[Closed] Tubeless: your top tips for a cheapskate noob, please.

Airshot. Stans. 🙂

it SHOULD work with non tubeless tyres.. but we may see clothes pegs and other weird solutions going on.

I'm still using the old ghetto system. Split 20" inner tubes with Schraeder valves as a rim strip, art latex as sealant. Sometimes it's possible to inflate them with a pump, but I have a service station within an easy walk so I just pop over there to get them inflated. One they are inflated, spin them round to get the sealant spread around, inflate them to 40 psi and ride around the block to flex the sidewalls and work the sealant into any holes. Then leave overnight. Should be good to ride the next day.

A mate with a compressor is the ultimate cheapskate solution 🙂

You can use a coke bottle, some lengths of tubing and a couple of valves instead of a fancy airshot thing. Search for "ghetto 9p inflator".

Make sure any valves you get have removable cores.

There's a special tiny, easily lost tool you can buy for undoing the core; it's worth it's weight in gold.

Also, when you inflate the first time, have the valve at the top so you don't blast air into the sealant. Pushing the tyre down onto the valve usually helps push the beads out against the rim to get it to retain enough air to start to inflate.

My tips would be

make sure of a good seal to the rim bed, if this is poor it may go up but will go down over a short while as the air leaks out via spoke holes etc. Cut the tape so that it seals to the edge of the rim with the center bit pushed into the ‘valley’ inside the rim.

be generous with your first dose of badger jizz I’ve had great success with tubeless and non tubeless tyres using Stans and now have some caffelatex which was good value.

find something that can deliver high volume air quickly, either a compressor or a stored pressure device (co2 cartridge). You want the air to go into the tyre quicker than the gaps let it out so that the tyre pops onto the rim. Ensuring the gap around the valve is as closed as possible will help here. Once seated on the rim I’d record replacing the co2 with normal air via a trackpump to avoid Stans monsters forming.

perservere if it’s not quite working as when set up it really is fantastic

My tip - from a small amount of experience  get the proper tape even if it costs a bit.  Removes one source of issues.

My Joe blow sport inflates tubeless 29er 2.35's easily. Give it a go with a decent track pump before spending money on an airshot or compressor. Although I do keep meaning to buy a compressor but thats becaasue it has more uses than just inflating bike tyres.

Buy proper tubeless ready tyres and save a load of time and effort.

Soapy water around the edge of the tyre helps massively.

What tyres are you using then? It can be very frustrating trying to do it with flimsy XC ones, IME.

That’s a fair point, I’ve currently got some Nobby Nics on there, and the beads are so loose they’re hard to keep seated when fitting by hand with tubes, let alone blowing air into them. Hmm, I guess this now looks less attractive by a factor of However Much Two Tyres Are These Days.

Tyres can be upwards of £60 each!

Put the tyres on with tubes first for a day so that they take up the right shape. Take the tube out, add tape and valve, remove valve core and blow up with CO2 cartridge. Add milk of you choice (either pull a small section of tyre out of the way or through the valve), re-add core and pump up with a track pump or CO2.

Soapy water helps if they're being stubborn as does squashing tyre around the circumference with a strap.

Non tubeless tyres may weep milk through the sidewalls - it eventually stops. If you get weeps round the spokes, reseat your tape.

Tyres can be upwards of £60 each!

Yeah, but I also got some (Very Summer) tubeless ready ones for £10 each in the LBS bargain basket 🙂

Gorilla tape is actually pretty good (unless you want to remove it apparently, it's said to leave quite the gluey mess). Slightly thicker than the proper stuff, so I imagine that two wraps would help with your baggy Nics, and much more resistant to accidental scrapes with tyre levers... yes I have done this.

Good guide to width here  https://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesday-Gorilla-Tape-Tubeless-Conversion.html

Nobbyflator

Split inner tube method, Stan’s sealant, ghetto Coke bottle pneumatic inflator and a couple of On-One Chunky Monkeys (recently £15 each).

This has worked well for me riding all sorts of terrain, especially steep limestone tech with thousands of mega thorns in Greece. Thoroughly recommended!

If you get weeps round the spokes

Never seen that! Usually results in air escaping via the valve ime.

That Schwalbe seating juice is good stuff. Does cost moneys, but lasts for ages and is much less of a faff than bubbly water.

Again I don't have much experience but I got loose light tyres that were non tubeless ready to go up fine - and also I did it without a compressor or airshot - a ratchet strap around the tyre got the beads to seat just fine.  Maybe I was lucky but non of the horror stories happened to me.

There’s a special tiny, easily lost tool you can buy for undoing the core; it’s worth it’s weight in gold.

