Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Tubeless 650B

The Ellsworth Truth went full tubeless today after I made some time to build up a tubeless 650B front wheel last night (I've had the parts for a while, but I've been a tad busy it seems). While I was at it I built up another tubeless rear wheel (yes I love tubeless wheels). On the front I mounted a "spare" Pacenti NeoMoto (truly a great all around MTB tire - a 10 on a 10-scale in my opinion, which is all that matters here). On the rear I put a Bontrager Revolt that I had laying around = fast tire, but cornering in loose stuff can be a real eye-popping experience.

So new wheels are like any new bike or bike part to me, which means it's thrash test time. So I jump on the Ells and start riding towards Asotin Creek with the intent of riding Asotin Creek Trail (some rather sweet single track). For the first 20 miles up Asotin Cr Rd. I typically ride fairly hard because I have a very strange obsession with timing myself from my house up to the S. Fork Asotin Cr. Rd...one of my many personal time trials (yes I'm weird). So I get up there and look at my elapsed time and pop a little grin after seeing I just cleared this section 2-minutes faster than I ever have. Hmmm...that one will be hard to top in the future.

Onward to Asotin Creek Trail I ran the new tubeless wheels through everything - even chased a bear down the trail for a short ways...I slowed a bit when my brain realized that the running rug which was nearly being shaved by the Pacenti 650B tire's ultra biting, burly knobs was indeed a bear that could realize at any moment he was running from a snack on wheels. OK enough of this I thought so I headed back the other way since the bear was not wanting to leave his grub rich little canyon area.

Back at the trail head I decided to see how far up the snow line was this week and proceeded up S. Fork Asotin Cr Rd. Near the top I never did find the actual snow line because the road became so muddy that it was deem impassable by me. No big deal...back down I went then up and back down Campbell Grade (for fun) before heading home.

After 72-miles everthing about the new tubeless wheels was perfect. Today was an easy test (mostly because the snow is taking it's time leaving this year). I'm still deviously planning the ultimate thrash test for this entire bike and I will be putting it through that test of all tests in the near future.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Eric, That bike is sweet! Thinking of riding from heller bar south then up and over down into the cache creek ranger station on the snake. I think the high point is 4200 ft. Wondering if you have done that ride?

Enjoy the bike,
Doug

Eric Kop-ski said...

Haven't done that one yet simply because there's about 30 miles of pave to ride just to hit heller bar and I'm too cheap to drive there when I can pedal. Let me know if you want to do that ride since I would like to go.

Anonymous said...

This Sunday is looking good weather wise. there may still be snow at the top but I am up for trying it. I was planning on driving to heller bar and riding from there. My e-mail is doug_id@yahoo.com. Maybe leave around 9 or so?

Anonymous said...

Eric -

Would be interested in writing something up for 650b.com about going tubeless?

thanks!

arleigh at gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Eric,

Been told still a lot of snow above cache creek. Looks like we will be heading down to riggins instead this sunday for a ride along the salmon.

Doug