Tubeless setup tutorial with the new Gravel King 38c Tires

As I only have one pair of wheels I been reluctant to go tubeless as I go between tires depending on what kind of riding I’m doing that day. But with Panaracer coming out with these wide and light 38c Tubeless compatible slick tires I decided it was time go tubeless and use these tires for everything from road rides, gravel to bike packing. I even done a few kilometers of single track. And I’m totally sold!
Gravelking 38c Slick:
US: amzn.to/2ss5oRp
UK: amzn.to/2KbiHzW
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Pump with pressure chamber:
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Instagram: / ridesofjapan
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[@matthewjohnson7350]

Always best to seat the rim first with a compressor and no sealant. Then deflate, insert sealant, and inflate again. That way, no chance of a mess.

[@nihilsin3deo]

This comment should be pinned. Also, when adding the sealant rotate the valve to 8 o'clock, not 6 o'clock. That way, the sealant has where to go and is not pushed back by the weight of the rim.

[@lechprotean]

@@nihilsin3deo any other tips? I'm re-watching this for the n-th time as I plan to swap my bulky 50mm SK Panaracers, to skinnier 38 SS but I can't cough up the courage to do so...

[@forgedhell]

@@lechprotean after changing the tape, I set the wheel with the tube at night with a lot of pressure

[@jimbojet8728]

This is my preferred method too. Put two new tyres on today, Gravelking plus, 32mm. Just for winter riding and a more robust set up, enabling me to get onto light gravel trails etc, away from tarmac roads. Had to buy a couple of inner tubes to fit the 32’s too. Conti’s 25 to 32mm have done the job. Just to get me home in an emergency. One thing I should add. The Gravelkings are the easiest tyres to install that I have ever installed! Thankfully. I have every confidence of a simple fix should things go pear shaped one fine winter;s day out on the trail.

[@danielebergonzi8461]

Good tyres for the transition from jazz to jazz/funk and back again

[@christopherhood9241]

finished my ekar bokeh build today and went out for a 30km ‘shake down’ ride. big leap for me, i’m used to riding 25mm road tyres but i decided to use 32 mm gravel king slicks. what an amazing ride, so smooth, no road buzz from the alloy frame. a total convert. looking forward to trying the 38mm a little later on. appreciate the input from your channel.

[@roadglide]

The GK Slicks are the best tires out there for all roads. I ride mine between 45-50psi when riding strictly road. 30-35 for Gravel. They look great in tan sidewall or black too.

[@acessvxx6837]

There’s actually a little extra trick which works for me. Put a tube in and pump up and let the tyre seat first. Deflate and carefully take out the tube while the other half is still firmly seated in the rim bead. After which reinstall the tyres and pump. Dealing with half the tyre already seated firmly will be much easier. Thanks for making all these videos bro. Love watching them

[@ridesofjapan]

Awesome, a few people have mentioned this trick... might be able to try it out very soon! Cheers!

[@wakeawaken430]

I run mine,38c, mainly on the road with tubes, 50-45, and they give soft ride They are very light for a 38c tyre

[@azoique]

Sweet! Will be using these tires tubeless on the current build. First time tubeless. Good tut showing how it's done.

[@JogieGlenMait]

I love panaracers myself. good thing they got wider road tires for tubeless setups now.

[@rpiian]

I’m kind of in a similar situation, where in reality I have to cross a decent amount of pavement to get to gravel (even in rural Vermont, US). I bought this exact tire in 650bx38, and I’m so excited to try it out! I was looking for better rolling speed compared to Conti Crosstrails, but still have some packed gravel capability. I think these will be the ticket.

[@Lepercurtidoo]

Ah, again a nice video of yours :) I was hesitating to purchase the slicks and now i have a good idea what to do. Thanks

[@jojoanggono3229]

Been riding on GK Slick 32c for some time. A very nice tire, grippy, smooth, and pretty fast rolling. Handles rough patched asphalt very well. I am only 53kg so 48 psi with tube should be enough. Looking forward to try tubeless.

[@007checker]

Great video, mate! Love the lower third animations!

[@kilobitti]

After successfully installing a lot of tubeless tires over the years on mtbs, Gravelking sk+ finally brought me down. Used all the tricks in the book (including lifting one bead up with a tube), but no cigar. Next up; riding the tires with tubes a few days to see if it helps.

