• This topic has 22 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by iainc.
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  • When do you check/add fluid on a tubeless set up?
  • blader1611
    Free Member

    I set my wheels up tubeless at least 6 months ago and these days i cant really hear fluid swishing about. Does this mean its likely to have dried up thus no longer providing protection? How often do you check?

    fifeandy
    Free Member

    I shake it, if I cant hear it sloshing its time to top up.
    I live somewhere pretty cold and 6 months is the max i’ve managed.

    Yak
    Full Member

    3months. 6 might be dry. Depends on the tyre though. Conti or spesh – definitely dry!

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    Tracey
    Full Member

    Do them all every three months, valve core out and top up with an old stans bottle, core back in, re inflate and spin wheel. Takes us about a hour to do nine bikes. All done at the same time so we don’t miss one. Even if we have had to replace a tyre in between it still gets done at the same time.

    blader1611
    Free Member

    Thanks. I guess i will be adding fluid this weekend then.

    I have spesh tyres by the way, does the make have an affect on the fluid?

    How long till valve cores become blocked with fluid? Mine have been playing up a bit but i would be surprised if thats it after just 6 months surely.

    D0NK
    Full Member

    when the tyre goes down. I normally check tyre pressure before every ride and some bikes hang around not doing anything for weeks at a time, usually easy to spot when one has “gone dry”

    my valve cores have been ok, have heard reviewers mention procore “clever” valves getting a bit gunked up, but remove bit of hot water and refit and they’re fine (easier to inflate too so remove/refit while messy should be quick)

    Yak
    Full Member

    Very organised Tracey. I had a bit of paper with dates on. Except I’ve now lost it so down to the ‘give-it-a-shake-and-listen’ method.

    Spesh are quite porous so you lose the liquid part of the sealant more quickly through the sidewalls. Vittoria are the opposite.

    Valve cores – remove and clean them and if too far gone, then a multipack of cores is quite cheap.

    legend
    Free Member

    Pretty much never, yet to have a puncture that sealant has any effect on (if I rode somewhere with loads of thorns this might differ)

    bgascoyne
    Free Member

    haven’t touched mine since Aug last year and can still hear fluid sloshing about. Didn’t actually realise it needed changing so often…

    iainc
    Full Member

    probably a stupid question, but where does the sealant go ? does it evaporate, solidify, or what ? Just imagining topping up every few months and the inside of the tyre ending up with a thick layer of solid sealant getting heavier each time !

    Can you tell I don’t have tubeless setup yet ? 🙂 Losing my virginity on it this weekend probably 🙂

    andyl
    Free Member

    tyre ending up with a thick layer of solid sealant getting heavier each time

    Well it has a % of solids and the rest is water and some other liquids which yes, as you point out evaporate.

    If there is no obvious weep on the outside then yes it is likely that by topping up all you are going is adding more weight. Would best to pop the tyre off and clean out the old stuff IMO.

    I am wondering whether to go back to tubes due to the faff of cleaning out old sealant and topping up on bikes I dont use as much

    blader1611
    Free Member

    Seriously, how much weight do you think its going to add and at what weight increase do you think you might actually notice it?

    sillyoldman
    Full Member

    Milkit have a neat solution to this very problem amongst others.

    Madison goes exclusive with tubeless sealant milKit in the UK

    legend
    Free Member

    blader1611 – Member
    Seriously, how much weight do you think its going to add and at what weight increase do you think you might actually notice it?

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    It’s also offset by the rubber wearing off the tyre 😉

    survivor
    Full Member

    Where does the sealant go? You say…

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    ChunkyMTB
    Free Member

    I usually pop one bead and remove any Stanimals after 6 months or so. Then just top up with fresh spunk.

    iainc
    Full Member

    Looking forward to all these experiences that I don’t have with tubes ! 😀

    iainc
    Full Member

    valve core out and top up with an old stans bottle, core back in, re inflate and spin wheel.

    . So when you top up, how much fluid goes in ? I have just set mine up so all new to this. I used about 90ml for initial setup as per the instructions on the Stans bottle (650b Nobby Nic 2.25’s)

    nickc
    Full Member

    I change mine when/if I change tyres. It hasn’t made any difference to the rate I get punctures (i.e. never)

    Tracey
    Full Member

    Use an old Stan’s 2oz bottle which I top up from a big bottle. The top is designed to fit in the valve stem and the bottle is easily squeezable.

    iainc
    Full Member

    ^^ thanks

    Tracey
    Full Member

    When we put the Stan’s in the tyre for the first time we use the plastic top off a washing powder liquid bottle as they have graduations on the side usually up to 100 ml. Saves a lot of messing about

    iainc
    Full Member

    Yeah, I did same !

    New Giant wheels were easy, just need to work out what I need now to do the older XM719’s with Puragtorys on the HT…

Viewing 23 posts - 1 through 23 (of 23 total)

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