A little help with tubeless?

Paulkingk

Right I already run some Stans tubeless ready rims on my Trek and with the yellow tape and standard Nobby Nics they work a treat. I now have a Charge Faucet 29er. The rims are WTB SXi19 and i think they are just standard rims. I want to convert them to tubeless but can't get hold of the rubber rim strip required to convert a standard rim to tubeless. I've done some snooping and have now got this idea about trying getto tubeless using a 24" tube stretched round the 29er rim, slit open, fit tire add Stans sealent and bingo. However I have now come across a few post suggesting you can go getto tubeless by simply using Gorilla tape instead. Will the Gorilla tape method work on a standard rim? or am I better off going with the stretched inner tube method. I'm kind of intrigued now and want to give it a go with out splashing the cash on the Stans strips.

Greer_

24" tube is for 26" bikes going tubeless. Might need a bigger tube! Mind you, there's too many reports of ghetto tubeless going wrong. IMHO, I'd only go tubeless with TR rims, seems like far too much to go wrong otherwise. I have heard reports of people using Gorilla tape, not overly sure how well it worked in the long run though. I'm running Nobby Nics/Racing Ralph tubeless on stans crest rims.

allthegearnoidea

a 24"m on a 9er wheel will be fine, (ive over inflated a std 26" tube to 52" dia before when making a tube trophy for the club!) but you may find issues with getting a tube with a presta and removable core?? (conti's i think come like that??)
the gorilla tape method does work BUT! you need to use the Proper Gorilla tape Not the usual mammoth tape versions etc you find,
it work similarly to the ghetto But you just need to make sure that the spoke holes are all Sealed up, Run the tape to the edges of the rim, not up to the bead, (trim with sharp blade)
Loads of info on mtbr.com forum,

also well worthy of creating is your own DIY compressor to get the tyres seated, simple job and awesome little thing to keep in the shed, 2l coke bottle, 2 presta valves, length of pipe, drill 2 holes int he lid, insert both valves and tighten them up snug, remove the core/end from one, fit the rubber tube to it, thats it,
connect pipe to the valve in the wheel kink it (clothes peg or maul wrench) infllate the bottle to 60psi - 80 for stubburn ones, unkink the hose and POW seated tyes!! :-D

pilch

use a 26" tube - works fine

Paulkingk

Hi. Thanks for the replies. So the Gorilla tape method would work with a standard rim? So could i not just use some of the stans sticky yellow rim tape? What is the difference?

allthegearnoidea

Yes either will work, the difference is ££££!
A Roll of Gorilla Tape is about a Fiver for 50M stans Tape is about £7-8 for 2 rims worth!
If you make your Own tubeless goo too you can Save a Lot of £££ over the labeled systems by Ghetto'ing!;-)

sparky.2002

Once you've added up all the component costs up for ghetto. There really isn't that much saving over joes conversion kit. Think I paid £22 for mine

allthegearnoidea

the Hope kits are better value but the stans etc are up in the £40's!

mrmonkfinger

sparky.2002 wrote:

Once you've added up all the component costs up for ghetto. There really isn't that much saving over joes conversion kit. Think I paid £22 for mine

The kits usually contain sod all sealant though.

If you're buying sealant it makes more sense to get a big bottle for £10 or £20 and then either use a bmx tube, or gorilla tape.

Personally, I think gorilla tape is only really suitable for tubeless ready rims, and use the bmx tube method for standard rims. YMMV of course

Paulkingk

Hi guys. Got on it today. Went with the 26" tube approach. Already had a bottle of stans from doing my other wheels. They went up really easy about 4hrs ago and are still pumped up hard so i'm well happy.
Cheers guys.