I'm still running tubes, and have found it harder and harder to source quality rim strips. In particular, ones that both reliably cover the spoke holes w/o shifting to one side and don't make tire installation tighter.
I put two layers of this tape on my rim (perhaps overkill); it's thin so the tire still fits easily, and it stays put, unlike stretch "fabric" / woven strips. Has worked great so far. Note this is a 26xwide rim, so the pressure maxes out around 70psi when I run narrower road tires.
I have no idea how effective this tape is for a tubeless setup, sorry.
My quest for the perfect larger road bike tire is officially over! After GP5000s S TR 32s and then Corsa Pro Control 34s I decided to try the 35mm P Zeroes. All I can say is "Wow!".
To start with they are by far the easiest tire to set up tubeless that I have ever found. They have a larger thicker bead than other tires, plus the bead is built in a way to make a strong seal against the rim bottom before it has hit the rim edges. One of the many brilliant design aspects of these babies.
The tires are a bit heavier, but I'll take that after having to deal with a zillion punctures on the Vittorias (all sealed, but the tires never held pressure well). Speaking of holding pressure, these guys also do that extremely well, some of the best tubeless tires I have had. They are only losing a couple psi per day. I'm also expecting good endurance out of them, they feel much more solid than the competition.
The tires have a profile that I love, with a pronounced curve at the crest unlike other tires which are flatter. This makes for both a great ride and for great cornering. I feel a notch more confidence in corners on these compared with the others. They are around 35.5 mm wide on my 25mm internal rims.
If you are looking for a wide performance road bike tire, you have found it!
The P Zero Race TLR has been my favorite tire for the last 5,000 miles or so. In that time I've had one single puncture. I ride in a city with tons of bad roads that include potholes, glass, rocks, light gravel, etc. but these have held up very well. I'll notice all spots on the rear tire where I obviously hit a sharp rock or something and now feel very confident that I don't need to worry. I started using these after getting way too many punctures with GP5000s and won't ever go back. They feel plenty fast to me personally.
Picked up a set of these Vittoria T30's 700x50 to replace worn down Conti Race King 29x2.2 ProTection (Black Chili) on my fully rigid 29er hardtail.
Out of the box, the casing is less stiff than the Conti's however, they required a bit more muscle to get the tire mounted on WTB original KOM i25 hoops. I always use an air compressor to set the bead and there wasn't any issues. Hoops were double-wrapped with tubeless rim tape and tires held air quite nicely. Tires were set-up tubeless with Orange Seal endurance.
After three rides, I found the T30's to roll significantly easier and smoother on pavement, hardpack dirt and gravel, and light slightly loose
gravel. Not surprising given the difference in tread patterns between the T30's and Conti's. It
goes without saying the T30's probably aren't the best choice for deep, loose, chunky gravel or
muddy conditions. There are better tire options available for those conditions.
For my style of riding - pavement/hardpack dirt and gravel, the T30's are, so far, a better choice than the Conti Race Kings. Don't get me wrong, the Conti's are a great tire that I ran for years. The T30's are just better for me these days.
The only caveat to this review is I have zero knowledge regarding tread life for the T30's.