[@revolversntulips]

I'm in the exact same situation now. 38mm. First tried with just a floor pump, then with the free compressor at the closest bike shop but it lacks power. Tomorrow I'll bring the tyres to work where we have a really powerful compressor and it has never failed me before. Did you manage to get them working tubeless?

[@kilobitti]

@@revolversntulips I did, actually! I don’t remember what did the trick then. Nowdays I just wrap a little bit of extra rimtape, about half a wheel, and every tire since has been a breeze.

[@mortenreippuertknudsen3576]

Mount with a tube first and you will be successfulll. I have GK 32 on DT 460db/DT180's and GK 43SK on DT X1700 Spline's - both are super easy to seat. Both will seat without sealent, compressor, 'bomb or other tricks'. Trusty old Rennkompressor is just fine :-) GK 32mm's are just as light as my Compass 35mm extralights and rides almost as sweet.

[@eugenehuang3992]

I’ve seated many tubeless mtb tires no problem. These ones I have tried to set over 10x lol. I’m stubborn and trying to hold air without sealant first before I actually add it. One attempt I had it hold 50psi overnight! One short 5 min ride then the next morning rear tire is down. Reset, rode another 10 min. Next morning both deflated 😢😂🤔 I suppose I’ll just add sealant and pray haha. Give me all the tips!

[@dariosanroman91]

Should have removed the valve core first and try to dry seat it first.

[@stephenauckly]

I'll be setting these up tonight for the first time, Thanks!

[@patricks8448]

same here. couldn't inflate it dry without a compressor. btw: there's also a big difference between wtb riddler 700x37 and 700x45

[@E5T4T3]

Went thru hell trying to get these on. You definitely want to give them a good stretch first if it's a brand new tire. I bought the gravelking+ 38. And the only way I got them to hold air to seat was with no valve core and lots of soapy water

[@neilk22]

I find the tire compound too soft for asphalt, I mix my riding between gravel and road and easily form a smooth centre line with 200-300 km of riding. My specialized pathfinders were 100g heavier per tyre, but just rolled and gripped better in mixed conditions. At 38c, the max pressure of the gravel king at 60psi vs pathfinder at 80psi has a lot to do with the target surface the tire is designed for.

[@corvus400]

Thank you for the explanation! Love that frame color! What rimtape width did you use on your rims? Very interesting tool bottle under the frame.

[@ridesofjapan]

Cheers, the tools bottle is the “fabric tool keg” As for the tubeless setup explanation, this is a rather old video, I would recommend this newer one for better results: kzbin.info/www/bejne/norKk5eOnbiNbJI

[@mavallarino]

They seem so comfortable! What is your system weight? Because I’m curious why 38psi

[@topbanana4013]

great start, on the claimed weight and actual weight WITH CABLE TIES STILL ATTACHED LOL

[@lenolenoleno]

Love the channel mate. I've just set up a pair of Compass tyres, the Bon Jon Pass 35mm on some internal 23mm rims. They blow out nicely to about 36.5mm. These look very similar in intended use (Panracer work with Compass on their tyres so it doesn't suprise me). Same feedback that you had, super grippy and all round 1 bike exoloring machine. How did you go with the sidewalls of these tyres for tubeless? The Compass tyres have super thin supple sidewalls and required overnight sideways on the bucket to finally get them to stop leaking slowly over time.

[@ridesofjapan]

Leonard Lieu Thanks mate! My initial plan was to get the compass tires as well. But I could get two gravel kings for the price of one compass tire here. The gravelkings are fully TLC, other than sealant no extra precautions needed for tubeless set up. They have a pretty sturdy rubberized sidewall like the whole gravelking series have. I’m pretty sure they’re not as supple as compass tires though.

[@lenolenoleno]

Ha - kicking myself. These 38 Gravel Kings appear to have just been released. They only made them to a 32mm size up until a few months ago (too narrow) and the the knobby SK's in 35mm+. Will give these a go once the Compass tyres wear out - oodles cheaper and more or less the same weight.

