Tubeless: The Last Tyre Upgrade You Need.
Tubeless tyres have been standard in mountain biking for twenty years. Road and gravel cyclists are catching up — and the performance case is overwhelming.
Published
2024-07-03
Read time
5 min read
The Pinch Flat Problem
Every cyclist who has ridden a traditional clincher tyre with an inner tube has experienced the pinch flat: the sharp impact that compresses the tube against the rim and creates two small punctures in the shape of a snake bite. It happens at the worst possible moments — descending fast, mid-sprint, far from home.
Tubeless eliminates this failure mode entirely. Without a tube to pinch, the tyre can be run at lower pressures without risk of pinch punctures — and lower pressure means better grip, more comfort, and improved rolling resistance on anything other than perfectly smooth tarmac.
The Sealant System
Tubeless tyres are paired with liquid sealant — typically 30 to 60ml per tyre — that sits inside the casing. When a small puncture occurs, the sealant is forced into the hole by air pressure and solidifies, sealing it within seconds. The rider often doesn’t notice. The puncture seals itself while they keep riding.
This is not magic, and it has limits. Large punctures, sidewall tears, and anything wider than approximately 4mm will not self-seal. But the majority of road debris — thorns, small glass fragments, wire — falls within the range that sealant handles automatically.
The Pressure Question
The biggest adjustment tubeless demands is psychological: running lower pressures than you’re used to. Road cyclists often over-inflate out of habit. The correct tubeless pressure for a 28mm road tyre at 75kg rider weight is around 65 psi, not the 100 psi many riders default to. Lower pressure increases the tyre’s contact patch, reduces vibration, and paradoxically improves rolling resistance on real-world road surfaces.
All our road, gravel, and mountain bikes are tubeless-ready as standard. The rims are sealed, the valves are included. The only thing you need to add is sealant and the willingness to deflate your tyres a little.