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Going tubeless for the first time


MaxUmis

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Kay, so due to an incident with my previous wheelset, my Giant Thermo2 now has a XT wheelset :rolleyes:

The XTs are a tubeless wheelset, so no Ghetto setup here.

I've been running tubed since I got the wheelset 3 weeks ago, but yesterday after installing "continuous cabling" on my steed I decided that I'll run down to the shops and buy for myself some nice Stan's Sealant. (R180 after some negotiations for the small bottle at Cajees(I know, I know)).

 

So I get back home and get straight to work. I rip of my front wheel, "un-seat" the one bead, yank out the tube, install the XT valve, re-install the bead, brush some foamy Sunlight water over the open beam, pat-pat-pat and PUMP with my floor pump. Whalaah!!! The bead seats and there is bubbles all around the rim... But I got it to seat... "Shweet" I think to myself. So I "un-seat" the bottom portion of the wet bead, measure off 1 and 3/4 cups of Stan's into the tyre, re-seat, brush soapy solution, spin the wheel a bit so the Stan's can get to where it needs to be, pat-pat-pat and PUMP.

Just like before there's no issue with the Monorail's wire bead and it seats quickly. The Stan's is doing it's thing on the bead and after about a minute of pumping air stops escaping from the bead/seat BUT I cant get the tyre over a bar. So I discover a slice in the side wall and 2 slices in the thread. "MMMMmmm"... The Stan's can't cope with the slices and just shoots out... Okay... So I patch them with some patch and solution from the inside. (I have no idea if this will actually work for an extended period of time...)

I refill with 2 cups of Stan's and I get the tyre up to a bar. All good. Then I set the tyre onto it's sides as per the videos on the Stan's website (and youtube) while I start with the Crossmark at the back (also non UST).

 

I go through the motions with the Crossmark and every thing goes smoothly. I had to convince the bead to seat by patting the tyre while I pump. No need for a gym session after all that. Once the bead seated and 2 smaller holes in the thread stopped leaking air I returned to the Monorail.

 

I got 35PSI in it and spun it around and shaked it a bit every 2 or 3 minutes. Got the Crossmark up to 35PSI too and did the same.

So after about 30minutes, I install the wheels on the bike and go for a test loop around the complex. "Wow, what a difference". The ride is softer, more supple. The wheels feel light and the bike just wants to run!

 

So back in my garage I start to tidy up and wiping up the 1 and 3/4 cups of Stan's off the floor. I hear the neighbor and decide to go show her what I did. Herself being an experienced cyclist and all. As I roll out of my garage and make turn past another group of peeps a fountain of Stan's erupts from the Monorail. Children run closer to come and play in the fountain, one oke checks me like I've pimped my bike NFS underground style and the neighbor wants to know "en nou???".

Not cool... Investigation showed later that there was a massive cut where the fountain of Stan's escaped from.

 

So the reason for the post is this. I want to share a couple of notes about my experience with my fellow hubbers:

*. Wire bead tyres do seat on XT rims

*. You can use a floor pump, but you need to be fit

*. You can use non UST tyres

*. Remember to brush on the soapy solution, it acts like lubricant for the tyre beads to seat.

*. If you are going to use old tyres to run tubeless make sure they don't have massive cuts. Don't bother with a tyre that has a side wall cut.

*. Invest in some of those UST puncture plugs things and have them ready when you do your setup.

*. 4 cups of Stan's on the floor will make you want to cry a little.

 

The Monorail is tubed with a tyreliner again, but the Crossmark is holding steady at 35PSI. I'll ride it like that tonight and if you hear from me in the morning, that means I'm still alive.

In the meantime I have a UST monorail and Kenda Nevegal and a BIG bottle of Stan's on the way from CT (thanks CWC).

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I read that you can use silicone to try patch up minor cuts and chips in your tyre.

 

I know all to well that it is possible to pump with a foot pump, but you need about 40 pumps per tyre.

My first experience with XT wheels were put tire on and inflate. No issues. Then it went downhill when i tried other tubeless setups. Eventually used bombs for initial seating then could pump with foot pump.

 

Nice write up.

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i remember the fun of doing it the first time. i watched videos from the site to get my technique right. i was so nervous to begin with, it felt like i was being naughty.

 

it was a helluva big effort, but my pumping action was briefly furious to begin followed by a long sustained effort. i was sweaty and out of breath when i finaly got it done with a final surge.

 

when i was done i was so proud of myself. i felt like a man. but there was a bit of a mess on the kitchen floor.

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Presda to shroder valve adaptor - R 20 - LBS

Drive to garage with big-ass compressor - R 10

Usage of big-ass compressor - Free

Getting plenty of air to seat tubeless tyre - Priceless

 

If you dont have a mother-in-law us a foot pump for frustration, for everyone else there is a garage with a big-ass compressor!

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I read that you can use silicone to try patch up minor cuts and chips in your tyre.

 

I know all to well that it is possible to pump with a foot pump, but you need about 40 pumps per tyre.

My first experience with XT wheels were put tire on and inflate. No issues. Then it went downhill when i tried other tubeless setups. Eventually used bombs for initial seating then could pump with foot pump.

 

Nice write up.

