Tubeless - Whats required?

[G-Bru]

Hi Guys

The Spectral ON: 7 is specced with a pair of DT Swiss H1700 Tubeless ready wheels. I have already ordered a bottle of Stans Race sealant, but was wondering if I also need to get valves?

Thanks in advance.

G.

 

[softtailcruiser]

Yes. Unless they came with the bike in one of thw boxes. I had a Levo recently and all i beeded was the gunk. There’s some great youtube content around, too.

 

[Slowroller]

It's very convenient to have or DIY an injector to squirt the sealant in through the valve stem, when first installing and also when adding more later in the season. Which you should, since it does dry up over time.

I prefer Orange Seal myself, and their small bottle comes with a tube just for that. I kept the bottle and use it instead.

Regular Sealant w/inj System | Orange Seal

I've gotten in the habit of keeping valve cores from my used road tubes before I toss them, the cores in your tubeless valves will get gunked up eventually and it's easier to replace them, than clean them.

 

[G-Bru]

Cheers for the responses guys. Valves ordered.

G

 

[-W-]

Yep, you need the tubeless valves (they are not included with the bike). Otherwisr those H1700 wheels are good to go.

 

[steve_sordy]

Twice now I have had a brand new bike with wheels that were supposed to be tubeless ready. In both cases, the rim tape on one wheel was faulty and leaked sealant into the rim. It was only when the sealant was oozing from the rim vent hole that I suspected why I was having no luck maintaining pressure.
The first time it took me until I saw the sealant leaking. The second time I was quicker on the uptake. The first time, the dealer was nearby, so I let them sort it out. The second time the dealer was a 2.5 hour round trip away, so it was quicker and cheaper for me to remove the faulty rim tape and throw it away. I used two runs of Gorilla Tape to seal the rim bed. Worked first time and has stayed up for a few weeks now (other one has been up a few years).

Obviously clean the rim very well and then clean it again with iso-propyl alcohol (IPA), I suppose meths would do. Because the rims are 30mm internal width, wider than the Gorilla Tape, I put each strip to one side to ensure that the rim bed was filled. One of my LBSs uses Gorilla Tape, it was them that put me on to it.

 

[bikerider007]

By gorilla tape do you mean duct(duck) tape?

 

[khorn]

Basically yes but the 1” wide version , not the usual 2”.

Karsten

 

[steve_sordy]

That's the stuff!

It comes in all sorts of colours, but get the black stuff with the woven finish.
Why? because it looks like carbon fibre and looks fantastic when its on!

OK, nobody but you will see it, but you know it's there!

 

[StevenM]

What do you need

An air compressor or high volume pump.

Otherwise you will have a shit time trying to pop the bead in.

 

[G-Bru]

Yup, air compressor at the ready!

 

[steve_sordy]

It needs to be a high volume low pressure thing, not the other way around. Or it has to have a reservoir big enough to inflate the tyre, all by itself.

Early on in my tubeless journey, I was struggling with a one particular tyre as my car-type foot pump was making no impact. I tried the tyre pump at a nearby garage on the A1 (major trunk road in the UK). Despite supposedly being suitable for truck tyres it also failed. I drove to my LBS and with their compressor, the tyre exploded onto the rim! Only then did the compressor come on to re-pressurise the reservoir.
So I bought myself an Airshot and now my tyres explode onto the rim!
Airshot Tyre Inflator

At the time, they were first on the market, and they were £60! But they have competition now and they are £46

 

[Frankieboy]

I’m thinking of going tubeless, my wheels / tyres are tubeless ready, so I guess I’ll need to buy valves and sealant (possibly a roll of gorilla tape). On the basis that I’m looking for a reliable and robust option, can anyone recommend valves and sealant?

Thanks in advance, Frank

 

[Eeh (bah gum) biker]

Stans sealant and valves - I was having thorn punctures almost every ride .Since going tubeless several months ago I have never looked back .

 

[steve_sordy]

I use whatever tubeless valves are the right length and cheap at the time I need them.

