Tubeless Tires: Add your 2 cents here.

[miked826]

Here in Memphis, the street is filled with drywall screws. roofing nails and large pointy stuff.
Slime does not help when you hit a three inch drywall screw.
It works best for smaller punctures in my experience.
I have never run tubeless because I see no reason to replace something that works and is easy to repair when needed.
I can fix a flat in under 15 minutes anywhere for pennies.Slime makes this impossible.
Tubeless costs more, is harder to service when needed, and requires harder to find materials when you need to redo it.
I'll stick with what works for me.

Yeah but can you fix a flat without removing a single nut? Without removing anything for that matter? Repair a flat in under 1 minute? LOL

The cost of repairing a hole in a tire is pennies for a tar plug and a minute to jam it in the hole. The Presta-Schrader adapter is left in place on the $8 Presta stem and costs $1.50.

The cost for replacing an inner tube could be $5 to $15 (depending on the tube) plus the time needed to remove up to 2 chains, the wheel and the tire and then reversing the whole process to get it all back together again.

It's really not even fair to compare the two methods. It's not even close. LOL

 

[miked826]

Added the nut cause the threads weren't long enough for my wheel. Also added a rubber grommet under the nut that was an exact fit with the stem hole.

THE FUTURE IS NOW! LOL

 

[BarelyAWake]

Yeah but can you fix a flat without removing a single nut? Without removing anything for that matter? Repair a flat in under 1 minute? LOL

The cost of repairing a hole in a tire is pennies for a tar plug and a minute to jam it in the hole. The Presta-Schrader adapter is left in place on the $8 Presta stem and costs $1.50.

The cost for replacing an inner tube could be $5 to $15 (depending on the tube) plus the time needed to remove up to 2 chains, the wheel and the tire and then reversing the whole process to get it all back together again.

It's really not even fair to compare the two methods. It's not even close. LOL

I'm not disagreeing with your reasoning for trying tubeless by any means, rather I wanted to mention the above isn't completely accurate - it's quite possible to repair most tubed flats w/o removing the wheel, if it's a patchable puncture... and DIY patches are free (old tubes) with a bottle of rubber cement so cheap it's silly to get into what each patch might cost.

With our somewhat awkward, retrofitted rear wheel drive systems it's often far easier to unmount one side of the tire bead & pull the tube, find the hole & patch it without messing with the axle, chains & other whatsits - just leaving the wheel mounted & working around the stays etc. With a center or drop stand this makes pumping it back up to pressure the worst of that roadside flat repair... those lil emergency pumps are a pain lol

Granted, it's slightly more trouble than a plug & if it's a slash you'll hafta pull the wheel to replace the tube, but that's equally true with a slashed and/or sidewall damaged tubeless *shrug*

The pessimist would perhaps run tubes in a tubeless setup to hedge all bets lol

 

[miked826]

I'm not disagreeing with your reasoning for trying tubeless by any means, rather I wanted to mention the above isn't completely accurate - it's quite possible to repair most tubed flats w/o removing the wheel, if it's a patchable puncture... and DIY patches are free (old tubes) with a bottle of rubber cement so cheap it's silly to get into what each patch might cost.

With our somewhat awkward, retrofitted rear wheel drive systems it's often far easier to unmount one side of the tire bead & pull the tube, find the hole & patch it without messing with the axle, chains & other whatsits - just leaving the wheel mounted & working around the stays etc. With a center or drop stand this makes pumping it back up to pressure the worst of that roadside flat repair... those lil emergency pumps are a pain lol

Granted, it's slightly more trouble than a plug & if it's a slash you'll hafta pull the wheel to replace the tube, but that's equally true with a slashed and/or sidewall damaged tubeless *shrug*

The pessimist would perhaps run tubes in a tubeless setup to hedge all bets lol

You could patch a flat without pulling the wheel off if you got a tire with a thin sidewall and the tire just falls off the rim when flat. That would be much easier than pulling the wheel off in my case without a doubt. I never really considered patching versus replacing the tube.

I got my 1 tube in my ammo can on my bike just in case. I just don't know yet how this tubeless thing is gonna go yet. Only my front tire is tubeless for now. I'll test it out real good before doing the back tire.

 

[BarelyAWake]

I too tend to replace over patch, I'll only patch if I'm in a hurry as I just don't trust patches heh - still, a set of tire spoons does the trick for any stubborn bead (Park Tool, $3, a few oz), I don't usually need them with even the tight 26"ers I run, but my 20"s on the taddy won't come off w/o them... then again as those are single sided mounts at least I don't need to pull the wheel off

 

[miked826]

I too tend to replace over patch, I'll only patch if I'm in a hurry as I just don't trust patches heh - still, a set of tire spoons does the trick for any stubborn bead (Park Tool, $3, a few oz), I don't usually need them with even the tight 26"ers I run, but my 20"s on the taddy won't come off w/o them... then again as those are single sided mounts at least I don't need to pull the wheel off

I gotta bunch of broken plastic tire spoons lying around. I'm getting ready to install these heavyweight monsters on my bike with extra stiff sidewalls. Tubes for these 24x3 tires are not cheap by any stretch but no tubes or RhinoDillo tire liners will be needed on my bike any more. I'm all tubed out. LOL

