When Should You Replace Tubeless Sealant? | Maintenance Monday

[@gcntech]

What other maintenance videos would you like to see us make?

[@philipcooper8297]

The STI shifters. How to clean and maintain them, so they work alright.

[@bikecommuter24]

How about a video on pre or post ride things to check for? I usually give my bike a once over before I start riding and sometimes after work while I'm relaxing I bring my bike into the den and look the tires over while watching tv, there seem to be a species of thorns that is attracted to bicycle tires where I live, I caught most of them before they can puncture anything, so far😆

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

Yeah I wanna see you take the tubes and add sealant to them beautiful Zipp 353's. Deer gawd man remove the tubes!

[@jaanscott4961]

I'd like to know if its possible to carry out a full service yourself on a modern road bike and is it cost effective. I've always done my own while I've had 10 speed rim brake set ups but would be nervous doing same on modern electric shifter and hydraulic brake system groupsets.

[@alanhill7965]

Changing disc brake pads would be handy

[@GC987]

That's one of the most practical and helpful videos I have seen in my quest to convert to tubeless. Thanks.

[@derek75116]

In time and experience you’ll discover it was a crap video..

[@mattlloyd6651]

Another tell-tale sign I had before being more on top of changing the sealant was when I spun the tire I could hear a rubber ball bouncing and rolling around inside. All of the sealant had dried and collected. Bonus free bouncy ball, at least.

[@User85306]

Easiest way to control an works👍🏼

[@westsenkovec]

Stan's Race?

[@woodsdavid2887]

I topped up my tires the other day just as this video explained and it worked like a charm. Thanks Ollie for the clear instructions. The procedure took about 5 minutes ー no fuss, no muss.

[@gcntech]

Glad it helped! Enjoy the riding 🙌

[@metubenoggin07]

I came with a question in mind, you answered it, clearly, unambiguously. I thank you and bow in your direction.

[@diezrosales]

Thank you so much for this video, Ollie. I've just changed the sealant on my Liv Langma Advanced for the first time ever and I think it's worked a treat. I wouldn't have had the confidence to do it without having watched this video first. 👍

[@em1355]

Great video! Clear and concise instructions! Given the high costs of a bike and the bicycle maintenance, associated with those bikes decided that it was time that I start doing a lot more of the basic maintenance myself. Videos like this are VERY helpful! Thanks!!

[@stevedavis9551]

Another indicator that sealant needs to be topped up is when your tyre starts to lose more pressure than normal between rides. (Although you probably should have replenished it before this point!)

[@Ragmatras]

Useful and funny, kept my hilarious short attention span going to see the end of it. ❤

[@shaunsten7788]

😂 best commentator of the GCN GROUP kept it interesting funny and full of important information as usual. Thankyou

[@buster.keaton]

For Stan's "No Tubes" sealant, I've found that the sealant (pink, gummy stuff) dries on the inside of the tire, leaving a puddle of clear liquid in the tire that has little or no sealant in it. Hence I typically want the clear liquid out of the tire before adding "fresh" sealant.

[@That.Guy.]

I find that the clear milky stuff weeps through the sidewall of my tire for some reason even though I’ve never had any punctures

[@GuyZoghby]

Ditto!

[@_SpaceDad]

Keep a supply of new valve cores handy to replace old ones clogged with dried-up sealant. Makes filling tyres with air alot easier with unobstructed valve cores.

[@reidwagner1508]

After adding sealant l swab out the tire stem before screwing in the valve. Seems to make valves last a little longer

[@manoz6194]

I've never had problem with dried sealant because I find I can just pick it out, it's usually around the bottom of the core.i do are when the old one is too bent

[@oliviermagere]

I was procrastinating at the prospect of unseating the under used tyres on my emtb to scrape the dried out sealant out of it. Makes so much sense not to bother, thanks Oli and GCM as the rest is easy peasy!

[@johnwolff1043]

At the end when adding sealant do not rotate the valve all the way to the 6 o'clock position, stop at 3-5. This allows the sealant to run down hill and not be pooled at the valve. When adding large amounts sometimes the tire will inflate slightly and when you remove the bottle the pooled sealant can push back out when the tire goes back to zero pressure. Had this issue with the green goop in mtn bike tires.

