Are tubeless tyres better? The query could create a little bit of confusion. Some say that tubed tyres are better while others opine that tubeless is better. In reality, which one is better? Undoubtedly, tubeless tyres are superior. Today, 80% of cars that are available in the market are sold with tubeless tyres. In fact, the days of tube-type tyres are numbered.
However, the belief that tubeless tyres are puncture proof is completely wrong. The fact is, tubeless tyres are tough to puncture and prevent immediate deflation like a tubed tyre. Even if you get a flat tyre, you can travel some distance with it.
If you are going with tubeless tyres, you should opt for alloys wheels. Because, steel rims could rust and increase the chance of air leak.
The life of a tyre is primarily decided by the air pressure. Lack of air pressure not only affects mileage but also the life of the tyres. Stick to the directions in this regard by the company. A two psi increase in air pressure is not an issue but never go beyond this. Over-inflated tires wear down the middle of the tread fast.
Filling the tyres with nitrogen could help increase the life of the tyres. If possible, try to opt for nitrogen. Since nitrogen doesn’t support moisture, the rusting of rims will be under control. Besides, nitrogen provides quicker heat dispersion and as a result, a cooler running tyre which helps extend tread life and reduce tyre failure.
If you are using normal air, you will need to check the tyre pressure at least thrice a month but in case of nitrogen you need to do that only once. This is because nitrogen is less likely to permeate through tyre rubber than oxygen and this means that your tyre pressure will be stable over a long period of time.
Mixing nitrogen with normal air doesn't pose any issue. If nitrogen is not available, you can fill the tyres with normal air. The only problem is that you won't get the benefits of nitrogen. Later, deflate completely before you fill nitrogen.