I changed my front tyre last week and it seemed to go well, however it was just killing me into a false sense of security. I went to check tyre pressures today, ready for Malvern tomorrow, and the tyre was flatter than an anorexic supermodel. All I did when I changed the tyre was that; change a tyre. It was already set up tubeless. Closer inspection revealed that it was leaking from the valve. So I tightened it up. Now it’s leaking from the spokes! What the fudge is going on? I did don’t disturb the valve or tape when I changed the tyre.
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Tubeless Woes
- Thread starter Doomanic
- Start date
Blackbird
Member
This is instantly going on my list of 10 things, only an e-biker would say!
Number 1 is still my wife after a 30km ride with steep climbs.... before she had an e-mtb she said things like "my lungs are burning", "my legs explode", "i have to puke"... now with her e-mtb she's up the steepest hill in no time and when i'm up there trying to catch my breath and not to puke she's like "i think my helmet is pinching a bit"
How about this one, i use walk mode to change gears on the bottom of a steep hill or traffic lights if i messed up.
Donnie797
Well-known member
Agreed on the above, always do a dry fit first - saves on sealant and avoids a mess! This is made much easier with an Airshot or similar, pumping like a mad thing on your track pump for ages is not my idea of fun
. I'd also recommend Gorilla tape as another rim tape alternative, cheap as chips and seems to do a very good job for me (though it can be a bit messier to take off the rim if ad when you do need to change it).PS - I am also now trying the Finish Line sealant, but am not overly impressed at this point - it has taken a long time to get to the point where it is reasonably well sealed (i.e. 2-3 PSI drop in a week). Stans and other latex based sealants can achieve that level of sealing in mins, but they obviously won't last as long in the tyre. Time will tell, I haven't had a puncture yet either...
Last edited:
Finish Line has taken best part of 2 weeks to settle .much better now BUT liquid still oozing out of holes in the rims.
Going back to LBS for re taping and liquid top up.
Going back to LBS for re taping and liquid top up.
Wiltshire Warrior
E*POWAH Master
I would suggest getting a proper Mavic UST wheel - No rim tape required and welded joints and with the proper Mavic valve - you wont have any of these problems - but if that is too expensive the next best thing in Mavic Crossride - with its dedicated rubber rim liner - these work fine also
I am still riding tires with "2011 air" inside them on one of bikes. Mavic 819 rim
I am still riding tires with "2011 air" inside them on one of bikes. Mavic 819 rim
- Thread starter
- #40
After pumping the tyre 4 times for a 16 mile ride I decided it needing sorting out so that's what I did.
Well, when I say I, what I actually mean is Alex from Dean Forest Cycles sorted it while I sat in the sun and ate an icecream.
Well, when I say I, what I actually mean is Alex from Dean Forest Cycles sorted it while I sat in the sun and ate an icecream.
Good stuff. Did he just re-tape and top it up with additional sealant?After pumping the tyre 4 times for a 16 mile ride I decided it needing sorting out so that's what I did.
Well, when I say I, what I actually mean is Alex from Dean Forest Cycles sorted it while I sat in the sun and ate an icecream.
- Thread starter
- #45
17 quid including the ice cream. 
Did it on the spot too. I was happy to leave it there for the week but he said the workshop was fully booked so he offered to do it there and then. By the time I’d finished stuffing my chops it was done. Very happy with the service.
Did it on the spot too. I was happy to leave it there for the week but he said the workshop was fully booked so he offered to do it there and then. By the time I’d finished stuffing my chops it was done. Very happy with the service.
- Thread starter
- #46
I'm really losing my sense of humour with this fucking wheel.
On Thursday morning it was flat again with no sign of any TL sealant anywhere on the outside. Thursday evening I inflated it to 35psi and dunked it in the tank; no bubbles. I've just checed it again and it's at 10psi. I'm on the verge of going back to tubes!
On Thursday morning it was flat again with no sign of any TL sealant anywhere on the outside. Thursday evening I inflated it to 35psi and dunked it in the tank; no bubbles. I've just checed it again and it's at 10psi. I'm on the verge of going back to tubes!
how much sealant is sloshing around inside the tyre Dom? and did you ride it between Thursday evening and checking it tonight?
The front tyre on my hardtail would lose air when first fitted. Over about 10 days it'd go from 60 to 20psi ish while the exact same rear (same rim, tyre, sealant and rim strip and pressure) never loses any at all. Neither tyre is a proper tubeless version. (DMR moto rt, not that it matters)
I popped the bead and had a look to make sure there was enough sealant in there. There seemed to be enough but I stuck a little more sealant in just incase and aired it back up then rode it outside the house a bit to slosh it around. After that it still lost air again but at a far slower rate... Hmm... and after yesterday evening's jump sesh it does finally seem to be holding pressure. (it's easily noticable without a guage when a 60psi tyre has lost a little pressure)
Other tyres I have sweat sealant through the sidewall but barely lose any air at all over weeks while this front tyre I'm talking about has no wetness anywhere. puzzling, eh?
just some things to think about, dunno if any of it is helpful to you or not.
