Tubeless maintenance

[daker13]

New at tubeless, and I'd appreciate a quick rundown on maintenance issues as the season goes on.

How much sealant to add, about how often, etc. (with the understanding that it's going to vary based on tires---mine are 30 mm Schwalbe G ones).

For example, some say to deflate the tire in order to check sealant--does anyone actually do this? Seems a lot easier to just squirt some more sealant in there.

[Cat3roadracer]

Deflate tire, remove valve core. Inject 2.5 ounces of Stans. Inflate. Ride.

Repeat next Spring.

[bigbill]

I shake the wheel and listen. If it's quiet, I add some more. Other than filling a tire completely up with sealant, it's hard to have too much. My gravel bike gets another shot every three months. On my road bike, I'll wear out the rear tire before I need to add more sealant, the front tire gets a shake.

[ptourkin]

Deflate tire, remove valve core. Inject 2.5 ounces of Stans. Inflate. Ride.

Repeat next Spring.

Do you really add 2.5 ounces to road tubeless tires that already have sealant in them?

[.RJ]

Add sealant every 3 months or so.

Annually, remove the tires, clean out/replace the valve core, clean/retape rims, check over tires for any holes that should be patched.

[weiwentg]

If I can add a side question: is it convenient to run one set of tubeless wheels but change tires between, say, gravel, road, and CX tires? Do you clean out the sealant in between tire changes?

[bigbill]

Additionally, for my 25mm road tires (1oz of Stan's), when I get a deepish cut in the tread that didn't leak, I'll fill it with Gorilla Glue.

Instead of patches on larger tires (35-38mm gravel kings), I'll smear the backside of the tire with Gorilla Glue and cover it with Gorilla Tape. You let it sit for a while for the glue to set up.

[unterhausen]

If I can add a side question: is it convenient to run one set of tubeless wheels but change tires between, say, gravel, road, and CX tires? Do you clean out the sealant in between tire changes?

I make sure the rim is clean where the tire seals. I wouldn't say it's convenient to swap tires, but not much different than swapping tubed tires.

I don't remember having a lot of sealant in any tires I have taken off, but I don't see anything wrong with putting it in the other tire. You are going to need to add sealant.

[nalax]

If I can add a side question: is it convenient to run one set of tubeless wheels but change tires between, say, gravel, road, and CX tires? Do you clean out the sealant in between tire changes?

I change tubeless tire more frequently than I should. It’s certainly possible. Is it convenient? YMMV... I spend more on sealant than I ever did on tubes.
I reuse sealant that’s a couple of weeks old, but not that 2-3 month old gunk.

[ColonelJLloyd]

For example, some say to deflate the tire in order to check sealant--does anyone actually do this? Seems a lot easier to just squirt some more sealant in there.

You can't add sealant without deflating the tire. You don't need to unseat the bead, if that's what you're referring to.

In time you will get a feel for your particular setup and where and how you ride and your own sealant scheme will develop.

You can check for sealant with a dipstick or shake the wheel and listen.

[Mark McM]

Add sealant every 3 months or so.

Annually, remove the tires, clean out/replace the valve core, clean/retape rims, check over tires for any holes that should be patched.

Wow, that seems like an awful lot of maintenance. I've been using standard wheels and tires with tubes, and I average about 1 or 2 flats a year (for about 4000 miles a year, on New England roads). That's amongst my 5 bikes and about 8 pairs of wheels. Repairing a flat on the road is a matter of replacing the tube and pumping the tire, so I spend about 10 minutes a year on flat tires. If I switched to tubeless tires and did all of the above maintenance on all my wheels, I'd be spending far more time (and money) maintaining my tires then I do now.

Maybe there are parts of the country where tubeless tires make sense, but they sure don't sound like they make sense for my situation.

[mcteague]

Wow, that seems like an awful lot of maintenance. I've been using standard wheels and tires with tubes, and I average about 1 or 2 flats a year (for about 4000 miles a year, on New England roads). That's amongst my 5 bikes and about 8 pairs of wheels. Repairing a flat on the road is a matter of replacing the tube and pumping the tire, so I spend about 10 minutes a year on flat tires. If I switched to tubeless tires and did all of the above maintenance on all my wheels, I'd be spending far more time (and money) maintaining my tires then I do now.

