So I had a flat yesterday

[hartmmike]

No big deal except I was about 1/2 mile away from Stan's Notubes facility in Big Flats NY (a great location considering the product) and got thinking about tubeless tires. Specifically about filling and eventually replacing the tires. How messy is it? I picture trying to feed a cranky toddler strained peas.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by hartmmike

No big deal except I was about 1/2 mile away from Stan's Notubes facility in Big Flats NY (a great location considering the product) and got thinking about tubeless tires. Specifically about filling and eventually replacing the tires. How messy is it? I picture trying to feed a cranky toddler strained peas.

Put sealant in your tubes...I have done that for a long time in tubulars and it works..just 3 rides ago I felt like the rear had gone down a bit in PSI..stopped and sure enough, a bit of sealant(Orange Seal) out a wee hole, but sealed hole..pumped up tire and finished ride...and then 2 more rides..no need to air tires(Vittoria Corsa Elite in front, Rubino tubie in rear)...

[Tony T]

Does this only work with tubulars, or can I use orange seal in the tubes for my clinchers?

[Mikej]

Tube may need a removable valve core.

[BRad704]

Originally Posted by Tony T

Does this only work with tubulars, or can I use orange seal in the tubes for my clinchers?

I would do it in a clincher before I'd do it on a tubular. Clincher tubes are cheap and replaceable if the sealant dries up. Tubulars aren't going to let you remove dried sealant.

And it worked fine for me for an entire CX season (sealant in tubes).


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[Black Dog]

If the sealant dries up is there a solvent that can be added to reactivate it?

[mtechnica]

I’ve had mixed results with sealant in clinchers. A few times it definitely worked. The last time however it didn’t seal and made a huge mess inside the tire, the tube was impossible to patch because it was coated in sealant, and when I put in my spare tube it flatted soon after due to crap that didn’t flat the old tube because the sealant sealed it, and even though I checked for stuff I didn’t find it as I put in the new tube because it was buried into the tread.

[Rekalcitrant]

I run tubeless exclusively for CX and gravel and on rough roads when I’m riding wheels with shallow hookless beads that are only rated for relatively low psi. In spite of being that much of a convert I question the value of tubeless for all-purpose road use. At higher pressures a puncture doesn’t need to be very big for sealant to fail to seal it. Plugs work ok, but don’t feel like a permanent solution, and tubeless makes dealing with a flat on the side of the road much more of a nightmare when it happens, which it does. Fixing a flat is messy, and if you flat a second time and want to repair the tube you stuck in after the first one it’s really no fun. So unless there is some special reason for going tubeless I’d rather just plan on replacing a few extra tubes on the side of the road, which I bet most of us can do in a few minutes. Just my 2 cents.

[R3awak3n]

Putting a tube in a tubeless tire that got a whole and did not seal is indeed a messy job. There is probably sealant everywhere already since it sprayed through the whole it was trying to sea lol. Also depends on how much sealant is still in the tire. It will be a bit messy, to get the rest of the sealant out to put the tube in.

Now a days you can try to plug the tire before putting a tube. Works very well and tube will be the last resort and at least it is an option to get you home so I am ok getting a little dirty.

[buddybikes]

On the road, why? Takes like 3 minutes to put new tube in. If you have a tack/thorn you should remove anyway.

How much weight and handling issues does sealant impact?

[kppolich]

If you make a mess setting up your road tires tubeless it is because:
1.) Your tires and or rims are not tubeless ready

2.) You didn't watch the 1000 YouTube videos that exist and show you exactly how to do it. Test fit tires, tape, valve cores WITHOUT sealant and let them sit for a day to check your seal. If you are not losing air, add sealant and ride. If you lost a ton of air overnight, check your tape, valves and tire seating before progressing to adding sealant.

3.) You used an air compressor and now you have sealant all over your living room.

Tubeless road is not difficult to setup. If your constantly getting flats with tubes, look into it as they have come a long, long way. More time riding and less time on the side of the road replacing/patching tubes without any sacrifice in speed or comfort. Perhaps $10-$20 more expensive due to buying some valve cores and tape, but worth it IMO.

[mktng]

i use cafelatex in my tub's and latex tubes w/ clinchers.
works well.

carrying sealant is no more painful than carrying a tube tire levers.

in regards to making a mess. you ...i....make the mistake once and you learn what not do to.

[mktng]

Originally Posted by Mikej

Tube may need a removable valve core.

you can inject into a non removeable valve stem. but you run the risk of gunking it up over time.

[Lewis Moon]

I just switched to tubeless on my cross wheels. After some fits and starts it's working very well. 700x37 tires on hooked rims at 35-40 psi. They handle very well. Haven't gone through the first sealant change yet and have yet to have a "flat" (that I know of). I need to buy a plugger...

Yesterday, I found a goathead in the front tire at a stoplight and then had to change it about 1/2 mile later...and then air it up again because, for some reason, the spare had a slow leak...I really did go over the tire to look for other stickers.
I ended up riding the last two miles hanging off the back of the saddle to keep pressure off the steadily deflating front tire.
Goatheads, wires from tire blow outs, cactus thorns... are all things that tubeless will take care of. I may switch to road tubeless or sealant in tubes for my street wheels.

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by mktng

i use cafelatex in my tub's and latex tubes w/ clinchers.
works well.

carrying sealant is no more painful than carrying a tube tire levers.

in regards to making a mess. you ...i....make the mistake once and you learn what not do to.

This. I've seen some ugly problems with tubeless, but the technology and knowledge base are catching up to them.