Tubeless conversion

Mccraque
Mccraque Posts: 819
edited January 2012 in MTB workshop & tech
Considering one of two options for my boardman at the moment. One is a new set of stans rims...

The second, and hence the post in the Workshop column - is a tubeless conversion to the existing WCS Ritchey wheels that are the stock wheels on the bike.

Last summer I experimented a bit with a BMX tube cut up and did a ghetto job with a Maxxis LUST Crossmark. Held ok for a few weeks....then went down and I never managed to replicate the earlier success.

I bought some "Joes No Flat" rim strips - essentially purpose made versions of my home botch job. Never been able to seat and inflate a tyre....even after hours of pumping. I got a Mud X up....went down over night.

Seems the valves are a little big for the hole and therefore don't sit flush. Maybe this is the issue. I don't want to drill out the valve holes really.

Is it worth perseveering?

Are "ghetto" tubeless on normal rims "safe" - Or am I better off getting a proper bead lock system such as on the UST or Stans?

If the answer is to carry on...does anyone have tips? Should I ditch the rimstrip and go for tape and valves?

help!?

Thanks

Comments

  • sanchez89
    sanchez89 Posts: 567
    depends if you want to spend any decent amount of money really. but a UST or Stans system would probably be better in the long run. i think anyway.

    Stans would be the lighter weight option, UST are heavier, well tyres are, but probably more bombproof than the Stans set-up.

    But both would require new rims, and therefore a rim swap if you wish to keep your current hubs.

    I think that the 'ghetto' conversions are a bit pikey, so if you want tubeless do it properly. UST or Stans.
    2011 KHS Full Susser Carbon 29er Race Build
    Clank wrote:
    M'eh, I might just go back to zapping it with frikken lay-zur beeeems. And sharks.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    I gave up on the BMX tube approach, the amount of time and faff it had taken to get it to work at all was daft and it still wasn't very good. I reckon I could have made it work with about a mile of electric tape, but decided I couldn't be bothered, the benefits weren't worth the hassle.

    I'm a big fan of proper tubeless though.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • cloudynights
    cloudynights Posts: 351
    i went the stans no tubes route on a mavic 717 rim, have never looked back, just have be carefull about what tyres i use, steel beads wont work but there is a growing list on stans forum about what tyres and rims work ok
    anthem x with many upgrades
  • bramstoker
    bramstoker Posts: 250
    I did mine the cheap route, 2 or 3 turns of duct tape round the rim and use a ust tyre and some wheel milk or stans sealant. Watch the video on how to get the milk to seal and your golden.
    A feather is kinky, a whole chicken is just perverse.
  • bjj.andy.w
    bjj.andy.w Posts: 111
    I too went the bmx ghetto method with no problems but I was lucky enough to have access to an air line at work so they seated first time. If I had the money though I would buy some dedicated tubeless rims.
    When you go to the ground you are in my world. My world is the ocean. I am the shark and most people don't know how to swim
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    thanks guys.

    I run Xt ust's on my zesty but have been racing my boardman and just wanted to bring the benefits of tubeless to that bike too. As I said...had limited success on my conversion attempts.

    I'll take a look at the Stans site to see their recommendation but with Stans on superstar going cheap at the moment, I may just take a gamble...
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Not tried ghetto, but have tried various conversions (and UST) and nowt works as well as Stan's (rims) IMO.
  • Mccraque
    Mccraque Posts: 819
    I hovered over the buy button all day on the superstar site...

    and finally just took the plunge...

    White Crest rims on Switch Evos on their way! :D

Categories