[@carlk1183]

That's a good idea. Thx for sharing.

[@lmc333]

I see Ollie, i click and i like right away automatically within the first silly joke lol

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

#dadjokes

[@MrNisipeanu]

I installed a pair of 25 mm GP 5000 TLs back on June 15th and filled em up with 100 ml of fluid each. On Aug 20'th I hit a pothole with my front in a dark tunnel and had a puncture on the running side of the tyre. The tyre gone flat in less than a minute and I inflated it 3 times before realizing that I have not a single drop of solution. I had to borrow a wheel and go back 17 km to the car and get solution. After adding 100 ml, and inflate, the tyre was good to go. Soi my advice to you is to add 50-80 ml per month if you want to be protected. Because in the summer, in Eastern Europe (Romania and Greece), we get 35-40 degress daily. This with 4 moth is maybe for winter time

[@DavidMackenzie]

Great video Ollie. Just what I needed as I need to check my gravel bike tyres. And I've got the t-shirt 😀

[@trroland1248]

Good one Ollie! 😉 It’s always worth getting your dipstick out.

[@g.west2372]

In the last videos he's getting more suggestive... and I'm all in for it 😀

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

@@g.west2372 mixed feelings. It is easy to go the wrong way commenting on it and end up insulting his gf.

[@PeterWebb-f3e]

Back for a refresher 5+ months after topping up my 32mm road tires. No sound of sealant sloshing and PSI drops from 50 to 40 between rides. I'll drop to 4 month checking/topping up.

[@RichardMatthews-b2f]

Very helpful! Thanks!

[@joegamas1194]

This was an awesome maintenance video, great job Ollie keep up the great work

[@tigerE10]

Cheers Ollie you saved my bacon! After watching this I checked my gravel bike with 38C Panaracer Gravel Kings which I fitted in March and were fully filled with Muc Off sealant (the purple stuff) at the time. They failed the dip stick test with a de-cottoned cotton bud. They were almost bone dry! They are now fully re-filled. Perhaps the two super hot heatwaves in the UK caused things to dry up faster than normal? Thanks again and will re-check in a few months.

[@LainOTN]

Hey! living in a very dry area I have to top it every 2 months in summer and around 4-5 months in winter. How fast it dries is more a fact of how dry/wet is your environment more than the temperature. But for sure the heatwave would make the environment a little more dry than normal.

[@TexasWahoo_]

I changed a set of tires recently and cleaned the old sealant from the ones I removed. Seemed to be more trouble than it's worth and I won't be doing that again. I will make sure the bead is clean, though.

[@sBentonfamily]

I change mt sealant every couple of years. Then put in new tubes and save the old ones for back up. Might try that TPU sealant just for kicks !

[@RS-il5zw]

lol - had checked my sealant with the valve at 6 o'clock, and, sealant started seeping out. Suggest starting with the valve higher than the 6 position and then slowly rotate the wheel to 6.

[@paulannable3734]

Just add and top up. Music to my ears, thanks! I’ve been dreading the rigmarole of removing/resetting my tubeless MTB tyres.

[@darthonutube]

Funny how sometimes we just don’t think of the simplest things - the dipstick through the valve! 😂 Better than that though, is your sense of humour in the video! 😂🎉

[@diablito89]

Great, good tips. What about rim tape replacement? How often do you need to do this?

[@ryanw8987]

Love Ollie videos! I went to check sealant in my tires recently. As I deflated, sealant started seeping out from under the bead. From the amount coming out it appeared there was enough sealant still, so stopped letting the air out and reinflated. Check complete 😁

[@PoulHansenDK]

When releasing the air, do it in the 9 o'clock position or you might get sprayed with sealant!!

[@DP-eu8gg]

Love the sense of humour.

[@AimedCHAIEB]

Thank's dude, i discovered that my sks tom 18 includes the valve opener !

[@robertsignore7216]

Hi Ollie, I would love an explanation of how the internal friction of the tire and the different tube material affect the overall rolling resistance. Why are different materials more efficient?

