Answered Tubeless going flat

[jamied]

Hi,

I've just got my new bike and thought I'd convert it to tubeless but having a bit of trouble. I have raceface AR30 rims and maxxis minion dhf tyres. Both are tubeless ready. I took off the tyre and there was already tape covering the spoke holes (I assumed I didn't need to add more tape), added the valve and then stuck the sealant into the tyre. Once it was inflated it all looked good to start with but after a minute of so the tyre went flat, I pumped it up again and could head the air escaping but could not see any sealant coming out anywhere. After listening all around the tyre I fount that the air is actually escaping through 2 small holes in the rim and I assume the tyre seal is actually good.

Did I screw up and actually need to put tape over the top of the existing tape or is the rim tape that's on there not been applied properly. or has something else gone wrong?

Thanks

 

[Sijmes]

My tyres have been fine now, my last message was from 2 years ago and I've still got the same stans tape in place. No leaks at all.

Not sure which rims you have but the tape they come with may not be air tight, some have tape that is just there to stop the inner tubes getting snagged on any sharp bits. Mine were supposed to be tubeless ready but the tape that came on the rims was in no way air-tight.

I'd recommend using stans tape, don't put too much tension on it when applying, just enough to make it sit well and use a thumb to press it down in the middle as you go around, once in place go round with something hard and plastic to really push it down at the edges to stick it. Don't bother with gorilla tape, it's not air-tight, goes soggy at the edges onces you put the sealant in and is a total nightmare to clean off the adhesive if you mess it up.

Race Face AR30 rims, with breather holes. I just received my WTB tape so I'll have another go soon as. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Mabman]

Race Face AR30 rims, with breather holes. I just received my WTB tape so I'll have another go soon as. Thanks for your reply.

I have been using WTB tape since I discovered that Gorilla tape worked for awhile but eventually would turn mushy and fail leaving the rim a sticky mess. The hardest part with a stiffer tape like the WTB is getting it settled into the rim center. As mentioned it is important to get it up close to the bead but doing so can compromise getting it into the center leaving "bubbles" that if you try and press in too hard will tear the tape.

At this point I have gone to installing the tape and paying attention to keeping it centered between the beads under taught pressure and pressing it into the center as much as possible then making my small x incision at the valve hole, installing the tire with a tube and inflating it to a high psi and leaving it over night. The next day I pull the tube and re-install the undone bead, add sealant through the valve and inflate. The benefit I see from this is that it presses the tape down well and also you end up with one bead set and it is much easier to seat the other bead even with a hand pump.

 

[Sijmes]

I have been using WTB tape since I discovered that Gorilla tape worked for awhile but eventually would turn mushy and fail leaving the rim a sticky mess. The hardest part with a stiffer tape like the WTB is getting it settled into the rim center. As mentioned it is important to get it up close to the bead but doing so can compromise getting it into the center leaving "bubbles" that if you try and press in too hard will tear the tape.

At this point I have gone to installing the tape and paying attention to keeping it centered between the beads under taught pressure and pressing it into the center as much as possible then making my small x incision at the valve hole, installing the tire with a tube and inflating it to a high psi and leaving it over night. The next day I pull the tube and re-install the undone bead, add sealant through the valve and inflate. The benefit I see from this is that it presses the tape down well and also you end up with one bead set and it is much easier to seat the other bead even with a hand pump.

Hi, thanks for the tips.
The WTB tape that I bought was wide enough to fit the whole inside surface and two upturned sides of the rim. This made it a real pain to fit in a straight line. The tape has virtually no stretch and I almost gave up as I was convinced that the tape was too wide. After a lot of rubbing to get the tape seated into the corners, I then had to trim one side with a razorblade where I hadn't stayed true to the middle of the rim. I easily fitted the Maxxis gum walls, "the ones that everyone claims to hate" and easily popped the bead with a compressor. Convinced that it wasn't going to work I didn't bother with sealant. After checking for instant leakage, I left the wheel for a while but then forgot about it. Two hours later it was still hard. I then released the bead to add fluid on one side. This was easy to do because the tape seems to allow the rubber to slowly slide. IMHO this type of tyre isn't the most serious kit and I think on a hard downhill turn at very low pressure, this thing would burp and leave the rim but everything has exceeded my expectations up to now.

 

[galaga187]

I can definitely recommend Stans - been using it for a year or 2 now. Until recently, I was always used to pumping my tyres up every few days......until I used Gorilla tape!! Thoroughly cleaned the rim with alcohol, 25mm Gorilla tape seated nicely over the rim holes, then the correct size rim tape for your wheel over the top of that. Been nearly 4 weeks since I did that and not had to add any air in that time.
You also seem to go through a lot of sealant whilst sorting out your woes! Do you not re-use the old stuff? As long as its not been in the tyre for a few months its perfectly fine to scoop it all out with a large spoon or similar and go again.

Top tip from a Cardiff bike shop use a clean aerosol lid to scoop out the sealant if you plan to reuse and also use one of the stans portable bottles to refill it via removed valve core.

 

[siddolo]

My tyres have been fine now, my last message was from 2 years ago and I've still got the same stans tape in place. No leaks at all.

Not sure which rims you have but the tape they come with may not be air tight, some have tape that is just there to stop the inner tubes getting snagged on any sharp bits. Mine were supposed to be tubeless ready but the tape that came on the rims was in no way air-tight.

I'd recommend using stans tape, don't put too much tension on it when applying, just enough to make it sit well and use a thumb to press it down in the middle as you go around, once in place go round with something hard and plastic to really push it down at the edges to stick it. Don't bother with gorilla tape, it's not air-tight, goes soggy at the edges onces you put the sealant in and is a total nightmare to clean off the adhesive if you mess it up.

Hey man! Same rims as yours and I'm on the same boat. A lot of leaking. I taped it with gorilla 5 times and one time with Joe's no flats. No success.
Which Stans Tape did you use? 30mm or 33mm?

Thanks you very much!

 

[jamied]

Which Stans Tape did you use? 30mm or 33mm?

Thanks you very much!

Funnily enough I had my tyres off just a few days ago as I fitted some cushcores. I thought I'd fitted stans tape to both rims, but tuns out I only did one wheel, the other was still gorilla tape. The rim with stans tape was still fine and fitted the cushcore with ease. The rim with gorilla tape was a mess inside and the tyre pulled some of the edge of the tape up when removing it so I had to fit stans tape. Once cleaned up I fitted the stans tape (30mm width) and it worked perfectly first time. I even fitted the stans tape really badly compared to the other wheel, it wasn't smoothly pushed down into the dip at all and was all bumpy but held air straight away without any problems. I just ensure the edge of the tape is pushed down really well and that the rim is totally cleaned with IPA before starting to tape it.

Good luck with it!

 

[maker]

I had a 40mm rim and bike shop used 25mm tape, just went round twice so double thick over spoke holes. I also have sealant leaking out of side walls in tiny droplets which looks worrying but understand sealant only works if forced rapidly through a hole. I read Sand race sealant is much better than standard stuff