Tubeless. Love it AND hate it. I’ve reluctantly embraced the idea since it rolled out a decade ago (already), but it has never been pretty. Failure was common, and I’d bounce between tubeless and tubed setups as the inevitable tubeless-failure occured. Years later, it seems the improvements to the technology have come around… for the most part.
Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex tubeless tire sealant is a new option for those looking for an alternative to the current offering. I’ve been running a sample for the past two months that the fine peeps at Cantitoeroad.com provided. But what is Effeto Mariposa anyway? I’ve never heard of it prior to this. Their website is here, and it seems Effetto Mariposa is actually a one-man-Italian-band devoted to impoving cycling tools and componentry, which will suffice for me. Any Italian dude attempting to improve cycling components & products deserves a try in my book if only because of their geographical proximity to Ernesto’s home.
Effetto Mariposa’s Caffelatex differs from the fray in that it claim’s a foaming action that improves seal. Compared to the previous alternative, it does indeed bleed less and after a 12 hour race, a few long multiday rides, the usual daily rides including trail sabotaging and other tomfoolery, I have had no problems. That said, I’m taking it on faith that the sealant is doing it’s job – via foaming action or otherwise – and doing it better than the competition. Air pressure has remained suprisingly stable, with only two air-ups over the past two months, which is a good indicator of sealing no? Also, the Install was an atypical easy experience in that, unlike previous tire/tubeless combo’s, the caffelatex sealed up easy-cheesy using a floor pump. That’s a big deal for some… like me, who don’t have an air compressor nor want that type of bullshit dependency.
Above and beyond the easy install scenario, the Caffeelatex tubeless kit comes with a few savvy installation tools that will aid installation in both tubed, and tubeless setups. Steve, from Cantitoeroad.com has the full details in the following video:
Open ended conclusion: My initial opinion of the Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex from installation, to maintenance, to use, is that it is indeed better than the alternative(s). In conjunction with being better, the cost (through cantitoeroad.com), once broken down to the ounce, is the same when compared to Stan’s NoTubes. I highly recommend it.
The challenge from here will be the long term test. To date, I’ve never had a tubeless setup not completely fail before a tire is toast and that will be the goal here; for it to last until the knobs are shot. I Expect that review to happen sometime this Fall.
Curious about trying it yourself? Find your Effetto Mariposa Caffelatex Kit over at cantitoeroad.com.
Need to read more opinions?
- 29inches.com has a multi-part review
- velonews.com has a writeup that doesn’t say anything.
- geek’s love it at the mtbr forums
July 13th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Don’t reinvent the wheel; just roll the motherfucker.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Na, improve everything. Tubeless is worth it… now.
July 13th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Caffelatex sealed a 3mm gash in my tire a month ago. The stuff works great. The jury is still out on the kit that they send along to convert a regular wheel to tubeless. It’s some red “tape” that you use as a rim strip, and the valve didn;t work on a DT Swiss rim that a buddy of mine had, we couldn’t get a solid seal. That said, This shit is amazing. I just got home from a ride where the sealant saved a walk again.
July 13th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
yes, but is it drinkable? Flammable? Does it have more than one use?
July 13th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Tubeless is so 5 years ago….
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3636434
July 13th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
what is this gnome? why not just call all your threads “9 inches” and leave it at that?
July 14th, 2009 at 8:13 am
been riding this shit for 4 months now… i have cased my rear tire sooo many times i can’t believe it hasn’t gone flat…this might be attributed to me running a pretty narrow tire on a wide rim. i checked the sealant level after about two months and it seems that every bit of sealant that was initially added was still there. all i put in was the little free sample (50mL?) that i scored from cantitoe after NAHBS. i couldn’t believe it didn’t dry out. that by itself makes it worth it for me. so this shit is either working, or i am having an unbelievable streak of luck with my current back tire. FWIW, the tire is a Bonty Mud X 29×2.0 and the rim is a Bonty rhythm pro scandium
July 14th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
@butthead – stop encrypting your language. I have no idea what you’re trying to call me out on broski. I have a 6.375 inch penis.
July 15th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Bead is the key to tubeless, and for a rider that likes to hit stuff hard, its about the rubber too. Yeah 150 light weight can run a lightweight 400gm slicone dual wahtever, tire. same dudes could probably go with ultra thin durex. Put some rubber in that compound. and wire the bead thick.
stans 29r w/ exiwold or moto raptor wire bead 20.99 a piece lasted 2years hardly looses air(don’t use a pump for weeks between, but I don;t mind being a little low), never torn, everything else tears within weeks if not days. no need to be risky when you travel’n far. Wish kenda would make one of those d hills beast into a 2.1 X 29 wire. Haven’t tried the nevegal or karma so can’t review. but know many that like all the kenda’s.
July 15th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Kenda seems to make pretty good tars, I run the Nevegal 2.1s on the fullie and 30C Kwicks of the ‘cross.