Tubeless for Dummies

[citoyen]

Had my first proof-of-concept moment on Saturday. It had been raining and we were riding down a fairly skoggy lane, so it was almost inevitable that we’d hear that familiar hisssss...

Only this time it was accompanied by a jet of white goo spraying from my front tyre, Catherine wheel style, and a second or two later it just stopped and we carried on riding. I’d barely even lost any pressure in my tyre.

I did a little fist pump and a quiet whoop of joy. The chap riding alongside me was slightly gobsmacked, but I get the feeling he will be converting to tubeless as soon as he gets home.

[fd3]

Tubeless sealant, is there a big difference between them or should I go with Schwalbe to match the tyres?  Also, should I buy the small bottles because the sealant will dry out in the big bottle, or buy the big bottle because I will get through it eventually?

[citoyen]

Tubeless sealant, is there a big difference between them or should I go with Schwalbe to match the tyres?  Also, should I buy the small bottles because the sealant will dry out in the big bottle, or buy the big bottle because I will get through it eventually?

I don't know the answer to the second question, but on the first, be aware that in many cases, there is no difference at all - in fact, I believe that Schwalbe's Doc Blue is actually relabelled Stan's. I think this is also true of some other own-label sealant as well - you can tell by the identical shape of the little bottles it comes in.

[Hot Flatus]

Tubeless sealant, is there a big difference between them or should I go with Schwalbe to match the tyres?  Also, should I buy the small bottles because the sealant will dry out in the big bottle, or buy the big bottle because I will get through it eventually?

Stans is ok.

Orangeseal is reputed to seal larger holes.

The new (very expensive) Finish Line sealant has two massive advantages. It never dried out, so just replace if you puncture a few times, and unlike the others you can use CO2. (co2 causes other sealants to dry up)

[Si S]

Tubeless sealant, is there a big difference between them or should I go with Schwalbe to match the tyres?  Also, should I buy the small bottles because the sealant will dry out in the big bottle, or buy the big bottle because I will get through it eventually?

Stans is ok.

Orangeseal is reputed to seal larger holes.

The new (very expensive) Finish Line sealant has two massive advantages. It never dried out, so just replace if you puncture a few times, and unlike the others you can use CO2. (co2 causes other sealants to dry up)

My mate has just used that, he says you need nearly twice as much as other sealants, so factor that into the cost but if it does last you'll recoup that.

[Hot Flatus]

I have a litre of it. £40 

I think one needs to think carefully about it. If it's for an everyday bike then I'm not sure it makes sense, as it is likely you'll need to top up every 4 months anyway
 unless you use really tough tyres.

It makes sense for really light tyres that get used for a few months only and are then put away.

(or really tough tyres that rarely puncture,)

[Si S]

 

[fd3]

Rim tape, is this *really* important or another case of rebadging for profit?  PX sell  "Jobsworth" 10m for £2-3, "Schwalbe" is selling for £18.  Also, valves, are they all as good as each other or ... what should be looked for?

[jsabine]

Rim tape, is this *really* important or another case of rebadging for profit?  PX sell  "Jobsworth" 10m for £2-3, "Schwalbe" is selling for £18. 

Having read somewhere (on t'internet, so it must have been true) that one of the rim manufacturers used custom-cut Gorilla tape, I serendipitously went into my local builders' merchant and saw a bloody great roll of the stuff on the shelf. My perspective having been changed so that I saw it as cheap tubeless rim tape rather than over-branded and expensive gaffer tape, I bought it and have been very happy with it - it's really easy to tear to the appropriate width, and cheap enough that if you need to retape, it's a minor hassle rather than a wallet-bleeding exercise.

[Hot Flatus]

A lot of people use Tesa tape too

[Chris N]

I've been using Tesa 4289 tape in 25mm and 21mm widths - from eBay.  You need rather a lot - could be as much as 8m/wheel if you need 4 wraps for a loose tyre/rim.  When that runs out I'll give Gorilla tape a go.