[@thebrowns5337]

@King Of Crunk talc my tubes to. Its worth it.

[@BhavaSindh]

Ollie, you are brilliant as always!

[@ltrtg13]

I use tubeless valves on my mountain bikes. That has a valve core tool as a valve cap. The other is also a spoke key.

[@francesstager997]

Thanks for this video. I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR HOW MANON FARED IN HER RACE YESTERDAY!

[@derek75116]

For anyone new to tubeless definitely check visually inside your tire after 3-4 months !! Depending on your local climate and type of sealant used you could have a dangerous situation on your hands ! Especially in the case of latex based sealants imagine how a ball of that stuff could effect a tires compliance descending hi speed on sealed road corners. Never mind the out of balance wobbles as well ! Once you understand the limitations of your chosen setup then you might abbreviate to dipstick methods..

[@Kimberly_Sparkles]

Somewhere a science classroom is missing its professor.

[@David.1517]

I use "Flat Out" in both tube and tubeless gravel and mountain bikes. Works perfectly and DOES NOT DRY OUT! (For 10 years anyway lol).

[@tonyo4984]

Take the opportunity to clear out the valve cores while you have them out of the valve so you can get a good airflow when pumping up your tyres. Even so eventually they will deteriate and will need replacing ☹ Also if you are not going to ride your bike for a while put the valves to the 6 o'clock position. If you leave them at 12 o'clock after a ride then there will be fluid in them and it will harden, at 6 o'clock it should run out.

[@ivanobulo]

Good video! I had a puncture few days back and it didn't seal because sealant dried out after just 3 months. Guess hotter California climate speeds up the process. Therfore this time I put 50% more and check again in 3 months.

[@TobiasHunt]

That was helpful and practical. The removal and cleaning of old gunk has put me off putting in the new (was just hoping they hold out instead). If I can just chuck in fresh pink goo, then all is good. 👍😎

[@uchuts]

Is it always ok and no problem to deflate `normal` like 1:50 with sealant in? I concern it may turn sealant solid like an actual puncture situation, sudden change of air pressure etc.

[@jameswilson2815]

I've learned in Hawaii where I live, I'll put in 2 ounces in a 29er every 6 mos. Never had a flat in 5 years. 😎🤙

[@gerardlynch9860]

Nice one !!!! Really needed this info got new bike 3 months ago with tubeless tyres. So time to replace

[@SignorLuigi]

After watching this well presented video (nice job Ollie!) and reading the many comments from folks about their own sealant protocols, I find myself even more convinced that my use of 40 gram Schwalbe TPU inner tubes on my road bike is the best strategy FOR ME. It's great us cyclists have a choice of products so that tubeless folks can do their tubeless thing and tube folks can do their tube thing. 👍🙌☺️

[@blahqwe]

exactly, what really is the great advantage of tubeless, only slightly faster? As changing an inner tube takes about 5 mins and that's a rarity anyway.

[@SignorLuigi]

@@blahqwe Yes! Give me my Continental GP5000 tires plus Schwalbe TPU inner tubes and let me ride off into the sunset! 🌅🚴🏼

[@slowcyclist4324]

The problem with tube is that if you puncture, it has a 0 percent chance of sealing and your ride is ruined. With tubeless, it will seal most of the times without you even noticing. Tubes represent a 100% chance of stopping your ride, while tubeless allows you to ride on 80% of the time.

[@blahqwe]

@@slowcyclist4324 yes so you carry a spare tube, as most tubeless riders do anyway....so where's the big advantage?

[@adamandelin4109]

@@blahqwe because small thorns or even a small nail won't cause me to have to change a tube. Annoying to change tubes...the tire just seals up and you ride on. Huge advantage

[@klarkolofsson]

Sticking with tubes for now.

[@Gjuby]

00:32 moment makes my day ;-)

[@ruwas369]

i have not checked the sealant in 3 years... i suppose i should take a look.

[@pj9375]

Not all tyres wear at the same rate Ollie. My front tyre, even with rotation could last 2 to 3 year or even more so I’d definitely have the tyre off the rim at least once a year or two to scrape out the material that’s dried.

