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I used a pair of Schwalbe S
I used a pair of Schwalbe S-Ones (30mm) through most of the winter. They felt very good on all the surfaces I used them, wet tarmac, sand covered cycle paths and gritty/gravelly tracks and trails. Set up tubeless they rolled really well and I didn’t feel they were any slower than the Vittoria Open Pave’s (27mm) I had been using, in fact probably faster, plus they solved all my punture woes. Very pleased with them and convinced tubeless is the way to go if your rims are compatible.
I only took them off so I could fit some Pro-Ones (28mm) for the summer. The one concern I would have about the S-Ones is that the tread pattern does seem to wear fairly quickly on dry tarmac so I wanted to swap them out to save them from being worn away unnecessarily quickly. I guess thats part of what makes them so grippy, having a softish compound.
They will be going back on again next week for the White Roads gravel sportive where I expect them to be the perfect tyre for a mixed surface event, and I plan to use them again this winter.
Nothing but love for tubeless
Nothing but love for tubeless from me. Sucessfully ran some Schwalbe S-Ones riding/commuting through the winter/spring without incident (or punctures) and am now really enjoying using the even faster Schwalbe Pro One’s (28mm). Never going back!
Hunt Race Season Aero – £329
Hunt Race Season Aero – £329 – 1420g – 2 year warranty
I’ve never used these wheels above but do have some Hunt 4 Season Disc wheels, which I have been extrmely happy with for over a year. Quality is very good and the tubeless compatibility has opened up a whole new world of performance, reliability and comfort.
The only problem with Hunt wheels (IMHO) is the delivery time. If you ordered the wheels above today, you wouldn’t get them until the end of July! I suspect that may just be a deal breaker, which is a shame.
I did a race last december on
I did a race last december on my Cannondale Synapse Disc with 30mm CX tyres fitted. I knew it wasn’t going to be epically muddy as it was a fairly sandy course so the reduced clearance (compared to a pukka CX bike) wasn’t an issue. I’d imagine a summer series race won’t be an issue either.
I have read that CO2 can
I have read that CO2 can react adversely with some brands of sealant, so perhaps best avoided.
I do still carry a spare tube
I do still carry a spare tube just in case I get a big hole or a tear in the tyre, along with a Park Tool TB2 tyre boot, and a mini pump. Hopefully they will be redundant but better to have and not need, than to need and not have (spot the boy scout!).
Here is the inspiration for my inflator. Actually pretty simple to make and only cost me 79p for some cheap pop so I could use the 2l bottle. I used hotmelt glue to make sure everything was secure.
http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/how-to-make-a-tubeless-inflator-44290/
Tubeless?
Tubeless?
YES! YES! YES!
Okay I will elaborate…
I received my new set of of Hunt wheels in April last year (other, less excellent tubeless ready wheels are available!) but had only recently purchased some Vittoria Open Pave CGs so initially put those on the Hunts. I then put some normal ‘tubed’ Schwalbe Ones on for the summer, before reverting to the Vittorias again for the winter. I did a CX race in December and decided it would be a good opportunity to try my luck with tubeless. I fitted some Schwalbe CX Pros, which are not technically a tubeless tyre, but due to the low speeds and potential soft landing of riding off road, I was not overly concerned. I had read on forums of others using the same tyre tubeless without issues. They were a little awkward to seal initially as I only had a track pump, but after a few attempts they did indeed seal and the sealant (Stans Notubes) worked a treat. I was now certain that purchasing a proper set of road tubeless tyres was a formality, so when the Vittorias wore out I took the plunge and got some Schwalbe S-Ones (30mm). Fitting them to the Hunts was dead easy. Getting the tyre onto the rim was no more difficult than regular tyres. I think different rim/tyre combinations may be more difficult, but in my case no problem. I inflated the tyres using my track pump. One popped on straight away, the other took a few attempts and some ‘furious pumping’, but did eventually seal. They make a very loud ‘pinging/popping’ sound when the bead seats into place, letting you know that the tyre is on properly. With these being tubeless tyres in theory you ‘could’ use them like this as the bead seals perfectly, although I let the air out added sealant through the valve before re-inflating again. The tiny amount of extra weight for the sealant ensures that my risk of flats is significantly reduced. That has been proven through the rest of this winter/spring. The tyres performed faultlessly and have needed no more topping up with air than a normal set-up would need, and not a single puncture!. For me that is a major achievement as I seem to have always got more than my fair share of flats. I have recently fitted some tubeless Schwalbe Pro Ones (28mm) for the summer and they are also proving to be extremely good. Virtually no weight penalty over a tubed set-up, with the added comfort of lower pressures, the extra confidence of reduced chance of flats and no speed penalty either. Win Win Win.
