Tubeless Conversion on Maxxis Holy Rollers

Here's the Bikemanforu Ghetto tubeless video: • TUBELESS with any Bicy...
In the last month, I’ve gotten quite a few frustrating pinch flats on my mountain bike. I could increase my tire pressure, but I’d rather just convert my bike to tubeless since the main benefit is no pinch flats. The last time I rode tubeless I crashed around a turn and ended up doing the walk of shame back to the trailhead. I took my anger out on tubeless setups in general, but the truth is that I probably could have been up and running again had I brought a CO2.
So let’s give it another shot. Tonight, we’ll be doing a tubeless conversion on my Maxxis holy rollers, and standard non tubeless mountain bike wheelset. I want to be clear that I’m not trying to make a tutorial here, just a fun video.
So, if you’ve been reading up on Stan’s no tubes, you might be saving up the 3 million dollars you’ll need for rim tape, wheel liners, valve stems, sealant, and injectors On the other hand If you’ve been watching Bikemanforu, you’re digging through the trash for an old inner tube and some broken glass. I like to stay somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. By the way, check out bikeman’s ghetto tubeless video if you haven’t already.
My particular tire and rim combination has a real loose fit, so I’m using some liners with valves built in to get a tighter fit and a more reliable seal.
Stan’s recommends that you drill out the inner wall of your non tubeless rim with a 3/8th bit, but I’ve found that this isn’t always crucial.
I already did the rear wheel last night, so I know that we’ll need 3 full wraps of gorilla tape around the wheel, plus the rubber liner to get a tight seal. Building up the thickness of the original rim is a crucial step in most conversions, and it’s important to do it evenly and neatly for a good seal. If you can’t get your tire to seal, chances are you need to build up the rim more. If you’re a weight weenie you’ll be worried about adding grams of spinning weight with each wrap of tape, but I don’t like to use the G word. Right now, my main concern is stopping these pesky pinch flats.
So, 3 full wraps of carefully measured gorilla tape later, and I’m ready to add the rim strip. A good amount of soapy water will help the rubber fall into place evenly. Some people claim they can do it without the soap, but I’m not a fan of going in dry. It’s important to make sure the rim strip is tucked under the lip of the rim all the way around, and that there are no spots where the liner is stretched or thinned out.
Next, we’ll put the tube on and see if it can hold air. It would be a shame to have to take all this shit apart with the sealant in, so dry fitting it first will help you to determine how far off you are from a perfect seal. Not perfect, but I find that if it holds ANY air it’ll be fine once the sealant is in. If it holds not air at all then we’ll need to add more gorilla tape under the rim strip.
So now that we’re ready to seal this up, we’ll unseat the tire at the bottom and add precisely 2 ounces of sealant…or yeah. Once the sealant is in there, we’ll toss the wheel around real good to coat the inside of the tire, and then it’s time to blast some air in.
Now it’s been said that you should do this with a floor pump, because you need to know that the setup will be serviceable outside of a shop. But there’s something really satisfying about about blasting air in and watching the tire go foomt! So rather than cheat ourselves of that satisfying sound, I’ll use a CO2. And, success. This one sealed so well that actually there’s barely any sealant bubbling out.
I’ll let the wheel sit for a few minutes in a bunch of different positions to get the sealant everywhere, but riding it is actually the best method of doing this. Actually, since we already have soapy water and a sponge, let’s do a bike wash just for the hell of it. Any decent mountain bike can be washed with dish soap and a sponge, and then rinsed lightly with a hose, as opposed to blasting dirt into your bearings with a pressure washer. So yeah, set your hose to spray, not jet.
It’s been an hour and I don’t see any sealant bubbling out, so I’d say this was a productive night. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time.
Sealant: amzn.to/1IYvSte
Gorilla tape: amzn.to/1NlwF9x
Valve stem (if you aren't using a liner): amzn.to/1NlwOd3
Full conversion kits:
29er: amzn.to/1IYwEpV
26": amzn.to/1RHut19
Universal: amzn.to/1IYxDqc

[@671james]

It's so cool "finding" old videos of Seth. It's also funny to see the difference in the language used prior to a bigger audience. Unfiltered, yet refreshing.

