Easy Hack for Tubeless Tyre Sealant Removal

[@gcntech]

We want to hear your tubeless tyre cleaning hacks! 🙌🛞

[@Adonis-qj1nq]

I used garden gloves with a latex coating on them. No need for any solutions just a little bit of elbow grease and it rubs all the dried sealant right off, takes 5-10 minutes per tire.

[@silverburn55]

My hack is - just ignore the sealant residue and slap in the new stuff anyway!

[@kenannable4747]

I've used scotch brite pads with good success, but they can tend to gum-up fairly quickly.

[@lg.studio]

just use a TPU inner tube, a 5 min inner tube change is faster than dealing with all the mess a tubeless setup makes. Even if you get a puncture 2 times a month.

[@bikecommuter24]

IF you want to use that Eraser Wheel but without using the drill motor look for a product called a Pin Vise its basically a drill chuck on a screwdriver handle.

[@D1N02]

Just cycle enough for the tyre to wear out before the sealant dries op :p

[@gcntech]

That is some milage with a good tyre 😉

[@lukasvrana6388]

@@gcntech not for enduro/DH :D rear tire is destroyed after 1 season, maybe it can take another 1/2 season. Front like 2 seasons. So some rough cleaning is enough :)

[@sandswan]

I love tubeless, and will likely never go back to tubes, but this is probably the best video I've seen to convince people still running tubed ... to never make the switch. 😂

[@gcntech]

Hahahaha it's worth the hassle though!

[@proffate]

Heck this makes me want to just drive a car

[@danielnormandeau9645]

Exactly. I run latex tube, because what we see in this video. 🧐😉

[@danappleby3367]

If I’d seen this before I’d converted to tubeless…I’d have stuck with tubes! 😂😩

[@seniorcajun]

​@@danappleby3367I volunteer in a nonprofit bike shop and I have tried to get tubeless bicycle tires off of rims with sealant , it's a fight for sure , best glue I've ever seen

[@aflipz]

I am loving TPU tubes more and more with every tubeless tip video I watch. 🤣

[@martinaxe6390]

Yup

[@neilrobinson7965]

I went from tubeless to TPU tubes, so far very happy to have left all of the tubeless maintenance issues behind.

[@aflipz]

@@neilrobinson7965 I wax my chains, that's my line in the sand 😂

[@myemohh8753]

What brand TPU is everyone running?

[@andrewrose9707]

Yep - but I make sure to use the TPU tubes with metal valves. I have never had a puncture with a TPU tube but have had the plastic valves fatigue and leak air

[@luukrutten1295]

Just leave the gunk be. Inside the tire its completely harmless. Its only a problem if you identify it as one. Its just a bit of OCD. The weight difference when sealant is dry is just a few grams. 30ml of sealant is like 3-4 grams of dry weight. Over time you might add 12 grams to your tire. As you wear your tires out they get lighter anyway. so they weight difference compared to a new tire is just about zero. On top of this you might reopen some of the sealed holes by removing it. The best tip is to just leave the tubeless tires on the rim untill worn out... Less mess, less hassle, more riding time. Same thing with tubular glue removal. If the glue layer is even and good. leave it be, add some glue and put the fresh tire on. Becaue removing that stuff is a pain in the butt too.

[@hutchy_4297]

exactly, I was thinking why did you take it off anyway?

[@Surestick88]

The dried sealant around the bead will stop the bead from sealing properly.

[@luukrutten1295]

@@Surestick88 This is not as big a problem as you think it its. Clean the rim hooks if need be with a brush. And with the tire you only need to clean the large chunks of the bead itself. There is no need to perfectly scrub the entire center thread portion of the tire. Best practice is just to leave tires on rims untill they need to be replaced. Add some sealant through the valve with a syringe, don't do anything else. Same with the tubeless plugs, if the hole is sealed there is no need to take a tire of to patch from the inside with a tubeless specific patch either.

[@TheGreatJNK]

@@Surestick88 Not if you leave the tire on until it's done and you replace it with a new tire.

[@LordVarkson]

Sure but those few grams turn my Dura-Ace equipped bike into a 105.

[@chuckfrizzell8668]

I watched this video and it gave me a faster, easier idea. I put on a pair of latex rubber gloves I use when I work on my bikes. I took my Maxxis Ardent with lots of dried sealant and just started rubbing the old sealant with my latex gloved hands. The old mess just peeled right off, even on the seal surfaces of the tire. I couldn’t believe it. I did two tires in less than 1/2 hour. I think even better will be heavy rubber gloves like you would use to protect yourself from chemicals instead of the lightweight latex gloves. Worth a try. Thanks GNC.