I have used all sorts of sealants and I have different recommendations depending upon the tyre you are using. If the tyre is a proper tubeless tyre, then I use a non-latex sealant (like Slime tubeless premium sealant for ex) because they do not go "off". You only need top up any losses that may occur through punctures or the occasional tyre burp.

If the tyre is a normal tyre then the sidewalls will be porous and a latex sealant is best for that without a doubt, in my opinion. Which latex sealant? No strong recco. I use the Continental Revo sealant because I have Conti tyres on my clockwork bike and it was perfectly fine. I have no idea what type of latex sealant the shop used in my emtb tyres at the start, but when I replaced them I saved the old latex and topped it up with some Conti Revo. I have had no problems. All latex sealants go off after a while, 3 to 6 months is typical. It is then useless and needs replacing. Sometimes you might find a 3-D starfish made of coagulated sealant rumbling around inside your tyres.

 

[steve_sordy]

By gorilla tape do you mean duct(duck) tape?

Nope, duct tape is different. I would not trust it to be airtight. I would only use it if I had no alternative (as in, not even a tube to use temporarily).

 

[adambcvg]

I've used Stan's sealant and valves in my habit for about a year. Valves didn't seat that well initially, but do now. Run HR2s and a Shorty all tubeless ready and I have seepage out of one sidewall on one tyre (a known issue with some HR2).

Found I preferred the way the bike turned into corners but probably due to lower pressure rather than weight. No punctures yet although I've had a few rooty burps (ooer missus). Will run the spectral tubeless, although two different wheel sizes are a pain, unless you can stretch a 27.5 into a 29 or vice versa?

 

[Frankieboy]

Thanks for the advice guys. Gone for Slime premium, which came in a kit with valves, Gorilla tape etc., as my tyres are tubeless ready and this sounds like a lower maintenance option compared with latex. Hope to get them converted this weekend.

Thanks again, Frank

 

[Akiwi]

I went tubeless last year too. My Cube Tubeless Ready wheels just had removeable rim tape that didn't seal at all. So I'm not sure what Tubeless Ready realy means.
I got some DTSwiss rim tape which is nice and thin and seals perfectly. Is also easy to apply.
As Gunk I am trying the Finnish line stuff which apparently doesn't dry up. No latex in it. No Idea if it works, as I have no idea if I have had a puncture since going Tubeless.

I recommend doing a dry run before you put your Gunk in. I did, and discovered my Rims were not sealing. Saved me wasting a load of Gunk.
Also see if you can put the tyres on, seat them , then let the air out and add your sealant through the valve stem. To help make the tyres slip into place and seal, use a bit of soapy water.

Anyway, all that stuff is in the videos. Good luck, and hope it goes as smoothly as it went for me.

 

[steve_sordy]

I went tubeless last year too. ............. I am trying the Finnish line stuff which apparently doesn't dry up. No latex in it. No Idea if it works, as I have no idea if I have had a puncture since going Tubeless.

..................

You have no idea how many punctures you have had unless you look for damp spots on the tyre before you ride (and they might not even be there if the puncture is small). But the absence of damp spots does not signify the absence of punctures.

I once had over two dozen damp spots on each tyre, yet no flat tyres.

 

[Akiwi]

You have no idea how many punctures you have had unless you look for damp spots on the tyre before you ride (and they might not even be there if the puncture is small). But the absence of damp spots does not signify the absence of punctures.

I once had over two dozen damp spots on each tyre, yet no flat tyres.

Haha "Damp spots" Beavis and Butthead laugh.
Sorry my 57 Physical age, but 15 mental age getting in my way there.

 

[adambcvg]

The Stan's valves don't seat in the Alexrims on my spectral, it turns out. Right bloody mess!

Also the rim tape (schwalbe high pressure stuff) wasn't stuck on from the factory. I now think that's the issue rather than the valves.

 

[vadII]

The Stan's valves don't seat in the Alexrims on my spectral, it turns out. Right bloody mess!