[@adamwarnock8890]

“Im not a fan of going in dry” 43 year old me lets out a manly yet childish giggle

[@bfchris272727]

yeah, that was great :)

[@Lucas-hk6gn]

yup

[@joukthejouk3083]

To true man except for the 43 part I'm still a kid but you don't know what I get up to

[@cedarwings82]

As a woman, we appreciate that quality in a man lol.

[@rhyselliott9170]

@@cedarwings82 and they say chivalry is dead

[@markellii3093]

"I'm not a fan of going in dry"-SethBikeHacks-2015

[@dumbr2098]

Gordon Freeman don't copy comments.

[@georgmtb9671]

Lmao

[@medo7782]

"Soapy wooder"-ChrisFix wants to know your location.

[@davetrinidad4022]

HAHAHA and dont forget a thread locker on every bolt

[@henryhopkins5261]

You don't know a satisfying sound until you have hear a UST bead lock "snap"... So good

[@SethsBikeHacks]

They do sound sweet, and you can run them even lower. If I didn't wreck wheels so often I'd consider shelling out for them.

[@bcote3491]

I remember getting this notification when it came out...how time flys

[@aidanconnolly7311]

Wat u mean

[@bcote3491]

It’s five years later and it showed up in my recommended and I remember getting the notification and being excited

[@aidanconnolly7311]

@@bcote3491 ohhhhhhh

[@joehammersley9537]

ha not a fan of going it dry. nice

[@trentdrummond3147]

did I just hear you make a sex joke at 1:50? I think I did

[@bugoynagerger2355]

yeah there's a sex joke hahahaha

[@PoodleMaster69]

sroll down just for that

[@jamiecrossman9960]

Trent Drummond I did as well

[@davidly9716]

Loool

[@lolhaa9705]

Trent Drummond hahahaa

[@dylaneagleton3090]

Soapy wooder Chrisfix??

[@your_average_cultured_dude]

HAHAHAHAHAHA and don't forget medium strength threadlocker on every bolt!

[@jobinantonyvaliakoickal4532]

Dylan eagleton true bro

[@Len4ken]

You forgot Hey guys chris fix here today

[@MrIzzy5466]

"Presicely 2oz of sealant" Dumps random amount in, "err, yea"

[@smellymudhut3398]

Seth your videos are the shit 😂 thanks for the awesome videos dude

[@weevil_man]

Corey Stuart ...?

[@Anto_G59]

It’s crazy this comment was made 5 years ago when times were east now I’m commenting 5 years later in the middle of a pandemic who would have thought about it

[@sougias_1274]

With a 6 year upload, you saved my life!! Thank you so much Seth

[@callsignvader2100]

i don't like to go in dry...

[@spnz_finedragongaming7084]

CallsignVader that what he said

[@bansheemopar]

Encouraged by your video I converted my non tubeless ready wheel to tubless. It worked really fine, thansk for the vid!

[@adamzych3519]

You sound like Chris fix

[@rev9fan1]

Adam Zych soapy wooder!

[@sledderguy1871]

lmao so true

[@notoriusdrifter40]

Not that much

[@lucasb2128]

His video style is similar too either the semi short clips and voice over And soapy wooder

[@chester371]

Adam Shortie he doesn't really except for when he says soapy wooder

[@DavidBrownFan]

I do very similar riding to you as I don't live near a trail I converted to tubeless a few weeks ago Totally worth it I couldn't be happier

[@brennendye8104]

A good trick I found for taping the rims is using 1 in wide gorrilla tape. It is the perfect size and I don't have to tear the wider roll to size.

[@WestCoastMountainBiker]

Hey. Thanks for the video. It really gave me a good idea in which direction to go starting out tubeless. But there is no question. Tubeless is the way to go. So many struggles avoided after taking out the tubes. I found a good method for keeping pressure after your done inflating and the tyre is seated is to rotate and bounce the wheel off the ground several times. Maybe for about 5 minutes. Personally I have had some excellent results doing this. Love the channel. Good motivation for myself.

