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I'm asking specifically about Continental GP5000 tubeless vs. non-tubeless comparison.

Context: I would like to convert to tubeless on my road bike, and my current clincher GP5000 feel great, but fit my rims just barely (i.e. are pretty hard to fit). I'm reticent to buy 'tubeless' to find out I can't mount them, or with much pain.

I haven't found anything specific to this tire on the web.

Question: is the "tubeless" version of the GP5000 any tighter than the non-tubeless?

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    I think this very strongly depends on the rim you're mounting the tyre on, as personally I've had no trouble mounting either TL or non-TL GP5000s, and wouldn't say one was more difficult than the other. However I've seen enough horror stories to make me think that I was just fortunate with rim compatibility.
    – Alex
    Jul 8, 2020 at 14:03
  • Thanks for your feedback @alex have mounted both on the same rims?
    – Valentin Gazzola
    Jul 8, 2020 at 14:08
  • Yes, both on the same rims.
    – Alex
    Jul 8, 2020 at 14:26
  • Slightly relevant bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/… admittedly its not gp5000 but the variable was the tube/tubeless.
    – Criggie ♦
    Oct 16, 2020 at 20:29

3 Answers 3

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They are marginally harder to mount (slightly tighter fit).

If you struggle with the non-TL, you will struggle with the TL more, whether this extra struggle means you won't be able to mount it, depends on you and your rim.

If you get enough practice you will learn little tips and tricks for mounting tubless tyres.

Such as:

  • Make sure it's seating in the rim well
  • Coat with soapy water
  • Use straps to hold seated part of tire onto the rim whilst you manoeuvre the rest
  • Start at the opposite end of the valve and finish at the valve

There are many more, but we can't really comment on whether you would struggle or not as we don't know you experience on this.

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    I’d like to emphasize the point about making sure the tire bead is seated in the rim well when the OP is mounting the other bead. The rim well is a slight depression in the center of the rim’s inner surface. It’s key to mounting tubeless tires.
    – Weiwen Ng
    Jul 9, 2020 at 14:07
  • I have a Park Tool TL-10 that is really useful on stubborn tires. I'm not sure why Park Tool discontinued it because it does work really well. And the Crank Brothers "Speed Lever" I have in my saddle bag also works well, especially when it's cold and wet as the extra leverage from the axle attachment is really useful. It's also discontinued. :-/
    – Andrew Henle
    Jul 9, 2020 at 14:30
  • I found the absence of a tube makes mounting somewhat easier. More so when mounting a tyre bead without the valve. The protrusion of the valve in the rim well takes up a lot of available bead circumference. This may or may not set off difficulty due to the tighter fit.
    – gschenk
    Jul 9, 2020 at 15:17
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Tech support at HED Wheels told me that the GP5000 TL is difficult to fit across almost all wheel manufacturers. Some such as BOYD Wheels have posted notices that they do not recommend the current GP5000 TL as mounting could cause damage to the rim, etc. It basically is just too small for most wheels.

I have tried for 2 days to mount these tires on my HED Jet Plus 6 wheels. I finally gave up. They just won't fit.

Shwalbe Pro 1 tires were recommended as a great replacement at a slight weight savings also.

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  • FYI, Boyd is not in all caps. For interested parties, Boyd's notice about the GP 5000 TL is here. boydcycling.com/blogs/news/…
    – Weiwen Ng
    Oct 16, 2020 at 17:02
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    The question was if the GP5000 tubeless is tighter than the GP5000 non-tubeless. They may be too tight on others' rims, but okay (based on equivalence with non-tubeless tires) for the OP. Do you have any experience with the non-tubeless GP5000?
    – DavidW
    Oct 16, 2020 at 17:57
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Yes, they are very difficult to fit compared to non TL. YOU NEED AT LEAST 3 HANDS. Lost the skin on many fingers, but worth the pain.

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