can I go tubeless with these wheels?

lappymatt

Just wondering as I am new to tubeless but fancy giving it a go. My wheels are Mavic En323 Disc 23c 27.5" 32h.

Thanks

larkim

I've gone tubeless on no-name Decathlon cheap as chips wheels. Gorilla tape, stans fluid and valves, tubeless ready tyres and away you go. Can't see why it would be any different on those rims.

lappymatt

Sweet, thanks pal i'll do some research.

JBA

larkin has just given you the items required. No more research is needed.

We did my mates wheels outside the bike shop at Cannock Chase last Friday. It took about 40 minutes to do both wheels using Gorilla Tape, Stan's valves and Stan's Fluid.
A single layer of tape around the rim with about a 6" overlap, make a tiny hole where the valve hole is in the rim, push the valve through and fit the retaining nut(making sure the rubber 'O' rings are in place), hang the wheel up, fit one side of the tyre, pour in about half a cup of fluid, fit the other side of the tyre and pump it up.
The last step was made much easier using a floor pump with a high volume boost tank borrowed from the shop.

It actually much less daunting than you think it is.

lappymatt

Yeah I meant research on how to actually do it

Thanks for detailing it! 6 inch overlap though?

larkim

Don't quibble about a few inches. A decent overlap (or even go around the rim twice). Helps if the gorilla tape fits your rim well in the first place of course.

I had to make a ghetto inflator too as my track pump was too wimpy to get all but the easiest to seal / inflate properly. Hardest part was getting the valve insert re-inserted whilst there was still air in the tyre after the initial rapid inflation, I found if I let it completely deflate then the track pump still couldn't quite get it up enough to seal the rims. Nothing a little bit of prior planning couldn't solve though, usually by making sure that the valve core was close at hand and using my left hand to seal the valve whilst I fiddled with the core with my right.

lappymatt

Cheers fellas

I have just seen my tyres should be OK to use too? they're listed as "TREADY" which I take to mean tubless ready?

they're "Michelin Wildrock|r Magi-x Reinforced Tready 27.5x2.35"

alex100a

Are Stans valves necessary? I've ordered my fluid and gorilla tape but had assumed removing valves from some old inner tubes to use.

The Rookie

You can use valves from old tubes, you need to cut around it leaving enough rubber to seal, it ideally needs a removeable core (not all tubes use removeable core valves) as well as trying to inflate it with the core in isn't always successful.

lappymatt

can I not take the wheels to the petrol station and use the air supply there?

andy9964

The Rookie wrote:

trying to inflate it with the core in isn't always successful.

Unless you do this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX5AOSSn3sA

larkim

I tried one set of used tube valves and found that I ended up ripping the rubber as I tightened down the nut on the rim, whereas the solid cones on the stans valves allowed a "proper" tightening. I suspect some of this depends on the quality of the inners used but as I'd expect to re-use the valves time and time again I didn't have any problem with spending the premium on the stans valves.