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Serious question, I thought tubeless sealant was just a messy fad until last season
I was fixing flats for a local high school team and the coach insisted we set up all their bikes tubeless. I thought it would be a constant hassle, but after a full season, they had maybe three flats total across 15 riders. The sealant actually worked on small punctures while they were riding. Has anyone else had a complete turnaround on a repair method they were sure was just hype?
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gibson.oliver2mo ago
My old shop in Boulder had a bin for used sealant bottles. We filled a 55 gallon drum every six weeks just from regular top ups. That's a lot of plastic and goo going into landfills. The environmental waste hit me harder than any flat tire. Even if it works, the constant need for fresh sealant creates a hidden trash problem most riders never see. It made me question if the reliability is worth the extra garbage.
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david_henderson62mo ago
Honestly, I still see it as a messy fad for most riders. Sure, it worked for a school team with constant support, but that's a best-case setup. For the average person riding solo, it's a different story. You still get flats that won't seal, the sealant dries out, and mounting tires becomes a huge chore. I've gone back to good tubes and tire liners for less hassle overall. The extra work just isn't worth it for me.
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gavin_allen4816d ago
Nah man, I gotta disagree on that. I've been running tubeless on my hardtail for three years now and the difference is night and day for mountain riding, zero pinch flats and way better traction on rocky climbs. Yeah the sealant thing is annoying but honestly topping it up every few months is way less time than patching tubes on the trail.
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