)tend to slow-leak needing frequent fill

(+)usually can find shop to put new tube, cheap

especially smaller tires

(+)Absorb road shock better.

[thas why motocross /enduro uses them]

 

Tubeless on ‘alloy’ wheels

commonest on ‘big-bikes’

(-)wheels cost more but

(+)strong

(+)easy plug repair

(+)hold air better

 

Conclusion:

Tubeless/alloy best for street/Bangkok.

But it’s all good bro, just ride.

[guzzi850m2]

+1 for tubeless, but I had 2 holes in the rear tire on my pcx (tubeless) and a small road side shop said, cannot fix mister, you need a new rear tire. I said no thanks after he pumped it up and rode off. I have expensive Pirelli Diablo tires fitted just last year, so I want to keep them.

 

Went to the bike tire specialist shop that fitted them and he took the rear wheel off (after he confirmed 2 holes) and repaired the holes. 100 baht per hole which is okay.

 

Sadly punctures are fairy common in Thailand due to all the crap on the roads, hell one tire shop just out side Bangkok put spikes 100 m before the shop in order to get "forced" customers. Thankfully he was reported to the police and was shut down.

[JonnyF]

Tubeless are way better for road use IMO. I've only had one bike with tubed tyres here and it's had more punctures than all the others put together.  Tubed tyres also tend to deflate more quickly when they get a puncture which is a safety issue for me. Tubeless are easier to fix roadside as well with a 2 minute, 70 baht plug job - no need to remove the tyre.

 

For serious off road, tubed have some advantages. They stay inflated with a bent rim, can be ridden at very low PSI and rims are cheaper to replace after hitting rocks etc.

 

As for the original post, for Bangkok roads I'd definitely go tubeless.

Edited November 18, 2016 by JonnyF

[BBJ]

Depends on the bike and its use.  Tubeless on road.  Tubed is better for off road if you're using spoke wheels.  If you damage a rim, tire keeps inflated.  Damage an alloy then both wheel and tire are done.  Inconvenient to repair, but that's it.

[ttakata]

Tubeless is better on any vehicle since you can still put a tube inside if you really needed to.

My Raider 150 had tubes in its alloys but I switched over to tubeless no problem.

I only lose 1-2 psi a week with my tubeless bikes but they were properly mounted with lube.