Everything You Need To Know About Tubeless Tire Maintenance

[@gcntech]

Do you have any of your own tubeless maintenance hacks? 🧐

[@wsbygt]

Not really... Just get a new tire everytime the old tire pattern is erased. Tubeless FTW, tbh.

[@neilmdon]

I sometimes have a hard time getting the tire to "engage" with the high pressure air to then push up onto the rim. Instead of just blasting more air in and hoping for a miracle (while my curses are drowned out by the compressor, a sequence I repeated several times) I decided to use actual physics and observation and carefully arranged the tire so the beads did not reveal much or any of the small dimples in the rim tape covering the spoke holes. That was enough to ensure that the air added sufficient pressure, rather than just leaking prodigiously, and so popped the bead up into place with ease. Physics. Gotta love it (them?)!

[@S106R]

Always make the valve the last bit of tyre to be worked onto the rim. If the valve is loose & pushed up against the inner of the tread it'll allow the tyre more room. More often than not, this is why the tyre is hard to fit, your trying to work the tyre out of the tolerances it was manufactured to.

[@blabla5604]

I always put the wheels into the bath tub when switching tyres or replacing sealant. If there is a sealant spill, it is nicely contained that way. When I'm done, I just casually shower everything with warm water and end up with a clean setup. I do live alone, though, so this might not be an option if you live with other people.

[@neilmdon]

Yep - though the old Conti GP4000s were (for me at least) next to impossible to get onto my Cannondale rims. I could do it but it usually took me about an hour, sometimes with zipties (yes!) to hold the tire secure at one point. I dreaded the potential need to put in a tube on the road because I had zero confidence of getting the tire back on. Somewhat easier the 2nd time after a bit of stretch, but still a faff. However, the GP5000s seem to have just a bit more circumference, just enough that I have no real trouble getting them on the rim using exactly that approach. My coach used to work in a shop and said when people came in looking sad with Bora wheels and Conti tires he would hide in the back until someone else came out to help the poor customer....@@S106R

[@luukrutten1295]

While you are struggling with getting your tires on. Don't forget to check if your tire is directional and align the tire label with the valve hole. Nothing worse than finding out you installed your tubuless tires the wrong way around and having to take them off again. Been there!

[@veganpotterthevegan]

If people are struggling with tubeless, they need the practice of remounting the tire again.

[@neilmdon]

I would just leave it wrong way lol - doesn't make *that* much difference ...

[@glenni249]

This usually includes the acting out of the wheel rotation, holding the wheel up in the correct orientation in relation to the bike and rotating it through a partial turn, figuring or the correct orientation, promptly forgetting then starting the process again.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@neilmdon huge difference on a mountain bike. For road tires, they're useless outside of the trip effect they can give for aerodynamics. I'd be curious to know the effect there with having them backwards but you're looking at over a watt for a slick tire vs a tire designed for aerodynamics

[@gcntech]

Oooof yep! We've all been there 👀

[@bihlygoat]

I had a rim / tire combo (ETRO standard) that I could not get the beads to seal enough to develop the pressure needed to seat the beads - the beads just stayed in the center channel of the rim. After searching KZbin, the only thing I found that helped was to wrap a nylon strap all the way around the circumference of the tire and pull it tight, squeezing the side walls against the edge of the rim. This finally sealed off the airflow enough to get the beads to pop into place. And I was using an air compressor with the valve core removed, and a high-glow valve stem. I seriously contemplated if tubeless was worth all the faff!!!

[@Multistan85]

Had my first tubeless puncture with sealant spray. If you know what to do, it’s not so bad. Put the leak to the 6 o’clock position so it helps the sealant, get ur tire plug, locate the leak, plug it in, then pump it back up and ur good to go. Left the plug there and still rode for 2k more miles. 6k for the year with the same setup. It was my first puncture, considering having 5-6 or more a year with clinchers.

[@luukrutten1295]

Plugs definitely are less of a struggle than getting the bead off for changing an inner tube.

[@gcntech]

The joys of tubeless! 🙌

[@Vorodya2]

what plug did u use? I had an experience with the popping out plug while I was climbing uphill. I gets it’s because of extra pressure- it was pretty steep there

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

I actually got a major puncture to seal with a lot of sealant because the hole couldn't be plugged. One key thing is to keep sealant topped up because if that sealant plug dries out it will unseat and blow out.

[@Craweats]

​@@Vorodya2The dyna plugs work better for me. The head holds them in place. The bacon strips just pop out.

[@MS-sy8ls]

I had a thorn in my front tyre on Saturday and could hear the air hissing out. I pulled it out and sealant was bubbling out. Just kept riding and it sealed up within seconds. Perfect!

