'Cheap' tubeless conversion - succesfull!!

[NotSoBigBen]

Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh man  - so last night a flat (small sidewall cut .....) and no sealing.

 

Positive is that the BMX tube conversion part was fine but that OKO sealant stuff is too thick! Isn't able to get all over the tyre.

 

So I put in a tube and when I got home I removed the tube put the ghetto strip back. Then did the whole process again but with good ol' Joe's this time. Just as easy but the Joe's could get to the hole and sealed it.

 

[Azonic]

I've got a better, lighter, and even cheaper way of doing tubeless.

 

I've done it and it works. All you need is 1x old road tube and a roll of insulation tape. Cut the valve out but leave enough "meat" to both cover the valve hole in the rim, and allowing the tyre's bead to sit nicely. Tape all the spoke holes close with insulation tape, about 2-3 winds should be enough. Stick the valve through and use the needed locknut on the outside to really pull that b1tch down tight.

 

Seat the tyre's one bead, and almost the rest of the other bead allowing enough room to squirt your sealant in. Fit the remaining piece of bead. Get a lekker soapy mixture going and go to town on the tyre/beat area. Use a compressor to pump it up, if you got one.

 

So only weight loss is 2 "winds" of insulation tape around the spoke holes, and 1x old road tube, or any old presta valve with nice thick rubber at its base.

 

[NotSoBigBen]

Thanks mate! I think this sounds similar to the Thug's Heath Robinson he told me he did one time ..........

[Azonic]

Did it on my fiance's bike about 3 months ago. As with all tubeless there is air loss, but only now around 3 months has it become to soft to ride. In other words, pump it up once a week, and you'll never have problems.

[NC_lurker]

Well, I've ridden my Ghetto tubeless about 3 times so far, about 7hrs total time only. No issues, air pressure seems to have stayed constant since it was done almost 2wks ago.  Remember though, that I'm using UST tyres & Stans sealant inside.

[NotSoBigBen]

Hey lurker I'm sure the problem was the OKO .......... won't be using that again!

[NC_lurker]

Yup, sounds like it.

So why use Stans strips instead of this cheap option, why aren't more people going Ghetto tubeless?

[NotSoBigBen]

Lurker - I must say even re-using the ghetto strip was no problem, in fact easier cause it was shaped and cut the right size etc.! The ones I'm using do not have the removable core so I will just be looking out for those but will not buy another Joe's or Stan's strip that's for sure.

[NC_lurker]

Cool, lets see how long they last.

How frequently do you normally need to top up the Stans?

I assume as long as the bike is ridden every week or so, there's no worry of the sealant congealing in one spot?

[NotSoBigBen]

I check every so often (3-4 weeks) and top up where necessary. I often find that the one wheel is fine but the other needs some (guess that means that it's doing it's job). I just top up with 60ml then.

[NC_lurker]

How do you check? I assume if you can't hear any sloshing around in the wheel, then it needs a fill?

With removeable valves, I assume I just use a syringe & squirt some in with the valve at the bottom of the tyre?

[Azonic]

 

How do you check? I assume if you can't hear any sloshing around in the wheel' date=' then it needs a fill?

With removeable valves, I assume I just use a syringe & squirt some in with the valve at the bottom of the tyre?

[/quote']

 

Cause a puncture to fix a puncture? Hows the logic in that?

 

Either way, I don't think sealant is 'thin' enough to pass through a syringe.

 

 

 

[NotSoBigBen]

How do you check? I assume if you can't hear any sloshing around in the wheel' date=' then it needs a fill?

With removeable valves, I assume I just use a syringe & squirt some in with the valve at the bottom of the tyre?

[/quote']

 

Yip I do check by taking the wheel off and shaking it. You can definitely hear if there is still some in .........

 

A syringe (unless it's a beeeeg one!) not ideal but I use one of those small 150ml? Joe's bottles. The lid has a nice protrusion that fits quite nicely into the valve once you have removed the core. It's the one that comes with when you buy the full kit ........

[NotSoBigBen]

How do you check? I assume if you can't hear any sloshing around in the wheel' date=' then it needs a fill?

With removeable valves, I assume I just use a syringe & squirt some in with the valve at the bottom of the tyre?

[/quote']

Cause a puncture to fix a puncture? Hows the logic in that?

Either way, I don't think sealant is 'thin' enough to pass through a syringe.

 

I'm pretty sure he means a syringe without the needle! He's clever enough to have done the 'ghetto' conversion so knows how it works .........

[NC_lurker]

 

I'm pretty sure he means a syringe without the needle! He's clever enough to have done the 'ghetto' conversion so knows how it works .........

 

I'm so clever that I got my LBS to do the "Ghetto" conversion..

(Thanks for the vote of confidence BB!)

 

Yup, was talking about using one of those super big syringes (without a needle) to squirt into the valve (with core removed).

 

[Jules]

BB, I'm a little confused as to why you used a BMX tjoop? Why not an ordinary MTB one?