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Going Tubeless.

wilkij1975wilkij1975 Posts: 531
edited May 2015 in MTB workshop & tech
All

I'm thinking of going tubeless and wanted some advice for what I need to do this. My wheels are tubeless ready race face Turbines and I have some Maxxis Ardent tubeless ready tyres. I've seen the Race face kit, which is similar to the Stans kit minus the sealant, but both these kits come out at over £50. I've also read that all I would need is the valves, sealant and some Stans yellow tape and I've also read a review that says the rim strip that came with the wheels is good enough to use set up tubeless.

So what do I need? I'm swaying towards just getting the valves and sealant and seeing how it goes.
Carbon 456
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Posts

  • poahpoah Posts: 3,369
    gorilla tape, DT swiss valves and some sealant.
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    POAH wrote:
    gorilla tape, DT swiss valves and some sealant.

    This works, however as a word of caution, I got a new role of gorilla tape and found it very porous with air leaking from the spoke holes on numerous attempts. Using superstar tape now instead.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • poahpoah Posts: 3,369
    Antm81 wrote:
    POAH wrote:
    gorilla tape, DT swiss valves and some sealant.

    This works, however as a word of caution, I got a new role of gorilla tape and found it very porous with air leaking from the spoke holes on numerous attempts. Using superstar tape now instead.


    found superstar tape worse than gorilla tape.
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    Opposite here, my first roll of gorilla tape was great but the second roll just wouldn't work, the superstar tape, although it didn't look pretty went straight up with only one layer and stayed up.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • wilkij1975wilkij1975 Posts: 531
    So no need for the expensive rim strips with the built in valves?
    Carbon 456
  • poahpoah Posts: 3,369
    nope.
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • lostboysaintlostboysaint Posts: 4,250
    wilkij1975 wrote:
    So no need for the expensive rim strips with the built in valves?

    No, but it's much more "belt and braces".
    Trail fun - Transition Bandit
    Road - Wilier Izoard Centaur/Cube Agree C62 Disc
    Allround - Cotic Solaris
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    lostboysaint wrote:
    wilkij1975 wrote:
    So no need for the expensive rim strips with the built in valves?

    No, but it's much more "belt and braces".

    No it's not, the rim strips are designed for rims that aren't tubeless ready. Tubeless ready rims such as stans own rims should just require tape and a valve, hence the likes of the hope kit which doesn't contain a rim strip.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • wilkij1975wilkij1975 Posts: 531
    Antm81 wrote:
    lostboysaint wrote:
    wilkij1975 wrote:
    So no need for the expensive rim strips with the built in valves?

    No, but it's much more "belt and braces".

    No it's not, the rim strips are designed for rims that aren't tubeless ready. Tubeless ready rims such as stans own rims should just require tape and a valve, hence the likes of the hope kit which doesn't contain a rim strip.

    It makes no sense then that the Race Face kit as the rim strips with valves when their rims are tubeless ready?
    Carbon 456
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    Depends how tubeless ready their rims are but I wouldn't say it's needed and negates any weight savings from going tubeless. (Not the main advantage I know but still a saving)
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    Personally if you've been told your rim tape is good enough (it may be), I'd just fit some valves and try get it to inflate, if not give the gorilla tape a bash (it's cheap and available a diy chains) and see if that work as I may of just had a bad roll.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • poahpoah Posts: 3,369
    tried the stans rim strips on a non tubeless rim and it never worked, went up first time with gorilla tape.
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • WindyGWindyG Posts: 1,099
    Gorilla tape and DT Swiss valves on all my wheels and I've not had a problem, first time I did a set I went twice round the rim but found that was overkill and made the tyres too hard to fit.
    Giant Anthem X3
    Scott Aspect 10
    Schwinn Fastback Comp
    Cube Reaction GTC SL
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,811
    Antm81 wrote:
    hence the likes of the hope kit which doesn't contain a rim strip.
    Really?
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/in/e ... -prod49111
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    The Rookie wrote:
    Antm81 wrote:
    hence the likes of the hope kit which doesn't contain a rim strip.
    Really?
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/in/e ... -prod49111

    Yeah , that's rim tape not a rim strip
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,811
    Aplogies, understand what you are saying now, and agree, tubeless ready rims don't need packing strip.
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • wilkij1975wilkij1975 Posts: 531
    So, it seems tape, valve and sealant is the way forward which is good as I didn't want to pay over £50 for a full kit. I'll get some stuff and give it a go!

    Cheers for the help!
    Carbon 456
  • njee20njee20 Posts: 9,613
    When Stan's first released their rims they had rim strips, made inflation far easier, but negated a lot of the weight saving. Gradually most rims have gone away from them, they're not necessary, but they do make things work more consistently. Or they did, before Stan's increased the bead seat diameter on their later rims.

    Gorilla tape and sealant FTW.
  • neilybunneilybun Posts: 5
    I'm a bit late posting this but I got "Tesa 4289 Tape 25mm Wide x 66M Long" off ebay for just over a tenner. Very tough and very thin, has worked a treat. Wrapped it around twice overlapping it slightly making sure It was upto the edge of the bead. Tubeless is brilliant makes a huge difference to your bike once you get the tyre pressure right.
  • kiniookinioo Posts: 776
    I ama getting my 'new' Anthem X2 2013 soon.

