Help, going tubeless for the first time

[ishaw]

While I have tubeless wheels on a bike, it came with them and I've not had to worry about them yet.

My next build I'm using new wheels and tyres so looking for advice on getting them set up right.

I've watched a few videos and know what I need to do, my main question is how much sealant is needed per wheel?

I bought sealant a few years ago, I can't recall the brand but it allegedly never goes off. If it came with details on volume of sealant to use, I've long lost that so is there a rule of thumb on how much I need to use per wheel?

While on the subject, is a tubeless set up that much better? Tyres seem heavier and filled with sealant, is it much lighter than a tyre and tube?

I'm doing it either way, just curious.

 

[legrandefromage]

My strictly limited personal experience is that they're a big faff.

The mess

Getting them to seal properly which requires the right pump: https://www.tredz.co.uk/tubeless-inflators

The mess

Punctures - I got a slow, rode a bit, stopped, repaired it, went on my way. Mate next to me got a rip. Dead tire, sealant squirted everywhere , long walk back

The mess.

Others will swear by them of course but not for me, as a casual observer

 

[93hero]

Volume of sealant depends on size of tyre. Don’t be too anal about hitting a specific amount. Somewhere more or less than 100ml?

I inflate mine with a standard floor pump.

Since going tubeless, I have never had to stop a ride due to a puncture. The ability to run lower pressures has also improved ride comfort and grip perceptibly. At the very beginning, there was a bit of fiddling to find the sweet spot for tyre pressure.

I don’t (never have) run it on road bikes.

YMMV

 

[richardmichael]

I’ve used tubeless for years in my enduro mtb and road bike with great success, you can buy repair kits that plug holes too large for the sealant to fix and more of them than not repair on the side of the trail/road.
You will need tubeless compatible tyres and rims for it to work, as the interface at the bead is very tight - it’s not worth trying without a compatible tyre (trust me).

I’ve found the mess can be avoided by using a syringe to fill through the valve. I do this by installing the tyre, using a standard track pump to inflate and seat the tyre bead correctly, it will make popping sound much like a car tyre does. I then deflate and remove the valve core and fill through the open valve, I generally use 60-100ml dependant upon tyre size (road/mtb). Put the core back in and pump back up to desired pressure.

In regard to whether or not they’re better, I guess that’s down to preference, the performance benefit in mtb is a no-brainer in my opinion, my road bike I’d probably go for tpu inner tubes next time around.

They are however, a massive faff and mess when removing or changing the tyres..