drowling23

I bought some spiked tires for my bike only to be unpleasantly surprised that it's setup tubeless. I never asked for this and want to go to tubes ASAP, but am not entirely clear on what the process is. I know I have to unstick the tires from the tubes, but:

• What tools do I use to do this? Is there a safe/reasonable way that will prevent possible damage to the rims/tires?
• Is there any residue that I have to clean off once I've decoupled the tires?
• Are the tires still usable (with tubes) or do I have to throw them away?

Not that it matters, but my current tires are 27.5"/2.35 Rock Razors. I like them but it's winter over here :|

ksryder

Just let the air out and take the tires off like normal. Might need some tire levers to help but nothing special. Might be some cleanup but I wouldn't stress about getting it spotless. Yes the tires are usable with tubes; that's basically how you fix them in the field if they don't seal.

indyfabz

You bought a bike not knowing it was equipped with tubeless rims and/or tires?


Note that some tubeless tires can be finicky when it comes to inserting a tube. My current road tubeless tires are. Had trouble getting the tube to seat correctly in the field. Maybe wider MTB tires are more forgiving.


BTW...If you want to clean the inside of the rims and/or tires, the sealant is water soluble.

Juggy_Gales

you'd prefer tube over tubeless?

Leebo

Just ride them like they are set up? Put the tube in the seatbag.

drowling23

Thanks for the responses, everyone, but I've been an idiot, assumed the tires were tubeless because they were stuck shut to the rims. In fact I figure they might have been stuck deliberately, or it could have been an effect of inner pressure against the rim. At any case, I got them unstuck (took a lot of force!) and hooray, there was a tube down there after all.

You live and learn. Also learned that Rohloff is really easy to disconnect.

OBoile

I'd still love to know why you preferred tube to tubeless?

veganbikes

When you put a tube in make sure to put a little talcum/baby powder in first to prevent things from getting too sticky. It is an old mechanics trick that sadly isn't practiced as much.

tajar66

Tubeless all the way.

Kapusta

There are a boatload of other threads that go on for 10+ pages debating tubes vs tubeless if you feel like having that debate.

indyfabz

IKR. There is even one going on right now in the Touring forum.

chaadster

The request wasn't for a debate, but for the reasoning why they prefer tubes to tubeless. Especially to avoid the hassle of removing an IGH wheel, and especially for winter riding where low pressures are oft welcome, it's a particular point of curiousity for those of us who think about things like pros and cons.

chaadster

If this thread https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/1...s-touring.html is what you mean, I wouldn't call that a debate. Everyone seems pro-tubeless for touring except the guy who needs to remove and deflate his tires for travel. Again, there are good reasons to go tubeless, and good reasons not to. I don't get the problem with having the knowledge (through questions and discussions) to make an informed decision.

indyfabz

Give it a chance. Just look at the canti brake thread there.

ksryder

The OP said he wanted to put on studded tires for the winter. I can see not wanting to mess around with tubeless for that.

OBoile

I'm not trying to have a debate. Just curious. I know very little about the pros and cons of either beyond the fact that the trend seems to be moving towards tubeless. I was hoping to learn something.

ksryder

In a nutshell, you can run lower pressures without pinch flatting, and the sealant usually takes care of most small punctures.

chaadster

Because why?

ksryder

Because.

chaadster

We all have opinions, but the trick is having a good one!

Kapusta

Becuase changing tires is easier with tubes, and he is likely going to be changing tires twice a year as he goes between studs and his summer tires.

chaadster

That’s a good thing to consider; there are certainly specific steps for tubeless installations, and one would have to weigh the burden of doing that once a year against the possibility and frustration of grabbing a flat out on the road in the winter. Totally an important consideration, though.

fietsbob

I have a separate bike with studded tires, its in the basement..

the removal and re installation wears the tire bead with the tool use.

so I fitted out an old MTB.

Consider an extra wheel-set?





....

Kapusta

My apologies for assuming you were looking for a debate.

This is a subject that get re-hashed over and over and over on this forum.

ksryder

He's got a Rohloff so getting a second wheelset would require a second mortgage.