with Coach Karl Etzel

If you are a mountain biker and have not yet made the switch to tubeless tires, you might be wondering whether it is the right move. Maybe you are convinced it is a good thing but just can't sort out where to start. In this article we'll cover the basics of tubeless tires and help you sort through the options.

There are several advantages of tubeless tires - you can run lower tire pressure without risking pinch flats, the lack of a tube means less rolling resistance, and the sealant used in tubeless systems will greatly reduce the number of puncture flats. Similar to sew-up tires on the road, the downsides to a tubeless setup are cost and complexity. Depending on which version of tubeless you choose, they can also be noticeably heavier than standard, tubed wheel/tire setups.

There are two ways to go tubeless: convert a standard wheel, or buy purpose made equipment. Purpose made tubeless systems bear the "UST" label, for Universal System Tubeless (obviously following a French nomenclature). Confusion often ensues when you realize a UST tire can go on a converted rim, and a standard tire can be used with a UST rim. Generally speaking, you can make wheel and tire choices independently. I say generally because there is always that odd combination of tire & rim that just don't play well together, but this is often the case with tubed setups as well.

When deciding how to go tubeless, here is my advice - if you don't need new wheels, just convert the ones you have. There are several conversion kits on the market and while they are not cheap, they cost less than new wheels and allow you to try out the system with a relatively small investment. If you need new wheels anyways, a UST rim gives you the most flexibility in choosing a tubeless setup, and will work with standard tires. The most popular conversion kit, Stan's NoTubes, comes with detailed instructions and has a good track record with many racers. I recently did the conversion myself on a standard set of Ritchey tires/wheels and start to finish, it took about an hour for the first wheel and 40 minutes for the second. Just like mounting sew-ups, once you get the hang of it, it is not hard.

Once you decide on wheels, the next question is tires. UST tires are made with heavier casing and a coating inside the tire to make them air tight. They are heavier and generally more expensive than standard tires. One advantage of the UST tire is that if you run a UST rim, the UST tires are less likely to "burp" air in the corners.

If you choose UST rims and tires, the only real question is whether to run sealant. The general consensus among racers is yes. The only penalty is when you do get a flat, it is messy. But you will flat a lot less and if you are racing, that is the name of the game.

Finally, here are a few gotchas to watch out for:
1) It can be difficult to get a tubeless tire to seal with a hand pump. Plan on having CO2 cartridges with you on the trail, and consider investing in a cheap electric shop pump for airing up tires at home.
2) The casing of some brands of standard tires are degraded by the chemicals in the sealants, so check around before jumping into a conversion if you are committed to a certain brand of tires.

Hopefully this article helps you sort through the options for taking advantage of tubeless technology. With a little bit of homework and a very reasonable investment, anyone can enjoy the benefits of this system.

For specific tire and rim compatibility information, the mtbr.com forum can be a great place for help, as well as the website of Stan's NoTubes, which also has a lot of great videos to help you through the conversion process.

Craig Harding comes to Wenzel Coaching with over 18 years of cycling experience, an educational background in Exercise Science and over 6 years as a cycling coach. He has coached athletes at all levels of the training spectrum from competitive cyclists to those looking to improve their health and well- being.

One of his greatest joys as a coach is to share his passion for endurance sports and he enjoys helping athletes work to attain their fitness goals. His experience with fitness testing and also rehabilitation of clients has also broadened his love of coaching.

Craig lives in Lees Summit Missouri and is available to take on all levels of athletes, both racing and non- racing.

Have a personal or cycling site with some readership following? Between now and April 30th, show Wenzel Coaching your new link on your site to www.wenzelcoaching.com and we'll send you a free water bottle! Limit one per client. Send the link to your page showing the www.wenzelcoaching.com link to info@wenzelcoaching.com.

As a coach and bike shop owner who also is a father to twin toddlers, Andrew Christensen is in the advantageous position of being able to share his secrets of juggling training, racing, business and family life while also being up to date on the latest equipment and resources for cyclists.

Andrew was a competitive runner in high school and college until sidelined by a serious knee injury. Cycling was part of his rehabilitation routine and, like it has for so many athletes, this started him on the path towards racing on the bike.

As a cyclist, Andrew soon found success at his new sport and continues to race today, occasionally at the Pro1/2 level in Northern California, just to remember the hurt! Andrew is able to help other busy athletes to focus their training while balancing their hectic lives.

He has experience working with triathletes, recreational riders, and racing cyclists and is currently available to coach athletes at all program levels. Andrew has a large amount of experience with the Wenzel Coaching program as he was a client in the 1990's and has now returned as a coach. He lives with his family in Petaluma, CA.

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Carl Canaparo, Monterrey Circuit Race, 45+, 4/5 1st Place

Zinta Zarins, Bearatholon, 3rd Woman, 1st Woman Bike Split - WCCC Triathlon Championships, 1st Woman Bike Split

Tom Luttrell (age 45), Alameda Criterium, Elite 5, 3rd Place

Matt Dion (age 15), MTB Challenge 2/19/06, Novice under 19, 2nd Place

Tammy Sporleder--Upgrade to the 3's --1st Lago Vista RR Day #2 --4th Lago Vista Day #1

Sten and Linda Schmidt-- New son (Congrats!!)

Clay Hobson-- 2nd 30-39 Mas o Menos 100K MTB

Keith Hargis--3rd Elite Open Frozen Four Hour at Johnson Branch --7th Pro/Semi Pro Warda TX Championship Series

Mary Maroon -- 1t - Zamora RR, 3rd - Snelling Road Race, Women Pro1/2

Gene Harding -- 5th - Slammer Road Race Series, Master 35+

Coach Julie Hudetz -- Qualified for World Winter Triathlon Championship

Cecellia Su -- 1st - Alameda Crit W4

Marie DeWitt -- 1st - Landpark Crit W4

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