[@gcntech]

What more could you want! 🙌

[@Da57al]

Ollie has found a new calling - Magician!!! At 10:05, Ollie states we should get "the bike in the wheel". Now I would love to see how that is done, maybe that can be arranged for another maintenance video 🧙‍♂

[@gcntech]

Alakazam 🪄

[@benarguilla1433]

A couple of years ago my first experience with tubeless tires on a loaner bike. About a week into riding a got about a half inch side slice. I had tubes but nothing in my pack to cover the slice in the tire and from experience I knew the tube would simply blow through the slice. I started walking home looking at the ground for something to use when I came across a cigarette carton. I tore off a piece and placed inside the tire over the slice put in a tube pumped up the tire and rode home. I started using tubeless nine months ago and have had two slices and evidence of about 12 punctures. Only one of the punctures stopped me from riding and only realized only 1 puncture while riding.

[@benarguilla1433]

I should also say that the two slices sealed and I continued my ride. On one of the slices I turned the wheel on its side with the slice facing down and the slice sealed itself.

[@Brrunoc1]

If you have sealant skirting out on the road, stop, take the weight off the bike and put your finger on the leak. Wait a minute and then spin the wheel, this usually fixes it. Also sealant squirts out if your pressure is too high.

[@gcntech]

Great tips! 🙌 How long have you been running tubeless?

[@Brrunoc1]

About this time last year: I got both rims replaced with tubeless and have done a lot of heavy shopping trips along a very gravel tow path with a full load of 4 panniers as well as c couple of tours fully loaded across the Netherlands (last autumn) and came back a couple of weeks ago from some hunting for Pavé sectors around Oudenaarde. I had a puncture today: I plugged it with a "bacon strip" and have ordered some Lezyne Tubeless Pro Plugs. Initially I randomly ordered some WTB 32mm tyres but have replaced them with Pirrelli as they seem more robust.@@gcntech

[@bihlygoat]

I tried this with Silca sealant on a small thorn hole and it still wouldn’t seal. I recommend using a better sealant if it won’t stop squirting out!

[@davidmunchin9865]

I would always check that the tyre seats properly BEFORE putting in messy sealant. It should stay inflates for at least a few minutes with zero sealant. Also if it won't seat, putting in a temporary inner tube or leaving overnight will stretch the tyre into position.

[@gcntech]

Great tips! 🙌 Are you a tubeless lover? 😍

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

Yep. Get the tire to seat before adding sealant. You may need to unseat one side to put in sealant, but the tire should reseat easier.

[@chones_]

love how they cut away right before ollie got to the hardest part of getting any tire on the wheel---the last 20%. pro editing gcn.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

It’s a family friendly show - they had to cut all the cursing. 😅

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@andrewmcalister3462 jeeze, how are you people having so much trouble installing tires? It's remarkably easy these days.

[@peterharrington8709]

Tbf Ollie is neigh on super human these days. This is nothing for him 😉

[@falcoperegrinus82]

I just use a tire lever. Super easy. My lever doesn't even touch the rim tape, let alone damage it, so don't know what he's talking about.

[@Brrunoc1]

When fitting the tyre, make sure the tyre bead is not sitting on top of the valve core causing the blast of air to just flow around the bead and into the atmosphere.

[@johndoiron9615]

Watching this confirms my desire to remain with tubes.

[@rg807]

The key to getting the tire on is to USE A BIT OF SOAPY DISHWATER on the bead. This should always be used, not just when you're having trouble. Why make the job harder than it has to be? Also, soapy water on both beads helps the bead seat, too.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

Look at what the use on your automobile tires and rims. It's dish soap and water or automobile cleaner and water. Apply LIBERALLY on the tire bead and inside of the tire where it contacts the rim.

[@zedballs]

@@jamesmckenzie3532 it's not, it's tyre lube, which is its own thing. Never needed it for bicycle tyres though, dilute dish soap works fine, for motorbike ones it gets more tricky.

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

@@zedballs The tyre shop I go to that has been in business for over 40 years uses Dawn Dish soap (clean up solution for those in the UK). The commercial solutions are very expensive and aren't any better. They were the ones to recommend using this on my tubeless bicycle tires.

[@mathewjames4137]

Just to add. After inflating and seating the tyre bead, hold the wheel horizontally and rock it round to get the sealant over the inside of the bead.

[@mickeywakefield]

Thanks for the video. (and many others) I'm new to this and I got a bike with tubeless tires, and came here to learn how they work and what I need to do with them. Great information.

[@nrobsonevets8758]

I’ve had a lot of punctures that seal well enough to get me home, but start leaking again once I reinflate to a proper tire pressure. You can take the tire off, clean it and patch from the inside with a park tool vp-1 or slime skab patch etc. I’ve gotten a lot of extra miles out of tires with these

[@gcntech]

It's amazing what a simple patch can do 🙌 So much more life in those old tyres!

[@bikecommuter24]

IF you have a hard time getting a tire onto the rim, especially a new one, I used a trick I learned on another video, put a zip tie around the tire to hold it in place once you got part of it installed, and put another one on the opposite side that 180 degrees for the nerdy types (like me) it's work great it saves a lot of cussing and throwing of tools.

[@falcoperegrinus82]

Why not just use a tire lever?

