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Basic tubeless questions

by zedthegreat
Sat, Apr 15, 2023 10:55
34

Morning

I run clinchers/tubes at the moment but on tubeless compatible wheels so considering giving it a go when I need to replace my tyres. A couple of basic questions I have - interested in actual experiances.

1) For various reasons I often end up not riding one or other of my road bikes for a few weeks at a time. I beleive for extended periods of non-use that the official line is to remove sealant, but how long can a tyre sit and still be useable? Does the sealant leak, clog, become useless etc?

2) When you pump a tyre and a little air escapes (from the tyre, not me!) do you get covered in sealant every time?

Basic I know!!

Cheers

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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34 comments

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IanMSpencer | 1 year ago
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I haven't had any problems leaving sealant for extended periods of time on swapping wheels on my gravel winter bike. I've just hopped on my summer bike which was last ridden in the autumn and has had nothing done to it (planning a "winter service" in about 500 miles when rear tyre will be worn out).

Bike is stored in a cool garage - doesn't freeze, doesn't get hot in summer. I think in the UK, sealant lasts well due to the moderate temperatures. Websites quoting a couple of months are probably thinking of California sunshine.

I have however taken to carrying a pouch of sealant on rides on the basis that if I or a mate have a large puncture that requires a plug or I haven't noticed that the sealant is failing, I might have a problem. In 6 or so years I've only put an inner tube in once (before I carried plug and pouch, and have put one plug in at home on a nasty flint cut.

On fitting tyres, my approach is to fit the tyre dry first, deflate, add sealant. You get some dribbling from the rim but no exciting squirts. The exciting squirts come when riding with a puncture, and if it is squirting I recommend stopping, placing finger over for a few seconds to help the sealant. Once the tyre has settled, they don't tend to leak even when deflated.

I've not had problems with clogging sealant recently, but I do try and pump air in at about 10-11 o'clock to make sure that fluid is not around the valve area. Make sure you have the core removal gadget, and on occasion you can remove the core and rub off any sealant that is determinedly sealing your valve. If the valve is sound, there should be no leakage, but clearly there is a point when removing a pump, there is a point where the valve is sealed by pressure and avoiding fluid being in the valve will avoid it getting clogged.

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ktache replied to IanMSpencer | 1 year ago
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I like the finger over the hole to help the sealant.

But then I don't get the joy of seeing the bubbles getting smaller and slower. Low pressures.

I swapped my tyres ove last night, something more all-round (Nobby Nics). I have burned off too much of the mud specific Dirt Wizard on the rear so it's  now spinning in the lower gear deep mud that we have at the moment. There was an inch long thorn in the front that could have been in there for months.

There is a lot of mud at the moment, and standing water where I have never seen it, but the mud seems lighter than the thick Jan/Feb filth.

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ktache | 1 year ago
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I use Orange Endurance. Brands do matter for answers.

A couple of weeks won't matter.

A couple of months and you might need a top up.

I have started to give the valve a little press before pumping to get rid of the sealent in the valve so it doesn't get in the pump, or even worse the digital pressur guage.

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IanMSpencer replied to ktache | 1 year ago
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My system is not to press the valve. On inner tubes at high pressure you might have to press the valve to break the seal that a pump might not overcome. At lower pressures, 70psi max, the pump can overcome the seal, and my theory is that the initial blast will force any sealant lurking into the tyre. Aiming for a just above horizontal valve, not at 12 o'clock or 6 o'clock.

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