Tires + Tubes

[Darthy]

Hi all, looking for a little advice.

I've got a cube reaction hybrid SL 500 2018 (https://www.cube.eu/uk/2018/e-bikes/mountain/hardtail/reaction/cube-reaction-hybrid-sl-500-black-edition-2018/)

18" frame which came with 27.5 tires.

I'm trying to understand

1) If I'm doing most of my riding on roads or paths and only occasionally taking it offroad, are the Smart Sam Active 2.60 that come with the bike the best option or should I go for something else

2) Assuming I'm sticking with the Smart Sams, what tubes fit them? I was looking at the Schwalbe SV-21F and I think they will do the job

3) Should I go tubeless? I've no idea how much it would cost or whether the Smart Sam Actives that are on it are tubeless ready. The rims are apparently tubeless ready according to the specs in the link above.

Thanks

P.S. Do cube get their own tires made by schwalbe? I can't see that specific Smart Sam variant on their website?!

 

[GLJoe]

1) If I'm doing most of my riding on roads or paths and only occasionally taking it offroad, are the Smart Sam Active 2.60 that come with the bike the best option or should I go for something else


2) Assuming I'm sticking with the Smart Sams, what tubes fit them? I was looking at the Schwalbe SV-21F and I think they will do the job

'Which tyres' is often a how long is a piece of string question
The Smart Sam is a general purpose tyre. Its got a fairly close spaced center tread pattern so it does roll fairly well on tarmac for an MTB tyre. It wouldn't be the end of the world to leave them on until they wear out.
If its mainly road use though, then as you have 650B, I'd personally be sticking on a set of Super MotoX tyres. 2.4" would fit for sure, but they also do a chunky 2.8" as well. I'd investigate if this would fit on your setup (possible as you have 2.6" tyres now)

 

[Deleted member 22539]

I’d definitely wear out what you have first
And can only mirror what’s been said above

 

[Deleted member 22539]

Oh and as for tubeless that’s up to you
I personally have ran tubeless and obviously tubes and don’t find much advantage to tubeless
Also tubeless tyres make a right mess of your frame if you ever take a side wall out .

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

I've just swapped to tubeless with my rocket Ron's and I pop into my local city which is 11-12 miles away. Now I have no scientific evidence for this but on my first trip there tubeless I found pedeling easier and eco was a breeze. Also used less battery. Now I know people are gonna say it doesn't make that much difference and maybe it was a fluke but I'll see what happens when I go again wednesday

 

[Trevormonty]

If tires have TLE them then they are tubeless. One big plus of tubeless is better puncture resistance, sealant will seal any small puncture.

Lots of youtube videos on it.

 

[Darthy]

Thanks very much for the replies everyone. I think I'll stick with what I've got at the moment and try and work out how much tubeless conversion would cost for later on.

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

My tubeless conversion cost me about £25 for both tires

 

[RobF]

I've just swapped to tubeless with my rocket Ron's and I pop into my local city which is 11-12 miles away. Now I have no scientific evidence for this but on my first trip there tubeless I found pedeling easier and eco was a breeze. Also used less battery. Now I know people are gonna say it doesn't make that much difference and maybe it was a fluke but I'll see what happens when I go again wednesday

Rolling resistance is generally thought to be lower with tubeless.

My experience is there isn't much in it, but my bike does roll a little easier now it's tubeless.

 

[Anthonyexmouth]

Rolling resistance is generally thought to be lower with tubeless.

My experience is there isn't much in it, but my bike does roll a little easier now it's tubeless.

I thought it was in my head on my first longish ride. Riding on eco mode seemed so much easier and when I got home after 25 miles where I usually had about 20% left I had 35% left and I know I didn't suddenly lose weight or get extra fit in just 4 days

 

[Dom T]

Well we are going tubeless on the Canyon Spectral On's. Finding we are both riding with so much more confidence and way more aggressively and too many punctures from over excitement is becoming costly. Both bikes have tubeless ready rims and all tyres can be tubeless so why not.
Just ordered all we need and now waiting.
So what does everyone else prefer ???

 

[soundwave]

i have not had a flat tyre since 2014 pull out the thorns ect 2 spins and it is sealed.

one problem i did have is the thin ass side walls on tyres as could rip them off the rims with low psi but sorted that with a super g tyre as x4 the thickness of a normal tyre and x4 a pita to fit it.

if the pro core system was a bit cheaper say 30 quid a wheel id also fit that

 

[E-Wheels]

Well we are going tubeless on the Canyon Spectral On's. Finding we are both riding with so much more confidence and way more aggressively and too many punctures from over excitement is becoming costly. Both bikes have tubeless ready rims and all tyres can be tubeless so why not.
Just ordered all we need and now waiting.
So what does everyone else prefer ???

Tubeless is the way to go
Currently running these tubeless for commuting https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/road_tires/marathon_supreme
The best tyre I have found to date
Comfortable and fast with high grip and low wear rate
So far I’ve done just under 4,000 kms on my first set and they still going strong with no need for rotating back to front as yet
Will see how many sets I go through on my annual 16,000 kms of commuting

 

[Blunderbuss]

i have not had a flat tyre since 2014 pull out the thorns ect 2 spins and it is sealed.

I have not done as long as soundwave on tubeless but since converting my rear wheel punctures are not an issue- it just as he says above, as soon as my front tyre needs replacing that is going tubeless as well.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I am chewing through a set of Big Ben tyres at the moment, when I am done I'll put an Almotion tubeless on the rear but there isn't much choice for a 20" front wheel. Tyre wear has gone up since I have the SPD pedals on and now that I have front mudguards more riding in the rain will mean more sliding around corners

 

[Dom T]

Tubeless it is .
Sealant and stuff on order.
Should arrive tomorrow.
Both wheels and tyres are good to go, as are his, looking forward trying them after the weekend. He'll do the fitting whilst I'm asleep following my night shifts on saturday morning.

 

[Fat Rat]

Oh and as for tubeless that’s up to you
I personally have ran tubeless and obviously tubes and don’t find much advantage to tubeless
Also tubeless tyres make a right mess of your frame if you ever take a side wall out .

I’m going to agree with this
If you take out a side wall which happens with rocks etc the mess over the frame is a pig To get off by the time you get home .

 

[Dom T]

I'm sure I'll find out at some point, but tubeless it will be.

 

[Gadfly]

I chaged to Schwalbe Almotions on my Cube Touring EXC but with tubes. I have never been a fan of sealants and I have no problem with fixing the odd puncture. (The last one I had was in 2009!). Even with tubes, the free-running characteristics of the Almotions was a revelation. I wish I had changed sooner.

 

[Fat Rat]

I've just swapped to tubeless with my rocket Ron's and I pop into my local city which is 11-12 miles away. Now I have no scientific evidence for this but on my first trip there tubeless I found pedeling easier and eco was a breeze. Also used less battery. Now I know people are gonna say it doesn't make that much difference and maybe it was a fluke but I'll see what happens when I go again wednesday

This is quite intresting

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/videos/cycling-tech/clinchers-tubulars-tubeless-tyre-system-fastest-video