[@savagepro9060]

Wow! Thanks for letting us see what a tubeless cadaver looks like!

[@mikethreadgould4862]

Alex: "I don't recommend using the power tool for this process, but since this is one of Ollie's tires, I am going to demonstrate for you." :)

[@gcntech]

Ollie won't mind... will he?

[@ysarn]

Recently I have used Muc-off sealant, and this seems to do well with washing the inside of the tyre with warm water with a little soap in it. Do this immediately after you remove the tyre, not dried out, and it comes off nicely just with a cloth. I think this is because it is a synthetic water-soluble latex used in the mix. Natural latex was always a PITA to remove, great tip about the natural rubber eraser, Alex. I have always found that reseating a used tubeless tyre the condition of the beads is crucial to keeping air in the tyres.

[@daveanolik8837]

A common woodworking product is a large rubber cement eraser that is used to restore used belts on belt sanders. Great for sealant removal because it’s large. Basically an 8” x 2” tool that fits nicely in the hand. I’ve used that with a hair dryer on gunked tires with great results.

[@JonathanMallett]

I used gloves with rubber grips. That worked quite well

[@gcntech]

We might have to purchase some of them 👀

[@germanwizbang6250]

This video right here is the best argument I have ever seen for running any kind of inner tube rather than going tubeless. Whack a TPU tube into your wheel, pump it up, don't have to mess about with liquid sealant, and if you get a puncture, hopefully you have a spare tube with you to get home, which you'd probably have if you were running tubeless anyway.

[@batucetin9606]

For road tubeless doesnt seem worth it.

[@fgoehner]

Completely agree

[@schrodingerthecat]

Until that day you realize you had 2 punctures and didn't even know.

[@sonny9608]

@@schrodingerthecatExactly right! Haven’t had to pull over for a flat in 4 years with my tubeless

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Most people wear their tires out fast enough to want need to do this. That said, its also not necessary anyway. *I know for me, tubeless is a game changer. I sometimes can't even leave my block without getting goatheads in my tires. I've had 3 double flats from goatheads leaving my house before I went to tubeless. I've gone from 3-4+ flats a week to needing 2-3 plugs throughout the life of a tire. I still get the same number of punctures I always have but I generally don't know until I get home.

[@jefffixesit60]

Good tips, thanks for sharing. Try switching the drill into the low-rpm setting, and clamping the tire to the table with a rubber-jawed carpenter's clamp. This reduces the tool speed and allows you to keep both hands on the drill, reducing heat buildup and improving control. I ran my first set of tubeless tires in 1998, even before you could buy tubeless tires. We made rim strips by cutting the innermost portion from a tube for a smaller wheel, preserving the valve stem. Homemade sealant could be concocted from latex concrete bonding agent, with ground black pepper as an additive to aid with "clogging" punctures to help stop leaks faster and stay sealed longer. There were no tubeless rated tires available, so we had to inspect tires available at local bike shops, looking for sufficient rubber inside to prevent sealant from wicking into the cords of the casing. It was a tedious, hit-or-miss proposition, but worth the effort for MTB racing. Now that I'm 69, I value puncture-free outings over raw speed and faster acceleration, so I ride a fat touring tire with tubes. My "fast" road bike is a 2012 carbon fiber Cannondale Synapse, rocking 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires with matching Schwalbe tubes. My "gravel" bike is a chromed steel 2013 Motobecane Strada LTD that can fit 45mm tires, but is currently sporting 32mm Schwalbe's. If I was going to race a senior event, I'd go tubeless on the Cannondale, but train on tubes. Thanks again, excellent content as always 😁

[@phil_d]

Things to note: Synthetic latex sealants generally do not dry and leave a mess inside the tyre and can last a lot longer; an example is milKit sealant. Make sure you patch the inside of the tyre if you've had a hole as removing the dried sealant may open up the hole again!!

[@the.communist]

By removing the dry sealant, it voids all the sealed tiny holes, counter-productive if you ask me.

[@27gw27]

@@the.communistno because the new sealant sorts them out right away.

[@kalijasin]

Or you can just the insert thingie. No sealant required.

[@mikes1976]

I see a lot of comments from riders who, like me, wear out the tread before the first fill of sealant dries up. What we need is tips on removing dried sealant from the RIM.

[@gcntech]

Note taken... we know what we are filming next then 😉

[@alex_smallet]

Thick brush does the job quite well.

