Can ANY road bike Wheel be Converted to Tubeless?
03-16-24, 04:34 PM
#1
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Can ANY road bike Wheel be Converted to Tubeless?
I found a cheapy Schwinn Varsity (New Model 2014 not the 70s model). The seller claims he "converted to tubeless"..Is that possible? I'm dubious since usually bikes are marketed specifically as ",Tubeless ready." Right?
03-16-24, 06:15 PM
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You can try to get a tubeless tire to seal on any rim. The fact that it seals doesn't mean it is safe.
But maybe he replaced the rims.
But maybe he replaced the rims.
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03-16-24, 06:47 PM
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Real tubeless ready rims have a shelf along the rim wall that allows the tubeless tire to seal correctly. You can probably get a tubeless tire to seal on a standard clincher, with tubeless rim tape and a tubeless valve stem. I question how safe it might be and have no plans to convert any tubed rims of my own to try this experiment.
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03-16-24, 09:32 PM
#4
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I found a cheapy Schwinn Varsity (New Model 2014 not the 70s model). The seller claims he "converted to tubeless"..Is that possible? I'm dubious since usually bikes are marketed specifically as ",Tubeless ready." Right?
No, not all bicycle wheels can be converted to tubeless -- because no one makes tubeless tires in some of the sizes, like 27" and probably others. But that doesn't seem to be what you are asking. You seem to be asking if it is possible to convert a generic set of 2014 Varsity wheels to tubeless, and I think those are just regular 700c wheels, so that should be possible. All that said, bikes aren't marketed as "tubeless ready", wheels and tires are. The bike doesn't care what the heck tires you mount. And as noted previously, standard clincher rims can be taped-up to work with tubeless tires, as long as the appropriate-size tires are available. Whether or not using important parts in a manner not recommended by the manufacturer exceeds your comfort level, is something only you can answer.
03-16-24, 10:12 PM
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03-16-24, 10:47 PM
#6
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You can sometimes get good results building up the rim bed on a standard clincher rim with relatively low tensions (<40psi). Its still usually a bad idea. Roads tubeless really, really needs to be on a tubeless ready rim or it’s very likely to blow off the rim.
03-17-24, 11:38 AM
#7
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As a guy who USED to run ghetto tubeless on his mountain bike, and has blown tires off rims, and had to obey visiting hours for a friend who ended up in the hospital due to a ghetto tire blowoff....
Sure!
Sure!
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03-18-24, 01:35 PM
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I can tell you tubeless doesn't work on Mavic Ksyrium SLs.
03-18-24, 02:17 PM
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That needn't stop you, the ghetto tubeless guys successfully use non-tubeless-ready tyres, on their non-tubeless-ready rims, with duct tape and home-brewed sealant.
03-19-24, 12:42 PM
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Bit moot as OP did not get that bike.....or more correctly BSO
but does not seem like a good idea to spend time and money on doing tubeless on a low end bike/wheel/tire
but does not seem like a good idea to spend time and money on doing tubeless on a low end bike/wheel/tire
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03-19-24, 01:17 PM
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I have successfully converted 20+ year old Mavic 26" MTB rims to tubeless ("ghetto tubeless"), and they have worked acceptably well with 26" tubeless tires (Panaracer Fire XC Pro). That said, I would not try it with the much higher pressures required for a road bike.
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03-19-24, 02:40 PM
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ANY is too bag a word, but let's say that most can be.
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03-19-24, 03:40 PM
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I bought some Schwalbe Marathon Almotion that where labeled tubeless on the webpage. these were the first tubeless tires I had bought they worked fine on some velocity cliffhanger rims. but when I changed the front wheel to a narrower dt-swiss rim the tire blew off in a couple hundred feet so sometimes it can work or it can't. when I bought the right version it was a totally different tire far heavier and stiffer but it works on the dt-swiss rim just fine.
