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How High Maintenance are Tubeless Tires Anyway?

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How High Maintenance are Tubeless Tires Anyway?

Old 09-23-21, 01:02 PM
  #51  
PeteHski
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Originally Posted by Caliper
Plenty of tubeless tire/rim combos will unseat on their own if the pressure gets too low. My bikes vary from my fat tire bike that can require a foot on the tire to unseat the bead to my gravel bike where one of the rims will start unseating before the tire is even fully deflated. Yes all are tubeless rims and tubeless tires. Even a good combo could get unseated if you can't immediately stop and ride on the deflated tire for a bit.

and for anyone who hasn't done it before, putting a tube in a tubeless tire is a disgusting mess on the roadside!
That's what disposable gloves are for. Although I think the mess is over-rated. Depends what sealant you are using too.
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Old 09-23-21, 01:19 PM
  #52  
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I've had ~10 punctures in a 28 psi tubeless mtb tire simultaneously by riding over a goathead patch (ugggg), and pulled each goathead out (a 6 o'clock) and let gravity and the sealant do its thing with zero/marginal loss of psi. And in fact, during the 2,000 miles of tubeless mtb I've done, I've never had an actual flat. And even with that 100% success rate I'm still on the fence about tubeless on the road, due to all the naysayers.
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Old 09-23-21, 01:27 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
That's what disposable gloves are for. Although I think the mess is over-rated. Depends what sealant you are using too.
Yeah, I've had to pop in a tube twice, and the "mess" certainly wasn't the worst part of the situation. I mean, if it didn't seal, the majority of the sealant should be blown out of the puncture, anyway. If it's not... okay, carefully dump it out.

Really though, I think that popping in a tube roadside is even less of a concern than it was before. Both of my experiences came before I started using plugs so, unless you were unprepared and didn't have plugs, it's gotta be a pretty damn serious puncture to warrant a tube. Like, a bootable affair, which... well hell - your day is already borked, so what's a little sealant?
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Old 09-23-21, 01:30 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by Riveting
And even with that 100% success rate I'm still on the fence about tubeless on the road, due to all the naysayers.
The vast majority of the naysayers fall in to two categories:
  • Those that have never used road tubeless
  • Those that used Stan's on road tubeless

The next largest group of naysayers would probably be:
  • Those that never really had problems with punctures and never should have went tubeless in the first place
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Old 09-23-21, 01:32 PM
  #55  
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I think the OP will end up buying a tricycle with solid rubber tires so tubeless is irrelevant!
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Old 09-23-21, 01:45 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by Gravel Rider
I think the OP will end up buying a tricycle with solid rubber tires so tubeless is irrelevant!
Good, I'm now waiting to hear about the $20 DIY indoor trainer for that tricycle, I bet those tires will last forever on it.
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Old 09-23-21, 03:39 PM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
The two main reasons (assuming they ever held air at all) is bad rim tape and bad valve sealing---the valve tot eh rim, not the valve core or head (though I would check both.)
I would add leaky sidewalls to this list. Some WTB and Rene Herse have many anecdotes online about sidewalls that leak sealant (and air). Add me to the list of people with this issue.

I've been running WTB Expanse 32 tires all season (tan wall), and the leaky sidewalls have soured me on these tires. But they are still useable for all but the longest rides (where you will need to top up the air after several hours). Of course it's more of an issue with higher pressures. And don't even think of cleaning the tire with any mild soap... Getting rid of any grit from the side of the tire will definitely allow sealant to pass.

