Schwalbe

I've done tubeless on multiple tire/rim combos for my commuter and gravel bikes over the last few years, but these tires were my first attempt at going tubeless for road. I like double-wrapping the tubeless rim tape, and for the wheels I'm using (Elite ENT disc) that may have been an error. I've never myself experienced those stories about spending hours and getting blisters trying to get tires on until these. However, I can't definitively blame the tires since the wheels were also brand new and I haven't tried any other tires with them so they could be part the problem, plus if I had just single-wrapped the tape initially that could have also made a big difference. (it seems strange, but in my previous experience I've seen where an extra layer of tape can really affect how easily a tire seats). Once I eventually mounted them, I needed to use my compressor to get them seated and they held air for a couple hours without sealant with no bulges or imperfections that I could see.

The tan walls look awesome on my new bike build, and I'm glad I got them in 25mm because they inflate to around 27.8mm on my 21mm ID rims, which gives just enough room on my frame for some stretching over time, but the 28mm version likely wouldn't have fit at all. Once I added sealant I didn't notice any seepage, and after 100 miles of riding I've been pleased overall with their grip and comfort. If you compare them to higher-end tires on bicycle rolling resistance they're not great, but they haven't felt sluggish at all to me. And while 100 miles isn't much, they've already been on some pretty bad cracked/potholed roads and show no damage as of yet. I've had some cheaper as well as more expensive tires on the same roads get several cuts when they were also fairly new.

Before adding sealant I decided to use different valves, and because of the initial struggles I was scared to try remounting them. But after they had been on the rims for a few days and had been inflated several times, getting them back on was no different than any other road tire I've tried in the past, and I was even able to seat them with a track pump! So I'd definitely recommend heating them up a bit (throw them in the dryer, or use a hair dryer on them for a few minutes) before initial mounting. I was overconfident and was attempting in a cold garage. I did try to stretch them a little prior, but adding some heat would have likely saved me some stress and anger :-D.

I've been using these tubes on my go-to road bike for about 1.5 years now, and overall, I really like them, and will continue to use them. They're reasonably light, roll very nicely, and are quite puncture-resistant.

However, I do not quite trust the valve cores. They are loose when they come shipped, and you have to tighten them before the first use, which is not a deal-breaker, but still worth noting. I use Leyzyne pumps, which are threaded, and with these tubes you need to quickly re-tighten the valve cores every time you inflate your tires, which, again, is not a deal-breaker, but still annoying. I have not yet had a valve failure, but these things are apparently 3-D printed, not metal, and I can imagine a total valve failure happening if you're not attentive.

If they came with non-removable valve cores, I'd be a lot happier with them, but, overall, they're very good: they perform almost as well as latex, but are even lighter, and they're more durable and retain air better than butyl tubes.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about these very durable tires. I rode across the country (on the ACA TransAm trail) on these tires without a single flat! I use it on all my bikes because they are extremely flat resistant and they last a long time. They do run on the "heavy" side, but the durability and longevity they provide is a tradeoff I can easily live with (I'm obviously a "tourist" and not a "racer"). I much prefer this solution to the mess and hassle of tubeless tires.

I put these on my gravel bike - Trek Checkpoint, DT-Swiss Wheels, 700C X 45 mm. I set these up with TPU tubes because I don't want to deal with the tubeless mess + I only ride my gravel bike about 20 times per year (only in the winter). I ride at 30 PSI (165 lb). No issues with pinch flats. Great grip on gravel and mud as the tread is soft and supple. Also, it's fast on smooth tarmac - almost as fast as my road bike (Cervelo Caledonia with Elite Wheels + Conti GP 5000 (32 mm) + tpu tubes).