tubeless on 2018 Turbo Levo?

[eboy]

Anyone gone tubeless on the 2018 Turbo Levo? Wheels are 27.5" x 2.8"... I have the carbon S works so not sure whether the carbon rims affect the decision. Not sure if I need special rim tape or whether the rim is pre-ready to go for tubeless? Any tips if you've done it? THX!

 

[steve_sordy]

It really doesn't natter whether its a 2018 Turbo Levo, or even a bike of any kind and year. The tyres can be converted to tubeless easily enough.

Check your spec, if it says the bike was tubeless ready, in theory you shouldn't have to do anything except remove the inner tube and then follow the tubeless instructions to be found all over the internet. But what I would do if I was you, is to remove the rim tape and throw it in the bin! I'm not having a go at Speccy here, I'm just assuming that there is a high chance that rim tape on brand new bikes is crap. Every new bike I've bought has had faulty rim tape. Even if it doesn't say "tubeless ready", you can still convert to tubeless as long as you use a latex sealant.

So remove the rim tape and bin it. Replace it with two layers of Gorilla tape. I use the 25mm wide version with the black woven finish. (Because it looks like carbon fibre! ) Your internal rim width will most likely be wider than the tape. So put one stripe down the left and one down the right, making sure that each strip overlaps by about 4", centred on the valve hole. Run your fingers over the tape to make sure that it is pressed well down. Pierce the layers of tape from above and on through the valve hole. Use a bradawl or a sharp nail, anything really. Then widen it out with anything smooth and tapered to press the layers well down. Then tap in the valve and screw on the keeper ring from the other side, nice and tight.

Then put the tyre on, leaving 3"-4" undone on one side, add your sealant of choice, push the rest of the tyre bead into place and inflate. Best results with inflation are with a high volume compressor; or a a specialist tubeless inflator, like an Airshot. If you have a good seal already between tyre and rim, then you may succeed with a track pump - but I never have. I have an Airshot and I thank the day I bought one every time I use it. It works first time every time (unless the rim tape is faulty). Pump up the tyre to at least 50psi until it has "banged" a few times. That will be the bead slipping into place. Check the train tracks and you should be good to go!

Occasionally, the tyre won't hold pressure overnight. I'm talking only losing 3- 5 psi, not complete deflation. That just means that the tyre carcass hasn't sealed. Pump up the tyre to at least 40 psi and give it a good shake. Left-right, back-forth. Flip and repeat. Then stand the wheel horizontally on a bucket for 30 mins or so. Then do the shake and flip thing and put the wheel the other way up on the bucket and leave for 30 mins or so. Then it will be sealed!

Even if you get the overnight leak down to less than 3psi, then if you go for a ride you should find that the problem fixes itself as the sealant gets everywhere inside the tyre penetrating and sealing any holes.

 

[ccrdave]

In my experience rim tape on spesh wheels is very good. I have set them up tubeless on spesh bikes since 2015 and they have been very easy, they usually even include the valves when you buy a new bike

 

[CjP]

+2 on the spesh tape. I’ve done 3 sets of tires on the factory tape and sealed perfect every time. I only lose 1 or 2 psi as most over a week.

 

[DanDilla]

You can give the factory tape a try, mine did For once Tire, but after a tire change i Had To replace It. Looked good but I was not able to seal Again.
Also the tape looked like it had stretched a lot in the Spoke holes, other tapes don’t do that and are not as thick.

i used the wtb tape, was the only one available in 40mm, fits perfect in the 38mm inner width rims of the 18 Levo!
second pair of tires on the wtb tape now, 1 layer, just double over the 2 spoke holes Next to the valve

 

[MarkH]

I did my 2018 Levo using the stock rim tape - no problems at all