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You may have recently heard of ‘tubeless tyres’ – most likely in relation to performance cycling – and you may be wondering exactly what a tubeless tyre is? For that matter, what in the world is a tubed tyre? Are they used on cars?
There are a whole host of questions here, so let’s clear everything up.
What is a tubed tyre?
To begin with, we need to address what a ‘tubed’ tyre is and, in order to do so, we need to look at a little history.
The beginnings of the wheel – while revolutionary – were far from comfortable.
From wood and wrought iron frames of carriages, the transition to a rubber exterior of the wheel for bicycles became a welcome innovation. Welcome, but also incremental. The problem with early rubber tyres was that the process hadn’t yet been perfected (and there wasn’t yet enough demand to justify perfecting it). Not only were the first rubber tyres entirely solid (so hugely uncomfortable to ride), but the rubber compound that made up the tyres was weak and prone to splitting.
It was with the huge growth in popularity of the bicycle that the pneumatic tyre really came to its fore, with its reinvention by John Boyd Dunlop.
It was a rudimentary tube, made up of strips of rubber sewn together, wrapped onto a wheel rim with canvas, and then inflated.
As rudimentary as it was, however, it provided a huge increase in riding comfort compared to anything available at the time. And as its popularity took off, so did its use in other applications. Most importantly for us, one of the other applications was for vehicle wheels.
Soon enough, though, people realised that the pneumatic tube itself being the tyre made it highly prone to getting twisted, pinched, or to outright tearing due to sharp road objects – it’s worth remembering that most roads weren’t tarmacked until the early 1900s.
Driving over cobbles and dirt vastly increased this chance of the tube twisting over itself simply because objects were quite common on the road surfaces – imagine cycling with a balloon as a tyre!
To get around this, the “tubed tyre” was invented. This was a harder rubber exterior with an internal inflatable tube to provide the pressure. This gave the benefit of cushioning and buoyancy while dramatically reducing the chance of punctures compared to the exposed tube itself. And this is also what we still use with most bicycles!
This method was used for cars right up to the middle of the 20th century – and many classic cars today still require tubed tyres. Eventually, however, the design of tubed tyres needed innovation.
Even with the harder exterior, they were still prone to bursts and blowouts, and were quite limited with their ability to hold weight.
The Tubeless Tyre
With advancements in the materials used for wheels, the jump was made to tubeless tyres. Conceptually, these are similar to the original Dunlop tyre – a rubber ring inflated around a wheel. The crucial difference, however, is that modern tubeless tyres aren’t an inflated tube, they’re instead like a shell.
The edges of the shell hook into a ridge in the rim so that when it’s inflated, the internal air pressure makes the seal stronger. Of course, there’s more science to the actual tyre fitting than putting it on and inflating it, but that’s the general gist!
Tubeless tyres are less prone to punctures and splitting than tubed tyres, and are also significantly less prone to blowouts and tyre slippage. The fundamental design is so effective, in fact, that it’s now the ubiquitous design for cars. What’s more is that they’re significantly faster to change with the right equipment!
There are still some advantages to using tubed tyres for some motorcycle applications, but tubeless tyres are the tyres you’ll almost certainly know.
Are tubeless tyres better?
When it comes to handling punctures, tubeless tyres significantly outperform tube tyres. They provide far more resistance and, if a tubeless tyre is punctured, it does not lose air pressure as quickly as tubed tyres. The valve is likewise unaffected.
Tubeless tyres can be ridden at lower pressures, enhancing off-road traction while reducing the chance of pinch punctures. Lower pressures translate to better comfort and rolling performance on difficult surfaces. Even on flat surfaces, rolling resistance should be reduced.
Can tubeless tyres be punctured?
Tubeless tyres can be punctured, however, they are designed to avoid abrupt air loss in the event of a puncture.
Driving in heavy rain can be tricky and bring extra risks. Check out our guide for top tips to stay safe and avoid breakdowns if travelling in wet conditions.
Is the UK on the verge of ‘the coldest winter for 50 years?’ Even if El Niño doesn't hit the UK this winter, reduce the risk of a winter breakdown by making sure your car battery is winter-ready.
Your tyre size can be found on the sidewall of your current tyre and is a sequence of numbers and letters. The most common tyre size in the UK is 205/55R16 but there are many variations so it’s important to check your existing tyre first before searching for tyres.
Tip: Take a photo of your existing tyre sidewall to make it easier to identify your tyre size using the guide below.
The first three digits. This displays the width of the tyre in millimetres. A tyre marked 225 will measure 225mm across the tread from sidewall to sidewall.
Aspect Ratio
The fourth and fifth digits of the tyre code that immediately follow the tyre width. The aspect ratio or profile height of the tyre sidewall is expressed as a percentage of the tyre width. So an aspect ratio of 55 for example means that the profile height of the tyre is 55% of its width.
Rim Diameter
The next two digits represent the size of the wheel rim that the tyre can be fitted to. It is also the diameter of the tyre from bead to bead. So a tyre marked 16 will fit on a 16-inch wheel rim.
Speed Rating
The speed rating of a tyre is represented by a letter of the alphabet at the end of the tyre size code and indicates the maximum speed capability of the tyre. Tyres receive a speed rating based on a series of tests which measure the tyres capability to handle a set speed for a prolonged period of time.
Select your tyre speed rating to find out the maximum speed your tyres can maintain.
If you are unsure what speed rating you need, be sure to check your vehicle handbook. Choosing a lower speed rating than that recommended by your vehicle manufacturer could potentially invalidate your insurance.
Load Rating
The load index provides information on the maximum weight capability for the tyre. The load index is a numerical code that can be located just after the tyre size marking and before the speed rating.
Select your load index to find out the maximum load capability for your tyres.
Although not illegal, it is not advisable to have tyres with a lower speed rating or load index than the manufacturer recommended tyre specification for your vehicle, or to have a combination of different tyre construction types. Consult your vehicle handbook to confirm your vehicle’s tyre speed rating and load index as well as any additional requirements.
0800 75 76 77 You can reach our customer care team 6 days a week from 9:00am to 6:00pm on Monday and Thursday, 8:30am to 6:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Saturday, and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Bank Holidays.
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Select Tyre Size
Front Tyre Size
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We endeavour to ensure we are displaying the correct tyres for your vehicle. However, we recommend all customers check the tyre size printed on the side wall of their tyres before proceeding with a tyre purchase as occasionally discrepancies do occur. By selecting the tyre sizes above and clicking 'Continue', you are indicating that you have checked your tyre sizes.
Please select your front and rear tyre size before clicking 'Continue'.
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Please note: There is a slope that the vehicle must be driven up to reach the vehicle ramp at this centre. This may prevent us from being able to work on some high-performance vehicles, Tesla vehicles or vehicles that have been lowered. If your vehicle has low ground clearance, please contact the centre team on 01342 314 111 before booking.
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