Chris Brandt

I experimented a couple years ago w/ Ksyrium rims w/ a converted Michelin Mud tire. It was an amazing three races and several training rides. I was totally stoked on it from day one, but...

I burped once during training. It took me down enough to scare me and not trust it completely. After the third race, rolling around the parking lot, it blew off catastrophically mid-sentence while I was talking up it's finer merits. The explosion broke the bead on the tire. It was enough to scare me away from the experiment, when I imagined what "could have been". Had that explosion occurred during some of the rougher, extreme high speed sections of the course I had just raced (Hood River), I am certain I would have been seriously injured.

My setup was lacking the Notubes rubber rim strip, which is what they are recommending for use w/ the road tires. I also believe my liquid had gotten a bit dried out inside. Also, Michelin is not on their "safe" list. I heard it has to do w/ bead stretch, but what do I know. Many people swear that they work fine.

If I were to try it again (which I plan to later this summer), I would only use the Stans rim. The bead hook on the rim is definitely superior to the Ksryium for holding on a tubeless CX tire. If you use a Ksyrium, be cautious. Know that you're safer if you use the rubber rim strip. Don't worry about the weight. Tubeless is all about flat prevention, tread selection, lower pressures (than tubes), and lower costs.