[@allanlim9601]

This video just convinced me to stick to tubes. I'll try tpu tubes next.

[@chairthrower]

I've been using TPU tubes for about a year now. Probably not as puncture resistant as sealant but super light and fast.

[@BrianShoemaker1]

Natural rubber eraser is the way to go. After watching this video I bought a pack and it was by far the easiest method to remove dried-up sealant I've tried. Best part: inexpensive.

[@darrylhuculak4996]

I had some success with a liquid called "Goo Gone", basically a citrus-based solvent that helps remove tape and glue residue and other gunk. I spread it on the inside of my tire and let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe/scrape the sealant off with minimal effort.

[@gscott5062]

Goo Gone can be useful stuff, but it's not really 'citrus-based'. It has a bit of citrus (5% or less) to make the smell nicer, but it's >60% petroleum distillates. So use it in a well-ventilated area, and consider wearing gloves. (GoofOff is an even stronger adhesive remover - it's full of all kinds of nasties, and I have some in my toolbox.)

[@gcntech]

Interesting! How long have you been using this?

[@darrylhuculak4996]

@@gcntech A grand total of once. Being a more recent convert to tubeless, I only had my first experience in cleaning out my tires last spring. Suffice to say it was an eye-opening (almost eye-watering) experience.

[@St.Petrock]

Life is just too short for this

[@billcurley1]

Agreed, never have this sort of trouble with a tube

[@bohansen2960]

I have used that rubber thing for a while and it's the best one out there. I saw it in another video. Ordered the robber and tried it. Worked great. But it's a hard job on old tires. So I clean my tubeless setup every 3 months. It takes way less time and that way I also make sure that the selant is not dryed out. I'd rather have the fuzz at home than somewhere on the roadside. Just keeping your stuff in propper condition also makes the rider I little bit faster ;). haha.

[@ezioauditoredafirenze9677]

Excellent timing! I think I need to refill my tubeless tires after a few months now for an upcoming event, but didn't know how to proceed with the old stuff still inside. Thank you

[@gcntech]

We read your mind 🔮

[@MrTimlawn]

Just top it up through the valve stem. Unless your upcoming event is the Tour de France then the extra few grams of dry sealant will make 0 difference

[@mortenstergaard7798]

I have one of those (the “wheelish) tools”. In my garage I put it in the pillar driller and hold the tyre in both hands. 60 rpm/min. It’s super efficient. I also tried fixating a slow going driller to my workbench. Also worked fine.

[@cyclingslowlytoseethings]

Sandpaper does the job quite nicely as well

[@gcntech]

Are you careful not to damage the tyre?

[@williamroberts6937]

Agree with an eraser being the best way but is very slow, especially on Silca products (which is a good thing for sealing but not so much for removal. However I had no idea there was such a thing as an eraser wheel! I needed that back in the day for exams!

[@danrepella7370]

Mount the drill in a vice, using a piece of velcro strap on the drill trigger to keep it constantly on, set it to low speed, and use the rubber wheel like you would a grinding wheel. Now you have two hands free to pull the tire tight and effectively buff the old sealant out. Wear safety glasses for loose sealant being kicked out (wear safety glasses with any powertool, you only get 1 set of eyes for your whole life).

[@10ktube]

I use another tire from the bin. We all have them sitting around and they work well for this.

[@robertrice1689]

I live in Phoenix and I was suffering from flats due to thorns about every 3 rides when I used tubes. I was reluctant to change to tubeless but after I did 3 years ago I’ve had a flat requiring a tube perhaps 3 times total. I definitely will never go back to using tubes.

[@TimR123]

I find that starting with a 'peel' process is the best way to start. Look for edges you can peel up and work as far as you can go. Sometimes you can get it all off that way. But even if not, its quick and saves a lot of rubbing.

[@gcntech]

We bet that feels satisfying too 👀

[@stuartfreedman6854]

Definitely peel what you can first. Much faster. THEN go at it with the rubber eraser.

[@Slogfester]

yep, DRY peeling/rolling worked for me after trying all sorts wet liquid removers.

[@tristank1]

Excellent, just in time for what I was looking for as I have spent some time trying to take the Tubeless sealant away from my road bike tyres

[@johnstrac]

Nice video Alec but the more I see about tubeless the more tubes I buy.

[@gcntech]

More sealant for the rest of us then 😉

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Wow, you have found something that works even better then the dirt eraser blocks I have found at the hardware store.

[@gcntech]

You're welcome 😉 Will you be making the switch?

