First tubeless tyres? Wolber tubeless?

[Twisty]

I was looking atThe XTR revealed MBUK 1992 article which Elev12k scanned in here and I noticed in one of the photos a tyre marked as 'Wolber Tubeless'.

A quick google doesn't reveal much about these tyres, I am curious if they are they really tubeless tyres, or if they are something else like large knobbly tubs. I thought that stans no tubes were the first commercial tubeless solution in 2001?

 

[legrandefromage]

Definitely tubeless and as with everything to do with cycling, far far older than you might think

 

[Twisty]

Now I am pretty sure you are pulling my leg as that rim isn't even welded, surely air would escape through the pinned joint

 

[legrandefromage]

Yes, just pulling your leg. Took me minutes to photo shop

 

[legrandefromage]

They are more tubular than tubeless but I'm sure theres a genuine tubeless set with sealant and everything. Maybe the second pic is the one I'm thinking of.

If you really want your nogin noodled, hydraulic disc brakes for bicycles were out in the 1970's along with a hydraulic v-brake...

 

[Bowie]

Re:

Would it be possible to convert tubed to tubeles? Just wondering

 

[scottproonly]

Re: Re:

Would it be possible to convert tubed to tubeles? Just wondering

Yes,that is what a lot of people do with rim tape and sealant
Kes

 

[Bowie]

Re:

Dont fancy the sealant, wonder if they might seal without, after all there is 100 psi in them

 

[mattr]

On road you'll need to be careful.
At the very least you'll need tubeless tyres, and even that's risky.

The pressure makes the risk (and consequences) of the tyre/rim interface letting go pretty nasty.

Off road is a piece of piss.

 

[Twisty]

Tubeless tyres have a butyl coating on the inside to make them airtight, they also have a tighter fit on the rim and the bead is squarer and designed to lock onto the square hook design of tubeless rims, tubeless rims also have an internal profile designed to help get the tubeless tyres on and lock into place. Non tubeless tyres won't work without sealant because the sidewalls are too porous.
So basically you might be able to get it to work with tubeless tyres and no sealant, but it depends on how well the beads seals against the hook of the rim and it won't be fully retro as it seems there were no tubeless tyres until after 1997 as far as i am aware.