Road tubeless help

The Rookie

Just for context, I am used to tubeless on my MTB.
This is for my commuter but I thought I may get more answers on here.

Wheels are 29er CX/MTB rims (disc braked bike) and tubeless 'compatible' (for MTB tyres at least!)
Tyres are 28mm Conti Ultrasport II, folding bead.

On my MTB I have Stans tubeless rims and just use regular folding bead (not TLR) tyres to go up tubeless without any issue.

The Conti's on the commuter are a tight (very tight - levers to install style) fit and when inflated 'pop' onto the rim bead at about 50psi.

So I'm figuring its worth a shot to try them tubeless, have some Stans tape and have at least one old tube I can use for a valve - any thoughts, hints or suggestions?

svetty

You'll need a proper tubeless valve so you can tighten the locknut without pulling the valve through the rim....

g00se

I would always stick with tubeless specific tyres for road use. The Contis may be tight on the rims now but if the bead stretches over time, you risk blowing the tyre of the rim.

The difference with road tubeless and MTB tubeless is the high pressure. It not about burping air, it's about keeping the tyre on the rim. With MTB, the art is to stop the bead pushing back into the rim and having it leak air (more-so with cyclocross) but with road, it's about keeping the bead from slipping up and over.

Also, you'll need proper road tubeless valves - old cutoffs will just blow through the rim's valve hole.

As an experiment, you could build up the rim with the tape and try one of the tyres without sealant to see what happens - it may not blow off immediately, but if you were to take that as an OK and set it up properly, who knows on a hot day, under braking...

g00se

Have a look on the pinned tubeless thread on the buying guide forum for a wealth of details.

The Rookie

g00se wrote:

I would always stick with tubeless specific tyres for road use. The Contis may be tight on the rims now but if the bead stretches over time, you risk blowing the tyre of the rim.

If it would blow off the rim, what difference would having a tube inside it make? It would still blow off the rim!

Will look at that thread, thanks.

g00se

The Rookie wrote:

g00se wrote:

I would always stick with tubeless specific tyres for road use. The Contis may be tight on the rims now but if the bead stretches over time, you risk blowing the tyre of the rim.

If it would blow off the rim, what difference would having a tube inside it make? It would still blow off the rim!

I can't tell you the exact science, I think it's down to the non-tubeless tyre bead being able to momentarily separate from rim enough to get a little bit of air out - but not enough to let a tube push though. But without the tube, the sudden force of the air escaping then pops the tyre off.

Just google https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid ... m+blow+off

6wheels

I believe Ugo has quite a bit of experience of running non tubeless tyres tubeless, perhaps he'll chime in.

cycleclinic

You may never get the ultrasport to spot leaking air. Conti mtb tures are nad enough but the road tyres are never meant for tubeless. Also non tubless tyre may seem fine and seated well but hit a bump and it can all go a bit wrong.

If you are going to go tubeless them buy the proper tyres. Also tubless tyres should be so tight you cant mount them by hand, i mean i cant mount them by hand. Tubless tyre levers are needed to get the last bit of the tyre home. That is when you know the bead is locked in place so firmly it will never blow off. Irc tubless tyres on kinlin and stans rims are like this. Mounting irc or schwable tubeless tyres on velocity rims is quite easy (for me) but these doo allow the tyre to seat and seal well. There are some tubless compatible rims though where it is too easy and when it comes to addkng sealant and inflating then selant ends up everywhere. With the right tyre rim combo then setting up is clean. . That is the perfect fit. Got a customer wheel coming back tomorrow a novatec wheel should be tubeless compatible but it isn't the rear tyre keeps leaking air. Even with about 6 layers of stans tape the irc tyres mounts by hand too easily. The bead of the tyre is not locking into the rim properly. It is the rim i am sure. The trick with tubeless you need the right tyre rim combination otherwise let the faff begin. Once you know what works then tubeless is a blessing. If you do it wrong rookie you wish you never had started.

The Rookie

Thanks for the comments, I'm well aware of porous tyres as I run Schwalbe liteskin on my MTB!

As for tightness, these do need levers to get them on both sides but I hear what you are saying and will give it some thought, if I do I'll try just the rear first to see how it goes!

cycleclinic

Sorted that wheel today. Used about 15m of tubeless tape to get the rim built up enough to get the tyre to seat and seal properly. So much for novatec wheels being tubeless compatible. The tyre seated and sealed without issue after i did this. Tyre was a fairly easy fit.