[@chrisridesbicycles]

@@gcntech 100%

[@Joe_Sa_3rd]

The rubber eraser is another good idea, I'll have to give that a try. What I use is a 3/8" or 8mm wood dowel cut to about 8" or 20cm long. I then place the dowel into my cordless drill. Using the long side of dowel spinning slowly to grab the dried sealant, the sealant then grabs onto the dowel and starts to wrap around it. This is the only tricky part but once you've done it once it's easy to repeat. Once you have the sealant covering the dowel it then becomes the perfect contact type to stick to the other dried sealant and it pulls right off the tire, extremely fast. I can cleanup two dry tires in about 3-5 five minutes. The one downside is you need to replace the dowel every couple of tires, don't bother wasting your time trying to remove the sealant from the wood dowel, not a good use of your time.

[@gcntech]

thanks for the tips!

[@crankshoptv]

I've been using Vegelatex from Effetto Mariposa. It rinses out with water, it's mostly made out of olives and is almost as good as the latex stuff at sealing holes. I'm willing to take the small hit for the environmental benefits and ease of use.

[@MrMars121]

Excellent video. Finally a lesson on removing sealant. Can you please share the link to the eraser?

[@mikekent9488]

Great Video. Thanks for sharing

[@maxaposteriori]

I’ve always found scrubbing firmly with a dry bar towel to be very effective.

[@Jim-ez9mf]

I have never needed to remove dried sealant from a tire. In Colorado, one of the drier environments to run tubeless, my tires wear out well before the sealant dries. I run tubeless on both MTB and road and while I have many fewer miles on the MTB, it has never dried out to the point I needed to replace it. In fact, I just replaced a 1-year old tire on my road bike that had nearly 5000km on it due to wearing through the tread to the casing. And I was able to reuse the sealant with just about 20ml top up in the new one. I'm running Stan's basic sealant so I'm wondering what sealant causes the headaches of needing to remove it when it dries before the tire wears out...

[@kad1017]

I also use Stan’s and have never had this problem.

[@br0ken0range]

I just use a pressure washer! You don’t need a huge pressure either, just enough to get the water underneath the sealant. No elbow grease required :)

[@jefffixesit60]

Great idea!

[@rob90429]

I get tubeless for racing and non road use cases. But latex tubes are just so much easier to deal with. Just get good at changing tubes and it only takes a few minutes.

[@robertmessing6846]

A day late! I just spent my weekend struggling with this exact problem! I had some very modest success and no luck finding the eraser material.

[@gcntech]

Ah sorry Robert! We hope you still found it useful 👀

[@tychoMX]

A heat gun works ok too. I have one to work on tubular tire glue removal, seemed ok to gently heat really old and stubborn sealant. Rubber eraser was a good idea! Been using a stiff rubber spatula or scraper with good results.

[@gcntech]

Do you not find that damages the tyre at all? 👀

[@sjontheking]

I use a hair dryer instead of a heat gun, works perfect for heating the stuff up, than just peel it off by hand! 5 min job each tire!

[@dalehartzler2359]

An excellent video on yet another reason why NOT to run tubeless tires.

[@tinglydingle]

Run whatever you want to run, but the whole point of tubeless is that you spend time in the setup process to save time on the roadside. Nobody cares if you think that investment is worth it or not, just like nobody cares about youtube comments made by people who only clicked on the video to spaff their half thought-out opinions onto their keyboard. Clean it up before it dries out like this sealant.

[@gcntech]

We've one step ahead of you 😉 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWe2fKF8bcqNja8

[@whynotride327]

@@tinglydingle Thanx for giving us permission to run whatever we want. I don't recall seeing anyplace in his comment where "investment" was mentioned. However, it is good to know that you have all the answers and know why someone else does what they want. "Half thought out opinions"?? What an arrogant statement.

[@tinglydingle]

@@whynotride327 Your reading comprehension is dreadful.

[@whynotride327]

@@tinglydingleLOL I would bet a lot of money that no one cares except you. Thank God we have someone like you to tell us how to act and what to think. You must be a lot of fun at a party.

[@brianrichardson5310]

Just wondering if it would be easier to work on if you pulled a good length of the inside out tyre over another inflated tyre/wheel.

[@eternaloptimist2840]

I was going to suggest that - it's much easier to clean the tyre if it's not fighting back, particularly with the power eraser.

[@MokaBoucha]

The tire is only 1/2 the job. The rim hook where the tire bead sits is also a mess to clean. Rubber eraser doesn’t quite fit there.

[@gcntech]

Should we look at the rims and tyres next?