 

[miked826]

Stab any hole in your tube free tire with this tar goo and re-inflate. Done. Enough goo to do you and all your friends tires.

http://www.amazon.com/Innovations-Tubeless-Tire-Repair-Kit/dp/B000P1RP48/ref=sr_1_5?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1374742294&sr=1-5&keywords=Tubeless+Tire+Repair+Kit

 

[steampunk]

If you figure out how to make a vulcanizing or sticky plug kit to work on a bicycle tubeless tire, please post up...to my knowledge those kits don't work on bicycle tires..I've had more then a few friends try with bad results, I think its the sealant causing issues,

 

[miked826]

If you figure out how to make a vulcanizing or sticky plug kit to work on a bicycle tubeless tire, please post up...to my knowledge those kits don't work on bicycle tires..I've had more then a few friends try with bad results, I think its the sealant causing issues,

This goo is specifically made for any tubeless/sealant tire be it a car or bike. You simply need to insert a long enough plug and leave a good bit hanging inside and outside of the tire. Then ride inflate and ride. Gravity and inertia will take care of the rest.

If you have "sealant" in your tire that failed at doing it's primary job because of that hole, where you actually have to go to this "Plan B" tar plug, then you simply have a massive hole/slash in your tire and or defective sealant. Normal size holes should be automatically plugged by using the right sealant.

 

[miked826]

This is just my two cents......

I consider my motorized bike a throw-back to simpler times......times when things needed an occassional repair. A time when you spent the time to repair instead of replace. A time when dirty hands signified a job well done. A time when you expected things to break periodically and you didn't really mind when they did.

I enjoy 'tinkering' with my bike almost as much as riding it. The uncertainty of having a flat just adds to the adventure when taking a short trip. I don't rely on my bike and that's just fine with me.......it helps to remind me of simpler times.

Mark

I don't mind simpler times but I do mind being stuck out in the Styx for something as dumb as a flat tire. You can't improv a rear flat tire too easily on my bike.

 

[bigbutterbean]

The Styx is the river that runs through Hades, fyi.

 

[miked826]

The Styx is the river that runs through Hades, fyi.

And that's exactly what I feel like when I get a rear flat out in the middle of nowhere. I'm in motorized bicycle H3LL on Earth! LOL

 

[xseler]

Miked826, if I'm ever in trouble with the law, I'd like for you to be my advocate. I believe that you'd pursue the issue until everyone involved saw it your way!!

Sometimes, I wished that I was as unflappable in my convictions..........

 

[maniac57]

I've never actually timed my patching, but since I don't remove the wheel, I don't spend a lot of time flat.
I simply break one side of the bead off and pull the tube out for repair. Most times it takes longer to pump up the tire than it does to patch the hole.
Especially when I use self stick patches (which I usually don't. Glue patches hold better)
You guys go right ahead and try tubeless.
I'll stick with what I know works for me.

 

[miked826]

Miked826, if I'm ever in trouble with the law, I'd like for you to be my advocate. I believe that you'd pursue the issue until everyone involved saw it your way!!

Sometimes, I wished that I was as unflappable in my convictions..........

LOL I got a head full of concrete alright. Well my rim is 50mm wide and my current tire is paper thin all the way around. I can not get the tire bead to seat without a high pressure air compressor. I tried everything I got think of with a cheap 12V tire inflator. It's just not enough PSI coming out for that thin tire on a rim that wide.

 

[xseler]

That would be my concern with a flat out in the boonies......if the tire became detached from the rim, you'd be wishing for a tube.


If you've still got a tube, why don't you put a little air in it, use it to push the other side of the tire against your rim, then air it up..........just might work! lol

 

[miked826]

I've never actually timed my patching, but since I don't remove the wheel, I don't spend a lot of time flat.
I simply break one side of the bead off and pull the tube out for repair. Most times it takes longer to pump up the tire than it does to patch the hole.
Especially when I use self stick patches (which I usually don't. Glue patches hold better)
You guys go right ahead and try tubeless.
I'll stick with what I know works for me.

I hear ya. I failed miserably to get the bead to seat using a 12V tire inflator not matter what I tried. It just isn't powerful enough PSI wise to overcome to seat the bead on my thin walled tire before the air escapes out the sides.

I need a much heavier sidewalled tire for this to have a chance of working on my 50mm wide rim or a much more powerful air compressor.

 

[miked826]

That would be my concern with a flat out in the boonies......if the tire became detached from the rim, you'd be wishing for a tube.


If you've still got a tube, why don't you put a little air in it, use it to push the other side of the tire against your rim, then air it up..........just might work! lol

That's actually what some people do believe it or not. My rim is just too wide and my tire is way too flimsy. I need a compressor Tire Stores use to inflate car tires. I need a super blast of pressure.

Some guys actually fill the tire with PROPANE and light it...... and it works! Too crazy for even me to try. LMAO

 

[miked826]

Time to make a bunch of gas station runs and check the pressure coming out of their tire inflators. One might have enough air pressure if I get lucky and find the right gas station. LOL

 

[bigbutterbean]

How do they light the propane once its in the tire? Lol.