Otherwise, I have liked everything about tubeless, other than the sealant mess. My tires are basically swiss cheese with punctures at this point in the season, and all of the punctures have sealed. Only one puncture required any additional air in the middle of a ride (just a bit to firm up the tire).
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Old 09-23-21, 03:49 PM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by kahn
In the use of Dynaplugs, you wind up leaving the metal tip inside the tire? Interesting. There's enough gook inside so that it does not roll or rattle around like those balls in cans of spray paint. Or it remains attached to the other side of that sticky plug material.
the one I used the other day stayed with the plug, I only know that because when I pulled the tire to check it and the rim to make sure the 3" nail did not damage anything, it was still attached.
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Old 09-23-21, 03:53 PM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by kahn
I did not ask but expected as much. You've got all that sticky stuff to deal with. I can imagine the tube gets enmeshed in the stick!!!
I think it depends on the sealant you use. I use Orange Seal and it is not that big of a deal. it wipes down with a rag
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Old 09-23-21, 03:59 PM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
...Those that used Stan's on road tubeless ...
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Old 09-23-21, 06:35 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
The vast majority of the naysayers fall in to two categories:
  • Those that have never used road tubeless
  • Those that used Stan's on road tubeless
Dude, thank you. I use Stan's .... on the road, 90-105 psi. I never knew I was supposed to hate tubeless for this reason. Thanks for the tip.
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Old 09-23-21, 06:46 PM
  #62  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Dude, thank you. I use Stan's .... on the road, 90-105 psi. I never knew I was supposed to hate tubeless for this reason. Thanks for the tip.
A) Not what I said.
B) Stan's shortcomings seem to be more apparent if you actually ride.
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Old 09-23-21, 07:43 PM
  #63  
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Dude .... I QUOTED what you actually said, and you are going to tell me that that is not what you actually said?

I do ride .... the fact that you have to demean me when I disagree with you pretty much says everything everybody ever needs to know about.

Thanks for the warning.
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Old 09-23-21, 08:23 PM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by Caliper
Plenty of tubeless tire/rim combos will unseat on their own if the pressure gets too low. My bikes vary from my fat tire bike that can require a foot on the tire to unseat the bead to my gravel bike where one of the rims will start unseating before the tire is even fully deflated. Yes all are tubeless rims and tubeless tires. Even a good combo could get unseated if you can't immediately stop and ride on the deflated tire for a bit.

and for anyone who hasn't done it before, putting a tube in a tubeless tire is a disgusting mess on the roadside!
Good to know. Thanks for sharing
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Old 09-23-21, 08:29 PM
  #65  
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Originally Posted by Caliper
... and for anyone who hasn't done it before, putting a tube in a tubeless tire is a disgusting mess on the roadside!
Yes, but so is sex, and everybody still does that all the time.
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Old 09-23-21, 09:32 PM
  #66  
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Originally Posted by kahn
I did not ask but expected as much. You've got all that sticky stuff to deal with. I can imagine the tube gets enmeshed in the stick!!!
I'm using Orange seal, so nothing sticky. It's latex based (like most sealants) and about fairly free flowing, almost water like. The issue is all the dried sealant on the inside of the tire and along the bead. As you peel the tire loose though, there's all sorts of strands and sheets of latex stuck between the tire and rim (it basically forms a latex inner tube in there), and all coated in wet sealant so it wants to splatter sealant all over the place as it peels and snaps loose and then you're peeling more of this out of the tire to be able to get the tube in. Definitely stop somewhere near grass so you can clean your hands and take care not to get it on your kit lest it soak in and leave you with latex spots in the material.

Originally Posted by WhyFi
Yeah, I've had to pop in a tube twice, and the "mess" certainly wasn't the worst part of the situation. I mean, if it didn't seal, the majority of the sealant should be blown out of the puncture, anyway. If it's not... okay, carefully dump it out.

Really though, I think that popping in a tube roadside is even less of a concern than it was before. Both of my experiences came before I started using plugs so, unless you were unprepared and didn't have plugs, it's gotta be a pretty damn serious puncture to warrant a tube. Like, a bootable affair, which... well hell - your day is already borked, so what's a little sealant?
The tire developed several bubbles in the tread between two rides. That would have worn through quickly and probably left me with an unpatchable situation, but with a tube there isn't air pressure pushing between layers of the tire and they were good for a few more rides until I got around to swapping tires. (actually, the tire is still good and on a different wheelset still with a tube)

Originally Posted by tomato coupe
Yes, but so is sex, and everybody still does that all the time.
That's only messy though, not disgusting. I'm also not usually wearing kit that I'm afraid of staining.
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Old 09-23-21, 09:51 PM
  #67  
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If i were going to run tubed on tubeless rims, two things is do are replace the tubeless tape with rim tape, and use tube type tires. No worries
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Old 09-24-21, 06:49 AM
  #68  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Dude .... I QUOTED what you actually said, and you are going to tell me that that is not what you actually said?