[@MokaBoucha]

@@gcntech that’s your call but it can be helpful to address rims and ask manufacturers if spotlessly cleaned tire beads and rim hooks are required for a safe seating.

[@Radioinactiv]

I could see an eraser being helpful but honestly the Silca sealant seems to just peel off in big, satisfying strips. I have only ever used Silca and Stan's sealants but they are like night and day to remove, with Stan's being next to impossible to get fully clean and SIlca peeling off fully, leaving your tire almost cleaner than when it was new. Not sure if it's because is apparently "natural latex" but even when using tires for an entire year (which involves 3 boosts of their replenisher, every 3 months), it's always very easy and honestly somewhat satisfying to peel off. Anyone else been using the SIlca sealant for a while and experienced this as well?

[@sebastianm2381]

My way is to only add sealant to the tire if I actually do get a flat or if the tire doesn't hold air well anymore. I just always have a small bottle of sealant in my toolkit. You'd be surprised how rarely I have to touch my tubeless setup. Of course the sealant dries up. But I've gone more than a year on my Schwalbe One road tires in an urban context with my commuter without ever topping up. So there's not really much to remove in there. And once I do flat, it's a five minute job to remove the valve core, put in some sealant, pump it back up and off you go.

[@gcntech]

That's so cool! Isn't it great how well tubeless holds up? 🙌 It's here to stay for sure!

[@_SpaceDad]

Tubeless is a major hassle. Latex all the way.

[@thedownunderverse]

Tpu

[@Max-zu1ed]

Any hacks for removing sealents of the rim or frame once it s dryed? Ty by advance

[@JayLato]

Dry microfiber towel and your fingers.

[@Adonis-qj1nq]

Use isopropyl alcohol and a microfibre cloth, no stronger than 75% so you don’t damage the resin or gloss paint on the rims. Wipes off very easily.

[@Thomas-fy9yc]

Crepe works good on getting the dried sealant off fabrics like a saddlebag or your shoes.

[@MagicM66]

I needed this video two years ago…. I have simply toss my ties and bought new ones to avoid the work and mess til now

[@gcntech]

Well, now you know for next time! It must be time to sort that sealant out? 👀

[@mruedar]

Looks good, but is it better than hot water ?

[@lechprotean]

I agree. First of all one doesn’t have to meticulous about removing all of dry sealant. It’s dry weight so it’s not that much. But when you do, peel off the big parts when dry and submerse the rest in warm soapy water. My sealant is water soluble so no rubbing required.

[@АнтонМерзляков-к7л]

Thank U very much 🙏🏼 , another thing against tubeless 🚲

[@hutchy_4297]

if you ride the bike a reasonable amount you don't need to do this, you will wear out the tire before you ever need to take it off

[@chrisfanning5842]

I think tubeless is the best option if you have one bike you use it regularly all year round and you ride routes that are strewn with glass or thorns constantly. I've use tubeless on MTBs without issue for almost a decade but my one foray into road tubeless a couple of years ago demonstrated that road bike wheels+tyres+sealant are far less mature than MTB equivalents, and sealing at higher pressures is less of a guarantee and far, far messier than MTBs when it fails to seal. Despite that, all of the maintenance faff, cost, effort, and other caveats of tubeless still apply so it's a lot less appealing to me. TPU tubes are now affordable and offer all the benefits of tubeless weight and ride quality. You're missing puncture sealing but spare tubes are only 25g and take up hardly any room, plus roadside tube changes are mess-free, easy 3-minute affairs.

[@Tim955w]

@@chrisfanning5842 Very interesting comment, i have been considering trying tubeless for years (road and MTB) and took the plunge to purchase some tubeless MTB tyres recently whilst i wait for my others to wear out, having done this and realising that tubeless seems a better option for people who regularly use their bikes i now wonder if i should just carry on using inner tubes as my MTB riding is very occasional these days. I suppose i could spin the wheels to circulate the sealant every now and then? Any thoughts?

[@stevebarnes9345]

Why is all this tubeless fuss worth all the work?

[@trepidati0n533]

If you are a person who lets their tires get like this, you are the person who gets an oil changed ever 50,000 miles. I pull my tires once a seasons...wipe out with paper towel, rinse with a hose...done.

[@huntos83]

Because I’ve not fitted a tube to a tyre or even removed a wheel from the bike on the side of the road in 20,000 miles of tubeless……

[@gcntech]

It's not much faff really, we love it 🙌

[@sambam007]

Won’t removing the residue remove any already sealed punctures from the existing sealant?