[@ridesofjapan]

Leonard Lieu yeah, that’s another reason I went with he gravelking, they weigh about the same as the bon Jon pass that are narrower, if you look up the comparable compass 38c Barlow pass, they’re quite a bit lighter actually

[@lenolenoleno]

Rides of Japan Hey mate, I thought I'd follow up and let you know I've also been loving the 38mm Panaracer Slicks. Even handles solid bits of singletrack well. Has survived a hell of a lot more than the Compass tyres, one I managed to slash a sidewall and the other a puncture through the centre tread which required a tubeless plug. Definately not built for anything outside of paved roads or buff gravel. Thought I'd share a tip with you regarding tubeless as you had a minor hiccup in the process. I was able to easily bead this tyre (and even other non Tubeless Compatible tyres) with a floor pump (core removed) on a variety of tubeless ready rims with one wee trick - manually bead the tyre. You can bead one entire side by inserting an inner tube, then unbeading one side, taking the tube out. You then manually bead the remaining side using a tyre lever by running it underneath the bead of the tyre and pushing it into the rim wall. You should be able to manually bead 1/2 the tyre at minimun so you only have 1/2 one side to bead with the pump (and by then the tyre is super tight and will hold air pretty well). You can do this without using a tube first too, but you'll probably get 3/4 of one side manually beaded and the other 1/2 beaded (successfully did some Gravelking SKs this way too). Dry mounted every tyre using this trick. Always suprised there are 0 videos on KZbin showing this, but found one a couple days ago that showed this process (skip to 3mins in). kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnfLiJlmZdhqfZY Proper wide MTB tyres are much easier than gravel tyres - you can just roll your tyre along the ground a few times prior to inflation. This bead gets spread far enough to tubeless even with the valve core in.

[@ridesofjapan]

Hey mate! Thanks for the follow up! Stoked that they are working out for you as well 👌 Mine have received a few cuts here and there but nothing has resulted in a puncture (yet) 🤞 Excellent tip! Will try it the next time I can’t get it to seal the “normal” way. Always thought that having both beads in the center channel was the best method ... love learning new tricks! Thanks mate!

[@matthewjohnson7350]

I luv me some fat rubber...these r nice, i just ordered some for my Raleigh Roker Comp

[@tacconelli]

I just got these exact tires, but am running with tubes in a tubeless compatible wheel (I just haven't ditched the tubes and purchased sealant yet). They ride super nice, but i've already gotten 2 flats in 2 weeks due to my city riding; maybe not the best tire for my los angeles commute. How much city tarmac are you riding on these and how are they holding up long term? Still on the fence about tubeless.. :P

[@ridesofjapan]

DerekTac long time since I used these tires, but I talk about how they help up in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boe9eqmuoLCeftk In the end I got one puncture on the rear when the tread was running really thing, after that I wanted to try out other tires

[@tacconelli]

@@ridesofjapan About how many mi/km did you ride on them total? The vid you linked said you'd ridden 2000km at that point. Thanks for all the vids!

[@ridesofjapan]

DerekTac maybe I got another 500km or so, can’t say for sure though. Even though is was pretty squared off I could have patched it and squeezed some more distance out of it... I never ride tires down to the tread though.

[@mattkavanaugh5623]

The Panaracer slicks were spec'd on the Cannondale Slate I got years ago (and still have) - they were terrible for riding the Los Angeles Santa Monica Mountains. Traction was terrible (lots of dry, loose, sandy terrain), slipped and slid all over the place on any sort of steepish climb or descent, and were fragile (cut sidewalls and through the tread on any sharp rocks). Switched to Schwalbe G-Ones and they are great, but then tried the Kenda gravel tires that have a bit of knobs down the center and bigger knobs on the shoulders, and they are even better. And the Kendas are fine on the pavement, as are the G-Ones. I don't think slicks make any sense on a gravel bike, but maybe that's just me.

[@christopherhawkins2359]

Yes !!!

[@51jjm]

Hello again. Really liking your videos. I'm learning a lot. Thanks! I'm in the process of building-up a bike here on a Greek island. Will be mostly a road bike, but the roads here can be a bit rough. I have 2 questions if you have time to answer. 1. I was going to go for the 32C Mavic tubeless tires and rims, but I am liking these 38C's you have on your bike...how is your set-up for mostly road riding? (ps I'm an older rider and am looking for both speed & comfort). 2. Can you please tell me your wheel build or suggest one of your videos that covers your wheel set-up? Thanks again for your videos! I really appreciate your effort and good information you provide. Cheers.