[@space.youtube]

5:13 The point when the necessarily convoluted tubeless fitment process resembles a Monty Python sketch to a clincher user. 🤣

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Love seeing the Park Tools and branding. These guys are absolute heroes in their support and commitment to cycling over many, many decades. They truly are focused on bringing us the tools we want and need at reasonable prices. My newest tool is their spoke tension meter, which is the same tried and true version that's been available for about 30 years (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). I looked at the spoke meter from DT Swiss, and at 1,200 USD I'm sure it's great, but damn expensive, the Park Tools meter at 80 USD seems perfectly good.

[@noahmiller91]

@5:25 show this bit!!! So many gcn bits either assume we know, or hide difficult bits? Do you just rotate the wheel so the sealant pours to opposite site and then pop the open tyre back on? Is there any technique for doing this without spilling the sealant everywhere?

[@hoopdoggydogg]

A couple of things that I also do: 1. Turn the wheel 45°, then spin it slowly to allow sealant to get closer to the rim to seal the edges. 2. If I puncture, I make sure the puncture sight is facing down so gravity is helping the sealant get to the sight. Otherwise everything else in the video is good information. Cheers Oliver Woodbridge!

[@matteo.ceriotti]

I've seen on other videos that the Silca sealant is very good at sealing, but it's a hell of a mess if it fails and you need to put a tube in. I'd love to see a video doing that with Silca.

[@gcntech]

We'll see what we can do 🙌 We would love to show off the Silca sealant

[@oldanslo]

I haven't had good performance from the Silca sealant in road tires. I've had a number of small punctures not seal without using plugs. Also the sealant dries out after about a month, and I ride in a moderate climate. Also using it is a PITA because it cannot be injected through the valve stem. Because of this, I've gone back to Orange Sealant.

[@bihlygoat]

@@oldansloamen to that. Silca sealant actually peeled up my rim tape that had worked fine for a year with the orange stuff. And it constantly plugged my valve cores. Total PITA!

[@GremHopkins]

i had a lot more troubles with tubeless apart from those discussed. First of all what most often leaks in my experience is valve-hole, not the core.Another issue - the rim tape may break against the spoke holes under pressure, despite being advertised as a product which should prevent exactly this. Selant may not seal even small holes, just go out of the hole. Then as you pump the tyre without a valve core, and then as it is on, you take the pump out, the bid does not necessarily stay in place - it will go in the center of the rim. I had all of this, but still using tubeless just because it feels a bit more comfortable on bumps. i am still wondering though how will it work in low temperatures in Finland.

[@chrisridesbicycles]

There are tire levers that just hook on the sidewall and help to push the bead over. Crankbrothers has one for example. Great help with stubborn tires.

[@karstenmeinders4844]

Fully agreed! I can absolutely recommend them!

[@bradallen8643]

Will the Crankbrothers lever also help to push the bead off the rim hook as well?

[@auswi]

The most comprehensive guide to tubeless I think I've seen. Well done. I have been running tubeless now for 5 years and would never go back to tubes. I've lost count of the number of punctures I've avoided compared to tubes. But I always carry a spare TPU tube and patch kit in case the puncture is more of a cut. Only had to use this once. I have stopped carrying Co2 cylinders for inflation and switched to a Topeak Roadie TT. You are not supposed to take Co2 cylinders on a plane, and to be honest, if you try to re-inflate on the roadside, and it doesn't work, you're toast. And for the weight weenies, 2 x Co2 cylinders plus valve connector weighs more than 1 x Topeak Roadie TT 😉

[@frenzalrhomb1]

Errrr, how do you know how many punctures you didn't get?

[@auswi]

@@frenzalrhomb1 when you change the tyre you can see on the inside where the punctures were as the sealant turns into a circular rubber "plug". Depending on the size of the puncture, you can also see the sealant on the outside of the tyre form as a rubbery substance. That's my experience anyway.

[@Fonkemman]

Then you have not seen the Parktool videos.

[@NormAusSmith]

The "o-ring" has absolutely nothing to do with keeping the system air tight. It's only purpose is to allow you to apply the appropriate pressure without damaging the rim. There is NO pressure behind this o-ring. If there was, air would also leak out of all the spoke holes. It would also mean the rim tape doesn't work.

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

and that little hole were water can drain from.

[@sbccbc7471]

Also, if the inside of the rim is pressurised, the rim will blow up. I've heard of such cases. This is why ENVE's tubeless valve lockrings have four channels that allow any air trapped in the rim to escape should the rest of the rim have no air leakage points. As long as the rim has a drainage hole or two (some actually have none!), it shouldn't be a problem.

[@PhilDowson-hq3dj]

I understood that as the nut is what makes it air tight, and the o-ring is part of the system, not that the o-ring is inherent to establishing a seal

[@andrewmcalister3462]

@@PhilDowson-hq3djthe valve seals on the INSIDE of the rim. An O ring underneath the nut on the outside is more about stopping the nut from from vibrating loose as you ride.

