sean.hwy

They do look cool. The bigger benefit for me is now my gravel bike has two sets of rims :-) I probably ride the gravel bike 50% more. I just started last march. I try to ride every day from my house. So easy to just hop on the gravel bike with flat pedals and go. If I ever get a chance to do a group ride with fast people of course I will need all the help I can get. Might be a while for group rides again :/

Can you recommend charging canister style pump ?

Eric F 

I installed a pair of new Conti GP5KTLs tonight. As is the common story, the most difficult part was getting them on the rim. Doing the first one helped me learn a process that made the second one a little easier. The front tire seated easily with just rapid pumping from my old floor pump. The rear, however, wouldn't seat in a couple of spots, even after some repeated manipulation attempts. I used a blast from a CO2 cartridge, and it popped into place. I then deflated it, injected the sealant through the stem, and inflated it with my floor pump. Since I like buying toys and tools, I probably will buy a canister pump at some point.

sean.hwy

I am an x-auto-mechanic. I have sooooo many tools that I have only used a a handful times. ha-ha :/

yeah those jobs where money losers.

I guess I am as bad as people the collect
https://www.amazon.com/Collectible-F...&ts_id=1095304

Eric F 

I understand. I spent some years as a musician with some disposable income to fuel my desires. Half of my man cave is decorated with instruments and recording gear that I used very little, and haven't touched in years. Some of it, I really should sell (so I can buy other toys and tools). A few pieces, I will never sell.

GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) is a real thing.

smashndash

None of the reasons I mentioned for using TL tape were related to whether your rim has holes. But yes, you probably don't need tape.

vtje

sean.hwy

A little update. I have since sold the topstone gravel bike ( long time ago ). Recently sold the systemsix ( a couple weeks ago ). I have had the Giant gravel bike since april 2021.
The Giant came tubeless. Heavy tires so I put some gravel kings 32mm slicks. The lightbicycle wheels came with stems and the rims have no holes in them so it was easy to install tubeless tires 25mm road tires on them.

I tried all the tricks on youtube to seat the 32mm gravel kings with a regular floor pump. I was not having any luck. I bought this charge pump. I only use it with the valve stem out and only to seat the tire. I then use my normal floor pump to pump up the tires. While it works fine if I had the space I would have preferred to buy a HF quite small air compressor.
https://shop.sportsbasement.com/prod...ve-2-5-gls-blk

I have a few cheap allow wheel sets ( l like lots of wheel sets for my gravel bike, different tires and different gears ) that I would like to convert to tubeless. What kind of tape and valve stem should I get?

Yeah I am convert now. I have bleed out some sealant hitting a rock/thorn what ever that would have flatted a tube tire. I took the wheel off put the hole at the very bottom so all the sealant would go to the area. spun the tire a few times added a little more air and made it home just fine.


I kind of regretted just buying my wheels plain with nothing on them. The gf said she didn't care either way. So the plan was the new wheels with labels was going to be mine and she would get the plain lightbike wheels. As you can see she changed her mind. ha-ha

WhyFi

DT Swiss rim tape is, far and away, my favorite tubeless tape. Keep in mind that you'll need the proper width for each rim, so you might need multiple rolls.

For valves, the main two things that I look out for are: length and internal clearance. Length for obvious reasons, the internal clearance so that I can inject/remove sealant with a syringe. Unfortunately, some stems have a constriction point inside that'll keep a syringe tube from fully passing through. I tend to buy Muc-Off alloy stems because they're available locally and I know that they work.

KJ43

DT Swiss is good tubeless rim tape but I just set a new carbon wheelset up using Muc-Off tape, stems, and sealant and it all was easy to install with no drama.

For the tape buy it a few mm wider than the internal rim width to account for the center channel. When you stretch it out give it a side to side wiggle and do a spoke hole or two at a time using your thumb to press out any air bubbles as you work around.

Chandne

Glad that the sealant did its job. I have started to prefer Muc-Off tape as well. I am not sure what tape (if any) my 303 Firecrests will come with but I'll check with them and keep some handy. I always throw in a tube and regular tires overnight first...foolproof that way. Well, not as foolproof as Skinny Strippers (a super thin rubber or latex band that goes around the rim) but as close as it gets.

robbyville

Happy to hear that all worked out, nice that the GF made the switch as well lol.

are your alloy wheels tubeless compatible? If not, although many have converted normal wheels to tubeless using an extra layer of rim tape I’m not sure if I would risk it with the high pressures of road tubeless.

if they are tubeless compatible then the guys above have given all the suggestions I would have as well.

enjoy!

prj71

WhyFi

Is the Muc-Off tape more along the lines of DT Swiss (more rubbery with some stretch) or Stan's/etc (plastic film without much give)? My only two knocks against DT Swiss are cost and availability, so if something comparable or better improves upon either or both of those points, that'd be a win.

My 303S came wrapped with Zipp branded tape that looks very much like DT Swiss. No extra tape was provided.

Chandne

[QUOTE=WhyFi;22456947]Is the Muc-Off tape more along the lines of DT Swiss (more rubbery with some stretch) or Stan's/etc (plastic film without much give)? My only two knocks against DT Swiss are cost and availability, so if something comparable or better improves upon either or both of those points, that'd be a win.



It seems to be thinner than Stan's and with a little more give. I think DT Swiss and Muc Off are the best tapes for most wheels. I do not like Stan's or Whiskey but I have never used Schwalbe.

sean.hwy

from the good deal thread post #2973
https://www.bikeforums.net/22370478-post2973.html

I purchased these cheap rims and tires for $200. The tires have actually been great. I have used them on lot's of gravel rides. lol
Continental Grand Sport Clincher tyre – 28mm

the link says tubeless ready

https://www.probikekit.com/bicycle-w...ime=1641246181

Tyre Type: 2-way Fit Ready (For Clincher And Tubeless Ready)
Rim Width: 23,8 Mm
Inner Rim Width (Channel) : 19 Mm


Does that mean I need to buy tape that's 19mm?


Is this no name brand ok at $15 ( 1000 review )
https://www.amazon.com/BWSHLF-Tubele...NsaWNrPXRydWU=




or better to get the muc off one at $27 ( only 35 reviews. weird less reviews but it's a name brand )
https://www.amazon.com/Muc-Off-Tubel...13&sr=8-7&th=1

KJ43

I agree with Chandne's assessment. The Muc-Off tape seems a very slight bit more stretchy than the DT Swiss tape and the transparency makes it easier to poke the hole for the valve in the center of the opening. But both tapes were similarly easy to install though the transparency of the Muc-Off made it a bit easier to spot any air bubbles as well.

KJ43

For a 19mm inner width I think you might want to go with 21mm wide tape. The center channel will take some of the width and my understanding is that in a perfect world the tire bead will sit over the edge of the tape for the best possible seal. But the important thing is to get the tape down solidly, without air bubbles, especially around the spoke holes.

After I install my tape I run a bunched up (clean) rag over it to smooth it out, run a tire lever over the sides to get them down, and then install the tires to max pressure and see how they do overnight. I don't expect them to hold full pressure overnight, but it's a good test before putting sealant in.

robbyville

Lol, I always seem to be late to the party! I think the above poster is correct I would go with a 21 mm or thereabouts. I prefer to use a namebrand rim tape like the DT or Muc off, It lasts as long as you need it to number of years for the few extra dollars but that’s just me!