[@huntos83]

It can do, but in my experience they all seal immediately as soon as you put fresh sealant in anyway.

[@Mysixshooter]

Turn the tyres inside out and pop them in the dishwasher, on a quick wash. This method dissolves the sealant and fully restores them, leaving the tyres looking brand new. 😃

[@aveedub7403]

And probably f***s the dishwasher or drains up????

[@thedownunderverse]

Then you eat ammonia.

[@jrldude8719]

When using that power tool wheel on car paint to remove residue, you actually need to go really, really, REALLY slow with it. Like barely spinning the wheel. That actually allows the wheel to grip the adhesive on the paint, and removes it without generating any heat. I wonder if it would work the same way with tubeless sealant?

[@darrinforteir3621]

For those against tubeless I have been running tubeless for 6 years with no flats I can not say that for tube's so it's worth it to go tubeless

[@the.communist]

Less punctures but more hassle with adding liquid, changing rim tape more often, etc

[@huntos83]

@@the.communistit can be more hassle and maintenance for sure - but all of that is done in your own time in your nice warm home. Tubeless massively cuts down the amount of time a year you spend standing on the side of the road messing about with punctures - often to zero time at all. In over 3 years of tubeless I’ve never even taken a wheel off the bike on a ride.

[@dazza187]

This only happens to tires that havent been maintained. Its very hard to do this with sealant such as Muc Off, which ibe used for years on road, gravel ane MTB and it works well.

[@keithreed5009]

A good reason to keep using inner tubes, TPU lighter than sealant!

[@4336aaa]

There is a reason dried sealant isn't part of the tubeless marketing.

[@mariog4707]

I’ve never had any experience with dried sealant so excuse my ignorance but would soaking the tyre in a bucket of water rehydrate the sealant so it could be washed off?

[@gregh825]

Thanks for the hack.

[@gcntech]

That's what we're here for! We hope you're tyres are looking clean after this video 🫧

[@andyarchitect]

I have never needed to do this yet but i have a couple of questions... if you just add more pf the same sealant and just wait a couple of months, won't the old sealant have softened up again and be easy to get off? Also what happens if you just soak a dried up tire in water? Does that not soften it too so it can be quickly scrubbed off with a brush? Im guessing this may depend on the type of sealant.

[@Vitrdamda]

Wow!!!! thanks a lot for your good tips !!!

[@gcntech]

Glad we could help! 🙌

[@dominicomucci3014]

Im new to tubeless tytes. Got my first puncture and jt was quite cool to pull the thorn out and watch it seal. But im curious why would i need to do this? Do i need to add more stuff into them later?

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

Natural latex sealants use alcohol to prevent the latex from clumping. Thus it dries out (actually the alcohol evaporates) and thus you should "top up". The downside is that the sealant will gather on the inside of the tire. It's best to remove the tire about every third top up and remove as much of the dried up sealant as possible. There's a method to debond the latex and make it usable again. Be careful though of contaminated fluid as items like tire wires can go through and get into the dried up sealant.

[@dominicomucci3014]

@jamesmckenzie3532 thanks for this, so I have to top up the sealant how often? Does it depend on miles or what?

[@jamesmckenzie3532]

@@dominicomucci3014 My sealant comes with a"dipstick" to check the availability of sealant. I use it by removing the valve core after deflating the tire, sticking it in with the valve stem at the six o'clock position. It it has sealant on it, I'm good. If not, it add 30-60 ml of sealant depending on the tire size (bigger tires get more). After three top ups, I pull the tire and remove caked on sealant. Refill with 60-120 ml of fresh sealant. BTW, I buy between 500 ml and 1liter of sealant at a time. I have two sets of wheels, one gravel and one road.

[@huntos83]

@@dominicomucci3014it’s more about time than miles, it dries up just the same even if you don’t use the bike. I’d top up probably 3 times a year. And take the tyres off to clean out like this yearly (if they aren’t worn out by then anyway).

[@oOoACFREEMANoOo]

Reminds me of 📧, was a great Idea at the begging, saved time compared to sendong a letter, but after 20 years I have to read over 50 of them a day.

[@woots2621]

don't think I've ever seen an eraser like that in Australia

[@stickymiky123]

You're right

[@Music-pq8cm]

Hooked rims Inner tubes Clinchers Very simple

[@space.youtube]

💯

[@ellieexplorestheworld4227]

Surely it’s just another layer of protection?

[@AndyTychon]

I’d be interested to try a pair of textured mechanics gloves with the vinyl/rubber palms, wear them, and see how they work at removing the residue.

[@Jam789]

It is a stationery rubber eraser?