The front tyre on my hardtail would lose air when first fitted. Over about 10 days it'd go from 60 to 20psi ish while the exact same rear (same rim, tyre, sealant and rim strip and pressure) never loses any at all. Neither tyre is a proper tubeless version. (DMR moto rt, not that it matters)
I popped the bead and had a look to make sure there was enough sealant in there. There seemed to be enough but I stuck a little more sealant in just incase and aired it back up then rode it outside the house a bit to slosh it around. After that it still lost air again but at a far slower rate... Hmm... and after yesterday evening's jump sesh it does finally seem to be holding pressure. (it's easily noticable without a guage when a 60psi tyre has lost a little pressure)
Other tyres I have sweat sealant through the sidewall but barely lose any air at all over weeks while this front tyre I'm talking about has no wetness anywhere. puzzling, eh?
just some things to think about, dunno if any of it is helpful to you or not.
- Thread starter
- #48
It’s got 150ish ml of BikeHut latex sealant (all I could get in time for last weekends ride). I dry fitted the tyre, ride it and then left if for a couple of days while I was trying to source sealant cheaply and it lost about 5psi. I figured that was acceptable so added the sealant. The nozzle kept blocking so I ended up popping the bead to add the sealant. Then I rode it, bounced it off kerbs a bit and round the local kids cycle track. It stayed up.
I did 22 miles in the FoD followed by 3 days commuting (feeling lazy) @25psi and running the dog round the park then came downstairs on Thursday morning to a flat. Thursday night I pumped it back up to 35psi and dunked it. No bubbles. No evidence of sealant anywhere. Then I rode it round the cycle track a couple of times and it seemed ok. Ride it to work Friday and ran the dog after work without issue but without checking the pressure. Squeezed the tyre at about 10:30 and it felt soft so I put the gauge in it and 10psi. ?
I did 22 miles in the FoD followed by 3 days commuting (feeling lazy) @25psi and running the dog round the park then came downstairs on Thursday morning to a flat. Thursday night I pumped it back up to 35psi and dunked it. No bubbles. No evidence of sealant anywhere. Then I rode it round the cycle track a couple of times and it seemed ok. Ride it to work Friday and ran the dog after work without issue but without checking the pressure. Squeezed the tyre at about 10:30 and it felt soft so I put the gauge in it and 10psi. ?
Donnie797
Well-known member
I might install a security camera, just to be sure ^^
The „no bubbles“ thing really makes it mysterious
The „no bubbles“ thing really makes it mysterious
Some tire and rim combinations just don’t play well together. Until the 2018 Giants became available, setting up tubeless on a Giant was reserved for whichever employee was in my shitlist. They now provide their own sealant and rim tape with better valve stems. They also switched from Schwalbe to Maxxis which are just easier to set up tubeless.
Some valve and rim combinations don’t work well together either.
And then there’s the sealant and tire compatibility.
Some valve and rim combinations don’t work well together either.
And then there’s the sealant and tire compatibility.
I normally run tubeless, but when I bought the Kenevo i didn’t have any tubeless sealant but I did have some tube sealant, so, I whacked that in both tubes and it’s been spot on.
Will whip the tyres off to see how many punctures I’ve had.
I’ve lost my sense of humour occasionally with tubeless in the past, mostly with dirtbikes. Thinking of sticking with tubes until the stock tyres wear out then fit MM and go back to tubeless.
Feel your pain, really do.
Doomanic , pop your tyre off and post us a few photos or a short vid of your taped rim and the valve . Iam sure someone will spot the problem . As Al Bonita said different rims like different valves etc , sometimes the square ones are better but not very often .
Got to agree with Wiltshire warrior there mavic do seem to have the tubeless system sussed with iether no spoke holes or the internal rim gaiter , they are almost a fit and forget system , sadly I found the free hubs are not the same
Got to agree with Wiltshire warrior there mavic do seem to have the tubeless system sussed with iether no spoke holes or the internal rim gaiter , they are almost a fit and forget system , sadly I found the free hubs are not the same
- Thread starter
- #55
Thanks Dave. I’ll be at the FoD tomorrow at some point.
I’ve just pumped the tyre up to 50psi and I can hear the valve hissing. I dunk it and it’s now clearly leaking around the valve so I tighten it up until it’s not. Now it leaking from several spoke holes so I pop the tyre off and remove, clean and refit the valve. Pump to 40psi and dunk it again and no leaks are evident. I’ll check the pressure again in an hour.
I’ve just pumped the tyre up to 50psi and I can hear the valve hissing. I dunk it and it’s now clearly leaking around the valve so I tighten it up until it’s not. Now it leaking from several spoke holes so I pop the tyre off and remove, clean and refit the valve. Pump to 40psi and dunk it again and no leaks are evident. I’ll check the pressure again in an hour.
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