[@jonahfastre]

Still surprised at the quality of these older videos

[@redetrigan]

This looks a lot easier than I expected

[@johnmartin9907]

"Wieght weenie" haha! Learned a new one. Love it!

[@A.Doll.Fiddler]

DO NOT use co2 to seat the bead unless you absolutely have to. When you discharge a co2 cartridge, the gas becomes extremely cold and can make the sealant crystalize (limiting sealing capabilities). I went ghetto tubeless on my schwalbe big apples (using the same method as Seth, except i just cut out the valve stem from an old tube instead of using the actual tube) and found co2 should be avoided unless you flat out on the side of the road and are far from home. Love the sex joke btw ;)

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Good tip, and did not know that! I think here in Florida I got away with it because of the heat and humidity, because the tire is still dead perfect, but what you're saying seems plausible, especially if you inflate with the stem at the bottom blasting directly at the sealant.

[@wigleboy]

+stephen ryan Yea, using co2 was a mistake I made a few years ago. Just pump fast.

[@BobbyTheDogUSA]

Seth's Bike Hacks CO2 and latex are not a good mix, you were lucky with humidity and that the entry point was far enough away from the latex. I betcha you have a compressor in your new workshop. Kitty

[@MichaelRei99]

You guys missed the point , he sealed the deal because he didn’t go in dry!

[@elijahjamieson5354]

Slime sealant does not freeze with co2

[@busterscrugs]

I converted my standard non tubeless wheels and tires by removing all rim tape, using gorilla tape as rim tape, installing the tire, adding notubes, and inflating the tire with a compressor. Zero leaks and i've taken it on some crazy rock-garden type terrain with no issues.

[@cliffjames2593]

Wow Seth's bike garage setup then and now....night and day!

[@yeboipat]

"3million dollars" 😂

[@qweam229]

I mean hes not off

[@philipcoblentz6545]

Lol I'm not a big fan of going in dry either

[@adrielramirez8912]

Hey Seth I was just wondering how you used that tube as a liner. What I mean is did you use some kind of a sharp object to puncture the tube so you would be able to pump air in or am I just missing something here?

[@_xanny_scoots_9346]

1:50 “I’m not a fan of going in dry”🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Mapl3Syrup]

I only did one wrap around the rim with a small overlap over the valve hole. I'm doing this to see if there's any real benefit. So far it woks fine but I usually run my tire at 25-30 psi (carefully measured with a broken pump and squeezing the tire) I've only ever gotten 3 flats and twice was just a random deflation while I was on a paved area. Once was from bashing my rear wheel by trying to jump up a curb. But pinchflats aren't a problem to me because I don't get them often.

[@vsmit.h570]

Recently decided to go tubeless... If my tire can hold air for an hour or two without any sealant, will I have a good seal when I add the sealant?

[@jeambapt]

hi Seth, i loved the video. What if you get a flat tire caused by a needle ? Can you use a rubber tube to finish a run and fix it later with this tubeless setting ?

[@lumberjack8261]

My my, how far we've come

[@rossgreen6201]

A beginning of a tubeless future for Seth

[@martialsunwalk9955]

this dude sure knows his stuff

[@adrielaraileycastro7176]

I have only one bike that I use for everything: mtb on weekends and commuting on business days. Do you think it is worth it to go tubeless? I know tubeless tires are good on the mountain but how do they feel on the road?

[@austinpangcog8923]

does this video conversion also work for other tyre brands? I tried going tubeless but my front tyre always ends up being flat? any suggestions???

[@dirtnstreet9044]

"I'm not a fan of going in dry" lmfao

[@hoopercalamari9618]

“Not a fan of going in dry” “ toss the wheel around real good” Seth what are you up to

[@Vladi1295]

I ran a ghetto tubeless for over a year and it turned out to be a success. I had no trouble with it. My tire sealed properly on the first time and everything was fine afterwards.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Good for you man, just a few bucks for sealant and you're on your way. Did you go "full ghetto" and cut stems off a tube, or go "semi ghetto" and use tubeless stems + duct tape?