Did you fix this issue? I'm looking for valves that will fit on Alexrims

 

[adambcvg]

Did you fix this issue? I'm looking for valves that will fit on Alexrims

Yes I'm using muc-off 40mm ones with their sealant. Also had to use gorilla tape.

Leaks on the front from the rim joints, rear was fine (needed soapy water to seat). All sorted and holding air fine after the usual shaking them.

 

[eztiger]

Yes I'm using muc-off 40mm ones with their sealant. Also had to use gorilla tape.

Leaks on the front from the rim joints, rear was fine (needed soapy water to seat). All sorted and holding air fine after the usual shaking them.

Wish I read this yesterday! I tried to convert my new Spectraln 6 2019 yesterday and failed on the front tire due to leaks between the rim joints, obviously not tubeless ready.
Sounds like I need rim tape and different valves!

 

[steve_sordy]

I always wrap three turns of ptfe tape around the valve before tapping it in to the valve hole in the rim (use a soft hammer). That will plug the largest gaps, the sealant will sort the rest out, if any.

As for rim tape, I use Gorilla tape. You should be able to do four wheels with one reel of tape. Remove the old rim tape and clean up the rim with either iso-propyl alcohol or brake cleaner (same thing, I think). Apply two layers of Gorilla tape. Two is required to prevent the air pressure from bowing the tape into the holes where the spokes are. The resulting depression can sometime stop the tyre from inflating if the beads sit over the depressions. If your internal rim width is wider than the Gorilla tape, put one layer to the left and the second to the right. The overlap will cover the spoke holes.

Nobody but you will ever see the Gorilla tape, but I always choose the black tape with a woven textile finish. I think it looks like carbon fibre!

 

[vadII]

You are definitely need a rim tape and tubeless valves. Stock rim tape is for tube protection only. Even with Gorilla tape (one wrap turn) I had one small leak between the rim joint on my Alexrims. The sealant fixed it in few minutes of riding. No issues after that

Wish I read this yesterday! I tried to convert my new Spectraln 6 2019 yesterday and failed on the front tire due to leaks between the rim joints, obviously not tubeless ready.
Sounds like I need rim tape and different valves!

 

[eztiger]

Thanks Guys, I just ordered the 1 inch gorilla tape and new valves. Do you cover the whole of the rim width with the tape considering that the rim joints leak?

 

[SwissDH]

Thanks Guys, I just ordered the 1 inch gorilla tape and new valves. Do you cover the whole of the rim width with the tape considering that the rim joints leak?

Yup, the tape should be the full width of the rim. Some people like using tape that is 1mm or so wider than the rim internal width, so that it goes slightly up the rim wall, reducing the chance of catching it with a tyre lever (if you ever plan on using levers).
Good practice is to go 3 times around the rim with the tape (though some consider this overkill), starting a few inches before the valve hole, and ending a few inches past it. So where the valve goes through the rim, the tape will be 4 layers thick, helping seal the valve stem.

When putting the valve in, make a small hole in the tape with a sharp point, then push the valve through that small hole, and then the valve should / may seal better.

 

[Akiwi]

Yup, the tape should be the full width of the rim. Some people like using tape that is 1mm or so wider than the rim internal width, so that it goes slightly up the rim wall, reducing the chance of catching it with a tyre lever (if you ever plan on using levers).
Good practice is to go 3 times around the rim with the tape (though some consider this overkill), starting a few inches before the valve hole, and ending a few inches past it. So where the valve goes through the rim, the tape will be 4 layers thick, helping seal the valve stem.

When putting the valve in, make a small hole in the tape with a sharp point, then push the valve through that small hole, and then the valve should / may seal better.

3 times? I think this might be overkill, though I am not an expert. If you cover your beads then 3 times might make it nearly impossible to seat your tyre due to the extra thickness. I used DT-Swill rim tape that was too wide for my rim, so I cut it down to the correct width. I went 1 time around. My error was I didn't overlap over my valve. Somewhere I read that wasn't good. But I had problems with my valve sealing at one stage. I guess it is very difficult to get sealant around the valve.