[@ridesofjapan]

51jjm hey mate! If it’s mostly for road riding I would probably go with something a bit narrower like 32-35. I’ve not tried the mavic combination you mentioned but it looks like a good combo. 32c will offer plenty of comfort, just don’t run the same tire pressure as you would on 25c :) These 38c will work fine as well, but if you’re looking for all out speed, then I think a narrower tire would be faster. I’m using the DT Swiss RR21 DB wheels that came with a canyon I bought a few years ago. They’ve lasted way longer than the canyon bike hehe. But I really like them, alu rim but very light. I think DTswiss has replaced it with a new model by now though.

[@51jjm]

Thank-you so very much for your reply. I really appreciate it. I think I will go with the newish Mavic KSYRIUM ELITE UST DISC. They are specifically made for the 32C Mavic tubeless for the road. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again for your reply and your excellent videos.

[@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy]

I've got 30mm rims, hopefully these will seat nicely. How was the longevity on these tires? I ride mostly paved asphalt or some crushed limestone paths.

[@consistentwinner]

You should seat the tire first w out the sealer. Deflate and add the sealer: no mess:) Nice video though, thanks.

[@ridesofjapan]

Yeah, tried that but was unsuccessful. I should have pointed it out though. Thanks!

[@matthewjohnson7350]

Great video, btw, what was the name of that chambered pump you were using?

[@ridesofjapan]

Thanks! This pump: amzn.to/2K6UPdO

[@gilberttiborjakub9890]

5:12 “other combinations might be harder though.” For your information: DT Swiss 470db + Gravelking SK 700x32c tires was a pure nightmare. It took 30 minutes to apply it. I haven’t sweared so much for a long time ago... I hope it’s worth it!

[@FinlandApollo]

Boi, I haven't had so many problems with tyre seating as with those same tyres as yours. I think I'm going for round 5 already, no luck.

[@guybrushthreepwood3002]

I'm currently wrestling with 32s on a set of dt swiss 1600 spline. My schwable 28s were super easy

[@gilberttiborjakub9890]

Guybrush Threepwood update : the 700x43 Gravelking was super easy, I mounted it without tire levers.

[@guybrushthreepwood3002]

@@gilberttiborjakub9890 I could mount it fine, quite an easy tyre to mount, just couldn't for the life of me get it to seat tubeless. I gave up in the end and fitted tubes, done in 15 minutes.

[@gilberttiborjakub9890]

Guybrush Threepwood Sometimes it’s worth the effort. The Panaracer Gravelking SKs has become my favorite tires. Sometimes the easy fits does not worh it: for instance my easiest mount was the WTB Riddler... However I hated that tire: slow on pavement, leaking sidewall, and it worn incredibly fast (after 500km the wear was visible).

[@kolumberek]

Przyjemnie się ogląda no i świetna muza. Pozdrawiam

[@leduigoulaurent1454]

Nive video with good sound ! After 2 years, what do you think about the giyo floor pump ?

[@arnabsom3251]

Awesome thanks for the tutorial

[@Traccionhumana]

6:24 jaja try a 29er 2,4 , whit joeblow topeak... is terrible but possible

[@Plasmo20]

Music reminds me of the SONE Jazz lounge in Kobe. (1 Chome-24-10 Nakayamatedori, Chuo Ward, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0004, Japan). ah Natsukashi

[@havefunandbikestuff]

Solid. I dig it!

[@massimo7506]

Great Video, after some time and (I assume) thousands of KM with these tires, do you still recommend them?

[@ridesofjapan]

Massimo definitely recommend them, been using a bunch of different gravelking tires since these... wear rate migh be on the fast side if I had to say something negative about them.. especially on the rear, I did a little follow up after about 2000km in this video where I show the wear: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boe9eqmuoLCeftk I road these another couple of 1000km after that video until I decided to move to bigger tires. I actually punctures them on the last ride before I planned to swap tires. But still super happy with all my GK’s especially since that are at such a nice price.

