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Hot off the rubber tree from Hutchinson are The Fusion and Atom Tubeless tyres on site now.

Hutchinson Fusion Hutchinson Atom

So lets explain the benefits of running a tubeless system and what you need to install them.

The main benefits of running tubeless are:

Lower rolling resistance: EVEN down to 80psi – recommended about 20psi less than normal

Ability to run lower pressure: Which means more ‘flowing’ contact with the road, so you don’t skid off little bumps in the same way as with e.g. 120psi

Puncture resistance: There is very little risk of pinch flats running tubeless.

Ride flat safety: Should you ever be in the position where you have to run with a completely flat tyre it is possible to ride for a while without it rolling off the rim.

Main Differences:

Tubeless tyres have a different bead shape and a different rubber compound in the bead area to help get an air-tight seal on the rim casing. The bead is made of a carbon. Normal tyre beads would stretch too much if running tubeless with them, causing the tyre to roll off the rim. A tubeless specific rim has a specific shape to lock together with the rim.

What do I need to fit it?:

In theory you can run tubeless tyres on any rim but a tubeless-compatible rim will get a better seal such as Mavic Ksyrium Elite

 

If you have spokeholes in the rim you will need a tubeless rim tape to seal the rim.

 

You will need a tubeless valve stem such as the No Tubes 44mm Road Valve Stem

 


Hutchinson Fusion

A Hutchinson tubeless tyre such as the Fusion

 


Hutchinson Atom and the Hutchinson Atom (no others on the market yet despite support from Shimano and Mavic wheels).

 

And some tubeless sealant such as No Tubes Sealant. The sealant is optional but will provide better air-tightness with the added benefit of fixing small punctures.

 


Tyres should be fitted with plastic tyre levers to prevent damaging the bead area and using a little bit of soap to help the seat and inflate properly. See the excellent guide on the NoTubes.com website

 

What if I puncture?
It is much less likely and if you are using sealant then most punctures will self-repair. However the worst-case scenario means you just put a tube in and repair as normal.