If going tubeless means not having to go through this, where do I sign up?

[kosmonooit]

I couldn't find the hole - otherwise i would have patched - didn't have a bucket of water handy - as the security guard suggested as I pushed my bike past him.

 

There is a technique to solve this quandary - pump up the tube and rotate it close to your ear, its possible you will hear the air jet from the hole. Then wet your finger with saliva and touch the sport to confirm the leak, it will become obvious what needs to be patched.

[Uni]

There is a technique to solve this quandary - pump up the tube and rotate it close to your ear, its possible you will hear the air jet from the hole. Then wet your finger with saliva and touch the sport to confirm the leak, it will become obvious what needs to be patched.

I tried the under the nose trick, tried listening, tried pouring water over the tube - nada.

 

here's a question though - with my "slimey" tubes - if i were to get a puncture - do i patch it the same way?

[kosmonooit]

Takes a bit of practice, comes with age I guess. Worked for me recently at Dirtmax, after my tubeless ran out of Stans and I rode over some thorns with one and only spare tube in place.

 

Theoretically you wont have to patch the slime tubes but if you do, the slime ain't working! you must make sure the surface is dry and prepared, the patch / glue wont work if 'slime' still bubbling out. Also you must run your fingers inside the tyre to try and locate the offending object if its still there, because it has to be removed. If not its going to go flat again.

[De Rosa]

Don't go tubeless. Unless you have a tubeless rim. I have never experienced so much frustration as I have since going tubeless. I've made that mistake twice of doing the conversion.

 

In the long run it works out more expensive.

Rather stick with tubes.

 

Oh and another thing.., what the guys running tubeless don't tell you is they still carry tubes.

[mazambaan]

Since encountering the "devil thorns" and 'paper thorns" that gave multiple punctures in the good old days of ride wherever you like, I ran slimed tubes and liners for a long time with about as many punctures as with the tubeless I've run for 4 or 5 years now. Both have their weak points. Tubes must be pumped a little harder and the liners can chafe and cause punctures. But you can run just about any tyre and rim and changes are quick and easy; no seating issues.

 

A puncture in a tubeless can be a bugger to fix with plugs and fitting a tube can leave you vulnerable. I've always been cautious of using a plugged tyre for races so that blows R450 whereas a new tube is much cheaper. I have to be careful when pumping a tubeless tyre not to disturb the valve seal. Ja, break this just putting a few more squeezes of air into your tyre 10 minutes before the start of a rocky race can bugger up your day. Of course seating a new tyre needs good technique and maybe a compressor. Some new tyres leak.

 

Look after your spare tube; powder and in an old sock or something. Change it every year or so (if you haven't punctured).

[Capricorn]

Rather stick with tubes.

 

Oh and another thing.., what the guys running tubeless don't tell you is they still carry tubes.

 

Uni was already advised to consider a tubeless rim going forward. But a good point you've reminded me to remind the OP of: seating the bead will require large volumes of air. So either a floor standing pump with sufficient volume will be required, or an air compressor. It's the one downside I've failed to mention, and is very worthy of being mentioned.

 

However, that generalisation about not being told that all tubeless folks are still carrying tubes is utter garbage. Such contextless rubbish is misguiding at best.

 

If you are a weight weenie riding paper thin tyres in tubeless configuration, then yes, you have to carry a tube. Others who dont have qualms increasing leg strength instead, and going with a more robust tyre with decent sidewall protection, they dont need to carry tubes. been riding tubeless for a few years now, and I still haven't had the need for a tube. Granted, i aint a marathon maniac going 100kms out where ever. In that case, it would behoove a rider, irrespective of whether they have robust tyres or riding inflated paper, to carry sufficient spares to see themselves home.

Context, without it, a ramble is tantamount to bull****, and yes, it annoys the crap outta me.

[kosmonooit]

Simple, effective and cheap solution here would be tyre liners (as I suggested earlier) personally I haven't had much luck with slimed tubes.

 

And as has been said, tubeless is great when it works, but problems when they do happen can be quite a problem, and yes, do pack an emergency tube, and a puncture kit as well.

[Jewbacca]

I suppose we could do a classic look see.... It seems to happen a lot on this website and used as 'obvious' and 'must be right' evidence but, umm..... Look at the Pro's and see how many of them are running tubes.....

 

Unfortunately people are correct. There is no fool proof way of running wheels. We all get flats no matter how we have our wheels set up. Tubeless is better. There is no doubt. But it is not invincible. Carry a tube, yes, for an emergency. That tube is the space blanket you are forced to carry on a trail run and that jersey you take with you when you climb the mountain on a clear day...

 

Your LBS will let you borrow their compressor for free (if they don't find a new LBS) and once you have the tyre seated and set you shouldn't have to take it off foe a while.

