Tubeless Tyres and Wheels

[mcfchris]

Ok, My mates are all banging on about tubeless MTB tyres... and I am unsure.

a: What is the actual benefit
b: Would I need to buy new wheels
c: are they any more puncture resistant than normal tyres with slime tubes??

Cheers

[xerxes]

I always understood that the main benefit was that you could run the tyres at lower pressure without fear of pinch flats, great for traction in muddy, slippery, conditions, less so on hard packed trails and tow paths etc. However, they are a more of a palaver to install and maintain.

In any case, here's an article that may interest you: http://www.bikemag.com/features/onlineexclusive/040306_vernon/

[Aaronn]

So, i have Mavis rims, tubeless tires and Presta valves and am having trouble getting the tube to inflate. Is there a sealant or something that i need to apply to the inner rim of the tube to create an effective seal?

[tbrowne]

Some tubeless tires need a lot of air to seat the tire on the rim. An air compressor or a co2 inflator should do the trick. Try to work the sidewall beads onto the rim the best you can before putting air into the tire.

[Aaronn]

Thanks for the quick reply, i am actually using a compressor to inflate the tube but the sidewall doesn't seem to want to pop into place so to speak. I've tried using windex to coat the beads on the rim before inflating it with the compressor but it doesn't seem to want to snap into place. Are co2 inflators available at a bike shop normally?

[Aaronn]

so it turns out that i didn't look closely enough at the Presta valve which had snapped off on the inside of the rim. i will be picking up either a new valve or even a new tube with attached presta valve as i've heard that they can be used in a tubeless tire. Thanks!

[Jordan300]

I just read that article. It's great. My bike shop hooked me up with tubeless as a favor, so I didn't have to pay for it. I enjoy it. I actually had a puncture flat. So I had to buy a new tire. My option was put a tube in it or buy a new tire. I bought a new tire. So Tubeless could be a more expensive route if you have bad luck.