[@PhilDowson-hq3dj]

@@andrewmcalister3462 that's what I meant but didn't write very well! I meant as in the nut applies the pressure that seals the valve inside, and the o-ring helps with the vibration and also protects the rim

[@onlycoolnameleft]

Some pumps (and I believe the one Ollie shows is like that) have a 2-way switch for the type of air they blow - one setting is for high pressure, normal pumping, the other is for low pressure high airflow. With this pump I've seated many a non-compliant, dried sealant covered bead. This is a great investment as it doesn't take up too much space and costs way less when compared with a compressor. Booster tanks can have their own issues with leaking etc.

[@jeffmiller1848]

Been a while since cycled and many more since working in a shop. I think you all are great. Montana, US.

[@elvo4789]

i was thinking about switching to tubeless, but nooope, i‘m sticking to inner tubes after watching this! 😂

[@hockysa]

love my tubeless tyres but that being said I haven't expereinced any of the tubeless horrors that other's have experienced. however, I'm considering going back to inner tubes since I now live in an area with nice roads and looking at running higher pressures.

[@gcntech]

Tubeless is still the way to go with slightly higher pressures. Just take Si's word for it 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKOwn4F_Z7d2ndk

[@helenstergius]

Can you show a video of the magic that happens between 5:20 and 5:30 that has you with the unseated part of the tire at the top but no sealant everywhere?

[@jetstar7]

"Milky sealant start spewing out of your tire like Bishop the cyborg being ravaged by the queen alien." Such poetry. 🤣

[@erikolsen5802]

I really loved your video about magnesium bikes. Could you do one on bamboo too? Know you guys have made vids on them before though

[@johnburgher]

A glass cleaner like WIndex works great on the bead and evaporates when dry.

[@EricWohnig]

I've had the best time with the GP5000 STR tires. Putting them on and maintaining them has been a breeze. I wouldn't want to ride anything else.

[@gcntech]

No better feeling than when you get that perfect part for you 👌

[@kenneththomas3558]

Great video, Ollie. Thank you.

[@RTEATHEREDGE]

76 Projects hi-flow valves have made my tubeless experience much more satisfying, as not now continuously battling clogged valves each time I go to add air to the tyres (Silca sealant was just overwhelming the standard valves).

[@sbccbc7471]

I've worked with this valve once when I had a customer wanting to switch his to these. Would be a bummer for those with higher-end Lezyne pumps as the valves are threadless.

[@juanjoromero2982]

Thanks! I missed a lot how to repair the tyre once home. I hope you make a new video for that. Greetings

[@danielhertercasagrande1686]

The tip with soapy water is also good for thigh clinchers with tubes

[@PeterPutz82]

Open rubbish bin, insert tubeless, close lid. Fit normal clincher tyres, install TPU tube, seat tyre with no tools, inflate, be happy.

[@cherriagana]

I always have a spare inner tube with me AND a pair of gloves since inserting an inner tube into a system full of sealant is often very messy.

[@hcw199]

How many Kms are you getting from a rear wheel tubeless tyre? My tyres are lasting about 5-6000 Kms. I use Kenda kryterium 700x25c clincher inner tubes.

[@DJulianFritze]

LOVE tubeless! First time setting up can be tricky but now i think is it easy. 20 min and both wheel are up and running. I only have one problem with tubeless. Get it off my cycling cloths. Can’t you guys (GCN) please make a video where your show the best way to remove sealant and stains from cycling cloth? I use the Silca Ultimate tubeless sealant

[@kirkmandus3057]

I found my problems were trying to make pull the tape too tight. I now don’t stress, wrap it twice and “set the tape” by doing a quick ride with a tube. Probably unnecessary but works for me.

[@beats.3016]

Many thanks for this informative clip. TL is one thing, but I‘d love to see you mounting a 28mm TL with Vittoias AirLiners on a 19mm rim… You also made a review about it, and lots of riders uses them. I take any hint, or better another tch video about it 😉

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

Surely it is easier to just use an inner tube?

[@dh7314]

Here’s your prize for most original comment 🏆

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

@@dh7314 Thank you. I will cycle round "leak free" now and get it 🚴

[@samuelthompson5094]

Surely it is easier to have no gears than gears then too.

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

@@samuelthompson5094 I bet people like you prefer it when you remove your saddle..... 🤔

[@falcoperegrinus82]

Not at all.

[@timklugesherz346]

HI GCN, should I be afraid of over-tightening the valve nut and damaging my beautiful carbon rim? I Don't have a little o Ring in between and used a little bit of tape to make it seal properly, but I had to use a little bit more force out of my fingers to make I tight enough then i expected. cheers!

[@robelliott1428]

I'm curious as to why the product description for Silca sealant remover does not mention wheels.. just hard surfaces and clothing?

[@MTCCDisciples]

Always wondered why those plugs kept being blown out during the ride... even if I reduced the normal pressure. Seems like when I'm going faster, the pressure inside increases... I don't know. But those plugs are frustrating. This video is really helpful.

[@gcntech]

Glad we could help! 🙌

[@Craweats]

I've used dyna plugs successfully. Bacon strips are garbage in my experience.

[@terryduncan8979]

Quite interesting how many people rave about how good tubeless is, until it isn't - and then the solution to stop the leak is to use an inner tube. Messy

[@sbccbc7471]

This is why I always say people claim to love the new and advanced stuff until they have to get their hands dirty to work on them. Such things include, but are not limited to: Tubeless tire setups Integrated internal routing (especially those where the shift and brake lines run inside the stem)

[@falcoperegrinus82]

I've been running tubeless for about 2 years now, have yet to experience this "isn't" you speak of. In that time, I've never had to put in a tube.

[@abdelmajidhassane9979]

Great topic. Alas you shown the wrong operation sequences. Fit the tyre on the rim --> inflate at the max allowable rim/tyre pressure ( setting-up tyre beads on the rim) --> deflate and remove valve core --> add sealant --> inflate at desirable pressure --> spin the wheel sloping it on both sides. the main purpose of the sealant is to correct the imperfections of the tyre an rim that might cause aome leak, adding it before setting the beads on the rim soils the contact betwin the two. Cheers from Italy. 🇮🇹

[@BenSmith-u6h]

What do you do if you leave them over winter - come back and it’s dried on stuck?!

[@MrAppoline]

If you have already repaired a tubeless tyre with a Stan's Dart or similar, are you not likely to get a puncture if you were then to need to use an inner tube? So if you have to use a plug, you really need to repair the tyre with a patch on return. I use tubeless for my off-road 50c tyres for the benefits of lower pressure and sealing, plus I think an inner tube is about 400g so there's a massive weight advantage too. But far less so for thinner road tyres unless you are using 50c slicks as in that other recent GCN video.

[@marccale9890]

Very useful video! It has made me even more certain just to stick with tubes ha ha ha

[@markyoung7033]

I’m not a fan of tubeless. A bunch of hot air. Tubeless trouble shooting guide - gotta love it. Never remember being shown how to trouble shoot tires w/tubes. Amazing how this is dominating cycling. Now you buy tape, sealant, sealant cleaner, etc. Just buy a friggin’ tube!

[@chrisdavidson911]

You were never told/shown how to find and repair an inner tube, and to inspect inside the tyre before putting it back together? You had t gave patches, glue, sandpaper, chalk, a pump, and tyre removal tools. Now you just put some schmoo in and pretty much forget about it

[@wtfiswiththosehandles]

@@chrisdavidson911 Not on a road bike. You get reminded every time you get a puncture, and the sealant sprays your ass and faces of guys behind you, and you still have to stop and replace with a tube because pressures are just too high, and air volume too low, to seal. MTB tires, gravel tires - tubeless is great. Road bikes - nope. Just use a modern TPU tube and be done with it.

[@falcoperegrinus82]

Maybe it's different for high psi road tires, but for my setup (42 mm gravel tires), tubeless was a game changer for me. I used to get so many flats and now I almost never get them. The punctures either seal up on their own and for those that don't, I just pop in a dynaplug and I'm up and running again. My days of taking my whole wheel and tires off just to swap out a tube which I'll then have to spend more time patching are over.

[@bihlygoat]

I tried tire plugs in a road tire (78 psi pressure). They squirted out within half a block, both with one and doubling them up. Seems like sealant might keep the plugs from bonding to the tire rubber. Also, my advice: DON’T use Silca sealant. The only thing it did for me was clog my valve cores very often (the valve itself, not just the stem) and peel up my rim tape. It couldn’t even seal a thorn hole well. (Separate incident from the plugs). I’m going back to the Orange stuff!

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Dynaplugs work great at higher pressure. Bacon strips won't work at all above 60psi or long term above 40psi

[@meneldil7604]

@@veganpotterthevegan i make my own out on old innertubes

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@meneldil7604 plugs or patches? I've patches some mountain bike tires with old tubes but they don't work well for road bike pressure because they're too flexible. Dynaplugs are a permanent fix but I replace them with either reenforced patches or with a huge hole(got one last night from a screw), a Lezyne Pro Plug. If you ever need to throw a tube in, the Dynaplugs will pierce a hole in them.

[@meneldil7604]

@@veganpotterthevegan Plugs just cut in in to strips make sure you clean the talc off -

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@meneldil7604 I can imagine those working like bacon strips. Good for mountain bikes and big gravel tires.

[@r3drum3k92]

If you have trouble (like me) to get the rims from center to the rim wall for proper inflating, first use an inner tube to inflate the tire so the sides are proper sealed. then carefully remove one side and the tube, install the right plug and reseal the tire. You now still have at least one side sealed and it will inflate nicely without compressor even if the other rim is centered.

[@nickrowlands7846]

Recently purchased Vittoria Corsa NEXT tubeless tyres. They are 24mm tyres and have proved difficult to set up! Required repeating the inflation over 3 to 4 days as the side walls are very porous and the tyres would loss pressure. Used the soapy spray to highlight the leakage. Gradually over the 4 days they sealed. Schwable tyres don't seem to have this issue?

[@larrylem3582]

Hans Dampf and my rims. Have you ever had tires that took hours of effort to seat (with an air compressor and 50 gallon tank)? Have you ever spent hours trying to unseat a tire so you could change it?

[@sbccbc7471]

Tell me about it, it definitely was not fun at all. The pain in the thumbs, argh.

[@kubecrider]

is there a car type valve for tubeless? i had a car type inner tubes and now going on tubeless, so is it a problem if i have a bigger hole in the rim than the velve?

[@josefcandia6547]

can you use co2 cartridges to inflate tubeless tyres on the road? Will it be harmful in any way? Thinking of getting a co2 inflator with a gauge, would that work?

[@SepehrNaserkhaki]

what`s with the massive stain? Sprung a nipple leak?

[@grahamaustin9085]

I've found that the best way to make sure a tyre is seated correctly is to go for a quick ride around the block. the rotation under load should push the sidewalls fully into the wheel flange.

[@davidkoothottil]

I had an unfortunate experience where my tubeless tyre got cut by a piece of glass on the road, about 1 centimeter long cut, which could not be sealed. I had a spare tube, but had not experienced a case where I would need to use it. Had to use grass from the side of the road to remove the sealant in the tyre, used a bank note where the tyre had been cut, and used an inner tube to complete my ride. Since then, have been carrying tyre sealant remover in a portable spray bottle to the saddle bag.

[@nigelbradley613]

Is it possible to fix/patch a hole in the rim tape without replacing or taping over the whole tape?

[@falcoperegrinus82]

I don't see why you couldn't put a piece of rim tape over the hole. I put on 2 layers of rim tape btw.

[@pinoyeh]

I have 4 sets of 700c aluminum rim brake wheels, 1 wheel set is tubeless ready with tubeless ready tires on them. I believe, I will stay with my current set-up just to prevent some aggravations and frustrations along the way. Just my $0.02....

[@wspmjw]

Is there a place in a tubeless setup for inserts, such as the Vitoria "run flat" insert. This has enabled me to complete the last 20 miles of an event with a tire that had a hole too large for the sealant to seal.

[@markpeterson8978]

I only have tubeless on my mountain bikes. Is there any real advantage for the average cyclist to use them on a road bike? I would love to hear your thoughts on the insert armor products that are out there. Would a tube with sealant in it perhaps paired with a Tannus armour style insert be a more effective flat deterrent? I am currently running them in my daily commuter and I love them. It would seem to me that not getting flats is the goal. Well good Sir. Cheers - M

[@sbccbc7471]

For me personally, I'm sticking with clinchers. I've set up road tubeless tires multiple times with different rim-tire combinations, some are easy to work with while others are downright hellish. You do not want to be caught having to work with a stubborn tubeless tire by the roadside. Stubborn tires are sometimes harder to get their beads seated and are definitely harder to unseat. It's not worth the hassle.

[@wsbygt]

There´s maintenance on tubeless tires?

[@savagepro9060]

🤣🤣🤣😂😂😅

[@endcensorship874]

I know that for GCN, a requirement for “super nice” status is lining up the label with the valve. And I agree with that. However, I originally would line up the label with the valve so I could locate the area of the tube that has been punctured. Tires do look better with the label lined up, but you don’t “need” to do it.

[@gcntech]

Great little tip! Knowing your tyre orientation can really help find those little punctures.

[@endcensorship874]

@@gcntech I should have added that I did it because if I can find where the tube was punctured, I could find the approximate place on the tire. You need to check the tired, because if there is any imbedded debris, like glass or a shard of metal, you want to remove that from the tire. The last thing you want is to cause another puncture because you didn't clean the inside of the tire.

[@JMcLeodKC711]

@5:30 what a freaking mess. You have sealant on the tire @11:45 and 5:00-5:30. I swear to God I am getting sick and tired of tubeless being rammed down my throat like this.

[@henseleric]

" ...rammed down my throat like this" :) Change the channel, bud.

[@peterharrington8709]

Sticky mess on your laptop? Aw yeah.... it's tubeless sealant.... Ollie showed me what what to do mom! 😆

[@JayLato]

Getting old sealant cleaned out of the rim and making sure the full tire/rim interface is perfectly clean before re-installing is beyond a nightmare. Also if you have sealant leak into the rim cavity there’s no way to clean it out especially with Silca Ultimate.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

I've never really bothered making my bead clean between tire swaps. It's never been a problem.

[@tomglista]

Very informative. The biggest thing I learned is I'll never use tubeless tires.

