Inflating tubeless tyres

[Domg]

Hello please can someone help - a novice here! I’ve had tubeless tyres put on my trek domane bike about 4 weeks ago. The back tyre has lost pressure so I thought I’d use my compressor to inflate! It’s deflated the tyre and the sealant fluid has has leaked out the rim! Do I just need to buy the correct pump or should I take this back to where I had the tyres put on?
Advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[YMFB]

I have only managed to seat tubeless tyres using a compressor with a receiver.

 

[Domg]

Thanks YMFB, appreciate your reply. I suppose I’m asking if I just need to purchase a pump or should I have the sealant rechecked as some of it leaked out the tyre..

 

[accountantpete]

Presumably you have presta valves and a presta adapter for the compressor?

Hopefully not too much sealant has leaked or you will need a top up (you should enquire what sealant was used and replace with the same type).

I like to use a track pump - to re-seat the tyres I over inflate and you will hear clicks as the tyre settles then let a bit of air out for road use.

 

[Domg]

Thanks accountantpete, appreciate the input, I don’t know and will find out what sealant was used. I have got pesta valves, but (spot the inexperience!) - I don’t have a presta adapter- this is where I’ve gone wrong!! Not a lot of sealant has come out it was oozing out the rim, hopefully it won’t need toping up - absolutely no idea how I’d know that though.

 

[accountantpete]

There should be a lot of sealant in the tyre so I think it will be ok

 

[Dogtrousers]

Personally I think I'd take the opportunity to top it up a wee bit. But that's just me being a worry-guts. @accountantpete is probab;y right, it'll be OK.

Anyway, back to the question. Because you've lost sealant I'm assuming that the tyre has become unseated, the wire bead of the tyre is no longer sitting tight to the rim all round. If you just put an ordinary pump on to it then it won't necessarily re-seat (push the beads up onto the shouders of the rim). It needs some oomph to do that. Maybe your compressor with a presta adapter will have that. I have no knowledge of compressors.

If your compressor won't seat the tyre then use of an "air blaster" or similar may be needed. There are lots of youtube videos, that make it look easy. But here's a summary from my experience.

Remove the core from the presta valve using a valve core tool. You need to do this to let a large amount of air rush in quickly. Screw the air blaster output hose onto the now coreless valve. Attach your pump to the input valve on the airblaster. Close the valve to the output hose. Pump the air blaster up to the highest pressure you can. Open the output valve. All that pressure dumps itself into the tyre at once and seats it. Hooray. But remember that there is no core in your valve, so you've got to let the tyre down now. Use the input valve of the airblaster to do this. Remove the air blaster and screw the core back in. When you do this the tyre will unseat itself and laugh at you. Swear a lot. Repeat the procedure. Soon there will be pools of sweat on the floor as you repeatedly pressurise the airblaster. Your neighbours may call the police because of all the swearing. Eventually you will succeed.

Now you will want to hunt down and kill those smug youtube presenters who just say "pop, and the tyre is seated".

 

[si_c]

If it's just leaking a little bit out the side then it sounds like the sealant level should be fine. For reference I top mine up every six months or so and I've not had any issues.

You need a track pump ideally to keep the tyres topped off - you really only need a compressor if you are re-seating the tyres (i.e. they have come off completely) so you should be fine with just a regular pump.

I use a compressor to inflate most of my tyres - tubeless or not - but I set the regulator to the right pressure and then inflate, if the tank is low though I'll just use a track pump, as it takes less time than waiting for the compressor to charge.

If you don't have a presta adapter, then Halfords can supply you with one if you are UK based but Amazon usually have a decent selection if not.

 

[Ian H]

You should learn how to top up the sealant as it's a regular though not frequent maintenance task. If you get a puncture which causes significant sealant loss, then top up to replace it. There's quite a lot to learn about tubeless tyres, but they are simple and reliable.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Is it just me or does tubeless seem to be more trouble than it is worth??

or is it just that I have spent all my life with tubes and don;t see the point in changing because I have not really wanted to??

 

[si_c]

Is it just me or does tubeless seem to be more trouble than it is worth??

or is it just that I have spent all my life with tubes and don;t see the point in changing because I have not really wanted to??

Definitely not more trouble than they're worth. You're trading a little time at home in the garage for potentially significant amounts of time at the side of the road as well as ancillary benefits like a more comfortable ride.

I changed tyres not that long ago after a couple of years of use with no puncture, once every six months or so I top up the sealant (remove valve core and squirt in) and if you do need to replace the tyre or put a tube in then being careful and understanding that the sealant will be at the bottom means you can do so without much fuss at all.

For poor weather riding or commuting they are more than worth the effort to set up.

 

[YMFB]

I use Silca sealant with carbon fibre strands in to help plug bigger punctures. I top up regardless of what sealant has been used before. My LBS use Stans so I have definitely added Silca to Stans without issue.

i tried using my stand pump, but couldn’t seat my gravel bike tyres so I just use a small compressor and it works.

As above one of the others already stated, tips and tricks aplenty on YouTube, removing the valve core is a definite, Valve cores can get gummed up with sealant so make sure you have spares along with a valve core tool.

 

[PaulSB]

Is it just me or does tubeless seem to be more trouble than it is worth??

or is it just that I have spent all my life with tubes and don;t see the point in changing because I have not really wanted to??

It can be a hassle to get them set up correctly in the first place but once that's done there's nothing to be concerned about. In my experience choosing the correct valve is very important.

Lower pressures help make the ride more comfortable and self-repairing punctures saves time and frustration out on the road. I feel tubeless really come into their own for gravel riding.

As with tubes there are lots little things to learn but that's no different to many aspects of cycling.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Is it just me or does tubeless seem to be more trouble than it is worth??

or is it just that I have spent all my life with tubes and don;t see the point in changing because I have not really wanted to??

I was wondering the same myself. It seems a lot of inconvenience for the "convenience" of tubeless tyres.

 

[teeonethousand]

I recently changed tyres and followed one of the many you tube vids and it was simple. Mine seated with my track pump (compressor only had Schrader..must buy an adaptor).

Been fine..🤞