I do ride .... the fact that you have to demean me when I disagree with you pretty much says everything everybody ever needs to know about.

Thanks for the warning.
Oh, did I misinterpret the tone of your post? Or am I supposed to be more cordial towards blowhards that snarkily misconstrue my statements? If I say that "many members of Group A are also members of Group B," it is neither stated nor implied that Group B is a subset of (wholly included within) Group A. Do I need to draw a cheery Venn diagram to illustrate your logical shortcomings? Pound sand, (actually) ride your bike - I'll leave the choice up to you, but know that I'll to skip your predictably gassy reply.
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Old 09-24-21, 10:31 AM
  #69  
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Originally Posted by downtube42
If i were going to run tubed on tubeless rims, two things is do are replace the tubeless tape with rim tape, and use tube type tires. No worries
Not sure why you would need to replace the rim tape .... but if you want to ....
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Old 09-24-21, 01:00 PM
  #70  
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Considering the OP has posted approx 100 posts inquiring about the value proposition of one used bike or another and has moved on to some form of a cruiser according to recent activety. Let's get to the point where the bike is actually purchased to determine the best practices regarding tubeless.
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Old 09-24-21, 02:32 PM
  #71  
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Originally Posted by Atlas Shrugged
Considering the OP has posted approx 100 posts inquiring about the value proposition of one used bike or another and has moved on to some form of a cruiser according to recent activety. Let's get to the point where the bike is actually purchased to determine the best practices regarding tubeless.
<Puts down globe, shrugs .... > Whatever.


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Old 09-24-21, 09:47 PM
  #72  
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
Not sure why you would need to replace the rim tape .... but if you want to ....
When tubed, you don't want an airtight seal outside the tube. You want air inside the tube, not air trapped outside the tube.
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Old 09-25-21, 05:24 AM
  #73  
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Originally Posted by Squeeze
I am disappointed with the tubeless setup I had done recently, yet I'm determined to make them work. Had the LBS build me a wheelset with tubeless rims and install tubeless tires. They've set them up twice now and they will not hold air more than a few minutes at a time after the tires came "unstuck" from the rims from the weight of the bike pressing down on the flat tires as the bike leaned against a wall in the garage. I'm so frustrated about it that I'm just not riding it. Eventually I'll quit being stubborn, but I just can't deal with them right now. I've spent too much time pumping them up in my garage over and over when I wanted to go riding on the weekends. They either won't "stick" at all, or do for a short while but then go flat in the ten minutes it takes me to run inside to put on my bike shorts, fill a water bottle, and put on my shoes. Everyone says, "they aren't supposed to come off the rim, even when low on air" but they do.
Sure. But some TL rims does not have a bead lock hump that retains the bead seating in the event of pressure loss. However that isn't the reason the tyre goes flat. Any number of other possible reasons for that.

For best experience the rim supposed to look like this:
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/tubeless...danforderungen
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Old 09-25-21, 07:08 AM
  #74  
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Originally Posted by Racing Dan
Sure. But some TL rims does not have a bead lock hump that retains the bead seating in the event of pressure loss. However that isn't the reason the tyre goes flat. Any number of other possible reasons for that.

For best experience the rim supposed to look like this:
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/tubeless...danforderungen

Yep, I was setting up a new set of wheels earlier this week and the front did not maintain air overnight. The bead was fine, but the valve core was not tight enough, so once I retightened the core, no issues.
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Old 09-25-21, 09:00 AM
  #75  
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Originally Posted by Rolla
It remains attached.

Interesting. The way the diagram is presented though, it looks like the tool would be extending so far that you'd hit the rim bed? I'd assume not though since nobody is indicating that to use a dynaplug you need to remove the tire, right? What tool is needed for step 4's "clipping" -- pair of scissor, nail clipper?
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