Mountain tubeless

[bobswire]

Two simple to the point questions.

Can you convert any mountain wheelset to tubeless using Stans?

Can you use any mountain tire for tubeless?

If yes then I'll give it a try but if it requires special wheels and tires I'll probably forgo the experiment.

I know I can look this stuff up but I'll ask here first.

Thanks,
Bob

[Acotts]

YOu need tubeless tires. Many, many MTB tires are tubeless already.

Some rims work better than others.

[rugbysecondrow]

I have been thinking about this also. Is there a certain type of riding that is better for tubeless? I was thinking technical might be good for tubeless because of the lower pressure, better grabbing and control of the tire, but with XC would it matter?

Thanks, very timely.

[HMBAtrail]

Long story short: yes and no. You can use the Stans strip on any wheelset and you can use any tire (tubeless or non-tubeless). But, some non-tubeless tires seal up better than others and certain wheel/tire combos can be problematic.

When you use non-tubeless you will see all the little pinholes in the sidewall with sealant squirting out of them. As you swirl the sealant around those pinholes will seal up and you are fine. The issue can arise with the bead having difficulty sealing on the rim and they can leak down overnight (or even mid-ride). Use a bit of dish liquid and look for bubbles and then swirl the sealant in those areas and try and get them to seal up.

I have been using Kenda Karmas with Stans for a few years now and no problems. The Pacenti Neo-Motos I have not been able to get to play nice with the Industry 9 wheelset I have. So, results will vary.

[HMBAtrail]

The perceived benefit in XC racing is that the wheelset with the Stans will be lighter than a standard tube/tire combo but the differences are subtle. Running lower pressure without the concern of pinch flatting as well as immediate sealing from thorns and such are the bigger benefits.

[fjaws]

Unlike road, you don't HAVE to use tubeless specific tires. I use standard Schwalbe tires (as opposed to the tubeless specific) set up tubeless on three different bikes and haven't had any problems.

The tires that are tubeless specific are a bit easier to get to seal generally, but you can use whatever tire you like. If you're going to use non tubless tires on rims that aren't tubeless ready, I would highly recommend shelling out for the Stan's rim strips. They make sealing the tires much easier and prevent burping air if you run low pressures.

[benb]

I love Stan's (even though it is an extra step of maintenance that I find a PITA) but I couldn't get myself to try it on non tubeless rims and/or tires.

I use it with rims & tires that are designed to work together without tubes and with or without sealant.

I know a lot of people make it work, but you've got rim manufacturers and tire manufacturers who say it's not safe and you shouldn't do it, and you've got Stan on the other side selling his products and saying it's a great idea.

One blow out & crash would make it all not worth it to me. It could work for years for me and then that one incident would make it all not worth it.

It's not about whether or not they seal.. it's about whether or not they're going to safely stay on the rim in all conditions & riding scenarios.

[bigreen505]

Two simple to the point questions.

Can you convert any mountain wheelset to tubeless using Stans?

Can you use any mountain tire for tubeless?

If yes then I'll give it a try but if it requires special wheels and tires I'll probably forgo the experiment.

I know I can look this stuff up but I'll ask here first.

Thanks,
Bob

Tires:
http://www.notubes.com/support_tire.php

Rims:
http://www.notubes.com/support_selecting.php

Most rims will work ok (see above). Really you are better off using a tire that is designed to be run tubeless with sealant (TLR, LUST, etc.). True UST tires tend to be unnecessarily heavy and regular tubed tires can be a bit iffy. Searching in the Stans forum and the mtbr forum.

[Jack Brunk]

I use both and haven't had any tire problems with tubeless or tubed. I've found the key to the tube side is to find your sweet spot pressure wise. I run 28-30 psi on my edge wheels and so far over two tire changes have had no flats.

[bobswire]

Thanks for quick replies and links. :beer: