How to Set Up Tubeless Tires
Because your wheels will arrive with tubes installed, if you want to go tubeless you’ll need to do the conversion yourself. But don’t worry, the process is easy and will teach you important skills you may need out on the road.
Getting ready
There are a few things you might need, some of which may be already included with your bike:
- Tubeless Valves: These may be in a bag included with your bike, but if not be sure to purchase the correct length for your rim depth.
- Sealant: This is a latex mixture that will, as the name implies, seal your tires. As it seeps through a puncture it will dry out and prevent additional air loss. There are lots of opinions on which is the best, so we’ll leave that up to your own research.
- Valve Core Removal Tool: This may be included with your valves as a separate tool or as a part of the valve’s cap. If you plan to pour sealant directly into your tire it isn’t required, but if you have trouble getting the tire seated on the rim it is still helpful to remove the valve core to get increased airflow into the tire.
- Sealant Injector: A syringe with a tube to inject sealant through the valve. This is not strictly required, but it keeps things cleaner if you struggle to reinstall your tire. Note that some sealants are not compatible with injectors because they contain additives to clog punctures and as a result will also clog the injector.
- Tubeless Tape: There’s a good chance this is already installed if the wheels are tubeless compatible, but don’t confuse it for rim tape. Rim tape is only designed to protect an inner tube, not hold pressure like tubeless tape.
Making the switch
Once you’re sure your wheels and tires are tubeless compatible and you have everything you need, you can start the swap to tubeless.
Remove the inner tube
If you’ve ever changed a tube, this should be easy. With the tube removed you can verify that tubeless tape is installed.
Install the tubeless valves
With the tube removed you should be able to insert the tubeless valve. If the valves include an o-ring, apply it before adding the locking nut and then finger tighten the nut.
Reinstall and seat tire on rim
At this point you can reinstall the tire. With the tire installed you can add air to seat the tire on the rim. You should be able to hear the bead pop in place as well as visually see the tire is fully seated.
Sometimes the tire is not tight enough on the rim and will lose air faster than you can fill it with a standard pump. Here are a few things that can help the process:
- Remove the valve core to allow for more airflow.
- Use a pump or booster tank designed to seat tires. These allow you to build up pressure before releasing it into the tire all at once. This blast of air pushes the bead into place before the air can escape.
- If you don’t have a booster tank, a CO2 inflator can work but isn’t guaranteed and you may waste catridges getting it right.
If your sealant is not compatible with injectors or if you’re confident you can install the tire easily, you can simplify the process by pouring the sealant directly into the tire before installing. This approach can be frustrating and messy if the tire is a stubborn fit, so until you’re comfortable with the process it will be easier to inject.
Inject the sealant
With the tire seated and the valve core removed, inject your sealant’s recommended amount for your tire size.
Reinstall valve core and inflate
We can now reinstall our valve core and inflate the tire. Because you can run lower pressures for tubeless, it would be a good time to use a tire pressure calculator to find a recommended starting point for your pressures. If your wheels are hookless, you’ll also want to be very careful not to exceed the maximum pressure.
Spin and shake
With the sealant in and tire inflated, it’s a good idea to spin the tire and give it some good shakes to coat the inside of the tire. You may notice the tires leak a bit of sealant from around the bead or lose a bit more pressure than normal right after the conversion.
Check sealant regularly
Your sealant is important but it doesn’t last forever, so set a reminder to check your sealant according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. Depending on your climate the exact timeframe can vary, but it’s better to check to often than find out your sealant has totally dried out when you’re stranded on the road.
The easy way to check your sealant is to remove the valve core and use a dip stick. Some brands include a plastic dip stick with their sealant, but anything like a zip tie or wooden dowel will also work. You can also pop off one side of the tire to check, but unless you plan to pour in more sealant without an injector it isn’t necessary.
Some other things to consider:
- With fresh sealant you should be able to hear it slosh around when you spin or shake your wheels, so as the sound fades it can be a good sign to check your sealant.
- Always check your sealant after a puncture.
- Plugs are great to have on hand for punctures that might be too much for sealant alone.
- It might be messy to install, but carrying a spare tube is still a good idea in case a puncture won’t seal.
- Sealant can clog your valve cores. While they can be cleaned, sometimes it’s easier to swap for a new core so I keep a few spares on hand since they aren’t expensive.
- Some sealant brands warn that CO2 can have a negative effect on their sealant, so if you ever need to use a CO2 cartridge it may be a good idea to let the air out after your ride and pump the tire back up normally.