tubeless ready tyres

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inveral

Regular
I am due to change tyres on my road bike. My wheels are tubeless ready and the tyres I use are Hutchinson tubeless ready. I am thinking of setting up as tubeless with sealant. I know you need to have different valves but do you need to change the rim tape. My tape is in good condition but there is a hole where the inner tube valve goes through. Will the new valves seal this without new tape. any other comments regarding tubeless v non tubeless would be appreciated,
 

T4tomo

Guru
there are a few threads on here about doing it (and whether its worth doing it) - use the search function to find them.

tubeless rim tape is different - its airtight and self adhesive.
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
If the wheels are tubeless ready they should already have appropriate tubeless rim tape.

Some people like to go for a double wrap or Gorilla tape, but it shouldn't be required.

The hole for the valve in the tape must remain because you are using it to allow air in to inflate the tyre.
 

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
Personally, I will never go tubeless as I only ride about 2000 miles a year and my last puncture must be at least 2 years ago. It doesn't bother me as changing a tube is no trouble . I also believe that in the event of puncturing with tubeless, which can happen, it is rather messy and not easy to repair , away from home.
 
On the other hand if they work as they should you don't need to fix it at the side of the road.

I've had both though, a puncture where the sealant sealed it and I just carried on and one where a big slash in the tyre needed a plug putting in to get me home.

Try them tubeless, if you like them stick with it and if not revert back to tubes.
 

Milzy

Guru
You need to inspect that rim tape. I got a gravel bike with Tubeless ready wheels but the tape was standard. Tubeless tape is shiny & smooth in comparison. It doesn’t move about like standard either.
You will love been TL & feel the comfort & speed gains.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
If it's not already tubeless setup then I'd just get the tape in addition to the sealant and new tyres, it's only a few ££s more and in the event you do need it you have it on hand.

With the valve, the tubeless valves form a seal against the tape which is airtight, and once the sealant is added this forms an additional barrier.
 

SpokeyDokey

67, & my GP says I will officially be old at 70!
Moderator
no, all "tubeless ready" means is the rims are such that it will form an airtight seal with an appropriate tyre.

Correct - I have Bontrager TLR rims on my Trek and you still need rim tape or, better still, the snap in plastic 'hoop' that Bontrager use ILO rim tape.
 

chriswoody

Legendary Member
Location
Northern Germany
As above really, tubeless ready wheels don't come with the correct rim tape in my experience. The most cost effective and easiest solution for first time installation is to buy a tubeless conversion kit that has everything you need in one. Caffelatex by Effetto Mariposa is a particularly good one for road bikes:

https://www.effettomariposa.eu/en/products/caffelatex-tubeless-kit/

Stans is another good company for tubeless kits and I'm sure folk here have other recomendations.

Some top tips from my experience, first set up the tape and valves, then mount the tire. Then without sealant inflate the tire to seat it onto the rim. Hopefully you'll be lucky and it will go up first time, otherwise you made need a compressor or a track pump with an air tank to give it the boost it needs to seat.

Then leave the tire for a good while, still without sealant, to check it's properly sealed and the valve is correctly inserted. Generally, the tire should stay inflated without the need for sealant.

Then my preference is to deflate the tire, remove the valve core and then inject the required amount of sealant through the valve. With tubeless tires, if they have properly seated into the bead of the rim, then they will not unseat themselves when the tire is deflated.

You can also pop sealant into the tire before you seat it onto the rim, but that can get a bit messy and I prefer to stay well clear.

Some photos from setting up my wheels:

587442

587443


587444


587445
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
no, all "tubeless ready" means is the rims are such that it will form an airtight seal with an appropriate tyre.

My Alex Rims arrived with Schwalbe tubeless ready tape fitted, although that was probably done by the bike maker, Riese and Muller.

Who also fitted the non-tubeless ready Schwalbe tyres.

I'm pleased overall with tubeless, but installation struck me as something of a bodge.

Using tape and gunk to create an airtight chamber which has 33 holes to start with is always going to be a compromise.

Some MTB wheels have internally mounted spokes.

Not sure how that works, but a solid rim bed - apart from the valve hole - is a much better start for tubeless.
 
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