My MTB uses tubeless tires in 27.5" x 2.2 or so. They've worked well for several years. I've gone back and forth between gravel tires like the Maxxis Rambler, and knobbies like the Minion DHF/DHR, depending on the ride. Finally I got tired of swapping tires so I found one all-around tire, the Maxxis Ardent Race. It's a compromise that is lighter & faster than the Minions, but more robust than the Ramblers.
The Ardent Race has smaller knobs than the Minions and it makes a difference: they sometimes slip where the Minions would grip. I tried using even lower pressures to compensate for this, and it helped. I ran the Minions at 30 rear / 28 front, and got the Ardent Race as low as 25 rear / 22 front. It seems like a small change but it did increase traction.
HOWEVER, the rear tire went completely flat over a few days in storage in my garage. No puncture, but the tire bead unsealed from the rim in a couple spots. Still seated, but unsealed with a couple of slow pinhole leaks. I added a bit more fluid and pumped it back up, it re-sealed and held pressure. So what happened is, the low pressure wasn't sufficient to keep the tire bead sealed against the rim. So I started pumping it up to 40 PSI for storage, then dropping the tire pressures to whatever I need for a ride. This works and it holds pressure.
Has anyone else noticed that tubeless tires need some minimum pressure to maintain their seal?
The Ardent Race has smaller knobs than the Minions and it makes a difference: they sometimes slip where the Minions would grip. I tried using even lower pressures to compensate for this, and it helped. I ran the Minions at 30 rear / 28 front, and got the Ardent Race as low as 25 rear / 22 front. It seems like a small change but it did increase traction.
HOWEVER, the rear tire went completely flat over a few days in storage in my garage. No puncture, but the tire bead unsealed from the rim in a couple spots. Still seated, but unsealed with a couple of slow pinhole leaks. I added a bit more fluid and pumped it back up, it re-sealed and held pressure. So what happened is, the low pressure wasn't sufficient to keep the tire bead sealed against the rim. So I started pumping it up to 40 PSI for storage, then dropping the tire pressures to whatever I need for a ride. This works and it holds pressure.
Has anyone else noticed that tubeless tires need some minimum pressure to maintain their seal?
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