[@Vladi1295]

+Seth's Bike Hacks I went for the most ghetto way of all. I used electric tape and a 20" inner tube which I cut in the middle all the way around. I placed my tire on the rim and I cut the remaining tube which was sticking out. I also went with cheaper sealant - WTB.. something. It cost me around 15$ for both tires and I have enough sealant for future installments.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

+Vladi1295 That sounds pretty similar to Bikeman's method, good stuff. It looks like the seal is really good on that since you literally have rubber all the way up the sidewall.

[@crimsun7186]

+Seth's Bike Hacks One of the main advantages of the whole ghetto method is that you can use it on rims that are not tubeless ready and...probably with tires that are not tubeless ready as well. But that can depend. Unfortunately, BikemanforU didn't do a more comprehensive video on the matter. So far, you only have the first failed attempt and the one that worked.

[@Rene-zn5gl]

Crazy how far he’s made it

[@phatmeow7764]

Wow Holy Rollers are my fav all terrain tires for the MTB and i would love to try tubeless with them! Thing is : if pumped on the higher end they seldom gave me punctures to be honest and them threads seem to wear extremely slowly even on tarmac/pavements! Oh btw with tubeless how much lower PSI can you run them on vs tube set up?

[@mozezcen-valley7555]

Bike man for u!!!

[@J4K_Shred]

I find bikeman for u verry funny xD

[@northernmedia2717]

Kind of an old video now but I'm watching it again and am curious, do you need tubeless ready tires and rims to do this or is this a conversion using non tubeless tires and rims to go tubeless

[@normanlist9871]

A cool way of converting to tubless for 27.5 or 29 wheels take a 26 tube and mount on rim tighten valve nut then split the tube down the center with a pair of sissors .put the flaps on the outside of rim and mount tire add sealent Put air in Take a cutter and carefully cut the flaps off Really works and really cheap and light weight

[@gohopoho3903]

The laugh at the end of the video 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@PREDATOR07]

I added latex paint,I did my homework searching the ingredients and both matches a lot,i added black to hide any sealant when puncture.

[@phatmeow7764]

OMGerd i have the same exact tires! What were those non tubeless ready rims btw?

[@juinalcones28]

Is it okay to use a non tubeless tire too? Or i need a tire that is tubeless ready and the rim is non tubeless...

[@LiehanEls]

aaaaaaaaaaaand thanks to seth i have tubeless now. you saved my life man :D

[@sun27g]

Hi, I have Mavic cross ride rims with some kind of blue tape that's already on. I wanna convert to tubeless, so, do I need to remove the blue tape and wrap the stan's tape (yellow?) around first before going on to soap water sealant etc? Pls. Reply soon I have an Xc event in a months time...

[@johnmay330]

After you poured some of the sealant in your tire, and rotated your wheel, does the sealant actually spread evenly across all the way around? Nice video as always, and one more question. Remember the video you taught us about how to repair a broken rear derailluer? You said you were going to save the part where you re-run the cables into the shifter or something like that and that you were going to save that for another video. Thanks, you are the best.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

Thanks for the kind words, and my repair videos are made when I need to do the actual repair, so next time I change cables I'll make a video on it. As for the sealant, it most probably isn't evenly spread when you first pour it in, but it's good enough to seal things up, with a little spinning and shaking. When you ride the bike around, the sealant will slosh around and get into every crevice.

[@montoya727]

Need your help, Seth. I've always ran Orange Seal. It's my favorite tubeless sealant. However, I thought I'd take advantage of a bike store's nationwide closing and I found some Slime sealant dirt cheap, so I picked up a couple of bottles for S's & G's. When I got home and read the label, I learned I was an idiot, because it said it was tube sealant, not tubeless sealant... I figure, since I have an extra wheelset, I'd play around with it and try to run the tube sealant that I inadvertently purchased in a tubeless tire. Do you think that there actually is a difference between the two (tube sealant and tubeless tire sealant) or should I not even bother trying to experiment with it? I understand that since you are sponsored/endorsed by Slime if you can't really answer this question. Also, I hope your clavicle is healing up well. I've got a wicked lump, and I'm sure by now, you do as well. Thanks alot!