[@Diana-ch3sh]

Thanks for a great video! (About how high up on the zip tie should the fluid level be? half inch? quarter inch?.. Thanks so much!)

[@DaveRider719]

I am using the vittoria road air liner. I think no dip possible here?

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

Ollie is ever entertaining.

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

Nice one Ollie. I've been tubeless since 2016 I've tried a few different sealants, Stans Orange and Specialized RapidAir sealant, I like the RapidAir best. Like Ollie, I check it and add @ 3 months, its easy I tire lever one side open add sealant , reset bead then add air.

[@DamianSeverin]

Great - thank you!

[@nerigarcia7116]

Yeah, I just add sealant and don't worry about what's dried up anymore. The time I did go to clean it up it was more trouble than it was worth. I figure it's just another layer of protection anyway. Then by the time it gets too mucked up inside it's time to get new tires. One less hassle to worry about.

[@Chris-de2qc]

I'm not spending another $100 on a pair on new tires

[@nerigarcia7116]

@@Chris-de2qc I'm just saying I add sealant until it's time for me to buy new tires. I usually swap them out once a year anyway, so that's adding sealant like maybe twice a year. Just an excuse to buy new stuff.

[@k9taxi]

How do you check sealant level when you are using Vittoria Air Liners?

[@davidcollier6520]

Thanks for posting this, it was very clear and helpful. I did have a question that does not look as if it has been asked. You said if the dip stick is dry then it is time to top up the sealant. But what would you say is the minimum of depth of sealant before it is time to top up, e.g. it is probably about 5 mm after topping up so maybe about 2 mm or 3 mm?

[@jn9480]

You can also remove the tire and give it a good shake; if you don't hear sealant sloshing around then it's dried up. You do need a quiet room to hear it, and if you've blown your hearing this won't work.

[@chrisburton4694]

I tend to find the sealant clogs up the valves to the point I can’t always get air in. So have to clean entire valve before getting any where

[@marcelarodriguez4697]

What does it mean when you lose sealant through the rim? I reinflated my tires and it seems to have stopped. Just learned I need to top off so thank you…. But is it safe to carry on if bike still seems to work after reinflating and topping off?

[@rah4981]

I was a skeptic, but now I'm a tubeless fan. Not even one puncture on my road bike this summer.

[@hugosotousa]

Which tires are you using?? what country city do you mostly ride???

[@geoffrey2273]

Good information. I’m about to do this first time @ 4 months. I had a puncture a few days ago, and the small amount of sealant that escaped was liquid consistency. I live in a warm climate and store bike indoors. I’ve had three punctures in 1000 miles. One front, two rear. The front self sealed but did spray sealant all over. The rears didn’t self seal, and after some sealant kept escaping, I used a dyna plug each time. Took a few seconds, and no issues since. So for me, the convenience has been excellent. I have 32s and I inflate to the low 50 pounds. I ride road only. I will never go back to tubes.

[@erictravis5995]

Once the old sealant has dried up, is it okay to add a different type of sealant to the tire? I have changed types but have heard that mixing can be problematic for performance of the sealant.

[@WhaJMc]

What about just giving the wheel a shake? If you can hear the sealant sloshing around then it doesn't need topping up and there's no need to deflate the tyre. Works for me with my gravel bike.

[@dh7314]

I have just removed my tyre after 6 months (Pirelli pzero with stans sealant) i was expecting it to be dried but weirdly it was almost entirely the same volume of sealant.

[@joseluisperezrocha8044]

Replace or refill? Thanks Olie

[@departurexx1520]

Im not a tubeless fan, but base on my experience seeing other tubeless rider having problem with their tubeless...I would say replaced it. New rim tape, Valve and sealant with clean tires is the way to go.

[@onurvarol1040]

You are the man.....

[@morganconey4814]

Best thing about this video is having a laugh at those worried about the weight of dried sealant. Does calculating the weight loss from tread wear in your tyre keep you awake at night? "it's got 3256 km on it now perhaps I should reweigh it? 🤔" 😂

[@MichalBrat]

Thanks for the video, I have two questions: 1. how much did you deflate the tyre in the step one? It still seems to be quite inflated in rest of the video 2. can you mix various sealants? I have no idea which compound was put there by technician so I would just go for whatever brands` marketing persuades me.