[@massimo7506]

Thanks for your answer, I will try the new 700x35 size....I'm going to repalce a couple of schwalbe G-One All Around (TLS) that are very good tyres but not so fast on tarmac, greetings from Sicily and Peace ;-)

[@adikt00]

Those are crazy light for the volume and look a lot faster than the Pasela PTs 38c "all-rounder" tyre I use. What track is playing around the 9 minutes?

[@ridesofjapan]

Yeah, Don't think there are any lighter tires out there in the same volume. Sorry forgot to include the last track in the description, it's "You're not that Funky" by Otis McDonald

[@adikt00]

Rides of Japan thanks! Sweet video too

[@iNew]

Well done! How do you find difference in riding quality between this Gravel King and tubed Challenge Strada Bianca? I've had good experience with Gravel King 26c on my road bike but still reluctant to try tubeless version unit I see this setup.

[@ridesofjapan]

Hard to give a fair opinion with the size difference. But hammering gravel and single track on the gravelkings I don't give a second thought, with the Strada Bianca I held my breath every time in fear of having to deal with a puncture out on ride... the hassle just to mount them make me not want to recommend them to anyone. Out on the smooth roads they are very smooth though.. not the lightest. I would pick the new Gravelking 32c slick if I were to buy a new tire today for only road riding.

[@iNew]

Thank you for your kind opinion!

[@disturbed4ever2]

I have been using compass 650x42mm with tire liners almost 5000 mi no punctures yet. I had a very bad experience that has given me tubeless PTSD with tubeless schwalbe G-one tires that would puncture every 400-500 miles and not seal up and left me stranded twice in winter at 2 degrees celcius. I picked up some gravel king TLC i hope they will not leave me scarred. I just cant deal with tubeless bullshit when i literally almost never get puncutures with tubes. And with tubeless when you do get a flat its a fucking nightmare

[@ridesofjapan]

Nile ouch... that didn’t sound like fun at all. Definitely no reason to go tubeless “just because” especially if you never get any punctures with tubes. My mates had the same experience with the g-ones of one our rides... did not seal at all... sealant just kept pouring out.... regular stans sealant didn’t seem to be the best for higher pressure setups.

[@disturbed4ever2]

So orange seal it is?

[@ridesofjapan]

Nile people seem to generally recommend orange seal. Looking the the test in “main stream” media it never seem to get top honors but I tend to trust the word of “the people” more hehe. However, since I can’t get orange seal easily in Japan I went with stance race sealant on my compass tires, so far no problems, haven’t had any punctures though.

[@tdfrie]

I have a very specific question about these tires that I hope you can help me with. I also live in Japan, and sometimes while descending through heavily forested rindo ( you know those places where little sunlight manages to penetrate) I must slow down considerably because the roads have those slick mossy patches that always seem to grow in road bends like booby traps. How have the gravelkings handled that situation? Is there another tire that you’d recommend that would allow a more aggressive pace through these rindo while still being fast on clean tarmac? Thank you!

[@ridesofjapan]

They are pretty much like any other slick tire, however as this is a 38mm tire you have a bigger contact patch and able to run lower pressures which also helps increase grip. Still those patches will be pretty slippery non the less. Even with knobby tires I reckon you still would have to slow down on those kinds of roads. The SK version of the gravelking are pretty nice, I’ve only used them in 32c so can’t comment on how the bigger 38 would do. But I had no problem riding the 32 sk ~180km back to back on a bike packing trip.

[@BrentonCollas]

Excellent vid. Thankyou. I've just installed some Strada Biancas which were very difficult to mount but feel great on the bike at 40psi. I just bought some 32mm gatorskins to replace them next. I thought gravel Kings weren't available in file tread above 28mm. Maybe in a year I will hunt some of these down for tubeless... Were they easy to find in Japan? Might need to make a trip to get some. He he

[@BrentonCollas]

Wow, loved the end of your video. This is only the second I've I've watched but can see myself binding on the rest of your videos... How to ride one day again in Japan. I used to live in Okayama Ken...

[@ridesofjapan]

Brenton Collas yeah the Strada Bianca’s are by far the toughest tires I’ve ever have to deal with, they feel excellent on the road though. Panaracer have a slick gravelking in 32mm as well now. They are readily available online here in Japan and super cheap compare to conti, compass etc. Thanks man!

