Punctures and more Punctures......

[kevenh]

Tubeless is a good idea but.......

On my gravel bike I will be swapping the tyres regularly. Smooth for road use and treaded for off road use. It would be a right pain having to wash out and refill sealant every time. As I will take the gravel bike away on the MH with us this could be 5 or 6 times a year.

This is my first flat in over a year with the Gatorskins on my road bike. Think I can cope with an innertube swap that often. It's not as if I have to go cycling....

Don't you need two sets of wheels? Or are you swapping more tread types than that?

 

[Neil Bedwin]

Don't you need two sets of wheels? Or are you swapping more tread types than that?

Same set of wheels, just swap the tyres. Too tight to spend £500 on a spare set of light, alloy, disc wheels.

 

[jumar]

On our gravel bikes we rode a tyre that would cope with all road and off road riding, this was the advantage of such bikes, a mix it up type of ride, going tubeless on these bike with this combo is a great concept....then some B*****d pinched our bikes.

 

[Abgs]

I've used tubeless for about ten years on my MTB's. It can be a swine to initially seat the tyre but then I bought this bad boy pump ....

https://www.pedalon.co.uk/acatalog/bontrager-flash-charger-floor-pump.html

Great piece of kit.

No punctures since I went tubeless - in fact last year on a ride I pulled huge thorn out one the tyres, heard a bit of air escape and then watched it self seal and rode home.

 

[Helen Ariel]

Hi everyone, some great advice on this thread ref going tubeless. It really is the way forward for MTBs, hybrids & eBikes, perhaps less so for a pure road bike (racer).oo
I've been tubeless for almost 20 years on the MTB, since the early days of the Mavic UST system. Could count the number of flats I’ve had on less than the fingers on one hand in that time.
As recommended earlier in the thread I only use Stans Sealant, and use about 100ml in the front and 130ml in the back. I’ve tried different brands but none work as we’ll as Stans. It does dry over time and you’ll end up with the latex golf ball, so will need topped up every 6 months or so.
The biggest issue I’ve found with seating the new tyre onto the rim is getting enough air in to ‘pop’ the tyre onto the rim so it can lock into place. The best way to get over this is to use compressor or a device like the Bontrager pump mentioned above. Key to this is to remove the valve core which allows much more air flow into the tyre, much more quickly.
I’d be very careful not to inflate the tyre too high as you can blow the tyre off the rim. If this happens it can stretch the tyre bead which means it won’t seat properly. Don’t ask me how I know this!
Another tip is to unpack your new tyre, unfold it into shape and rest it against a radiator overnight so that the heat help any creases come out. This can help it seat & seal first time.
Finally, if you’re still having troubles you can pop a tube in and then fit the new tyre. This will lock it on to the rim and help it take its shape. Then just pop one bead off and take the tube out before adding your sealant.
I use a Stans injector to add the sealant into the wheel through the valve once you've removed the valve core. They cost about £10. Rinse with water after each use to stop it clogging up.
Finally pop the wheels back in the bike and spin them round to displace the sealant around the wheel.

Happy riding!

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[Helen Ariel]

Finally (I promise!), if you do stick to traditional tubes and get a puncture, make a note of where the hole is in the tube and check the area of the tyre where the hole would have been.
Also, run your finger gently around the inside of the tyre to make sure whatever caused the puncture is not still stuck in the tyre! If you don’t it.l just cause more punctures.

 

[Neil Bedwin]

Finally (I promise!), if you do stick to traditional tubes and get a puncture, make a note of where the hole is in the tube and check the area of the tyre where the hole would have been.
Also, run your finger gently around the inside of the tyre to make sure whatever caused the puncture is not still stuck in the tyre! If you don’t it.l just cause more punctures.

I did....didn't feel or see anything. Second puncture occurred so had a better look. The small piece of glass was stuck in the outside of the tyre and only poked through when I rode the bike. So check both sides of the tyre....

Problem is the tyre often rotates as you take the innertube out so you need to check the whole tyre for whatever caused the puncture.

 

[Helen Ariel]

I did....didn't feel or see anything. Second puncture occurred so had a better look. The small piece of glass was stuck in the outside of the tyre and only poked through when I rode the bike. So check both sides of the tyre....

Problem is the tyre often rotates as you take the innertube out so you need to check the whole tyre for whatever caused the puncture.

You can use the valve as a reference point.

 

[Landy Andy]

I’m now full of goo, and tyres are still round, so it must have worked.

Next question. What pressures are people running on their MTB tyres?
Mine are 29” 2.6.

 

[jumar]

I’m now full of goo, and tyres are still round, so it must have worked.

Next question. What pressures are people running on their MTB tyres?
Mine are 29” 2.6.