Or just use a spoke key

Have a dig around on ebay for "Tesa 4289 tubeless rim tape", I understand it's exactly what the other companies use but brand up and sell you less of for more.  In any case it does a decent job and you'll have loads to spare when those first few 'experimental' attempts don't quite work out.

That Schwalbe seating juice is good stuff. Does cost moneys, but lasts for ages and is much less of a faff than bubbly water.

I use a spray bottle with a weak baby shampoo solution, the same stuff advised for fitting invisiframe. Easy to apply, cheap, especially so if you have kids, and lasts ages as well as being multi use.

Gorilla Tape is fine in my experience. Do at least a couple of wraps, if your tyres are a bit baggy add an extra wrap.

I have used the Joes sealant from CRC.  No complaints.

Do the taping and valve installation and then do the tyre install dry.  That way if the tyres are a bit loose or even a bit tight you won't be covered in pseudo-man milk due the struggle.

Once the tyres are seated,  then add the sealant through the valve with core removed with a syringe or squirty bottle.

I have never failed to get a tubeless set up to go up with track pump.  But I am teh awesomez...

I recently did a conversion on my lad's bike using really cheap tape, valves, tyres and jizz, all from Planet X - the tape is in a 50m roll and even cheaper than gorilla tape (which I've also used).....I'd start there as there were some really cheap tyres on there too recently (Vittorias for £7.50 each) so you could get the whole job done certainly for sub £30....

(yes, I know PX come in for a bad press on here - but you can't argues with some of the deals on there!!)

My technique for stubborn tyres which has recently worked on a on-tubeless dh casing tyre:

1. Put tyre on rim with a small amount of sealant, slosh around bead and fit an inner tube.

2. Inflate tyre to sufficient pressure to pop on bead.

3. Leave a little while for sealant to work on the bead.

4. Unseat one side, remove tube and chuck a bunch of sealant in.

5. Give it a slosh and inflate the tyre (I've only needed a track pump - no airshots etc). Put a small amount of washing up liquid between the unseated bead and rim wall if it's stubborn.

6. Ride it. I found it lost a bit of pressure first ride out, mostly weeping through sidewalls, but has held pressure in the week since. Again this is a non-tubeless tyre.

BONUS CHEAPNESS:

Gorilla tape is fine. I also cut a valve out of an old tube and used a small o-ring between the lockring and rim to help seal the hole. Use some pipe lagging as a ghetto cushcore. It doesn't add a huge amount of protection, but really helps get the bead against the rim for seating.

Best of luck

Baggy beads - split BMX tube method is going to give you best results I'd wager.

I just use cheap and cheery Decathlon tubes and gives a lovely stable setup even for my 90+kg.

Split tube method every time, especially with your baggy tyres.

A cup of Stans in before the last bit of tyre goes on.

Inflate with the valve at 12 o clock, & while your inflating press down on the top of the tyre, it helps create a temp seal. Once there is air in it, it soon takes shape.

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Hmm. Anyone tried a 24" tube on a 29er? I've got a couple of those spare, and they've got free Presta valves in 🙂

Planet X cheap-and-tubeless-ready tyre options seem to be the WTB Breakout. (And the Chunky Monkey if it's tubeless-ready…?) The Breakout tread looks like it'd suit me, although I was optimistically hoping for a smidge more girth.

I did Nobby Nics on my wife's Giant Trance with standard rims, and while they have stayed up, they fall back off the rim if the pressure drops too low. Piss poor fit, maybe the rims lack the necessary bead technology (SX2 I think) but the tyres don't help, they is well baggy!

Used a 24" on my 29+, no way a 20" was going on there easily.

20" on 27.5" no problems, that's whats in the pic^.

I went for Schrader so I can pop more Stans in without breaking the bead.

The last one I took off came off like a tyre, tube bonded to tyre bead!!!

so that is a 20" tube did you say?

I was going to ask about this myself. seems like a bunch of fuss.

But keep getting told it is good. And, well, thorns HAVE been a bit of an issue. I am also on a budget of approx zero.

Once these things are seated, they are seated? As in when you are out they don't unseat? Creating the need for an 'adjusted' fire extinguisher.

I guess you just carry a tube......

Edit: just seen previous message. What would i use on a 26" wheel?

Grarea

I'm 90+kg in my Speedos (I don't own Speedos really).

I've run split tube tubeless without issue for years. It gives you a really good seal and it's been very reliable.

I've had no more issues with that than with full blown Mavic UST rims and it is lighter.

If on a low budget can I suggest a trip to decathlon. Couple of cheap 20" tubes (26/27.5) or 24" (29) and they even do sealant and a worm kit. I have a bottle of their sealant but not tested it yet.

