Quick tubeless MTB question
Discussion
OK, I've run tubeless on my full susser for many years...but it's an all Bontrager setup where the plastic rim tapes snapped in, and the Jones tyres were tubeless ready. Works well, especially after I ditched the Super Juice for Stan's sealant.
However I am sick of thorn punctures on my hardtail on the boring Midlands bridleways and towpaths I ride round home, and I want to convert that bike to tubeless too. I've been out of MTBing for a few years, and could do with a tip on the current best bet for a tubeless conversion using the existing wheel and tyre combo if possible, that hopefully isn't a complete arse to fit.
Rims are 26" Ritchey Disc OCR, tyres are 2.4" Conti Mountain Kings.
Thanks in advance.
However I am sick of thorn punctures on my hardtail on the boring Midlands bridleways and towpaths I ride round home, and I want to convert that bike to tubeless too. I've been out of MTBing for a few years, and could do with a tip on the current best bet for a tubeless conversion using the existing wheel and tyre combo if possible, that hopefully isn't a complete arse to fit.
Rims are 26" Ritchey Disc OCR, tyres are 2.4" Conti Mountain Kings.
Thanks in advance.
OK, prepare for a stupid question....
How does running tubeless reduce punctures? Surely tyres are equally prone to being spiked by thorns if you have inner tubes or not?
I can see that it will reduce snake-bike punctures, but apart from that... I don't get it!
Is it because you have to run some kind of sealing liquid inside the tyre which self-heals if a thorn pokes through?
My wheels are tubeless ready, as are my tyres, but I don't really understand it to be honest!
How does running tubeless reduce punctures? Surely tyres are equally prone to being spiked by thorns if you have inner tubes or not?
I can see that it will reduce snake-bike punctures, but apart from that... I don't get it!
Is it because you have to run some kind of sealing liquid inside the tyre which self-heals if a thorn pokes through?
My wheels are tubeless ready, as are my tyres, but I don't really understand it to be honest!
gazza285 said:
You've got it, you run the tyres full of goop. A mate ripped a hole in his sidewall at the last round of the Nutcracker series last year, he got covered in it, no good for big holes.
Would running slime filled inner tubes not come to the same thing but less hassle if you wanted to change tyres?When I replaced my first commuter tyre (conti meountain king at the time as I commuted down a mucky rural canal) it had approximately 30 thorns still stuck in it. Considering I regularly pulled out branches from my forks/frame which had often stabbed 2 or 3 thorns into the tyre at once and yet I never had to pump the tyres up I think the sealant is superb.
The only time I've had to stop is when I've ridden over broken glass and its cut the tyre with a slot. In that case I had to stop and shake the tyre to get the suspended solids in the sealant to run down into the puncture site and seal up. I did need to pump it up that time (once in 3 years). Any bigger and you'd need to use a tubeless repair kit which resembles a pipe cleaner covered in glue which you stuff into the hole.
The only time I've had to stop is when I've ridden over broken glass and its cut the tyre with a slot. In that case I had to stop and shake the tyre to get the suspended solids in the sealant to run down into the puncture site and seal up. I did need to pump it up that time (once in 3 years). Any bigger and you'd need to use a tubeless repair kit which resembles a pipe cleaner covered in glue which you stuff into the hole.
2DDav said:
Would running slime filled inner tubes not come to the same thing but less hassle if you wanted to change tyres?
Not really. I've had colleagues run slime tubes and they're a waste of time. Slimes strips are worse as the ends of the strips chafe through the tube. There isn't much sealant in the tyre if you have to take it off. Roughly 1 egg cup full. If you do get stranded by a tubeless tyre then either , repair it as above, pop it off and throw a tube in, fill it with aerosol mousse or stuff it with grass.
Bobley said:
Not really. I've had colleagues run slime tubes and they're a waste of time. Slimes strips are worse as the ends of the strips chafe through the tube. There isn't much sealant in the tyre if you have to take it off. Roughly 1 egg cup full.
If you do get stranded by a tubeless tyre then either , repair it as above, pop it off and throw a tube in, fill it with aerosol mousse or stuff it with grass.
See thats the reason I ask, I run slime filled tubes on my hardtail which does mainly road/cycle paths etc, and they have never let me down. The last tube that was pulled out had a slit that was just to big to seal, but sealed just enough to get home (if that makes sense). I counted around a dozen puncture points all which had sealed. So really cant fault them.If you do get stranded by a tubeless tyre then either , repair it as above, pop it off and throw a tube in, fill it with aerosol mousse or stuff it with grass.
Edited by 2DDav on Sunday 5th January 13:26
Tubeless tyres on MTBs are one of the best innovations in the last 10 years. I've been using Stans for 4 years now and have never had a flat in all that time, plenty of punctures but never a flat. I run proper tubeless tyres and Stans rims.
Add to that a lighter rolling circumference and better handling/tyre flex, it's win win.
Yes it's a bit of a faff getting it all set up.
OP have a look on You Tube for various guides on running standard tyres/rims as tubeless.
Add to that a lighter rolling circumference and better handling/tyre flex, it's win win.
Yes it's a bit of a faff getting it all set up.
OP have a look on You Tube for various guides on running standard tyres/rims as tubeless.
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