Did you know that a tubeless tyre puts more compression force on a hooked rim than one with a tube? That increased force effectively shrinks the

Why tubeless tyres can lead to looser spokes than those with tubes inside

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2021-06-17 06:00:09

Did you know that a tubeless tyre puts more compression force on a hooked rim than one with a tube? That increased force effectively shrinks the diameter of the rim.

Most wheelbuilders worth their salt know this to be true and can prove it by measuring the drop in spoke tension. It’s not such an issue with the low tyre pressures seen in mountain biking and gravel riding, but it’s an entirely different story on the road where high pressures can commonly result in 10-20% drops in spoke tension.

Roval certainly knows that – the brand’s latest road racing wheels are clincher-only with Roval stating this provides a lighter-weight wheel system versus one reinforced for tubeless use. Meanwhile, the latest gravel wheels from DT Swiss and Roval now dictate different maximum pressures depending on whether you run tubeless or tubes.

But why does a tubeless tyre exert more force on a wheel? Surely pressure is pressure? Wanting to know more, I reached out to a few engineers responsible for making wheels.