[LEL17] Crazy to just bring sealant and injector, no tubes?

[canuckystan]

I've had good luck with my tubeless tires (touch wood).  Thinking of just bringing extra sealant and injector on bike rather than tubes.  Reasoning is that sealant seals pretty large holes, and that if I pop the bead to get a tube in I may not be able to seat it again with a small pump.  Tires are 30mm schwalbe g one speed.  Wheels are American Classic tubeless ready.

[chrisbainbridge]

I think quite a lot of us are going tubeless.  I believe there is a secret handshake and a small sign to let others know.

I have been tubeless for a couple of years.  I will be topping up the sealant before I leave home and then carrying CO2 canisters, and the worm things along with the rubber containing superglue.  No tube.

[Hot Flatus]

Ive not had much luck with the tubeless anchovies. I'd be taking thick patches, co2, and a tube.

[postrestant]

The answer to this depends on how you are riding LEL.  Is the main aim to finish?  If that was me, I'd then bring tubes. A striking thing to me about PBP was that 'continental' riders, who basically rode with nothing bar the bike, very often rode with nothing plus a spare tyre and tube. On my last ride my rear (tubeless) would keep 40 psi in, but no more -- so I switched to a clincher.

[whosatthewheel]

I've been tubeless since 2014, touch wood I never needed to fix a flat on the road. That said, I never go out without some form of remedy. If you carry an inner tube, you need to make sure you can fit it inside the tyre, otherwise it is of no use. Sealant alone is probably useless, if the one in the tyre did not work, what would make some further sealant do the trick? The main issue is that if the sealant doesn't work, then the hole is probably too big to fit an inner tube and go... it will probably bulge and puncture again.

What I carry for long rides is a spare tyre + inner tube, a normal clincher and for questions of space I carry an "open tubular" type of clincher, which packs very flat and small, something like Vittoria Corsa is perfect.

Some use "worms" for unsealable punctures, there are videos online that show how to use them... they seem a bit fiddly to me, so I prefer the old fashioned inner tube.

Whatever you do, good luck for LEL!

[Carlosfandango]

No worries, though I`m taking CO2, worms, rubbery superglue, a sachet of sealant and tyre patches, must be lighter than a spare tube right?

[Somnolent]

It will be spare tube/tyre for me - and not carrying any additional sealant.
If I have a hole big enough to lose a significant amount of sealant through the chances are I'll need a tube anyway - possibly in conjunction with the spare tyre.

[Veloman]

If the weight of a spare tube, some patches, pump and single CO2 cartridge (not an all or nothing but one with valve that can be used for topping up to rock hard if you want) is a weight factor, then might I suggest you are in serious trouble!

Each control should have a track pump so CO2 cartridge could even be seen as a luxury.

Why scrimp for such a small weight penalty?  If you are looking for 'marginal gains' aka Team Sky then I could understand the question, but for a 1400km audax on 30mm tyres then I would have thought the addition of such kit to ensure you can continue riding was a good option.

[canuckystan]

It's not the weight at all. It's the hassle factor of getting the tire off the rim, taking valve off, mounting new tube and tire, and the space a tube and tire take-up vs. a small sealant/injector combo. 

If the weight of a spare tube, some patches, pump and single CO2 cartridge (not an all or nothing but one with valve that can be used for topping up to rock hard if you want) is a weight factor, then might I suggest you are in serious trouble!

Each control should have a track pump so CO2 cartridge could even be seen as a luxury.

Why scrimp for such a small weight penalty?  If you are looking for 'marginal gains' aka Team Sky then I could understand the question, but for a 1400km audax on 30mm tyres then I would have thought the addition of such kit to ensure you can continue riding was a good option.

[Carlosfandango]

I don't think trying to put a tube in a tubeless tyre is the easiest way to get going. The tyre is designed to be tubeless so it's really difficult to get on and off of the rim, you've got to remove the valve to fit a tube, scrape out the sealant and hope they're aren't any sharps from sealed punctures still in the tyre. I suspect it won't seal cos the tyre has a slash which you'll have to boot.

If a hole won't seal, push in a worm, if it still won't seal use superglue, if you've got a sidewall slash then you're really unlucky and unfortunately you've gotta patch it from the inside. The tyre will still get you to a control (and your spare tyre) with 30 psi in it so you've gotta be really, really unlucky not to manage this with CO2 to top it up and extra sealant.

That's my rational anyway.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I've had puncture that have been large enough to put my thumb through - road debris that ripped through the tyre. Sure that is unlucky, but bad luck happens sometimes. Using a tube, you can boot the inside of the tyre. What do you do with a tubeless setup if you get that sort of a puncture?

[Exit Stage Left]

I'm sourcing some spares from our local bike shop, and I asked about tubeless tyres. The opinion was that it would be foolish to start seating them in a 1400 km ride, and that putting a tube in was the best option. So that's the way the spares at Brampton will go.

[postrestant]

Anyone putting sealant in their inner tubes?

