Carbon Tubeless Clincher Rims.

Use either traditional tires with tubes, or tubeless tires without tubes. Tubeless tires can provide lower rolling resistance and better protection from punctures.

What does this mean?

If you have a look at the render you'll see the new Epic 60 rim. Normally a clincher wheel requires a tire (Green) and a tube (Red). The updated shape of the new Epic rim (Blue) creates a seal with the tire directly (If you use a tubeless tire and tubeless sealant). Because of this, you don't need to use a tube at all.

There are a few distinct advantages to this:

1. Normally if you run a moderately low tire pressure (Under 100psi), you'll experience noticeably increased rolling resistance. A lot of this rolling resistance comes from friction between the tire and the tube. The lower the pressure, the more the tube is stretching and moving in the tire as it rolls, creating friction and rolling resistance. By using a tubeless tire, you can eliminate the increase in rolling resistance associated with lower tire pressures.

2. With traditional clincher tires and tubes, If you want to run a low tire pressure (under 80psi), for cyclocross, grave grinding, or other situations needing increased traction, you increase the risk of pinch flats. With a tubeless setup, not having a tube, and having tubeless sealant, your tire can self-heal small punctures without significant air loss. This means you can run low tire pressures, with a tubeless tire, at a decreased risk of pinch flats.

3. You can use either tubeless or clincher tires, the choice is yours. The new Epic rims are compatible with both. There is no disadvantage to a normal clincher tire and tube setup with this rim, only the advantage of the option to use tubeless tires.

Tubes or No-Tubes - You Choose.

P.S. The Schwalbe Pro One is a great tire, probably the best road tubeless tire available. It's our current road tubeless tire recommendation.