After last weekends mudfest where I ended up pushing I've been thinking about alternative tyres. Possible candidates are the maxxis minion DHR & DHF and dirt wizards. The one thing which puts me off is the faff of tubeless, in the bad old days we could just pull the tube and fit new tyre,a process which held no fear as we all did it very regularly.
Now it's going to be messy and a pain in the arse, I can't even consider another set of wheels as I run a rohloff and dyno, ideally I would need another two sets as I'm itching to try surlys 29" extraterrestrials for summer trips where I need to link road sections
I almost wish I ran old fashioned decoginators

Any easy solutions? I run ghetto tubeless and wondered if you could glue the split tube in?

Any easy solutions?

Kind of.

Don't mess about with split innertubes and stuff. Simply wrap the rim with some Gorilla tape* and fit a tubeless valve. Potentially slightly messier to change tyres than a tube bit really just as quick.

*other tapes are available

or get proper tubeless rims.

Proper compressor makes life a doddle.

jam bo wrote:or get proper tubeless rims.

Would love to but not much choice in 36 hole plus sized rims

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

Any easy solutions?

Kind of.

Don't mess about with split innertubes and stuff. Simply wrap the rim with some Gorilla tape* and fit a tubeless valve. Potentially slightly messier to change tyres than a tube bit really just as quick.

*other tapes are available

I've tried tape but can't get the tyres seated with a floor pump

I've tried tape but can't get the tyres seated with a floor pump

When this happens, I usually find adding more tape works. On rims with a very deep well, some laminate floor underlay beneath the tape helps - generally only required on fat bike rims though.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

I've tried tape but can't get the tyres seated with a floor pump

When this happens, I usually find adding more tape works. On rims with a very deep well, some laminate floor underlay beneath the tape helps - generally only required on fat bike rims though.

My rims are Kris holm 47mm, not the best for tubeless, how much tape would you use. I've tried a couple of layers but they leaked like a sieve before i collapsed in a heap from manic pumping. With the split tube they go up with minimal swearing

BigdummySteve wrote:Possible candidates are the maxxis minion DHR & DHF and dirt wizards. The one thing which puts me off is the faff of tubeless ...

I run single-ply 2.35 Minions on my Cotic Hemlock with downhill weight tubes. While it doesn't see a lot of action, that which it does see is often Alpine and rocky. It's never punctured, and I lost count of the number of rim punctures my stepson and mate had in Les Arcs in the summer on their XC-weight tyres and tubes.

Probably a lot less faff than running tubeless, and only marginally heavier. YMMV with 47mm rims though, mine are Mavic 521s, so 21mm internal width I think.

how much tape would you use.

Depends on the rim / tyre. Usually, just enough so the tyre becomes a tight fit on the rim - it's surprising just what one additional layer will do.

BigdummySteve wrote:...the faff of tubeless...

I use 2.35 Conti Baron & Conti Vertical with slime tubes in all conditions, including wet seaside sand (with tyres deflated to 'mega-squishy' PSI). Progress is fine; punctures are extremely rare and faffing is non-existent.
Honest question to the experienced: are tubeless really worth the effort?

BigdummySteve wrote:I need a new bike (possibly two) set up for different conditions

I've summarised your original post.

Pirahna wrote:

BigdummySteve wrote:I need a new bike (possibly two) set up for different conditions

I've summarised your original post.

You may well be right but divorce is expensive

MuddyPete wrote:

BigdummySteve wrote: Honest question to the experienced: are tubeless really worth the effort?

Its a question I keep considering. I've never run tubeless but as I finally retire my cotic soul and plan a stooge mkIII, I find myself a bit confused. I think I would like to try velocity rims (Dually front, blunt 35 rear) with an ardent 2.4 on the back and a: "dunno yet" on the front. Probably the dirt wizard or chronicle. I ride in calderdale mostly.... But tubeless sounds like a lot of faff. I so rarely puncture these days and I don't want to have to own a compress just to pump up a tyre and make it stick. however, big wheels and tubes etc sound heavy?

I personally think it's worth it - what pushed me over the edge was 6 punctures (thorns) in a single tyre, within 100 yards. Obviously, it was dark, cold and raining when this happened. I generally find Maxxis and WTB go up easily with no more than a track pump, especially if the rims are tubeless compliant.

good to know. so the velocity rims don't need tape? (silly question possibly... )

tubeless means I can take advantage of running lower pressures yeah?

good to know. so the velocity rims don't need tape? (silly question possibly... )

Just about every rim will still need taping to seal the spoke holes off. However, it doesn't need to be anything special, in the past I've used insulation tape, duck tape and mostly these days, Gorilla tape. Add a pair of tubeless valves (less than a tenner) and you're good to go - after a splash of sealant obviously.

tubeless means I can take advantage of running lower pressures yeah?

Yep.

thanks, I'll give it a go just as soon as the Andy gets those frames in stock.