 

Thanks N,

I don't feel like cleaning anymore sealant off my garage floor. That was painfull... But it'll be interesting to know if the silicone trick actually works...

 

i remember the fun of doing it the first time. i watched videos from the site to get my technique right. i was so nervous to begin with, it felt like i was being naughty.

 

it was a helluva big effort, but my pumping action was briefly furious to begin followed by a long sustained effort. i was sweaty and out of breath when i finaly got it done with a final surge.

 

when i was done i was so proud of myself. i felt like a man. but there was a bit of a mess on the kitchen floor.

 

hehehe, fo sho. :lol:

I did feel like finding a Black Label and flexing a muscle after the whole ordeal.

 

Presda to shroder valve adaptor - R 20 - LBS

Drive to garage with big-ass compressor - R 10

Usage of big-ass compressor - Free

Getting plenty of air to seat tubeless tyre - Priceless

 

If you dont have a mother-in-law us a foot pump for frustration, for everyone else there is a garage with a big-ass compressor!

:lol:

 

Just a little update;

I went out into the velt behind our complex now. Just for a little 10min dash to put the Crossmark through it's paces. Hit a couple of rocks and a couple of off-camber ruts and bunny hopped a couple of times and the Crossmark is still at 35PSI.

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The Crossmark held up beautifully on last night's 28km ride. However the Monorail did not survive. The tread "shifted" at the fountain tear... A bubble, for the lack of a better explanation.

 

I have to say that I climbed MUCH better that usual last night. A combination of lower tyre pressure and lighter tubeless setup at the back as well as riding with 32Gi for the first time.

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That bubble was caused by the stans delaminating your tyre. The ammonia got through the tear and basically ate through the bond between the rubbers.

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wow!! To put some humour into this I could just picture how u put the tire on...stans pouring out...the words coming of your mouth everytime u almost ready and then back to step one....HAHAH!!!

 

I use the UST Crossmark tires on my XT rims, and I use the UST tires on my girlfriends non-tubeless rims with tubes, works well and way easier to get on and off!

 

Why do you use sunlight tho?

 

I never used any form of soap, I just put the tire on the rim, left a space open for the sealant, clipped it in and pumped it up with a bomb...everything is perfect!

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I tried fiiting a Conti Speedking non-ust tyre on a Mavic Crossmax SLR. Even with a compressor I battled to seat it on the rim, and then the side-walls had the tiniest perforations. To my dismay the Joe's sealant I used made no impression on these little holes, in spite of lying the wheel on it side, spinning it etc. Overnight the wheel was flat.

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That bubble was caused by the stans delaminating your tyre. The ammonia got through the tear and basically ate through the bond between the rubbers.

 

mmm... You're not filling me with confidence or hope for the Crossmark at the back...

I've seen non-ammonia sealants being punted here and there. Are any of them any good?

But with my UST tyres and a big bottle of Stan's in the post I doubt I'll have issues again...

 

I'll do a postmortem on the Monorail and post some pics after the weekend...

 

 

wow!! To put some humour into this I could just picture how u put the tire on...stans pouring out...the words coming of your mouth everytime u almost ready and then back to step one....HAHAH!!!

 

I use the UST Crossmark tires on my XT rims, and I use the UST tires on my girlfriends non-tubeless rims with tubes, works well and way easier to get on and off!

 

Why do you use sunlight tho?

 

I never used any form of soap, I just put the tire on the rim, left a space open for the sealant, clipped it in and pumped it up with a bomb...everything is perfect!

:lol: Yeah there was a PG16 age restriction on language used...

 

According to the Stan's website the soapy water acts as a lubricant for the bead to move to it's seated position.

I didn't use a compressor or bomb, just a normal floor pump and some elbow grease.

 

I tried fiiting a Conti Speedking non-ust tyre on a Mavic Crossmax SLR. Even with a compressor I battled to seat it on the rim, and then the side-walls had the tiniest perforations. To my dismay the Joe's sealant I used made no impression on these little holes, in spite of lying the wheel on it side, spinning it etc. Overnight the wheel was flat.

 

Okay, some more notes on tubeless:

*. Maxxis Monorail wirebead non UST developed a strange thread shift bubble kinda thing after attempted tubeless setup and reverted back to tubed.

*. Conti Speedking non-ust not happening with Joe's. Side wall perforations were problematic.

 

we have a tiny knowledgeable base developing here :)

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  • 3 months later...

To add to the base of knowledge...

 

WTB Weirwolf 2.1 non-UST wire bead tyres sealed on the 1st attempt on WTB Speed Discs...

Will see how they perform after a couple rides...

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1.Some non-UST tires have an extremely thin sidewall and it will always be a problem to seal it properly. In my experience, the best sealant is Sludge Uni-seal [in the yellow bottle]. It is hard-core stuff and I have seen a tire where on of those long, white Karoo thorns has gone right through the tire and it remained hard. When we pulled it out after the race, a little air was lost, but not much.

 

2. If you want to prevent the sealant from forming little rubber/silicone balls in your tires, opt for the Sludge All Terrain. The balls are formed when the ammonia in the sealant is exposed to air. The All Terrain is ammonia free.

 

3. Remember to leave your wheels on the bike with the valve in the 12 'o clock position to stop the sealant from clogging-up the valve.

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