I have made myself a tubeless inflator from a pop bottle (search ghetto tubeless inflator) to make seating the tyres easier. I have also gone tubeless on my MTB, and used the Hunt wheels on my MTB for the Battle on the Beach (with tubeless Schwalbe Thunder Burts) and the larger volume makes it essential. Seating the Pro Ones was far easier using the inflator instead of just the track pump.
Cleaning up the old sealant is the only legitimate downside to tubeless IMHO. Having swapped so many tyres now on the same set of hardworking Hunt wheels has meant I’ve had to do a lot of clean up. The key to this is to not let the old sealant dry out. I’ve found the best way is to remove the tyres outside and then hose everything down whilst still liquid. All traces of old sealant are then removed from the rims and tyres.
It’s fair to say I’ve also spent quite a bit of money on tyres in the last six months, but now I’ve transitioned over I don’t anticipate buying any new tyres for the foreseeable future!
Hope this is helpful and sorry about the long post!
Nope, sorry.
Nope, sorry.
For a start, disc brakes require specific mounting points for the calipers. These are not something you can retrofit. At least not on a carbon frame/forks. I also have the Synapse, but with discs and the main elements of the frame are similar (geometry, SAVE system etc.) but the frame will have been developed specifically for each type of braking.
You still have a very good bike though, especially at that price, and at least you could use it in French/Spanish sportives if you wanted too! 😉
As for the wheels, loads of options out there. The original Mavics are good, if perhaps a bit weighty. I upgraded the wheles on my bike to Hunt 4 Season ones. Been extremely happy with them, and I know Hunt also make very good rim brake wheels. The ability to run tubeless tyres is a big benefit in my opinion.
I have been extremely happy
I have been extremely happy with my Cannondale Synapse Disc Ultegra which I’ve had since the end of May last year. Absolutely superb handling and comfort, with faultless Ultegra drivetrain and hydro discs. I fitted some Hunt 4 Season wheels that I had already from my previous bike, and now run 30mm Schwalbe S-One tubeless tyres. Supreme comfort and grip, yet still very quick. In my mind it’s a perfect setup. The only criticism I have is the lack of mudguard mounts. Otherwise it’s a very versatile bike. I’ve done all sorts of riding with it, including some gravel and even a cyclocross race with 30mm cross tyres fitted.
Hunt 4 Season Disc wheels
Hunt 4 Season Disc wheels would be a fantastic upgrade. I’ve had them on my bike for almost 9 months now and have been superb. They will handle CX and gravel riding with ease, yet are light enough to feel fabulous on the road too. Will also take tubeless tyres.
I think your suggeston of a carbon fork would make a lot of sense too, and would shed a decent chunk of weight, but choice may be limited due to the headset/steerer size on your Kona. Most decent forks are now tapered.
I use the 27mm ones. Grip and
I use the 27mm ones. Grip and road feel are superb, even in shocking conditions. They seem to be reasonably puncture resistant (for the weight) but do struggle a little with glass and flint. I’ve had to super glue several small cuts in the tread, although none of those cuts damaged the casing. Much of my winter riding is on urban streets and cycle paths so perhaps I see more broken glass than you would. They are a pretty soft compound (which is no doubt why they grip so well) and the tread on the rear tyre of my bike is now significantly worn after less that 1500km. Having said that the performance is brilliant so I’ll probably be getting another set when these are worn out completely. Ribble have a good price on them at the moment.