[@PuneethBedre]

#askgcntech I need help with saddle soreness. In particular, my gems going numb. I had never experienced this while I was riding outdoors exclusively. However, ever since the arrival of the indoor trainer, I have experienced it a few times - once, it felt like the gems had completely switched off (numb to the touch). I have had a professional bike fit done; while I feel better, the numbness is something that has not been able to solved. I’m in a pain of saddle rotation (buying new saddles every three months) in the hope that one will give me gems some peace and happiness. Can you please shed some light on this and advise what some of you do to alleviate saddle soreness, particularly indoor and some of your epic rides. Is this more common that not - how serious could it be and what must be done for safety. Regards

[@chrisdavidson911]

The comment contains a lot of information, but it isn't all useful. Are you fitting your bike to a turbo trainer, or is it a stand-alone entity like a Peleton or similar? It's unclear if you're fitting new saddles to your bike, the trainer, or both, and if the trainer has the same fit as your bike. Are you wearing the same clothes? Have you tried not using the trainer for a while, just to rule it out?

[@meneldil7604]

the first set of tubeless rims i had were prime 50 could not seal them would fail afeer a few rides got some vision sc50 not had it fail since have had to use a plug a cuple of times otherwise it been fine

[@mkh123]

I overinflated my tubeless setup once. I don't anymore. I also wear earpro when working on them now...

[@ginger1908]

I have a tubeless set up currently, but after watching this I'm tempted to go back to clinchers. Its a lot less faff

[@DanTuber]

I'll stick with tubes. Less faffing around.

[@Sozzled39]

Something I've found. If the sealant has sealed the hole - DON'T put a plug in just in case. As Ollie states, it just blows the plug out. I put a plug into a sealed hole which I was a bit worried about. Couldn't get a tube in as it was all too tight. Ended up having to patch the tyre from the inside, re-inflate it with a CO2 canister (to seat it) and cycling home on that.

[@firmbutton6485]

Ollie, had anyone asked the makers of sealants if using a gas like nitrogen would stop the sealant hardening?

[@savagepro9060]

Ollie: "Everything You Need To Know About Tubeless Tire Maintenance" Inner Tube Users:👀👀

[@juul8933]

I have been riding on my road bike tubeless setup for 3000km. Love the comfort of tubeless. However, lately I often see some (very little) tubeless sealant on the back of my bike (without even noticing I've had a flat). I can not find any hole in my tire or whatever it is causing. Is it time to replace my tires? Or should I not worry about it?

[@chrisdavidson911]

If you can't see anything wrong, the only thing that could be worth doing is putting some more sealant in. Has there been a lot of hedge cutting where you ride?

[@juul8933]

@@chrisdavidson911 after further inspection it just seemed like the tire was worn and it was time to replace anyway… I also have a race coming up so I didn’t wanna take chances. But when I took the tire off, no sealant was left inside. So maybe topping off would have helped!

[@efusco]

#AskGCNTech I have Vittoria Air-liner Road setups in my 28mm tires on my bike and have had them for almost a year. I'm noticing that I loose air pressure (~5-10 psi per day) than previously and want to add more sealant as I think that is overdue. However, I am struggling to get more than a few grams of sealant in at a time as there seems to be very little room to add it. I meet tremendous resistance after just a few grams of trying to inject, and it often pushes much of that back out when I remove the syringe. Is there some trick/technique or recommended method to add sealant in a road tire with Air-Liners?

[@rafalsjourney]

"It shouldn't deflate overnight" is a very good indicator and I always check my tires this way. However some tires are so porous that without sealant they will let the air out no matter what, for example Vittoria Corsa. Was very surprising to me.

[@douglasbooth6836]

Sadly every set of tubeless I have used deflates during the night. Not all the way but more than if I was using latex inner tubes.

[@andrewmcalister3462]

Losing pressure overnight ( or even over 48 hours) is normally a sign that’s it’s time for me to top up my sealant.

[@rafalsjourney]

@@andrewmcalister3462 The advice in video was to test them before you add sealant, this way if there is anything you need to fix (for example valve gasket) you can do it much cleaner. Of course they shouldn’t lose air that fast with sealant in. I can ride for a ~week before it needs pumping up.

[@leahcim70]

Great advice

[@JerryHilts]

Is there an issue with using a tube (temporarily) to get you home if you're using a hookless rim/tyre setup? The Zip website seems to say this is okay with their hookless rims, but the mechanic at my LBS says no way. Specifically, I'm using Enve SES 4.5 wheels with Enve 27mm tyres.

[@piglegluckson9156]

All Hookless rims are super dangerous! Go back to hooked rims ASAP

[@sbccbc7471]

There shouldn't be an issue as long as you're using a hookless-compatible tubeless tire and stay in the pressure limits.

[@jameslee-pevenhull5087]

When an innertube tyre deflates, a sharp object has pierced the inner tube. Find the object, remove it from the outercase and replace the innertube. OR, apply a repair patch to the innertube where it was pierced. Using this set-up, there is no runny mess.

[@itaybruck9671]

What about hookless rims? Can you put an inner tube in them if you get a puncture?

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Yes, but the same maximum pressure applies, so you might have to ride home carefully.

