ColoRider said:
I would only use a tube in an "on the road" emergency. I do not like tubes due to the danger of fast deflation (blowouts). LOT's of tubeless tires out there in our sizes and plenty of choices to find several options for my riding requirement and style.
I agree with this. For most riders (including myself), tubeless is a huge benefit from both a safety and field repairability standpoint and I'd have to be riding in a mighty far corner of the S10's operating envelope to ever consider putting a tubed tire on this beast. If you need more aggressive off-road tires than say TKC80s (which are available tubeless), you probably should be on a different bike, like a KTM 990.
Carrying a spare tube for fixes where you can't get a plug to hold is certainly a good defensive strategy, but tubes are pretty heavy and bulky (especially if you decided to carry two, although typically a front will work in the back), not to mention the tire irons you'd need and the difficulties you'd experience breaking the bead on a tubeless tire along the road/trail. My experience in the twenty or so tubeless flats I've had in my riding career (admittedly mostly road flats), is that I've never had an instance where I couldn't get a plug to at hold at least long enough to get to civilization. That being said, if you're a super hard-core off-road guy going into very remote areas, you might want to consider carrying a tube and/or internal patch backup.
Personally, I'm sticking to tubeless and all I plan on carrying on my S10 is a sticky worm plug kit and Slime electric inflater. The S10's spoked/tubeless wheels are a huge benefit of this bike over the tubed competition and I'd be on a GS unless the S10 had this combo.
- Mark
