First time tubeless

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gmw492

Veteran
Just taken delivery of my new Giant TCR , as you know they come tubeless set up , gonna try the tubeless set up out with the stock wheels for a few rides , anyone recommend what to take out with me.? Is it worth investing in Stans Dart or Dynaplug repair kits or any other recommendations like these, should I still carry a spare tube just for back up . Always had tubes but seeing as it’s already tubeless may as well try them out.
 
Take a tube and plugs. As it is Giant, they have cautioned against the usual levers. I am into month 2 of tubeless. I have to pump up before I ride as it drops to 30 to 40 psi. There is technique to remove tubeless as they are tighter to keep the seal. So manage expectations and watch a youtube video on it.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
Take a tube and plugs. As it is Giant, they have cautioned against the usual levers. I am into month 2 of tubeless. I have to pump up before I ride as it drops to 30 to 40 psi. There is technique to remove tubeless as they are tighter to keep the seal. So manage expectations and watch a youtube video on it.

How long does it take for pressure to drop like that? On my road bike my tubeless are at 60psi and lose about 2-3psi in 48 hours.
 
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Location
Wirral
I'm up to a 1000 miles into TL so I've a 1k FR and .6K on the rear, I carry a cheap plug kit (so a semi fondue fork and plugs/anchovies) not needed them yet (though I might have had a visit?). But I do carry a tube, though as I did the conversion I know I can get a tyre off to install a tube, else I wouldn't bother, and as I've always carried a spare tube for others as much as myself I probably always will.
My ride buddies with delivered from dealer TL bikes carry tubes but we've no idea if they'll get their tyres off to use said tube. So far the only problem they've seen has been with sealing an event (clearly) from excess pressure that just needed to vent before a seal formed.
On the road it plays out like this:- a spurt of goo that is still going by the time you've stopped needs slight thought, so we park hole at 12 o'clock and hold hole mostly closed but check for thorn/glass, re-spin after inspection and if that doesn't seal then just plug, re-spin and see, and just 60psi is fine generally, but if you know goo is gone from not sealing then top-up (yes I do carry 1 shot of goo) and if plug doesn't work then ring someone. Historically we've had 4 visits, 2 no drama, twice we waited for lower pressure to work, and it did.
Given even a plug might not work I'd try tubing my tyre, but I'm probably not wrestling snotty tyres off for someone else, well unless a pub is handy for handwashing the latex off and compensating me by buying me a beer.
 
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gmw492

gmw492

Veteran
I've riden 11500 miles on my TCR never used anything at the side of the road yet all punctures have sealed . I still carry a tube ( don't now why ) and a plug kit just in case
Wow sounds like they are reliable enough
 
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gmw492

gmw492

Veteran
So a plug kit it is , any good ones or will any do , seen eBay ones for about £7 then there are Stans dart which are £25, also Lezyne, Muc Off etc
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
So a plug kit it is , any good ones or will any do , seen eBay ones for about £7 then there are Stans dart which are £25, also Lezyne, Muc Off etc
I have this one from Dynaplug which I've used very easily and successfully three times. I think a metal one is important as it will be difficult to break when a plastic one could fail at a crucial moment.

Think I paid £30 for mine.

596893
 
I recently got a TCR that came set up tubeless and so far I am happy with it. I've done 400km and so far so good; I have not noticed any clear pressure loss, not even when I don't touch the bike for 2 weeks although I still inflate the tyres every 2 weeks just to make sure I ride at the right pressure.

I'm looking forward to when it's time to change the tyres because I want to see how many punctures have sealed without me noticing it.

Currently I carry a spare tube with me, but I literally just now ordered a dynaplug kit after reading this thread. I got it from sigmasport and costed me £37
 
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gmw492

gmw492

Veteran
I recently got a TCR that came set up tubeless and so far I am happy with it. I've done 400km and so far so good; I have not noticed any clear pressure loss, not even when I don't touch the bike for 2 weeks although I still inflate the tyres every 2 weeks just to make sure I ride at the right pressure.

I'm looking forward to when it's time to change the tyres because I want to see how many punctures have sealed without me noticing it.

Currently I carry a spare tube with me, but I literally just now ordered a dynaplug kit after reading this thread. I got it from sigmasport and costed me £37
Good to hear about being happy so far with tubeless, if I like it myself I will look at tubeless when I upgrade the stock wheels eventually, I’m looking at both Dynaplug or Stans , definitely getting some sort of plug kit after reading all the replies which have all been very helpful btw guys 👍🏻
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
I had seven "punctures" in my last set of tyres when I replaced them.

I would recommend topping up more often than fortnightly. Tube or tubeless I always check tyre pressures before setting off.
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
Take a tube and plugs. As it is Giant, they have cautioned against the usual levers. I am into month 2 of tubeless. I have to pump up before I ride as it drops to 30 to 40 psi. There is technique to remove tubeless as they are tighter to keep the seal. So manage expectations and watch a youtube video on it.

Sounds like you should try to get some more sealant in there. You could check to see where the leak is coming from by rotating the tyre through a basin of water first. Remove the valve core if you can and inject some sealant. If the valve core can't be removed then you'll have to unseat a section of the tyre to get it in.
 
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