 

Good luck!

[MuddyMike]

My observations on tubeless.....

 

There is a risk to convert a non ust rim even with a UST tyre due to the fact that the profile of the rim is not designed to hold a UST tyre at lower pressures, hence the risk of burping your tyre. I have done these conversions with success but run the tyres at at least 2.0 bar to lower the risk of burping. The other downside to this type of conversion is that if you do unseat your tyre out on the trail you have a close to ZERO chance of reseating the tyre no matter how many bombs you have with you, which means it will be tube time for you.

 

I cannot recommend a proper UST wheels and tyres enough. It does what its designed to do. Be tubeless without the hassle. The very best setup I have ever had is my current ZTR Crests with Maxxis ICON tyres. The tyres go on to the rim snugly, but not too tight, one tyres lever is suffiecient to get the tyre on and it can be fully seated by using a hand pump. Simple doesnt even describe the process. I can run this setup at 1.6 bar and never fear a burpie.

 

13,000km in 2 years and not a single puncture is bliss.

Edited August 29, 2013 by MuddyMike

[MuddyMike]

Don't go tubeless. Unless you have a tubeless rim. I have never experienced so much frustration as I have since going tubeless. I've made that mistake twice of doing the conversion.

 

In the long run it works out more expensive.

Rather stick with tubes.

 

Oh and another thing.., what the guys running tubeless don't tell you is they still carry tubes.

 

The only reason tubeless guys carry tubes is for large sidewall cuts which sealent cannot seal. Then you require a tube. I have never needed a tube because I use proper UST tyres which are designed with tougher sidewalls. I could never be so angry with myself as to try converting non UST rims with Non UST tyres......

Edited August 29, 2013 by MuddyMike

[dirtrider]

Very interesting reading . After running toobless on various non-tubeless rims and tyres without to much problems , I thought maybe its because on the smaller 26" it would work better . But been running tubeless Kenda's on cheap 29" non-tubeless rims for over a year now and although I had a few puntcures already I am yet to remove a tyre from the rims . Am I riding to slow or should I get off Klapperkop and hit the tar to get proper punctures ?

 

All my tubeless conversion , does not matter tyre/rim combination has been normal insulation tape and a old tube valve . The Stans or Joe rim strips are rubbish .

[scotty]

Been a while since Oliver appeared

[Uni]

seating the bead will require large volumes of air.

Capricorn, pardon my 'french" - but dafaq? I'm starting to feel like I'm drowning in sealant hahaa.

My one wheel is currently at Summit where they are putting tape and tube with sealent in for me. my other wheel is on my back seat waiting to go there. This is option one for me to get my bike ready for the weekend.

 

when i get my upgrade - i will consider the tubeless option.

my immediate concern is what happens if i get a puncture now?

 

can i remove the tube with sealant and replace with one without?

it sounds like a mess trying to patch one of these

where must the valve be when I pump up the tyres - I image basic physics - liquid + gravity + valve must be at the bottom (facing up)

should i be buying a book?

[Skylark]

I've fixed holes in tubes with sealant in them, just squeeze all the sealant away from the repair area, wipe the hole to be repaired with a wet rag to clear any residual sealant, dry, then fit patch like normal. Same is done on the inside of tyres run tubeless if they get a bigger hole, just fit a patch from a tube repair kit on the inside to cover the hole.

Edited August 29, 2013 by Skylark

[BarHugger]

Now this is a bigger monster of note. Most probably picked it up last weekend at Sondela and only became aware of it now while servicing bike for tomorrow's race. Tyre maintained pressure throughout the whole week.

 

Anti-puncture protocol sorted and ready to go!

[Capricorn]

Capricorn, pardon my 'french" - but dafaq? I'm starting to feel like I'm drowning in sealant hahaa.

My one wheel is currently at Summit where they are putting tape and tube with sealent in for me. my other wheel is on my back seat waiting to go there. This is option one for me to get my bike ready for the weekend.

 

when i get my upgrade - i will consider the tubeless option.

my immediate concern is what happens if i get a puncture now?

 

can i remove the tube with sealant and replace with one without?

it sounds like a mess trying to patch one of these

where must the valve be when I pump up the tyres - I image basic physics - liquid + gravity + valve must be at the bottom (facing up)

should i be buying a book?

 

J'adore ton francaise! Cela chauf mon coeur!

 

apologies for the nearly 2month delay in replying But skylark covered it nicely for you. But if you out in the boondocks, its simply more practical to just swop out the busted tube and replace with another. Since that replacement tube will be a spare, you'll save some weight and carry tubes with sealant. We've allmost all done that bit of Macguvering at some point, even the tubeless guys (sidewall gashes dont heal no matter how much sealant you throw at it).