[@vadusa]

I use Tubes Pirelli Cinturato (just 45g.) They lighter than Sealant and my tires every time clean 😊 Save your time for nice enjoyment 😉

[@gcntech]

You do you! It's great that you've found the tech that works for your style of riding 🙌

[@slowturn5664]

I have only cleaned my tires once. I used a plastic scraper and then cleaned with soapy water.😮

[@Over50sroadie]

Genuine question - has anyone actually needed this? My tyres are usually squared off and needing replaced before I need to do this. I do sometimes top up the sealant, but no more than once per life of the tyre.

[@jean-pierrebarre4056]

I've done this with a pair of tires that I used for a couple hundreds of km but didn't like after all and decided to resell, therefore cleaning them a bit. (Namely, Spec Pathfinder Pros that, in my experience, lacked bite cornering on gravel roads...) So yeah, reselling a tire is probably a good reason to do so!

[@huntos83]

I do it when changing between different tyres that aren’t worn out yet - like changing from winter to summer tyres, or changing gravel tyres to a different tread for an upcoming event

[@BenFerber]

I'd be interested in the actual weight of the sealant that gets removed during this process. I feel like most of the weight of the sealant is the liquid portion that evaporates, leaving the solids here behind.

[@huntos83]

I’ve done this and weighed it, it was 11g for a tyre in a similar state to Alex’s

[@thedownunderverse]

@@huntos83not worth it then

[@huntos83]

@@thedownunderverse yeah it’s a lot of hassle if your doing it just to save weight

[@thedownunderverse]

@@huntos83 cant see any other reason to do it

[@khazza930]

I've never tried tubeless... but i'm wondering if maybe greasing/oiling up the inside of the tyre BEFORE setting up and adding the sealant could make this cleanup easier (basically preventing the sealant from sticking to the tyre in the first place)?

[@eternaloptimist2840]

That's not a good thing to do - oil attacks rubber, breaks it down into a squishy mess.

[@khazza930]

​@@eternaloptimist2840 oh, ok, fair enough... i didn't know that! Thanks for the info!

[@MW_1981]

Further to that, surely the sealant sticking to the rubber and drying is exactly what seals a puncture. Preventing it from sticking to the rubber would probably stop it from doing its only job.

[@DigininjaRobin]

Any good tips on removing it while there is still wet stuff on there as well? I've only got one set of tyres so can't afford to take the tyres off and leave them to dry for a few days. I've always had to put them back on same day so cleaning them has been hard work.

[@lucasharp6106]

I just did mine with a drill and a wooden chopstick . But maybe next time I try the erazer

[@rudi5672]

I use an innertube, rimbrakes and lube. It costs me 5 watts, but saves a lot of time and money. Keep riding basic and have fun.

[@gcntech]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it 🙌 This is why we love tech so much, there is something for everyone!

[@LongiBrudda]

How many thousands of miles do you need to have cycled without topping up the sealant to get the interior of the tyres to that state?! I've done a few thousand miles on a bunch of tyres and then had to replace them because of external wear, but the insides have been almost pristine.

[@Digi20]

If the beads look this gross its okay to clean them up because airtight seating can be a bit of a pain otherwise...but on the tread part of the tire i tend to just let it be covered in sealant. for higher volume low pressure gravel/mtb tires this layer is actually sometimes enough to seal small cuts sufficiently. i cycled a whole season on 50mm schwalbe g-ones on my gravel and 2.35" thunderburts on my MTB with dried out sealant and despite some cuts they always held the air sufficiently enough to not notice any air loss during a ride. in the end they just needed do be pumped up again after a few days. so...why remove it?

[@tayloroliver7293]

I like to use the blue, rubber-palmed work gloves from the hardware store for this job

[@cb6866]

Thanks Alex...and crew {Isaac}? Yeah , have you used this on the Silca Superdeedooper stuff ? I had my LBS set up my tires using that , and they put it in through the valves ....yep. HUGE mistake , says not to on the bottle !! My valves are ruined , trouble inflating !! DOH ...

[@AbiShafi]

I’ve been running tubeless for nearly 3 years now and I’ve never seen my tyres in such a mess as yours, I just have to clean up the bead a bit, I have more issues with my valve cores clogging up! I re-do my tyres once a year (winter) and use Stans. 😱

[@huntos83]

Pushing an Allen key down the valve stem usually clears out most blockages

[@kad1017]

He’s talking about the core, not the stem. Cores can’t be cleaned but luckily they’re cheap. I get them for $1.50 each and keep extras on hand. I also use Stan’s and never have build up like that inside my tires.