[@coco__rnd]

does the maxxis holy roller are tubless ready tyres ?

[@leanmeangreenbeanmachine3347]

Seth: *swears* Me: *likes*

[@ln663]

did you attempt to seat your tires with your tcpg pump? just wondering if that pump can seat that combo

[@willbartlett8983]

POV: you got this recommended 5 years later

[@basicallynoone1215]

hello seth!? is it a wired bead tire?? can I use wire bead tire in converting tubeless??? thanks for helping me today.. i hope you help me next time... 😃😃😃

[@corbinkennedy8669]

Hi Seth I just found you're Chanel I'm new to bmx and I just subscribed you have helped me a lot I'm just recommending try a vlog I'm not telling you what to do but please do more bmx videos thanks.

[@maricelbonto3479]

When i went tubeless yes, i didnt get a pinch flat but i snapped my rim

[@WCxColosus]

I have this old iron horse mountain bike that i bought years its been sitting outsidr a while so it needs a little love i plan on getting new tires but ive been contimplating tubless. Im a heavy dude i weigh 360, the tire would get pretty low when i would sit on the bike will a tubless be better?

[@robertdutton2603]

tubeless tire hacks for setting the bead when you cannot get the bead to set install a tube and pump it up. This will set at least one side of the tire. Then all you have to do is set one side of the tire(seths pull it sideways method). Also putting the tire in the front windshield help the tire get warm which makes it much easier to work with.

[@Epmefish]

I have a 27.5 wheel and i can only find a 26 or 29 inch rim strip. Do You have any suggestions on where to find 27.5 inch rim strips or a way to make my own? thanks

[@bananabattery2162]

Dear Seth, I ordered a Redline flight Pro XL from J&R bicycles. The rims are Alienation Malice, the rims are tubeless compatible. Can I run them without sealant to save weight while I race?

[@tmappe]

Make sure to replace that CO2 with normal air after your bead gets seated well. I have a feeling it will leak out in a couple days anyways.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

+Tyler Mappe Yep, CO2 is only temporary, although oddly enough it's been holding really good. Maybe it's the sealant, because usually when I use CO2 the tire is flat the next morning.

[@Elixir-re8yl]

Seth I just want to ask . I buy a continental race king ouregrip I used it on a vintage 1.5 rim I don't j ow the hught of the bead sit and Iput an inner tube should I wait for a puff sound

[@jdlawnmaintenance7465]

I have watched all his video even the won today

[@clopez933]

do you need a tubeless ready tire to make the tubeless conversion work?

[@tomktl879]

How did they hold the pressure? I'm thinking about using 24 holy rollers on my trials. With exactly 2 ounces of sealent ... or ... yeah.

[@wordreet]

Use soap from a bar, scrape some shavings off into the water and mix 'em in. I'm an ex tyre fitter and can tell you that dish washing liquid can attack the rubber and it never dries up fully, so can make it easier to get a burp when on a bad landing.

[@end_ofthe_world2008]

I just did this set up, with (fairly new) Holy Rollers and they seem to be sweating from the sides =/ It's decreasing with time, but it's been over 4 hours. I'll go for a ride in a while. Hopefully they'll hold.

[@rollinrat4850]

Im a shop mechanic. I see everything that works and that fails. Ive tried and seen all the conversions, tubeless ready and tubeless specific systems out there. Most come up short on ultimate reliability( I ride far from help or cell service) These stans conversion strips are among the best, but expensive. Try out the split tube GHETTO method. Basically the same thing. By far, the best, most reliable and CHEAPEST!!! Its a little more effort but well worth it. My set ups last until the tread is gone! Ive never had a failure (except torn sidewalls) in 15 years!!

[@ZimNanigans]

Hi Seth can I do this with any rim and tire or must it be tubeless ready

[@savell234]

I have been flailing with trying to go tubeless for two plus weeks. My rims are wtb stp i23 and have a sticker that say they are tubeless compatible. I have tryed hand pump, CO2 and gas station air compressor. I figure my problem is either not enough Stans or inadequate rim tape. Do tubeless compatible rims need rim tape? My rim has a broad yellow strip and I only used 1 wrap of tape. Maybe a full covering of rim tape?? Suggestions?

