I’ve finally had enough of getting punctures and am now looking seriously at doing a tubeless conversion. I have tyres that are both ‘tubeless ready’ (the Specialized Butcher) and proper tubeless (Hans Dampf) and my rims are apparently compatible too (the stock Specialized Stumpy FSR ones).

Apart from valves, sealant and rim tape, what do I need? Can anyone recommend a good, easy to use tubeless kit?

That’s all you need. Just need the right width tape for your rims. I use 25mm gorilla tape on mine as it’s much cheaper than ‘proper’ rim tape.

Tape rim, at least 2 good laps, cut an X over the valve hole then fit try inflation (washing up liquid solutions brushed or sprayed on rim/tyre interface can help. If it goes up repeat with sealant.

Gorilla tape eh? I have some of that in the car…

WRT a pump, I have a Joe Blow 2. Will that have enough oomph to seat the bead, or will I need something else? Any recommendations for valves, or are they all much of a muchness?

Will that have enough oomph to seat the bead…?

Very much depends. If you use washing up liquid as mike suggests, and you take the valve cores out, then a good track-pump will work fine most of the time as long as you’re pumping frantically enough that your shirt gets all sweated up and you need a sit-down after.

If you’re feeling like buying equipment then a compressor or something like a Bonty TLR Flash Charger helps and if you’re feeling like bodging something then you can have endless fun drilling holes in fire extinguishers and pop bottles. 🙂

I have a Joe Blow 2. Will that have enough oomph to seat the bead, or will I need something else?

Have the same pump and it will do some tyres, not others. Definitely not dual ply. Luckily have a compressor @ work for those..
Valves might dependent on your rims. I’ve used Stans valves for DT & Stans rims.

Thanks all! I’ll check tonight when I get home and see exactly what bits I am short of and need to get.

I’ve actually just remembered that I am single again and can therefore fiddle about with the bike inside the house!! It’s a good job I kept the lower part of the workstand and the big sheet of plywood and it now means I have a proper use for the small lounge.

Specialized tubeless valves can be had at a cheap price. Depending on the age of your wheels they may well have been tubeless taped already.

Given the state of the tape when I fixed the last puncture, they are not. I’ll pick up some 25mm Gorilla tape at some point this week.

What’s good for sealant? Stans or something else?

By the way, I was going to go for these valve (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/effetto-mariposa-caffelatex-tubeless-valves-pack-of-2/) for no reason other than the caps would match the lettering on the wheels, but is it worth going for something more generic in case the cores need replacing? Cyclestore do the Spec ones for £3 a pop as I have just found out.

T-Rex tape works brilliantly as well…… (I think its slightly thicker than gorilla) but I’d take whichever is the best width for your rim…. )

You only need 1 layer not 2….

Stans tape is lighter …. so you potentially might need 2 layers

I’ve always used Stans….

Only ever had 1 tyre/rim combo didn’t seal with a track pump…. some sealed without even bothering to take out the core…. all cores should be the same anyway…. I used specialised last time (available to pick up same day from Evans even though they weren’t listed in stock …. and the mechanic who had them in the workshop just told the shop guys to give em me – didn’t even charge)

any tried tublessing stan flow ex with on one chunkeymonkey and smorgesboard? both are dual ply versions

Yup one layer gorilla tape with crossride rims and maxxis tr tyres was all I needed

Well, that’s the kit bought. Went for Stans fluid and Spec’s own label valves. I’ll get some tape tomorrow night or something and see how I get on when the rest of the kit turns up.

on one chunkeymonkey and smorgesboard

Not with them rims, but yes with them tyres

Do you have any valves from old innertubes? I use those usually as long as they have removable core. Helps with inflation of tubeless tyres and easy to add fluid through the valve.

i’m also a recent convert to seating the tyre with an inner tube first and leaving it overnight. Then remove tube and inflate tyres. Not always needed though.
oh, just seen you bought the kit. good luck

ive done several tubeless conversions and alwaya do the same way. ghetto tubeless using 2x 20″ bmx tubes stretched over the rim leaving old rim tape inplace, trim all around and fold over the rim each side, fit tyre, add stans, inflat rock hard and spin. might need to spin and add air a few times untill all gaps sealed. can do 4-5 bikes for same price as 1 tubeless kit.

stans on tredz was on sale also. pound shop bmx tubes work great.

any tried tublessing stan flow ex with on one chunkeymonkey and smorgesboard? both are dual ply versions

I’ve put smorgasbords on Arch EXs no probs.