Anyone tried a 24″ tube on a 29er?

I've used 26" tubes on a 29er. They're a bit loose, but worked ok. I think 24" would be perfect.

I was also late to the tubeless party. Wouldn't go back to tube now tho. This time of year, thorns thorns everywhere. Last 2 rides both cut short and aborted due to other mates having multiple thorn punctures in tubes.

I'm on mavic 319 rims and non tubeless tyres... maxxis high roller2s seal up pretty well and no leakage in side walls.  Got an airshot (well the Schwalbe one as it was 10 quid less to inflate.

Previous tries with Conti trail king2's and using a CO2 cylinder inflator was hopeless. Tyre would only half seat then fall back off into the central well in the rim. Side walls oozed a cwrtain amount of sealant too.

Using Stans fluid, no probs in the 11 months in use for me.

Got this kit from amazon for 9.53 with a damaged box  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009YDZOYG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Took 20-30 mins each end using just the rubber liner and went up easily with a track pump, easy 😆

Not a fan of Gorilla as general solution personally but happy to have it available as an ‘alternative solution’ if things won’t work.  The problem and good thing is it’s damn thick and soaks up sealant plus adds hassle potential to removal and replacement and can be damaged during tyre removal.  If a tyre really won’t seat on a rim because it’s baggy then Gorilla is ideal. Every other time it’s a bodge no matter how many people swear by it.

For ‘cheap’ tape check On One and look at their blue ‘jobsworth’ tape. It’s in a number if useful sizes and if the size is right can be 99pence a roll.  It’s functionally the same as Stans.  It’s thin and hard and may hurt your thumbs while forcing it into the rim well and pushing any bubbles out. Apply a few inches at a time while keeping the tape taut off the reel. Degrease your rim first.

Soap for mounting and banging beads is possibly an essential. I’ve had tyres that just wouldn’t stop hissing round the edge until shoved around and resoaped that then gave a satisfying bang and began behaving.

Coke bottle inflater FTW.  I used one since 2010 and only got an Airshot because I could. The Cike bottle works just as well. Has to be fizzy pop not water (pressure testing requirements) and must not be damaged. Bruised bottles go bang. Folding the tube back on itself and standing on it will make a good release valve, don’t use mole grips however obvious it sounds as this pipe without a fitting to hold it onto the valve can blow off and wave around scaring the dog. Bits of metal half attached could make it dangerous. Don’t tape the bottle. You can’t see when it’s damaged then.  2l Bottles usually good for 80-100psi depending on quality of work done mounting valves to lid.

Currently my Badger Jizz of choice is the Oko Hi Fibre Brant is knocking out on On One. It works well. Stans is always dependable too.  Removable core valves are a must.

Tape rim, fit valve. Be cautious to make as little damage as possible to tape. Any tears and you’re retaping. One turn of tape overlapping at the valve by a few inches is a good start. Next, soap rim and tyre, fit tyre. Remove valve core. Attach inflation method of choice - I usually start with a track pump which usually does my chosen WTB toughs without drama.  If trackpump fails then go to chosen booster or compressor. If that fails then try pressing down hard with thumb over tyre behind valve. If still no joy then start clothes pegging etc...

Good luck, it’s really not hard although many make it seem black magic.  Assuming your rims aren’t stone age Mavics with deep channels or similar then it’s all in the tape.  Obviously light and baggy tyres may or may not be a pain in the arse depending on bead fit.  If you do have deep channel rims then you may need to read some of the 2010 era threads about bodges with home insulation products to build the rim bed up!

You won't be thanking the gorilla tape advice when it comesto renew it. The adhesive residue is a massive pain in the ass.

Given the low pressures you'll be running, the cheapest possible tape is 4 wraps of insulation tape. BITD, my ghetto tubeless held for more than a year this way and I blew the rim before I saw the insulation tape fail.

Those baggy Nobby Nics sound like a hospital visit waiting to happen, so new tyres would be on my radar. Not so cheap now.

I've not had any problems with Gorilla Tape new or otherwise. I put new tyres on my wife's fat bike the other month but also wanted to put some bling rim tape in there rather than black so I had to remove the two year old Gorilla Tape that was on top of that. Tape came off fine, a wipe down with a cloth to get rid of residual sealant then there were a few strips of the GT's adhesive to remove, about five minutes work to get the rim clean.

IME the trickiest part is the taping, the hardest part is the inflating.

Can't say I've had issues with renewing gorilla tape either.

Few sprays of IPA and any sticky residue is gone.

Kitten puke is way better than badger jizz.  Need a good few kitties though.

Duck tape is an alternative to gorilla.

Just cause them animals are small and cute, doesn't mean they don't seal tyres.