[@BrentonCollas]

Hey Roj, by any chance do you know of an online store in Japan that sells the panaracer 38mm? Cant for the life of me find one. Cheers

[@ridesofjapan]

Most online retailers here in Japan are domestic only, but I found one US store... not sure how legit they are but could be worth checking them out: www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=92844

[@BrentonCollas]

Thanks. A local online store would work too. I was in Kobe last year, but every shop I visited was out of stock or didnt stock panaracer.

[@brucechang6465]

I'm considering these tires, have a few questions. How do these tires compare to the SK? I'm going to be doing 50/50 road/dirt gravel and was wondering if the traction on the SK would be better for me or if these would be sufficient. Thanks!

[@ridesofjapan]

As shown in the video 38.36 on my rims @ 38psi SK's are quite a bit heavier... if that 50% road is just to get to the gravel stuff where the "main fun" is to be had, than I would choose SK, if the risk of wet and muddy dirt/gravel is high I would also choose SK. If you want to be as fast as possible all around, riding with a lot of roadies etc. I would choose slicks... and accept the lack of grip in rougher surfaces and skid around as much as possible ;) Highly personal choice, but that's my reasoning.

[@brucechang6465]

Thanks for the fast response! I do have some loose dirt climbs, but it's a bummer that the SK only comes in 26mm tires. (i can't fit 32s on the road bike)

[@richfi9576]

you may have addressed this elsewhere that I haven't seen (yet) but how is your experience with flats going from clinchers to tubeless? I'm considering tubeless because I get so many flats with clinchers. Thx!

[@ridesofjapan]

All pinch flats eliminated... the two flats I’ve had is from normal wear as one tire reached the end of its life and I didn’t keep up with adding sealant. The other was bombing down a rocky decent whit a tire that was too delicate for the job. So my pictures has declined significantly... however I still always recommend you have a spare tube with you just in case.

[@richfi9576]

@@ridesofjapan Thanks. So, based on this and feedback from friends, I'm about to go tubeless - waiting on rims arriving. One thing I don't get: how does the sealant not eventually seal up the valve? As I understand it, you have to occasionally replenish the sealant as the old stuff becomes more viscous. It sounds to me like you have to remove the tyres and clear out the old sealant and re-do it all every so often?

[@ridesofjapan]

Rich Fi not sealing the valve is simple magic 🧙🏻‍♂️ (honestly I don’t know, but I would guess gravity) The sealant will dry up eventually, you don’t need to clean out the old sealant. At least the first few top-ups. Eventually you might get some build-up but the tire is probably up for a change anyway by then.

[@richfi9576]

@@ridesofjapan Thanks! Much appreciated.

[@davidcool0123]

sorry for asking unrelated questions.....but what is the total weight of your mason bokeh?? because i am considering buying one but there is no weight figures available.....

[@ridesofjapan]

David Wong 8.51kg. You can check my video about the build here kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaelfWZpi62XkK8

[@antoniskapnoulas767]

Hi there!nice vids! I have a kona sutra ltd with no clearance limit..😀 Which gravel king model do you suggest for rides that are mixed with 60 \40 tarmac and gravel? I was thinking the gravel king sk 35 . Thanks!

[@ridesofjapan]

Antonis Kapnoulas thank you! No clearance limit... living the dream ;) Good question, I think the SK 35 would be a good choice for sure. Depending on how rough the gravel is and if you don’t ride in poor weather, the 38 slick will save you a fair bit of rotational weight however. It If you do a lot of climbing and descending on gravel the SK’s extra grip will be good thing to have. I’ve ridden the SK 32 on tarmac a lot and they don’t hold you back too much.

[@antoniskapnoulas767]

+Rides of Japan thanks man. I will ride with the 45 ridlers for the winter months and then I will go probably for the Gk 38 slicks.Thanks again and keep posting nice gravel vids 😉

[@1777DK]

I only have a floor pump but I want to try tubeless. Can you use a CO2 cartridge for the initial inflation?

