Anyone fitted a tube to a tubeless tyre out on the road?

oneoff

This is a follow up to my refit tubeless tyre thread, last post 26/12/22.

A tip I saw elsewhere was to mount the tyre with a tube to seat the beads in the rim. I gave this a go to test the idea that a bad puncture can be repaired with a tube out on the road. To get straight to the point, you'll be lucky. A tubeless tyre is a tight fit, an older tubeless tyre that has lost elacticity is an even tighter fit, throw in an inner tube and you really have a problem. I managed eventually to get the job done but not before I had snapped a tyre lever and damaged the end of my CyclePal fitting tool. Also, can the valve locknut be loosened by hand? If not forget it. If you take pliers to the locknut the whole valve will turn adding to your problems by disturbing the seal between the valve and the rim.

Based on this limited research I would say that the idea of fitting a tube to a tubeless out on the road is extremely optimistic, and I would encourage all tubeless riders to rehearse the process before relying on it in practice.

Having said that I'm still a fan of tubeless and I'll be staying with them.

Best wishes and a Happy New Year

whyamihere

For removing the valve, it's made a lot easier by pushing the valve hard into the rim bed, compressing the rubber. I've generally found by doing that I can get the nut unscrewed by hand.

pep.fermi

I have tubeless tires with tubes (don't ask, please). At my first puncture I even broke a lever but simply didn't manage to replace the tube. Had to walk home 15km. I promised myself to change the tires. But I didn't. On my 2nd puncture it was all somehow easier and I did manage to replace the tube. Bloody hard. And again I promised myself to change tires. Haven't replaced them yet.

Good luck.

Happy New Year all.

thistle_

Haven't got road tubeless but it was easy (although messy) doing it on a mountain bike.

I've always found old tyres to get less tight with time - road or MTB, tubeless or tubed.

gethinceri

I don’t get it, I’ve had many punctures with tubeless, none of which have required a tube. When does this happen, what are the circumstances? Genuine question, tubeless road tyres for >5 years.

trevor.hall12

Get some tubeless specific levers ,I use Birzman and never more than 5 mins to change over whatever set up

ibr17xvii

Schwalbe do a similar set of tyre levers although they aren't tubeless specific.

I've found them useful with a (non tubeless) tight tyre setup. I have pinched the tube the odd time though but I guess that's to be expected if you use levers to get a tyre on.

yellowv2

I don't understand why anyone wants to put tubes in tubeless tyres? The clue is in the name.
If the sealant won't seal the hole then tyre worms/plugs are designed for this purpose and work very well IME. On one occasion I had to put three plugs into a sidewall split which a tube wouldn't have been any use for and this got me home. Otherwise you plug the hole, leave in until the tyre needs replacing, This is how they are intended to be used in my view.

trevor.hall12

ibr17xvii said:

Schwalbe do a similar set of tyre levers although they aren't tubeless specific.

I've found them useful with a (non tubeless) tight tyre setup. I have pinched the tube the odd time though but I guess that's to be expected if you use levers to get a tyre on.

The Birzman are worth a look as they can hook onto the rim to hold the tyre while putting it on

oneoff

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I tried to fit a tube to a tubeless to see if it would help refit an older tubeless tyre and to see if it was feasable as a last resort repair out on the road. I was told at a LBS that the material of a road tyre is too thin to grip a plug so a tube would be the answer in a worst case scenario. I've also never had a puncture so bad that the sealant or a plug wouldn't get me home. I guess you'd have to be out after dark and ride over a broken bottle or something to get that much damage.

The Birzman looks like a useful addition to the toolbox.

Thanks and best wishes,

davebradswmb

I've got a pair of tubeless tyres on my CX bike with tubes in, the rims aren't tubeless. I've not had any trouble getting the tyres on or off, but I am getting cheesed off with the punctures. Time to invest in a new pair of wheels methinks.

orlok

I've no problems to put an inner tube in my tubeless Schwalbe Pro One 25mm tyre on tubeless ready carbon wheels on the road but when I need to - last time was more then one year ago - I look very good to position the tubeless tyre without a wobble or bump that's always the problems with tubeless tyres.