Apologies first off, as there are clearly too many tubeless topics.
I am in a state og ignorance as none of my riding mates are tubeless yet.
I am 88kg and ride an Orange 5. I am no great jumper but try, I guess XC/AM.
My existing wheels are good condition Hope Pro 2s with dinted 317 rims.
One option is totally new wheels and pass on these wheels to my lad.
What is my best budget(ish) option?
How does this sound. Buy ZTR Flow/Crest rims & new spokes and put these on my existing Hope hubs, with no tubes tape, sealant & valves & use my existing non tubeless tyres.
Depends what tyres you've got as not all will work - [url= http://www.notubes.com/tech_center.aspx ]NoTubes Tech Centre here[/url] Most rims can be made to work with a Stan's kit but again this will depend on how bashed your existing rims are as things might not seat properly if they're out of true (having said which I got a Bondy TLR tyre to seat properly on a distinctly heart-shaped DT rim).
Cheapest option is to ghetto them with 20" BMX tubes (Schwalbe in preference as the valve cores come out making sealant application easier) - Google this fo a guide how to do it.
Andy
Your best budget option is use your current wheels as they are, but wired with some Stans rimstrips, or use the "ghetto" method wit BMX inner tubes.
What tyres have you got currently? Depending on what they are, you may be fine running them tubeless, or you may need some new ones known to be more suitable for tubeless use.
FWIW Stan's rims are great, but you don't need the expense if you just want to try tubeless initially.
i'd recommend the bonty rim strips over stans, they've been way better than my stans strips, firstly when you swap out tires the strip doesn't pull out or tear/perish around the valve.
bonty strips are cheap like the budgie and ive yet to encounter any problems in the years ive been running them, the stans however have given me faultless sealing but troubles with longevity and faffage when swapping...
my local bonty dealer said they wouldn't fit my rims but have used them on several different types now without problems.
tyres are maxxis Ardent & High Roller.
don't think the rims are too bad so will try them first.
Thx
I'd get at set of flows on superstar hubs built for £220 and give your existing rims to your son. Probably not far off the price of your rims, spokes strips and build I'd say.
Stick with the hope hubs as there the best for price & service, I have Stans Flow with pro 2 hubs they have been good, i have tried none tubeless tyres Maxxis Advantage & they would't inflate even using a compressor.
I can get Geax Barro Mountains to go tubeless ghetto and with stans after one pump of the track pump.
I cannot get my Ignitors, Swampthings, Ardents to go tubeless at all, no matter how hard it try.
tyres are maxxis Ardent & High Roller.
Maxxis aren't the easiest to seal tubeless, but also not the hardest. Dual Ply helps here, but I suspect neither of your are. A compressor, or a ghetto inflator (or CO2) will help here, as will some patience. You'll also need a decent sealant (Stan's preferably), but they will go up in the end.
don't think the rims are too bad so will try them first.
I've got a pair of brand new unused Stans rimstrips to fit a Mavic 317/717 rim kicking about here if you're interested? Yours for £25 the pair, usually £20 each! Possibly going to be the cheapest option you will have aside from just going full ghetto with BMX inner tubes.
I'd get at set of flows on superstar hubs built for £220 and give your existing rims to your son.
Superstar hubs are already earning a reputation for poor reliability and backup. Your money and all that, but if you do end up with new wheels, Hope (or DT if you can afford them) hubs will be worth the extra in the long run. And FWIW, if you get Stans rims, go for the Flows on an Orange 5, the Crests are a lighter XC rim really.
well I will definitely stick with Hope for the hubs what ever I do.
mboy - I will check out the rims & get back to you on the strip - thx.
No idea if mine are Dual Ply. If Maxxis are tricky what tyres are easier to use tubeless ?
A quick search of the forum seems to have the majority happy with their superstar wheels and a few with problems. That sounds like any other product to me! I'd give them a good look over out of the box, mine needed a tweak with a spoke key before I was totally happy, but as above, its £220 of your money (or probably a fair bit more anywhere else!), so take your choice!
If you can, go for new wheels and tyres - far easier as a start than battered rims and 'floppy' tyres.
Rec. Hope/Crest (save on rimstrips and just use yellow tape) and tbh the only tyres I've really had a problem with are Nevegals.
I used that nylon reenforced sellotape appears to be the same as that rim tape but £3 a roll and three times as long