[Somnolent]

Last autumn I had a couple of punctures that the sealant just wouldn't seem to seal. 
Putting a tube in a tubeless tyre may be a hassle, time consuming, messy, etc - but at least I know for sure I will be able to get going again. 
 

[Ben T]

I would take one tube. I wouldn't take sealant with me but just top it up before.
It can puncture even though it is rare. When it does it is often a sign the tyre is getting thin so possibly even less likely with new tyres.
Even if it deflates, discharging a canister into it can be enough to force some of the sealant into the hole and seal it.

[Carlosfandango]

I've had puncture that have been large enough to put my thumb through - road debris that ripped through the tyre. Sure that is unlucky, but bad luck happens sometimes. Using a tube, you can boot the inside of the tyre. What do you do with a tubeless setup if you get that sort of a puncture?

Boot the inside of the tyre with a big patch glued in, I'm taking some on the bike.

[Carlosfandango]

I'm sourcing some spares from our local bike shop, and I asked about tubeless tyres. The opinion was that it would be foolish to start seating them in a 1400 km ride, and that putting a tube in was the best option.

Really? I'm not trying to be confrontational but that is very poor advice. I got my first set seated with a track pump and subsequently I've used CO2 and the tyres seat on the rim straight away and that's it! Believe me, I'm a pretty crap mechanic, so if I can do it......

[Exit Stage Left]

I'm going to be filming along the course, but my partner is the controller at Brampton, and I get sent out to source things. The current concern is getting a water supply established to feed the water bottle filling taps.

If rims for tubeless tyres can take non-tubeless with a tube, then that's a box ticked.

[Carlosfandango]

Blimey, if you haven't got drinking water sorted, I guess you've got enough on your plate without worrying about these new fangled tubeless tyres!

Have you got the vintage motorbike serviced and ready?😉

[Exit Stage Left]

Heather visited the school and found that the tap they used in 2013 isn't working. The current motorbikes isn't vintage, being a mere 23 years old. The current plan is to hire a van, and possibly station the bike at Brampton. That way I could take down some builder's bags to Loughton to organise the 900 drop bags, it's also good if it rains.

I'd see tubeless tyres as similar to other developments. If you're concerned about spares, carry them, or put them in your drop bag. If there's enough of you to crowd-source a solution, then send up a package via the drop-bag system to cover eventualities.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I'm sourcing some spares from our local bike shop, and I asked about tubeless tyres. The opinion was that it would be foolish to start seating them in a 1400 km ride, and that putting a tube in was the best option.

Really? I'm not trying to be confrontational but that is very poor advice. I got my first set seated with a track pump and subsequently I've used CO2 and the tyres seat on the rim straight away and that's it! Believe me, I'm a pretty crap mechanic, so if I can do it......

I guess you haven't read the stuff about C02 making sealant 'go off', as it is an alkali reaction?

[Carlosfandango]

I'm sourcing some spares from our local bike shop, and I asked about tubeless tyres. The opinion was that it would be foolish to start seating them in a 1400 km ride, and that putting a tube in was the best option.

Really? I'm not trying to be confrontational but that is very poor advice. I got my first set seated with a track pump and subsequently I've used CO2 and the tyres seat on the rim straight away and that's it! Believe me, I'm a pretty crap mechanic, so if I can do it......

I guess you haven't read the stuff about C02 making sealant 'go off', as it is an alkali reaction?

I have and it's no problem if you use the correct sealant. I'm using Mariposa Caffélatex which doesn't have this problem.

It comes in a 60ml pouch to carry on the bike. I just have to make sure I don't get it confused with a gel

[jiberjaber]

I'm taking a tube, boot, some pre-glued patches, some Schwalbe tyre levers, HP mini pump and a schrader/presta adaptor.  Might put a spare tube in the drop bags.

I managed 1400 km so far with a drop in pressure from 60 to 40 psi whilst on tour which could have been some little visitations...  40psi was still very rideable (in fact I rode 60km last night on 45 psi rear as I forgot to pump it up since coming back!)

[mrcharly-YHT]

I have and it's no problem if you use the correct sealant. I'm using Mariposa Caffélatex which doesn't have this problem.

It comes in a 60ml pouch to carry on the bike. I just have to make sure I don't get it confused with a gel

That sounds like excellent stuff! I've just been reading the blurb, it seems to be superior to many of the alternatives. Seals up to 3mm punctures, wow, and has top-up kits you can easily carry with you.

[Carlosfandango]

I have and it's no problem if you use the correct sealant. I'm using Mariposa Caffélatex which doesn't have this problem.

It comes in a 60ml pouch to carry on the bike. I just have to make sure I don't get it confused with a gel

That sounds like excellent stuff! I've just been reading the blurb, it seems to be superior to many of the alternatives. Seals up to 3mm punctures, wow, and has top-up kits you can easily carry with you.

Yeah, I've had a 2mm puncture which was spraying sealant over my head at first, but sealed and I've ridden about 2000km on it since