[@kastking2958]

well removing valve core will release all pressure, so its safe to assume all the air. Maybe tires are rigid or clips shot at different times.

[@camdjkim]

Can u add water to rehydrate the sealant?

[@nige_breaks_bikes9782]

Simples ! And genius ❤️

[@ScefingScyld]

I'm done with sealant. Latex tubes for road tires, TPU for anything bigger. 45gr TPU tube in a 650b 47mm wide tire is amazing and rides better too.

[@Chris-de2qc]

Why

[@jaydavee]

TS-1, the sealant syringe everyone has broken the needle on, and the needle is sold out everywhere.

[@surveyoffice5121]

How thick are the drop-outs?

[@HideY613]

What's the purpose of that Park tool going across the top tube on the Orbea?

[@nickhecker4886]

My guess is it keeps the bars and front wheel straight. Same could be done with a string tying the front rim to the downtube, unless you're (re)moving the front wheel.

[@HennieBours]

But it might also be the the dipstick is still wet but without enough latex in the fluid. At that time the fluid does do its job anymore. It is more a kind of water at that time iso a mixture of latex which is needed to fill up the gaps.

[@hikeride7520]

Where I ride we get below freezing weather. My bike is not stored in the house, but in an unheated shed. Does the sealant freeze?? And, I've been having problems pumping up my tire, is the sealant clogging the valve?

[@andymiddleton2832]

According to Stans website, their product is good to use down to some seriously cold temperatures, so depending where you live, I imagine it would be fine.

[@r3laxx]

can i add too much sealant? Like are 70ml too much for a roadbike and i get disadvantages? Or am i just burning money ?

[@davepratt9909]

What is that blue thing above the top tube and how does it work?

[@whapadang1]

It keeps the bars from turning.

[@Arthur-kl4uo]

Noob question: If it depends on a lot of factors how long sealant is gonna last, how do those factors affect the life expectancy? Like, which factors prolong it, and which limit how long sealant typically last?

[@departurexx1520]

To be on the safe side, 2mth max you need to top up your sealant. My experience with some rider on tubeless is that some even 3mth their sealand has dried up. Is all depends, u might some get pinch hole during some rides for few mth rgar sealant help u sealed.

[@Arthur-kl4uo]

@@departurexx1520 Thanks. I know it depends, as said in the video, and as is the case with almost anything ;) But my noob question was more directed towards which factors make it last longer, and which factors make it last shorter before it eventually dries out? My guess is higher temperatures (summer) make it dry out faster than lower temps (winter). Probably sealant in road tyres (with less sealant) dry out faster than MTB (with more sealant)? Etc...

[@danwebber9494]

Mountain tires between 6 and 9 months, based on 100ml of sealant. Road tires with 30ml only 2-4 months.

[@departurexx1520]

@@Arthur-kl4uo Seriously really depends on how many times you ride and how far you ride. And also depends on your luck did you get any punctured that already help you to sealed during some of your ride or you didn't get it at all. More puntured more sealant use, less puntured less sealant use. That's why i said just do it every 2 mth to be at the safe side.

[@Arthur-kl4uo]

@@departurexx1520 Thanks, with the responses given, I think I am getting closer to answering my original question (which factors limit, and which extend the life expectancy of sealant), being: - Riding shortens life expectancy in comparison with not riding it (as riding increase likelihood of punctures) - Warmer and dryer conditions shortens life expectancy (because sealant will evaporate) compared to colder/humid conditions Am I missing something obvious other than this? -

[@2.old4this]

Dr Ollie, if I’m using my bike over the winter - indoors only - and my bike is tubeless, do I need to replace/check the sealant, or use this as a good reason/season to clean the insides and have them ‘sealant-free’? Point to note: not yet had a puncture on my Kickr/Zwift setup. Great show.. Thanks.