I've used Stans and Hutchinson valves with no problems.

[fd3]

That's all really helpful, thanks!

[zigzag]

i've read somewhere that gorilla tape absorbs moisture and gets heavier and heavier when used in tubeless rims, also the sealant dries out quicker because of that.

[jsabine]

No evidence of that in my rims. When I've taken old tape off, it's not felt especially soggy, and there's still been plenty of sealant sloshing around in the tyres.
</anecdatum>

[jiberjaber]

The original Gorilla glue is PU glue so water activated (but waterproof when cured) however I am not sure if their tape shares anything other than brand name looking at their web site it does look like it is a different adhesive.

[jiberjaber]

What a waste of time Milkit valves have proven to be. A good idea but durable enough...  lasted less than a year, internal rod keeps falling off, so whilst I can put air in to the tyre, you can't easily let air out or take the pressure reading... I have finally gone back to Schwalbe valves!

[citoyen]

I've just taken delivery of a set of ERE Research Omnia 28mm tubeless tyres...

These tyres were test samples for review. They're very good, and I would happily recommend them, but... I've just found out the RRP.

 



Yeah, they really ought to be very good indeed for that much dosh. (Although to be fair, they are supplied with valves and sealant, which mitigates the price slightly.)

[Jakob W]

Crikey - €75 apiece! What's the UK RRP?

[citoyen]

£67

[sojournermike]

i've read somewhere that gorilla tape absorbs moisture and gets heavier and heavier when used in tubeless rims, also the sealant dries out quicker because of that.

I wouldn’t use Gorilla tape on road wheels, as it stretches into the spoke holes too much at road tyre pressures. Seems fine on mtb wheels though.

I don’t like the Stan’s/Tesa tapes and use a 3M polypropylene tape that seems identical to the effetto mariposa tape. I bought 200m.

I’ve been using orange seal endurance sealant recently and it seems fine.

[Hot Flatus]

I'm not convinced that Orangeseal Endurance stays liquid any longer than Stans...which is it's USP, but I think it does seal holes a bit better.

[stevie63]

I'm not convinced that Orangeseal Endurance stays liquid any longer than Stans...which is it's USP, but I think it does seem holes a bit better.

You're right it doesn't. On a recent 300 my rear tyre suddenly went squishy. So I thought putting a blast of air in would help it re-seat but the air just kept escaping. When I took the tyre of to inspect the Orange Seal had formed into a ball about the size of a golf ball and it was that pushing on the sidewall of the tyre that was causing the air to escape.

[jsabine]

I wouldn’t use Gorilla tape on road wheels, as it stretches into the spoke holes too much at road tyre pressures.

Again, no evidence of that on my wheels - I've barely seen any stretch at all.
</statistically insignificant>

[Phil W]

Experience of Mavic UST road tubeless.

I recently built some new wheels with Mavic Open Pro UST road rims.

Verdict.

They sell a special UST rim tape that stretches over rim and it not stuck down like the rest of road tubeless rim tape.  I never got this to sit properly in the rim and it made trying to get the UST tyres on a bastard. It would not seal. I gave up with the rim tape after swearing a lot and skinning my thumbs trying to get tyres on.


Used a spare roll of Stans 21mm tape I had. Enough for both rims.  The Stans rim tape was easy to apply to the rims with an internal diameter of 19c. The UST tyres now went on easily just using hands. The tyres inflated easily first time without soapy water or sealant, with just the pump I carry on bike.  I repeated 7 times to check it was not a fluke. They seem to lock in place at about 20 psi. The recommended pressure on these width rims is only 54 psi for 28mm rubber, lower for 30mm etc.  They roll nice and smooth and are comfy at these pressures.  I added sealant later. The tyres are holding their original pressures after 48 hours.

So big thumbs up to UST road tyres and rims. Big thumbs down to their UST rim tape.

[citoyen]

I thought the USP of UST was that they didn't need rim tape... Am I missing something?