[@ridesofjapan]

Yep, that a normal trick to get the job done 👍

[@Digi20]

remember that some sealant is said to not work well with co2 (can go lumpy over time) - so after initial inflation with seated tires, its recommended to let the co2 out and re-pump the tire the normal way

[@Dakiller1243]

10:35 you forgot to put the cap back on

[@krak9927]

What's the actual height/diameter difference with 700x38c to 650x50b tires/wheels?

[@pault477]

Is there a direction indicator for this tire?

[@AK-ic1yj]

How would these Gravelking 700x38c slicks compare to the 560bx48 Compass Switchback Hill slicks? Which do you prefer?

[@ridesofjapan]

A K I think the gravel kings are one of the best tires if you only could have one set up, they can hang on both road and gravel. But I still prefer the switchback hill on gravel and rough stuff, the bigger the better. They also roll super nice on pavement but at higher speeds you start to fight with the aero dynamics... They are also in another price bracket as you can get a pair of gravelking for one compass tire :)

[@AK-ic1yj]

Fascinating, thank you for your reviews and help :) What is your opinion of the Compass Snoqualmie Pass 700x44 tires? I would really like to experience the difference between this 700cx44 tire vs the 650bx48 Switchback Hill. Just 4mm difference in width between these 2 tires. So it would be quite an interesting comparison. Which do you think you would prefer from these 2 tires?

[@ridesofjapan]

A K 700x44 would not fit in my frame so have never relight about it :) It all depends on what you’re planing to ride. Mainly rough stuff I would go as big as I could, 50/50 tarmac and I would go something a bit more in between. This just my opinion though :)

[@6Shine6down6]

I don"t ride a lot of gravel but used the 28mm for 12000km on my road bike (got a lot of kom's with them!) and the price is just too good here (19€ !). I now have the 32mm and they are really good, you can see they start to slows you down after 50km/h but other than that they are super nice and roll well, lot of roadies with 23mm tubulars can't keep my wheel :p ! I think I will try these 38mm for the next Paris-Roubaix Challenge.

[@diegoeleazar9154]

Would you go for norrower tires (35c) or stick with 38c?

[@davidadamus177]

Do I need to re-tape the wheel when swapping a tire?

[@claudeonegomes1110]

Boa noite, GCN tech, estou com uma Shox vivid Air R2C que não está segurando ar, eu calibro , mas ele vaza é não consegui identificar o que está provocando o problema , você poderiam fazer um vídeo com a manutenção do Shox vivid Air R2C para eu poder fazer a manutenção do meu em minha casa?? Thanks!! Eu sou do Brasil!!

[@nepllerena8775]

where do you buy the sealant tape? pls. advise and thanks

[@baronvonhoughton]

How much did the bands fastening the tyres weigh tho?

[@jerbienmanawatao9034]

Do you need to change the rims/wheels if your using thick tires?

[@ridesofjapan]

Jerbien Manawatao not really, up to sizes like this (38mm) should not be a problem on regular road rims. What could be a problem though is if wider tires will fit in a frame made for narrower tires.

[@jerbienmanawatao9034]

@@ridesofjapan ohh i see thanks for the tip :)

[@Biggreydog]

You need to watch a video on tubeless who puts sealant in before they seat the bead your looking to get jizzed😂😂

[@YuoTubeTobi]

got myself the GK SK version in 38C, to be more safe on wet or muddy roads, but I wonder if it's really necessary. I don't ride on wet roads very often and I could reduce speed in corners if necessary. Just want to hear your thoughts on how it performs on wet roads.

[@ridesofjapan]

Tobias Tesching Basically they’re the same as “normal” sized slick tires, in the wet I would say I feel they have bit more grip because of the lower pressure. Only time I would have really preferred the SK is on wet muddy trails. That being said, I have a pair of 32 SK tires that I’ve been very happy with. They are about the same weight as the 38c slick though, so all in all I think the slick tires are better all around tire.

[@YuoTubeTobi]

damn, so should I switch the SK to slick? I think I can still return the SK's. I'd need them for 80% road (asphalt) and 20% woods/gravel/bumpy road

[@ridesofjapan]

Tobias Tesching for 80% asphalt I would go with the slicks personally. The SK’s are good tires though!

[@YuoTubeTobi]

Rides of Japan yeah, I heard they are running great on the road too.

[@kanglinliow3535]

how did you find those gravel roads in japan!!