Maybe there are parts of the country where tubeless tires make sense, but they sure don't sound like they make sense for my situation.
This pretty much sums up my stance on road tubeless at this point.

Tim

[bigbill]

Wow, that seems like an awful lot of maintenance. I've been using standard wheels and tires with tubes, and I average about 1 or 2 flats a year (for about 4000 miles a year, on New England roads). That's amongst my 5 bikes and about 8 pairs of wheels. Repairing a flat on the road is a matter of replacing the tube and pumping the tire, so I spend about 10 minutes a year on flat tires. If I switched to tubeless tires and did all of the above maintenance on all my wheels, I'd be spending far more time (and money) maintaining my tires then I do now.

Maybe there are parts of the country where tubeless tires make sense, but they sure don't sound like they make sense for my situation.

Here in NE Texas, in the summer it's 1-2 flats a week and tubeless is the best way to go. Small pieces of wire from shredded truck tires are the culprit and tubeless handles it well. I was getting around 1000 miles from a rear road tire but they were light racing tires. I've got some Hutchinson training tires on now, hopefully I'll get a few thousand on those. When I replace a tire, I clean everything out and check the tape. I'll run a spoke through the stem to clean it out. I ride around 8000 miles a year, pretty much exclusively on tubeless, so I never really have tires that I'd want to remove just to check.

[.RJ]

Wow, that seems like an awful lot of maintenance.

Not really. Takes about 30 minutes.

I also strip the bikes down over the winter, clean the frame, threads, check bearings, and build back up with new cables/bar tape/etc. Its just another thing on the list. You can get by with less, for sure, if you are less inclined to work on your bikes.

[cyan]

As a related question, could someone explain what all these latest tubeless clinchers mean? Are they equivalent to being compatible with both tubeless and clincher setups?

[vqdriver]

i wonder if i need to add any to my tubeless mtb tires. haven't lost pressure or flatted once. but they have gone silent so i wonder....

[daker13]

You can't add sealant without deflating the tire. You don't need to unseat the bead, if that's what you're referring to.

In time you will get a feel for your particular setup and where and how you ride and your own sealant scheme will develop.

You can check for sealant with a dipstick or shake the wheel and listen.

I have a pump to add sealant through the valve. I guess the tire deflates when you remove the valve core? I haven't done it yet.

[veloduffer]

As a related question, could someone explain what all these latest tubeless clinchers mean? Are they equivalent to being compatible with both tubeless and clincher setups?



Yes, they are compatible for both. The main difference is the tire bead for tubeless is thicker and sidewalls are stiffer than non-tubeless. As a result, tubeless tires are generally a bit more difficult to mount but YMMV by rim and tire model.

I find you can add sealant once or twice a year.

Unless you ride in areas with lots of debris and thorns, tubeless isn’t very advantageous.


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[ColonelJLloyd]

Unless you ride in areas with lots of debris and thorns, tubeless isn’t very advantageous.

You mean only from a flat prevention perspective? Or do you mean for tires 28mm and narrower? A tubeless setup has advantages beyond riding in goat head country (which I have never done).

[veloduffer]

You mean only from a flat prevention perspective? Or do you mean for tires 28mm and narrower? A tubeless setup has advantageous beyond riding in goat head country (which I have never done).


Yes, flat prevention on the road. Tubeless is great for off-road — cyclocross, gravel, mtb — as you can use low pressure to match conditions.



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[bigbill]

Yes, flat prevention on the road. Tubeless is great for off-road — cyclocross, gravel, mtb — as you can use low pressure to match conditions.



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I ride 25mm tubeless on the road with 75/70# R/F and it's a great ride. And I'm a fat guy. The flat resistance is a bonus.

And I'll say it here, and not for the first time, I haven't had a flat on a ride since going tubeless last August.

[colker]

I ride 25mm tubeless on the road with 75/70# R/F and it's a great ride. And I'm a fat guy. The flat resistance is a bonus.

And I'll say it here, and not for the first time, I haven't had a flat on a ride since going tubeless last August.

In cactus land tubeless makes a night and day difference. I lived in the desert and could flat everyday. If i went back i would ride tubeless no doubt. Ride quality is a bonus.