Although I do have one on the back of my bike, I don’t think Spesh 2bliss tyres are very good tubeless (sorry, 2bliss) – too thin

It’s definitely worth me remembering the BMX tube trick, but I’ll try the tape one first. All the kit should be turning up today, so tonight be phase one of my journey.

Assuming that the Specialized tyre holds pressure. If not, I’ll go over to the other Hans Dampf I guess.

I use the official rim strips rather than just tape. I find it’s easier to inflate this way. Bontrager rims and Bontrager rim strips, works very well.

I have Spesh Butcher and Purgatory combo on Bonty Rhythmn rims – works perfectly. Infaltes with track pump, doesn’t burp, doesn’t deflate, sealant stays liquid for years. Can’t fault it.

I put on a Smorgasbord on a low end Mavic wheel which had previously run a Maxxis Beaver tubeless at the weekend. Went up first time with a single chamber track pump and the valve still in the core, couldn’t believe it! I normally need a ghetto coke bottle inflator to get them up.

I recently bought the proper Stans kit to go tubeless on old Mavic 719’s and Spesh Purgatories. Worked a treat, simple to fit and has transformed the feel of the Soul that they are on.

Well, that went surprisingly well. After just over an hour (including a ten minute trip out to my garage to hunt for some clamps and a screwdriver) both wheels are done and both appear to be seated properly and holding pressure. T-Rex tape could be my new favourite thing…

The rear (worn Spec Purgatory) went on a treat, with the inch wide tape fitting lovely under the bead after a run around with a tyre lever. No problems with the valve, inflated and seated on the first try. Awesome.

Front tyre (new Hans Dampf) was more tricky. It was always a tight fit on the rim and getting it back on was a shit. Luckily the ply sheet caught the drips of latex and, after a bit of fettling, it seated enough to form a seal, then seated properly when pressure reached 20psi. I did have to patch the tape slightly when one of the levers caught it a bit, but it seems fine.

Both are now sitting at 30psi and have been bounced, rotated, rolled and spun. I’ll check them in the morning before putting them back on the bike.

Thanks for all the advice. I’m surprised that it was so painless and now wonder why I did not go this route ages ago.

Worth getting some plugs just in case you get a flat out on the trail and its too big for sealant. That and a co2 canister and head can be a godsend. Alot easier and quicker than fitting a tube.

2nd for carrying the CO2.

As well as Tracey’s very valid point it’s also very handy when you go to top up the tyre pressure with a pump mid ride and due to a stiff thread on the valve the core comes out instead. Whooooshhh!

If you can slip out for a pedal round the block it might help the sealing by the way.

Righto, will look for a CO2 inflator later today as a backup and some trail plugs.

Just to update you all, both wheels have survived the night and appear to be holding pressure. I might have gone a bit easy on ealant in the front because I can’t hear anything slopping around, but that just might mean I was a touch heavy handed on the rear.

If I get home early enough tonight I’ll re-fit them and ride the bike to the gym to see if things are still good. I’m still amazed that it went so smoothly.

People make it out to be this big scary thing but actually it normally is that easy. Unless it’s not. And then it’s a royal PITA 🙂

It’s pretty easy these days. Back in the day it was more of a faff, but tubeless ready tyres and rim strips make it easy.

dont need to use tubeless tyres and rim strips as expensive but easier. ive done on standard rims with wire bead tyres and old tubes mostly. works a treat.

T-Rex tape could be my new favourite thing…

Yep it seems even better than the gorilla ….though like I said never had them side by side tested…. I’ve kept the same tape and changed tyre a few times and it hasn’t gone soft or lost the stickyness….

Only bought it originally as it was on a special at Wickes …..
Now you got the front on it’s on…. but might have been easier with thinner tape like Stans ….

Weirdly my Hans Dampf on my Superstar Tactic rims is actually quite loose…and for some reason I used some Stans as I had it (use it on the kids 24″ Stans Crest )…. and had run out of T-REX…. and doubtless would have actually been easier with t-rex….

Anyway…. good tape to take out with you….

I’m surprised that it was so painless and now wonder why I did not go this route ages ago.

Possibly long term get some Stans tape if you replace the Hans Dampf (now you are a convert) as it will probably make it easier if its really tight…