Never put a pressure guage on any of our tyres, prefer to use hand pressure to press into tyre...we live in a dry but rocky area rarely see mud.....so pressure can be adequate to provide comfort with the need to protect the rims...I would increase pressure if doing a hard surface ride....Maxxis 29" × 2.6" front and 27.5"+ 2.8" rear...

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[Kannon Fodda]

Recommended range of tyre pressures should be marked on the tyre wall. Softer surfaces you want to be close to minimum perhaps a couple of psi higher rear than front as the rear takes more weight. Too soft and the tyre could disengage the rim when cornering or on a rutted surface but too hard there won’t be enough surface contact so you slip

 

[Landy Andy]

Found this which I found helpful.

Schwalbe | Ralf Bohle GmbH

www.schwalbe.com

 

[The Coops]

Or see which contractor is flailing the hedges take a picture and then one of the road and when you get a puncture e mail the contractor with the picture and the bill. They will pay up 99% of the time as they are supposed to employ a sweeper and collector as well as the blower to get the thorns off the road but most times never bother but will charge for and take a chance on punctures

 

[Helen Ariel]

I’m now full of goo, and tyres are still round, so it must have worked.

Next question. What pressures are people running on their MTB tyres?
Mine are 29” 2.6.

I use a digital pressure gauge as the thumb squish is incredibly inaccurate.
Anything from 15 to 20 psi in the front, and about 3 to 5 psi more in the rear. I’m using Maxxis 29x2.5 WT tyres.

 

[tonyidle]

Bikes have inner tubes.

Everything had inner tubes .

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[jumar]

I use a digital pressure gauge as the thumb squish is incredibly inaccurate.
Anything from 15 to 20 psi in the front, and about 3 to 5 psi more in the rear. I’m using Maxxis 29x2.5 WT tyres.

My thumb squish is about as accurate as any tyre pressure guage.....35 years of squishing both nationally and internationally....want to put it to a test? Anytime....

 

[Landy Andy]

I use a digital pressure gauge as the thumb squish is incredibly inaccurate.
Anything from 15 to 20 psi in the front, and about 3 to 5 psi more in the rear. I’m using Maxxis 29x2.5 WT tyres.

I think you must be lighter than me, so I’m running 24psi front and 30psi rear and that’s softer than I'm used to. Does give good grip though. I like

 

[Helen Ariel]

I think you must be lighter than me, so I’m running 24psi front and 30psi rear and that’s softer than I'm used to. Does give good grip though. I like

6’1” and 75kg, maybe 80kg with all my kit on. Not been riding anywhere toorocky but would maybe add a bit more if we were.

 

[Landy Andy]

6’1” and 75kg, maybe 80kg with all my kit on. Not been riding anywhere toorocky but would maybe add a bit more if we were.

Thanks. As I thought. I’m 6’4” and 92kg naked. Would think 100kg in riding spec.

Every day since going “tubless“ I’ve been out to the garage to check, and they are still inflated. Still feels odd, but I’m looking forward to this weekends outing on it.

 

[Helen Ariel]

Thanks. As I thought. I’m 6’4” and 92kg naked. Would think 100kg in riding spec.

Every day since going “tubless“ I’ve been out to the garage to check, and they are still inflated. Still feels odd, but I’m looking forward to this weekends outing on it.
View attachment 433627

An eBike will add extra heft too!

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[jumar]

Thanks. As I thought. I’m 6’4” and 92kg naked. Would think 100kg in riding spec.

Every day since going “tubless“ I’ve been out to the garage to check, and they are still inflated. Still feels odd, but I’m looking forward to this weekends outing on it.
View attachment 433627

MUDDY RIDING, cannot do with muddy riding, DUSTY SINGLETRACKS and ROCKY TRAILS here in Murcia. 170cm and 72kg...

 

[Landy Andy]

No choice here. The only “dusty” areas are in my house, everything else is mud as it just keeps raining.

 

[MattR]

Remember to ensure that your valves are not at the bottom of your wheels when storing your bike for more than a few hours.... They will start gunging up and make topping up with air difficult.

Also, many tyre sealants need topping up every 6 months or so....

 

[Ridgeway]

Big TL fan here, switched over on my road bike 2yrs ago and haven't looked back since. Have set up 3 sets of rims as TL now and finding a bit easier each time, there is some knowledge to it though and you do need a method and some patience.

I tend to check my Stans fluid every 3-4 months and top it up but in reality i'm sure you could leave it a bit longer. I don't carry a tube anymore, just a controllable Co2, 2 cylinders, some worms and 60ml of sealant in a tattoo ink bottle. There's no way i want to be trying to take off a TL tyre at the roadside.....

