Bicycle Tubeless Tire Overview

Tubeless tires have been used on cars since "ancient" times. This tire technology has recently been applied to Mountain bikes, and is being tested for road bikes,

What are the benefits?
The main benefit of a tubeless system is ride quality. By having a thinner tire body (Or just reduced air pressure vs. Tube) against the ground, the tire can deform to the surface easier which results in better traction. In my experience, which was earned by swapping between two bikes/same tread/ tubed vs. tubeless, the tubeless tires gave an easily felt difference in traction. I would definitely recommend it, but only to the right customer as there are some issues. A secondary benefit is the elimination of pinch flats at lower tire pressures. A tubeless tire is rarely lighter than the comparable version. Usually the French mfr rims/tires have the best sealing and function, but not all tread styles are good.

What’s the expense?
The tubeless tire cost jumps by ~50%. This can be a harsh difference, but the tubeless compatible rim is also sold at a premium cost. All of this can be difficult to pay for, especially for such a vague benefit (Before you experience it, that is.).
The alternative to the official “Tubeless” system is a Stan’s Conversion Kit. This system converts many different tires and rims to be tubeless via a latex liquid sealant. Not all rims and not all tires will work in all applications, so new tires may be needed. Retail pricing for the Stan’s kit is approx $50. (There is a DIY system out there, but I coated my garage, car and self when it exploded off the rim. Oh, the rim was also bent, so I cannot recommend it.)

Who is the right customer?
A customer that actively trains to race, or wants something to add to his $3000+ bike. Regardless of the system, they require a higher mechanical knowledge so it limits the pool of possible customers.

What Maintenance is needed?
MTB Tubeless tires must be mounted and removed without tools, or the special bead-sealing layer can be harmed. The Stan’s System latex sealant does dry out over time, and must be renewed approximately every three weeks. If a Tubeless tire gets a puncture, the patching process can be more difficult due to coatings inside the casing. In use, a regular tube can be placed in a Tubeless/Stan’s tire if a sealing failure occurs.

Recommendations-
I really have enjoyed the performance of Tubeless and Stan’s equipped tires. I would definitely recommend it to the right person. An official Tubeless tire with a sealant is a very good product if durability is the goal. You must keep up on the air pressure issues, and make sure the sealant does not dry out. DO NOT attempt to make a “tubeless” system without the Stan’s Rim Strips, but at that point you may want to just go for the whole kit. A home-brewed sealant worked nice for me, but I would likely have had better results if I’d used the Stan’s Sealant.
Use the "good" stuff, it's worth it!