[@MotoJMoore]

watching all berm peak vids

[@bracamontes2607]

I like those tires. I have them on MTBMX. There really good.

[@pleeeic]

do i need tubeless ready tyre to do this? i have ground control sport 26x2.3 and my wheel set is tubeless ready...

[@jonahrotert5470]

I have the same orange cup

[@huths0lo]

I've never really been able to find an answer on this. Do you need to change your tire if you go tubeless? Or can you pretty much use any tire once you have converted your rim? I got a few pinch flats over the summer, so I've been seriously considering making this change.

[@SethsBikeHacks]

I used my existing tire, but if I changed it there would be a chance that it would have a different tolerance. So in that case more or less tape would be used to build up the padding on the rim. In most cases though, I think you could just pop a tire on and add sealant without modifying your setup.

[@brodylight6132]

0:09 Seth forgot to trip hi GoPro beard

[@Justin_Yung]

Do you have to use a tubeless compatible rim to set a tire tubeless?

[@edisonsiew5450]

I’m buying a 2018 giant trace 2 with already comes tubeless :)

[@kiko818callejero]

Is it true I have to get a new tire and rims to go tubeless on my diamondback axis?

[@krukabman]

@ 3:10 you said use dish soap to wash your bike? I don't remember what video you said to use good car wash detergent and not to use dish soap. What made you change your mind?

[@greenpedal370]

How I miss Bikeman4U

[@zake5564]

This Seth contradicts new Seth so much😭 tubes not washing a bike with a pressure washer and not using actual rim tape

[@RochesterGT]

If my wheels and tires are "tubeless ready" what do I need aside from the sealant and valve stem to do the conversion? It's for a Motobecane Hal5 Comp which has WTB STP i25 TCS 27.5" wheels and WTB Trail Boss tires.

[@RochesterGT]

Angry Vegan Cyclist thanks man, I ended up getting it to work with just valves, sealant and two strips of gorilla tape on the wheel. I put some soapy water around the bead of the tire to help it seat, and they popped on relatively easy. Went for a ride this past weekend and everything was fine.

[@johngraham6506]

I rarely get flats. In fact, went 5 years without one. I carry an extra tube. Is there really a reason for me to go tubeless in this scenario? I feel like I want to go to tubeless because, well, it is the thing to do! PS - I really like your videos. You do the perfect 'I am wealthy so I always buy the best' and the 'I am a hack mechanic, where is the best dumpster' approach right in the middle telling us where to spend the extra and where we can be frugal.

[@masonbakken2322]

I don't like going in dry either Seth👍🏻

[@masonbakken2322]

But really it's a lot easier

[@Ghrostillo]

I'm also thinking about going tubeless after getting 4 pinch flats in the last 2 weeks...

[@bhoey8356]

hi I rly like ur vids could u do another bike check in detail plz

[@jordanlewis3790]

do you need specifically tubeless tyres to do this?

[@terminenthd6471]

Hahah LMAO 1:49 " I'm not a fan of going in dry "

[@videogamer4897]

My dad agrees, he went in dry 16 years a go and here we are

[@haydendec6991]

well... i bet you wouldn't have guessed that in 2 years time you'd be using Slime™ tubeless setup!

[@saml8119]

Good luck with that...my experience when riding hard on conversions other people swore by was horrible. Hard off camber landings means the front tire rips off the wheel completely and your face smashes straight into the handlebars and then the ground. The only thing worse than walking back a flat is walking back a flat with a broken bike and broken face.

[@User-ej3pq]

Hey can somebody help me? Does wheel need to have tubeless ready on it so it will go tubeless?

[@TheMxboy199]

I should do this on my 50cc I keep getting flat tubes

[@DavidBrownFan]

Do the holy rollers have a wire bead?

[@shayamaddex996]

David Brown Fan I think they come in both standard and folding variants

[@fayeccleston9542]

Cool ist video