Just about to convert my MTB which i recently bought as bizarrely the previous owner switched from TL to tubes as she couldn't manage TL. Need some low pressure to cope with the recent mud but will still struggle getting up the climbs as my technique i bobbins

 

[kevenh]

Just about to convert my MTB which i recently bought as bizarrely the previous owner switched from TL to tubes as she couldn't manage TL. Need some low pressure to cope with the recent mud but will still struggle getting up the climbs as my technique i bobbins

A possible defence of the first owner is that tubeless ready bikes still come with tubes.
The owner needs to do the final conversion steps or ask the LBS

Unless they admitted the un-conversion That is odd in that case.

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[cmcardle75]

I do like tubeless, but can't get my Bontrager valves to seal well. Tempted to stick a load of silicone under the seat! They're also insanely difficult to unseat. The only technique that works is to tread firmly on the tyre and pull the rim up. Even then, it takes all my strength and weight.

I had a lovely puncture the other week with the scouts. The other leader actually mentioned they heard a massive hissing from my rear tyre and I could just nonchalantly mention that it had probably fixed itself. It just lost about 20psi (was running high pressure) and I didn't even bother to pump it back up.

 

[Ridgeway]

Unless they admitted the un-conversion That is odd in that case.

Yep she paid the LBS for the switch and the beggars fitted a non TL tyre on the front so i'll be switching that out, fortunately i have the rest of the parts needed including some nice Muc Off TL valves and plenty of rim tape and Stans.....

 

[Landy Andy]

Been busy testing the new toy, and a full on test of the tubless goo now.
Going very fast down a byway, all of a sudden a noise that I thought was something caught in the wheel, but no, it was a puncture making a hell of a noise as it went round and round. Stopped to see what the noise was and watched my tyre deflate, and goo squirt out. Pumped it up, and put the hole/noise at the bottom as I was pumping. Tyre went quiet, and started to inflate. Then moved it, hisssssssss, and started to go down. Couple of hundred meters down the road decided that I would just have to shove as much air in as poss, ride as quick as poss, and get home ASAP with many many pumping stops (as was miles from home).
shoved what felt like loads of air into tyre, which takes ages with a 100mm emergency pump, and went for it. About 1km later more air, lots more. But then just kept going, and going and made it home. So it worked. Not as quickly as I’d wished, or thought it would though.
Now need to find a way to remove tubless goo from ass of my shorts, which look really “odd” now, and regrow the hair on my leg from where the goo glued it all together.
Can’t see where the puncture was now, and tyre has remained inflated since
Now thinking I should regoo the tyre as I think I lost loads of it.

 

[kevenh]

Been busy testing the new toy, and a full on test of the tubless goo now.
Going very fast down a byway, all of a sudden a noise that I thought was something caught in the wheel, but no, it was a puncture making a hell of a noise as it went round and round. Stopped to see what the noise was and watched my tyre deflate, and goo squirt out. Pumped it up, and put the hole/noise at the bottom as I was pumping. Tyre went quiet, and started to inflate. Then moved it, hisssssssss, and started to go down. Couple of hundred meters down the road decided that I would just have to shove as much air in as poss, ride as quick as poss, and get home ASAP with many many pumping stops (as was miles from home).
shoved what felt like loads of air into tyre, which takes ages with a 100mm emergency pump, and went for it. About 1km later more air, lots more. But then just kept going, and going and made it home. So it worked. Not as quickly as I’d wished, or thought it would though.
Now need to find a way to remove tubless goo from ass of my shorts, which look really “odd” now, and regrow the hair on my leg from where the goo glued it all together.
Can’t see where the puncture was now, and tyre has remained inflated since
Now thinking I should regoo the tyre as I think I lost loads of it.

I had a similar two stop puncture on a tubeless.
On mine a sharp rock punctured my sidewall. It was a 3 to 4mm cut.
I re-inflated and carried on but knew quickly that I was loosing tyre pressure so stopped.
This time I also positioned the puncture so it was at the lowest point. A couple of minutes later & when I could not hear any liquid bubbling I again re-inflated the tyre.
This time I got home and there’d been no more air loss.
Were my story is different is I stayed personally free of stanz on my clothes, etc. and later I applied a puncture repair.
Look for tubeless tyre repair kit. There’s a bits like a more substantial patch and a glue for both sides of the tyre - inside & out . But you only apply a patch to the inside

How large a puncture did you suffer?
Sounds like quite a large hole.
I’ve found several thorns in both tyres when I did some maintenance checks. Never noticed picking those up.

 

[Landy Andy]

That’s the odd thing. I can’t find where the puncture was. It was right in the centre of the tyre, but now it’s sealed it’s self I can’t find it again. From the sound and speed of air loss I thought it was going to be massive hole. At the time of the puncture it was dark and everything was covered in mud. Will take a closer look tommorow as I’m bunking off work to get some miles done

Maybe I should try the thicker Sans fluid. Or possibly that will make my shorts look even worse

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