[@huntos83]

@@kad1017I normally find you can just pick any stuff off the bottom of the valve cores with your finger nail in 10 seconds. I’ve only ever needed to change one once. But the stems themselves block up much more regularly and the Allen key trick does the job for that

[@kad1017]

@@huntos83 It seems that, judging from all these differing comments, we all seem to have such different experiences with running tubeless. I would guess that the different brands produce different results. I have only used one brand on five bikes and have had consistently good results with all of them but a friend of mine hates the brand I use. 🙄

[@guioranges]

Session components has a pre-selant it works perfect it call S-VULCAN

[@PanzerIV88]

What if I have hookless rims, do I still have tire beads?

[@adadinthelifeofacyclist]

Now one on removing tub glue from tubs please! I know about using ethanol but won't that also dissolve the latex sticking the base tape to the casing? Please do it for the track cyclists (and their dads). Thank you 🙂

[@luukrutten1295]

Dont remove glue from tubs, ever. Add a thin layer of fresh glue to reactivate the old glue and glue the tire on as normal.

[@sabrowenie]

In late winter I do my annual sealant clean up. Remove tires soak in a warm bucket with some simple green. Get a scotch brite pad and rub off as much gunk as I can, especially around the bead. Clean rim. Rinse with clean water let dry and Bob’s Your Uncle ready for a new year. There’s some left but so what.

[@gcntech]

We love this attention to detail! 👌We're also planners here at GCN Tech 🤣

[@markharrison6120]

Does silca's remover work on clothing, had 2 pairs of knicks ruined with sealant spraying on them and setting before able to get home and put in wash etc.. stains black lycra brown.....

[@gcntech]

It should do 🙌 If you are still unsure we would recommend reaching out to Silca to see what they advise

[@markharrison6120]

They don't reply...

[@bunsoybee]

and this is why im going back to tubes once i wear out my current tubeless tires🧐

[@gr8videofun]

Rumors have it that the bike manufacturers are developing the next latest and greatest method of sealing tires. They are going to call it the "inner tube" 😂

[@aerobelly]

Is that Si's drill?

[@gcntech]

Nope, this one actually belongs to Blake... and it looks like it's had it's fair share of life 👉kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4uUoGtqZcR7fLM

[@TomGledhillMusic]

Literally was gunna do this today ha

[@gcntech]

We're reading your mind 🔮

[@richardking6985]

wax, just wax the inside of your tyres before you install them and use sealant. when it comes time to clean, the dry sealant peels off easily. And it does not impair the sealing capability of the slime

[@richardhaselwood9478]

Cool idea. What sort of wax??

[@eternaloptimist2840]

​@@richardhaselwood9478You can get PTFE mould release spray that's safe on rubber, but I can't help thinking that sealant works by sticking to the tyre, and you're making it work harder by making the rubber slippery.

[@richardking6985]

@@richardhaselwood9478 i use kiwi furniture wax, also beeswax

[@Scherzkeks123]

Clincher with tpu tubes ftw 🙂 cheaper, lighter and no hassle with the milk. Tubeless for Gravel Works for me but for road it was just annoying.

[@stephensmith2820]

What a carry on! 10,000 miles since the lact puncture on butyl tubes. I feel sorry for you all.

[@TheStaniG]

Figuring out if I want to put sealant in my tubeless electric scooter tyre.... Im going to put a latex tube in now lol...

[@MdBoj-n2v]

Now the tube is good

[@thedownunderverse]

Love tubeless tyres….. with tpu tubes.

[@mikerichardson5176]

Had chalk dust on my legs from a gravel ride on South Downs Way, UK. Rear tyre punctured and sealed but sprayed a load of sealant onto the back of my legs. After the ride got in the shower and struggled to remove the chalk and sealant mix without an abrasive.... Any tips? 😅

[@chrisridesbicycles]

From the legs or from the bike? Reminds me of a sportive where I thought I was super strong and could ride anyone of my wheel until I looked at my frame. They all braked because they didn‘t want to get gunked up.

[@victorlee4214]

Sealant is the only reason I will not go for tubeless. First requiredto refill sealant every 3-6 months and after few times you are adding extra weight on the tires. Secondly if any cut or puncture able to sealed properly which is good but what if can’t sealed properly even with repair kit? Require to remove the tires with all the sticky sealant and insert inner tube if you have one for you to continue the ride. Thirdly, performance tubeless tires with sealant is more heavy than performance clincher tires with tpu inner tubes.