[@pierssamson4069]

Yes you do … and yes it is…. But you should use a trainer tire for your indoor work as heat will destroy a regular tire…. Just get a cheap wheel and install trainer tire

[@bradsanders6954]

It tells you right on the sealant bottle, how long till sealant gets added...........also a thin prod can be used as a dip stick. Easy.

[@davemcdonald5981]

What is the weight difference between an inner tube and the sealant needed in a tyre (total sealant weight after say a year)?

[@davemcdonald5981]

How much is the difference if the weight of the tubeless valve is included?

[@leftymadrid]

I've got some Mavic Ksyrium S rims tubeless and bombproof weighting in at a nice 1560g, riding them for three months now. Funny enough I've not gone tubeless yet! I thought I'd give the TPU-40 gram tubes a try thinking, "Ok when I get a flat l will do the jump over to tubeless" but heck no flats yet... I fear this is going to take a lot longer then I thought lol. And I may even stay with the idea of using tubes. I mean, when you think about it, it just takes a couple of minutes to change an inner tube. It's just so hard to stay away from a MaxissTyre with puncture protección that ONLY weighs (185g and a tube that's 3×stronger that weighs 40g) !!!

[@PiotrJachowicz]

Can sealents from different brands be mixed?

[@simony2801]

They will have different formulations of polyvinylalcohol in them, I would not recommend mixing them.

[@rdcycles9790]

I should probably top my up after 5 years. Never punctured though!

[@SharonPiano8]

My bike is three years old and never added sealant. Might something be wrong?

[@markrozee]

Staying with inner tubes - for ever!!

[@db613]

Does each time the sealant dry up and you add more, add to the total weight from the last time you added sealant? E.g. you add 50 grams of sealant 3 times over the tire life, will the wheels weigh now 150 grams after the year, or when the sealant dries the water/anomia content has "evaporated" and the remaining silicone weight is so insignificant that it will only be 60 grams heavier than your tires new with no sealant?

[@teejfalconaf]

As Ollie said, most of the weight of the sealant is in the solvent (be it water or other). For sealant to harden, the solvent evaporates. That then leaks out along with the "air" that you have to replace a couple of times a week. So no, putting in 30g of sealant doesn't result in 30g caked on to the inside of your tires. Probably closer to 3g. If your tires last long enough (calendar time) that the sealant adds up to a meaningful difference, you definitely don't put on enough miles to notice that difference. :D

[@db613]

@@teejfalconaf ok great to know

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Great tips! But.. there are better sealants, try Silca.

[@and2244rew]

So why does my tire immediately lose the bead when it deflates?

[@bpfastfeet25]

#askgcntech If storing my wheels indoors over the winter, should I be rotating them occasionally? In other words, is there any issue with leaving the sealant pooled at the bottom for months at a time if they're at 23degC or so?

[@DEAR7340]

Whenever I put a tubeless tire set up aside for long periods, I remove the sealant with a syringe. I have even squirt it back into the bottle.

[@mauriciorosales1259]

They just create a pile of dried sealant at the bottom; I would rather remove one pile versus having it dry all over the tire.

[@hmar9599]

I recently had a small puncture that sealed very quickly, a few seconds, and I didn't get sealant all over the frame. I had only topped up a few weeks before. Do I need to add a bit more to be safe?

[@core2zero]

you lost like a dropplet of sealant

[@neilmdon]

I was just formulating an Isaac Newton snark when you said “it’s not magic, it’s gravity”. Ruined my day.

[@levbobrov1398]

Ollie, how do you inflate that tire, with such a short valve? It looks like there's 5mm sticking out, or less!

[@patrickjosephmarayag826]

Hey ollie, is it enough if i just remove my wheel from the frame, then shake the tire and listen if there is sloshing of fluid?

[@dmitry.gashko]

Even if there's something in the tier doesn't nessary mean that it's ok. It can loose it's properties over time anyway.

[@johnreese3762]

Got it! I think!

[@SenorSiesta]

I found that replacing tubeless sealant with an inner tube did wonders for actually being able to ride the bike with a specified amount of air in the tire reliability.

[@Finx5008]

What's wrong with X-Ray Vision? It works fine for me!

[@CARPETFIBBER]

I change my yearly or as needed. Rarely get any flats.