Popular in the mountain bike world (and automobiles) for years, tubeless wheels first appeared on the road from Shimano in the 2007, Scandium rimmed Dura-Ace wheel set.  As of this writing, only Hutchinson makes a compatible tire in the form of the Fusion2 and the recently released Atom.  Specialized is now selling a road tubeless tire to go along with their road tubeless wheels but it is only a rebadged Hutchinson riding on Campy supplied rims.  Hutchinson’s newer, lighter tire aimed at the true race tire market, is called the Atom.  The Atom is lighter and more supple than the serviceable but heavy Fusion2 (300g). I have just acquired two sets of Atoms but have yet to ride them.  I’ll post my impressions once I’ve put a few miles on them.

I’ve ridden both generations of Shimano’s Tubeless D/A wheel sets and employed the Fusion2 on both as well as running standard clinchers.  I am a fan of the wheel set with either tire set up for its low weight, amazingly smooth hubs, good looks and excellent ride quality.  I want to touch three points with this brief article.  First, a quick review of the wheel set.  Second, an overview of the tubeless technology itself.  Third, an opinion on the tires.

The Wheel part 1

The Shimano Dura-Ace 7850 road tubeless compatible wheel set has become one of my favorite.  They roll very well thanks to the fabulous D/A hubs - some of the smoothest you will ever find.  Besides above average construction, the hubs still use cup and cone bearings versus the cartridge bearings that most hubs employ.  This set up takes a little more finesse to adjust and service but that doesn’t have to be done often with the D/A wheels and the pay off is worth it - by a wide margin.  I also love the ride offered by the stainless steel spokes.  The properties of stainless steel provides a comfortable ride while retaining the efficiency desired in a wheel set.  Finally, the Scandium rim is light and well balanced.  There is even a counter weight opposite the valve stem to ensure high speed performance.  The combination of these pieces results in a very efficient, comfortable wheels set that is priced near the lower end of wheel sets in this range (Ksyrium SL, Fulcrum Racing 0, et al).  I would not, however, consider these aero wheels.  They are low profile road racers but many triathletes opt for a wheels such as this for everyday wheels due to their low weight, durability and ride qualities.  That’s why I like them and used them on my road bike and for training on my aero bike and I just don’t ever ride cheap wheels.  It isn’t a snobby thing it just that I ride for fun and heavy, crappy wheels are not fun.

The Wheel part 2

What about flats?  The road tubeless is actually quite simple to deal with due to the fact that it is possible to use a standard tube if needed.  In the event of a flat, one simply pops the bead off of one side of the rim and removes the valve stem.  A standard tube can then be installed after which the bead is put back in place just like a standard clincher tire.  Sealant can also be used which would handle all but the most catastrophic  type of flat - in which case the tube option could be used.

The Technology

Tubeless road wheels are some of the newest technology available in road wheels.  Though it has taken a couple of years for it to catch on and for other companies to bring tubeless offerings to market (Campy 2Way, Specialized etc), I think it will be a viable technology in the years to come.  I am often asked if it is worth upgrading to road tubeless and if the technology makes sense for triathletes.  I would not suggest upgrading from standard clinchers for the sake of riding tubeless but I would suggest considering them when you next purchase wheels.  I also think it makes sense for all cyclist who are concerned with performance, including triathletes.  Why? Versatility.  Being able to use both standard clincher tires and road tubeless tires, being able to employ a wide range of air pressures and multiple options for dealing with flats make the road tubeless set up extremely versatile.  Being able to safely run 85 psi when the roads are rough or the conditions are wet and sloppy increases comfort and safety and that’s something you can’t do with clinchers and few would dare to try on carbon tubulars.  I have heard some people make the assumption that road tubeless set ups are lighter than standard clinchers but that is not yet the case.  While the wheels are as light or lighter than clinchers, the tires are heavier.  The weight savings of running sans tube is offset by the beefed up bead required to seal the tire to the rim in the absence of a tube.  So, while it may end up a bit lighter, it isn’t enough to be the sole cause for the move to a new technology.  To date, there are no aero road tubeless wheels on the market but that is about to change.  Hutchinson has announced that they will enter the market with their own, all carbon road tubeless wheel set.  I am including this link http://velonews.com/article/89175/wrenched-and-ridden-hutchinson-rt1-tubeless-carbon-clincher to an article on these wheels posted on Velonews.com.  The wheel is made by Corima, a company that is not too well known in the states but a company that has produced very nice wheels and components in Europe for years.  I would expect the quality of the hoops to be quite good.  Paul Lew is now working with Reynolds on a few new wheel sets, one of which is a new take on tubeless wheels.  As with all things Mr. Lew is involved in, they will likely be very cool and very costly but that’s how technology evolves.

The Tires

Most of the reviews I read of the Hutchinson Fusion2 tires in both standard clincher and road tubeless are very positive.  I suppose that my opinion isn’t really bad but in comparison to the Continental GP4000 or the Vittoria Open Corsa the Fusion2 is stiff and wears very quickly.  Normally, I would take my own opinion but I think that most people will find that they like the tire as I find it very similar to the Michelin Pro Race tires, which I don’t care for either but most people love.  They are okay out of the box but get hard, cut easy and wear out fast.  I will say that, while I have worn rear mounted Fusion2s to the cords in less than 1000 miles, I have never had a puncture flat with them.  After about 6000 miles, that says something.  Hopefully, other tire manufacturers will join the road tubeless movement soon. 

Mark