Tubeless Dos And Don'ts | How To Set Up Tubeless Tyres

Clock00:00, Monday 6th November 2017

Tubeless tyres are now a really viable option for all round road racing, especially if you like to head onto the gravel roads or trails. Simon runs you through the dos and don'ts of setting up tubeless tyres here.

Subscribe to GCN: http://gcn.eu/SubscribeToGCN
Register your interest in the GCN Club: http://gcn.eu/rS
Get exclusive GCN gear in the GCN shop! http://gcn.eu/rR

Road tubeless tires and wheels are becoming increasingly popular, but a number of people have had and continue to have problems with them. Coming up are our tubeless dos and don'ts.

Now firstly, let's have a little recap as to what it actually is. A tubeless system is one that, surprise, surprise, has no inner tube in it. So in order for it to work, the bed of the rim needs to be airtight, so often that can be as simple as putting special tape around to seal it.

Most, though, will have a requirement of some kind of liquid sealant that will then coat the inside of the tire, and fill all these tiny little holes, make it airtight. But then, as an added bonus, that sealant will also seal most punctures as you're riding along.

The most critical part of a road tubeless system is actually the interface between the bead of the tire and the wall of the rim. Both components need to be tubeless specific, in order to be safe. Which leads me neatly on to our first don't. Don't try to make a normal road tire tubeless. It is actually really dangerous, because a tubeless specific tire will have a much stiffer bead on it that won't stretch.

Do consider running a little bit less pressure in your tubeless tires anyway, in comparison to what you might run in your standard tubed tires.

I always run sealant inside my tubeless tires. That way, I get that puncture protection from sharp objects, as well as pinch flats. But, you have to remember, the sealant has a life-span. It will dry out inside the tire. So, from time to time, maybe every three or four months, you need to re-top up those sealant levels.

Don't spend hours and hours trying to pump a stubbornly deflated tubeless tire. With your sealant inside the tire, you want to roll it quite firmly along the ground or your work top. And what that'll do, is it'll coat the bead of the tire with a nice layer of sealant. And that should mean that it inflates much more easily.

If you run tubeless across a number of different bikes, then something like this to Topeak Booster could well be a worthwhile investment. So, it works like a normal track pump. But then it also has this air canister that you charge up to 160 PSI. And then, at the flick of a switch, it releases all that air, super high-volume, exactly like a compressor would work.

Do you have any top tips or hacks for running tubeless that you think we've missed? Let us know in the comments below 👇

If you'd like to contribute captions and video info in your language, here's the link 👍http://gcn.eu/rT

Watch more on GCN...
Clinchers vs Tubeless vs Tubulars http://gcn.eu/TyreTypesVs 📹
Wide tyres and wide rims http://gcn.eu/widetyresrims 📹

Photos: © Bettiniphoto / http://www.bettiniphoto.net/ & ©Tim De Waele / http://www.tdwsport.com

Music: Cristaux - Andre Aguado

About GCN:

The Global Cycling Network puts you in the centre of the action: from the iconic climbs of Alpe D’Huez and Mont Ventoux to the cobbles of Flanders, everywhere there is road or pavé, world-class racing and pro riders, we will be there bringing you action, analysis and unparalleled access every week, every month, and every year. We show you how to be a better cyclist with our bike maintenance videos, tips for improving your cycling, cycling top tens, and not forgetting the weekly GCN Show. Join us on YouTube’s biggest and best cycling channel to get closer to the action and improve your riding!

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside cycling

Thanks to our sponsors:

Alta Badia: http://gcn.eu/AltaBadia- // Maratona Dles Dolomites: http://gcn.eu/MaratonaDlesDolomites-
Assos of Switzerland: http://gcn.eu/Assos
KASK helmets: http://gcn.eu/KASK
fi’zi:k shoes and saddles: http://gcn.eu/fizikshoes and http://gcn.eu/fiziksaddles
Topeak tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
Canyon bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
Quarq: http://gcn.eu/Quarq
DT Swiss: http://gcn.eu/DtSwiss
Science in Sport: http://gcn.eu/SiS
Orbea bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
Trek Bicycles: http://gcn.eu/-Trek
Vision wheels: http://gcn.eu/Vision
Zipp wheels: http://gcn.eu/Zipp
power2max: http://gcn.eu/power2max
Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
Continental tyres: http://gcn.eu/continental-
Camelbak: http://gcn.eu/camelbak-

The GCN Club - http://gcn.eu/club
YouTube Channel - http://gcn.eu/gcnYT
Facebook - http://gcn.eu/gcnFb
Instagram - http://gcn.eu/GCNInsta
Google+ - http://gcn.eu/gcnGPlus
Twitter - http://gcn.eu/gcnTW

Leave us a comment below!

More GCN videos

Link to What To Wear When Cycling
Play
YouTube video NNN2X-RS5Z4

What To Wear When Cycling

Do you need cycling-specific clothing? While regular clothes work fine, cycling-specific gear really steps up your comfort and performance. Join Hank and Manon as they take you through the must-have kit in every cyclist's wardrobe!

Clock
Link to How To Handle Traffic When Cycling
Play
YouTube video tngoF3SeU-Y

How To Handle Traffic When Cycling

If you’re new to cycling, heading out onto busy, open roads can feel a little daunting, but we're here to help! In this video, Manon shares her top cycling tips that will help you handle traffic and improve your confidence navigating the roads!

Clock
Link to Is A Cyclist's Body A Healthy Body? | GCN Show Ep. 589
Play
YouTube video goA7sdVQS9U

Is A Cyclist's Body A Healthy Body? | GCN Show Ep. 589

Cyclists are known for their lean physiques. To some outsiders, they might appear "skinny" and "weak", and while we know that this isn’t the case, Dan & Si still tackle the debate head-on! In this week's show they dive into whether a cyclist's physique is truly the pinnacle of fitness ...or not!

Clock
Link to We Bought Used Bikes For Under £2000 | Which Was Best?
Play
YouTube video t2Y8QQCBjm0

We Bought Used Bikes For Under £2000 | Which Was Best?

If you were given £2,000 to buy any bike you want, what would you do? Here at GCN, we'd almost certainly go for a used bike.

Clock
Subscribe to the GCN Newsletter

Get the latest, most entertaining and best informed news, reviews, challenges, insights, analysis, competitions and offers - straight to your inbox