    Its on Giant S-XC2 rims and Schwalbie Racing Ralph 26"x2.1 tyres...

    ...want to go tubeless (don't think either rims or tyres are tubeless ready).

    What do I need ?

    Do I need a 'proper - more expensive kit' or just (as said above) good Gorilla tape, valves and sealant ?

    What sealant would work best ?

    Many thanks,

    Chris
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    Gorilla tape, valves and sealant, did it on the same rims on my trance before I changed the wheelset.

    Edit: actually it was the p-xc2 rims but very little difference.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • JodyPJodyP Posts: 193
    kinioo wrote:
    Do I need a 'proper - more expensive kit' or just (as said above) good Gorilla tape, valves and sealant ?

    What sealant would work best ?

    I converted my P-XC2 using stans tape, stans fluid and valves. Although needed a compressor to get the initial seal. Not sure if S-XC2 have the same rim profile.
  • kiniookinioo Posts: 776
    Antm81 wrote:
    Gorilla tape, valves and sealant, did it on the same rims on my trance before I changed the wheelset.

    Edit: actually it was the p-xc2 rims but very little difference.

    What wheelset did you upgrade to ??

    What would be good upgrade from S-XC2 nowadays (in region of 200£ for a set) ?

    C.
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    kinioo wrote:
    Antm81 wrote:
    Gorilla tape, valves and sealant, did it on the same rims on my trance before I changed the wheelset.

    Edit: actually it was the p-xc2 rims but very little difference.

    What wheelset did you upgrade to ??

    What would be good upgrade from S-XC2 nowadays (in region of 200£ for a set) ?

    C.

    I initially upgraded from the s-xc2 to the p-xc2 as I got a good deal which included, better cassette, rotors and tyres which were all new.

    Now got a set of Stans Flow Ex on Hope Pro 2 Evos, might be a little heavy for the Anthem though, depending on your weight and riding Crests would be good and lighter.

    To be fair the stock wheels aren't bad. The s-xc2 should go tubeless, I know they aren't tubeless ready but I'm sure I'd read about it somewhere being possible. It's a good upgrade just for the punctures sealing themselves.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • Antm81Antm81 Posts: 1,406
    Although crests on hope hubs would be around £320 so quite a bit over budget.
    Trance 27.5 Hoodoo Her Scott Contessa Daughter's Vulcan
  • iwilldoitiwilldoit Posts: 710
    Just done S-XC and P-SX wheel sets with the gorilla tape and Stans no problem, first time I have tried tubeless, the only thing I had to do was put in 3 oz of fluid, tried 2 and they seemed to very very slowly go down, but I was told that the first time you do it, it needs a little more to seal tyre walls etc
    https://goingdownhillfastsite.wordpress.com/
  • kiniookinioo Posts: 776
    iwilldoit wrote:
    Just done S-XC and P-SX wheel sets with the gorilla tape and Stans no problem, first time I have tried tubeless, the only thing I had to do was put in 3 oz of fluid, tried 2 and they seemed to very very slowly go down, but I was told that the first time you do it, it needs a little more to seal tyre walls etc

    Yep, I am going this route first: gorilla, sealant, valves...

    Question re: gorilla tape - do you buy any special one ? I mean the standard one 48mm is quite wide, much wider than the rim ? Do you put it on and then cut off the excess or you half it before applying ?

    Edit: Found this: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesd ... rsion.html

    now, lets get dirty !!!

    Thx
  • WindyGWindyG Posts: 1,099
    I did all my wheels exactly the same as shown on Pinkbike and it has worked every time including on a pair of P-XC2's
    First set i went around twice, 2nd set only went once and it still worked ok no leaks, the more times you go around the tighter it will be to fit the tyres.
    Giant Anthem X3
    Scott Aspect 10
    Schwinn Fastback Comp
    Cube Reaction GTC SL
  • iwilldoitiwilldoit Posts: 710
    kinioo wrote:
    iwilldoit wrote:
    Just done S-XC and P-SX wheel sets with the gorilla tape and Stans no problem, first time I have tried tubeless, the only thing I had to do was put in 3 oz of fluid, tried 2 and they seemed to very very slowly go down, but I was told that the first time you do it, it needs a little more to seal tyre walls etc

    Yep, I am going this route first: gorilla, sealant, valves...

    Question re: gorilla tape - do you buy any special one ? I mean the standard one 48mm is quite wide, much wider than the rim ? Do you put it on and then cut off the excess or you half it before applying ?

    Edit: Found this: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Tech-Tuesd ... rsion.html

    now, lets get dirty !!!

    Thx

    I just bought some 1" wide stuff from local hardware shop, had to trim a very thin sliver off, did it after I had gone all the way round with a Stanley knife blade, I also popped the tube back in for a few hours to really put some pressure and stick the tape down.
    https://goingdownhillfastsite.wordpress.com/
  • AgardsAgards Posts: 3
    Ditto above, you don't need the expensive kits. Cheap DIY tape always works for me and the stans kits can be too narrow for newer wider rims.

    I've found a very effective top tip is to paint a film of sealant around the tyre beads before you inflate the tyre. It gives the sealant a bit of a kick start.
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