[@okapitech]

How much sealant should you use for a 25c road wheel? If I ever go insane it will be because I have tried and failed to get a stupid tubeless Tyre to inflate. I love them but boy they can give you a headache!

[@ridesofjapan]

I would follow the guidelines set by the sealant manufacturer, but a general amount is between 60-90ml. For a 25 I’d probably start with the minimum amount and add more if needed. Regarding tire inflation, if you have trouble it can usually be sorted with one extra layer of tubeless tape and soapy water (or even bead wax)

[@okapitech]

@@ridesofjapan thanks for the reply. I think I only used about 5 to 10ml... Should work better with more. The main issue is trying to reseat a used tyre after you have taken it off. Simply won't appear to work so have had to order a new tyre as the beads stick together.

[@ridesofjapan]

Colin Durrant you could give this a try: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laapkJabopmJoqM I’ve successfully remounted tires with ease after doing that... a bit of time required though, but if you still have a lot of life left in the tires it might be worth it.

[@antoniskapnoulas767]

feedback after one month of riding? Any flats or other issues? thanks

[@ridesofjapan]

No problems at all. Holding air brilliantly... looses about 5psi of air in a week... basically same as using an inner tube.

[@RobBastien]

QUESTION: What pump was that, with the pressure chamber?

[@ridesofjapan]

RBastien it’s the cheapest one I could find here in japan giyo.com.tw/web/03product/01floor/GF-94T.htm Looks like it’s a small Taiwanese brand.

[@kkhalifah1019]

Will they fit on any 700c road wheel...? Or do they require wheels with certain widths only?

[@ridesofjapan]

K Khalifah they should fit on most modern road wheels no problem.

[@Sklouchechi]

What is your rim width?

[@082_LIGHTMAN]

8:45 what is that black bag(?) under the Bottom Bracket??

[@ridesofjapan]

It's a fabric tool keg amzn.to/2xrnKHt

[@ralfgrieser8149]

Can anyone help me finding the box under the downtube? I can’t find it on the internet... :-(

[@grahamtricker4103]

I assume these tyres are not directional?

[@ridesofjapan]

Graham Tricker I can’t recall now if the direction is printed on the tire or not (it’s not on the 32c version) But the subtle chevron tread is directional, so it just put them on with that direction in mind. If it really matters or not I can’t say.

[@grahamtricker4103]

Thanks. 👍@@ridesofjapan

[@Freightlinerbob]

Did the tires grow wider after the initial measurement? How wide?

[@ridesofjapan]

Robert Unger sorry don’t have these tires anymore so can’t check unfortunately.

[@ironrobin]

@@ridesofjapan Why did you get rid of these tires? what did you replace with and how would you compare these to your new ones (if not an apples to oranges comparison)

[@ridesofjapan]

@@ironrobin These were my go to tires when I only had one set of wheels for both road and gravel. I've since got a dedicated wheel set for gravel, so I went way bigger on those and then back to narrower tires for the road wheels. that being said, I'm looking to go back to slight wider tires on the road setup as well (On 30mm now... looking to go up to maybe 35... but at least 32)

[@jonienglish3231]

what floor pump is that ?

[@ridesofjapan]

This one: amzn.to/2K6UPdO

[@code3xiv]

Sorry.. whats the inner width of that rim? Issit 21mm?

[@code3xiv]

Ok found it. 18 mm. Haha.. i wonder will it fit 23 internal width?.. Thanks mate.

[@ridesofjapan]

Should not be a problem at all with the 38c model

[@shabado82k2]

38c fits great on 23mm internal width.

[@mazditzo]

how to ask the mechanic in japanese to convert to tubeless ?

[@ridesofjapan]

I would try to find a store that can give you support in English. Even if you ask in Japanese there will without a doubt come follow up questions.

[@user-sd1px8uu2y]

Motor tire tubeless

[@danielsepulveda912]

That tape is expensive, nothing beats Gorilla tape, cheap and 10 time more durable than DT swiss

[@JOHNGIBS]

NO GOOD FOR LONG RIDE SPECIALLY SUNNY DAY SUMMER THE SEALANT SLOWLY DRYING WTF MY FUCKING ENGLISH 😂✌️