Some Tubeless Questions

My bike came with UST rims, but i have always run them with tubes in. Im looking into getting some tubeless tyres soon and the only ones that i can find at a decent price are Specialized 2Bliss (£25)

Does anyone know if these will pump up without sealant and seal the same as ‘normal’ UST tyres or do they need sealant round the edge, in which case i cant be arsed with the hassle.

I basically want to seal the tire and then add sealant through the valve core as puncture protection only.

I put the sealant in first (I use Stans) and then pump it up with a track pump. Rotate the wheel and you’l see all the sealant bleeding out.

After a few top ups with the track pump it should seal.

Goodbye punctures.

what you want to do is normal IME. some will seal punctures and some inevitably will seal the edges, both are good. you should always add sealant after the tyre has been seated and not before as it will stop the tyre sliding up onto the bead / shoulder. hence the recommendation to use soapy water.

UST tyres and rims are v easy and work well so go for it.

Yep i have used UST before but i can’t find any UST tyres for less than £40, which i can not justify paying.

Anyone One know any current deals on any all rounder xc tyres UST.

It is possible to run proper UST tyres on UST rims without sealant – the special UST bead is airtight without needing sealant (the advice up there is wrong), the cost of making the tighter tolerance special bead is one of the main reason dedicated UST tyres are more expensive.

However, UST tyres are heavier (although they do have airtight and toughr sidewalls). The most popular way of going tubeless, and my preference, is for a cheaper and lighter “normal” tyre with either a UST rim or a standard rim with rimstrip or sealing tape (depending on rim type) and a scoop of latex to get the puncture resistance referred to up there.

A UST tyre on a UST rim with latex is the most robust, but heaviest and most expensive way of achieving a tubeless setup

Whatever way you choose, the reduced rolling resistance and pinch-flat-proof-ness of the setup should see you smiling.

Hope that helps

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

robdeanhove – 2 points.

Specialized 2bliss are not UST. Like Bontrager TubeLessReady, they require sealant.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCTechPopup.jsp?pid=2bliss

Sealant in UST can be no bad thing, even I have managed to put a hole (several) in UST tyres.

Good point, I completely forgot about the third “middle” tyre with UST-esque beads (good for sealing, inflation and security) and light sidewalls, an excellent compromise design, in my pre-coffee brain haze.Coffee now consumed, normal brain service resumed!

I have even used some of these “tubeless ready” tyres myself: Bontrager do a similar tubeless ready range too, which I have had great success with with the use of sealant too.

Rob
bigrobracing.co.uk

As a point of interest

I put a Bonty 29-3 TLR tyre on a Crest rim about 6 weeks ago
I only put it on to let it get it’s shape whilst I was waiting for the rest of the bits for my new build

It’s still there, still inflated, no tube, no sealant

Pumping it up without sealant to check the tyre seats well can be a good idea through – particularly if you don’t like spraying sealant everywhere which might happen if you get it wrong first time.

But then add sealant – otherwise hawthorn hedges become walking zones.

Edit – Agreed Bonty TLR on Stans work well. Someone said someting about not licensing the UST tag for cost saving reasons.