[@savagepro9060]

tubulars ARE hookless, [the original] and they HAVE inner tubes, AND they are STUCK with glue onto the rim!💥💥💥

[@ralphkolbush9159]

An awesome advance in tubeless tires/wheel design would be a tire that can have the bead seat easily without the use of compressor/special pump etc.. When flatting on tubeless road tires, it’s common for the bead to break free. You will NOT be able to reseat the bead roadside with your puny pump or even C02 cartridge. At this point you must install a spare tube to continue the ride. But even with the tube installed, the tire will still not be ‘seated’ fully, leaving you with a wonky tire for the rest of the ride. Let’s hope for tire advancement in this area!

[@falcoperegrinus82]

Only had bead separation happen once with 42mm gravel tires fwiw and I was able to reinflate with just my hand pump. Also my bead seats super easily with just my cheap floor pump . I guess I got lucky with my setup!

[@ThomasHubik]

Be aware: Schwalbe aerthoran, a TPU innertube, states keep away from tubeless sealant, regardless of what Ollie said!

[@sbccbc7471]

Something in the sealant's composition can break it down?

[@ThomasHubik]

@@sbccbc7471 Dont know the reason, but it is written in the manual: " Aerothan Tube should not come into contact with tubeless sealants. If necessary, clean the tire and rim with a rag before assembly."

[@chrisdavidson911]

@@ThomasHubik from Schwalbe's website; Can I use Aerothan Tube with sealing milk? Sealing milk does not achieve a seal with Aerothan Tubes, because the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has a very high surface tension. The use of latex-based sealing milk on TPU tubing is not recommended due to its chemical composition. For optimum performance, Aerothane Tubes should only be used in jackets without sealing milk. Continuous operation with sealing milk is not recommended. Infuriatingly unhelpful, sounds like it either won't stick, slowly melts it, or a bit of both.

[@alyoshakaramazov8469]

I have had NO problems with tubeless in the 4,000 km since I changed over, other than the tape that came with the wheel needed to be replaced. Also, the valve needs to be checked once in a while. But I have had zero problems on the road, which wasn't true when I had tubes. Also, add or replace the sealant every 6 months.

[@dh7314]

I’ve recently converted to tubeless after a run of punctures, one a week for 8 weeks, and 2 ruined cut tyres. I don’t mind a bit of maintenance if it means no more punctures

[@dh7314]

When they fail and you need to insert an inner tube, which is very rare, it’s literally the same as replacing a normal inner tube. A bit of sealant shouldn’t worry anyone

[@eleycki]

I am new to tubeless but am finding them a toral pain in the arse! Getting the tyre on the bead is a total nightmare.

[@andrewmeyer2300]

The arguable advantages of road tubeless: Lighter No pinch flats Better handling Cushier ride Disadvantages: Sealant doesn’t fix cuts Sealants aren’t designed for high pressure tires Sealant sprays out (no fun in a paceline) Need to carry plugs and or inner tube (plugs don’t bond if the hole has sealant in it, putting a tube in a sealant filled tire is messy) Tricky to get the bead to re-seat after installing a tube (results in a bumpy ride)

[@sbccbc7471]

I don't believe road tubeless to be any lighter than road clinchers, but yes, tubeless is better suited for low-pressure setups, such as gravel, cyclocross and any MTB discipline.

[@noobcyclist1017]

So to summarize. just use tubes. 🤣🤣

[@kalenderquantentunnel9411]

My last puncture dates back before the advent of puncture-resistant tires which means roughly two decades and now I'm told I should change to tubeless and change the sealant every six month or at least once a year? Right now I'm running latex innertubes with high performance clinchers at about the same rolling resistance and no maintenance needed whatsoever als long as they last. The idea to switch over needs more foundation than constant repetition on various channels to let me follow this recommendation. To me, there is no point at all, just more trouble ahead.

[@henseleric]

No punctures in two decades?

[@kalenderquantentunnel9411]

@@henseleric Two punctures since 1990 to be more correct. It all depends on the tire in use. I have been commuting on a daily basis whole year through and remember a flat at the beginning of the 90's, changed to Schwalbe Marathon 28 mm on that bike and rode it that way untill the frame broke a decade later. No flats on the dedicated road-bike during that time. Another flat in 2007 with Ritcheys (last flat I can remember) that came with a Cyclocross bike out of the box, replaced for Conti 4season for commuting, no more flats. Same on the road-bike with Michelin and Contis. Use good tires, have no flats, no need for tubeless.

[@manoz6194]

I went tubeless but was super disappointed I didn't get a single pop or bang when the tyre seated. 😢

[@sbccbc7471]

Some rim-tire combinations don't make the "ping" sound when you seat them, like if you're working with a Roval wheelset. If the rim bed's valley is deep enough, then the tire bead may "ping" when you get it seated.

[@manoz6194]

@@sbccbc7471 Ah I see. Thanks. I thought it hadn't seated but left it over night and it turns out it was

[@edmonton1ful]

So after saying don't use a leaver you used a lever at 5:28

[@tonymc90]

Seating new tyres on my wheels can be a problem. I use soapy water on the tyre bead to reduce the friction and get them to pop/seat on the rim