Tubeless Tyres -"saying the same things about tubeless tyres over and over again" Hippy read the first f**king post

Thanks

Through, I need valid excuses for always being late.

"Traffic"

That's what all the drivists use.

This was a new one on me. Went to finally install some new Specialized Roubaix tubeless and couldn’t work out why one of them was deflating slowly. Stuck it in the sink to find the tiny leaks in the sidewalls. The tyres have been in storage for 6 months, but this surely isn’t normal? So now my options are A) go old school and tube it or B) say hello to my sealant friend.

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How slowly are they deflating

At a guess, probably lost 60psi over 6 hours.

Pretty sure Spesh roubaix tyres are only 'Tubeless ready', rather than proper tubeless, so they dont have an airproof inner liner. Ergo, they need to use the sealant to seal the interior and sidewalls, so they will leak for a bit first time and you need to use more sealant than usual.

I’d say that’s deflating quickly!

Wow, I never knew that distinction. It makes sense, as the other one I put in had some sealant already on it from a failed fitting previously and that particular one is holding. This is good to know, thank you.

It’s slowly compared to my previous experiences with leaky valves!

Interesting eh? Like the whole thing about 'HD Ready' TVs a few years ago - not really 'proper' HD but cheaper and more accessible.

Ha yes, was thinking of that very analogy. It’s virtually just a ghetto set up with potentially a better fit, but that certainly explains the cheaper price.

I have some teravail cannonball so that needed 3 loads of sealant to stay up 24hrs.

Pic of the first time trying to get them up

Edit: it’s soapy water that’s bubbling, if that’s not clear. But you can see how much air is leaking out the sidewalls

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Jesus, did it stay up permanently in the end?

Yeah after 2 more lots of sealant. The 3rd went in a few months later as a last ditch attempt before trying a different set of tyres.

Wow, that’s perseverance. They’re probably just pure sealant now, job done.

Nearly all road and gravel "tubeless" tyres are TLR/tubeless ready and require sealant.

Do people every use tubeless without sealant? Or is "Tubeless Ready" just a way of justifying not having the liner?

You could use tubeless without sealant, but it'd be quite a gamble. But yeah TR is essentially a bit of a half-way house requiring more than regular amounts of sealant, which might be useful in the longer term. IDK.

You could use tubeless without sealant

No ones does though, right? Which is why most tyres are TLR. No point having added weight and rolling resistance when everyone is going to chuck in sealant anyway.

True, I'd forgotten my own experience of the air escaping through the sidewalls. I'm still trying to find the sweet spot of achieving a seal. Currently at 50ml and still not sealing.

Ease of tubeless life. Makes them much easier to get airtight first time round if you arent sure what youre doing.. Swings and roundabouts

Tubeless without sealant is just dumb. There's lighter, cheaper and easier to install clinchers.

Just picked up a pair of WTB Byways for £20 each, so I now have officially tubeless compatible tyres and rims, both WTB TCS system. All I would need to go tubeless properly is valves, tape and sealant.

And yet, this thread is putting me off. However many years after becoming mainstream in cycling, tubeless still seems messy, awkward, and prone to weird failures. Are the squish/feel/vibes really worth it?

Through the winter freezing your nuts off thorns everywhere yes probable although people have had problems with wtb tyres and bubbling tread .