Are Tubeless Tyres Really That Difficult to Install?! Real-Time Demonstration… 

Thanks Munro glad you appreciate it :)

Great David, I'm proud that you didn't cuss a single time during the video.

Yes most repair videos employ magic at the crucial point and leave me pondering the sleight of hand.

Seriously. Not editing this makes it seem much more user-friendly. Great video.

Lucky you.

As a shop mechanic for over 10 years you are lucky then, I've run across many tubed rim/tire combos that appeared way harder than that to mount.

The sealant... Before you put the tire fully on (with one side on and the other side 80% on), you have the side not fully on on the ground (that's also where the valve is). You pour the sealant in between the tire and the rim, and turn the wheel so where you put the sealant in (at the valve) will be now on top, and the sealant will flow to the part of the wheel / tire that's on the ground and that's fully on the rim. You now make sure the tire is fully on, and you pump up the tire, and turn the wheel slowly so the sealant is spread along the tyre.

Can’t do that with Silca ultimate sealant as it is so good it seals the valve hole 😂

​@@JayLato hahaha

Luckily they do stretch, so removal with a lever is straightforward, provided the tire is in the center of the channel

I'll add a me-too. I have to use a vice to get a Hutchinson UST tyre off a Mavic UST wheel. Can't do that at the side of the road!

Thanks Thomas - watched a few other videos that seem to edit out all the important bits which doesn't help if you're trying to learn how to do it

Which brand do you use for the pump?

Just wondering how do you reseat the tyre if you puncture out on the road and lose too much air (of you need to insert an inner tube because sealant hasn't plugged the hole)?

Agreed with the issue of breaking the bead in the field. You need very strong thumbs to push the tyre bead off the rim inner lip.

I've had problems with Muc Off vales getting gummed up unless I use their own sealant. Which is a problem because Orange seal is superior

Yep, just had this experience last week and got a blister on my thumb trying to remove the old tire…

You can check whether you have enough sealant by using a zip tie as a dip stick though the valve stem

Should be directions on the bottle telling you how long it lasts. But if you're responsible there's the dip stick method Brad mentioned. Or, if you're like me, you just don't ever bother to pay attention and top it up around 8-12 months later when you notice your tires now longer hold air longer than a couple days

​@@bradallen8643 love that tip 👍

i non-scientifically shake my wheels and listen to whether there is sealant sloshing around or not.

I'm not in the nay sayer camp but I guess the fear is that option will be taken away as has pretty much happened with disc over rim brakes.

Schwalbe Pro Ones are impossible to break the bead on a Hunt Aerodynamicist Carbon disc when you’re trying to fit a tube in the field

Let me go make that video, stay tuned...

Hate Silca's sealant. What a faff to top up and dried out all too quickly. I now use milKit with similar fibre particles, but they are held in suspension within the sealant rather than relying on a foaming effect. The latex is synthetic which means it doesn't dry out and I only have to add air every 2 weeks or so because the area around the bead stays lubricated and air tight.

@@phil_d Thanks for the tip. I have heard the same about Silca. I'll check out Milkit

That's not a good sealant then.

@Fabian Molyneux I"ve found all of the natural latex products to be fairly useless in terms of longevity and when you think you still have some sealant left when you need it, all the latex has dried onto the inside of the tyre and all you are left with is a watery liquid. Silca had a worse issue in that the fibres clog into a big ball, so I have no idea how their refresh solution works. For road tyres, I view sealant as just a protection against small thorns or tears/holes that would puncture an inner tube straight away ... and of course, no pinch-flats and lower pressures. Unless a bigger hole is circular (then use a Dynaplug), don't expect much sealing if you want to run back to normal pressures. In that instance, I carry a small bottle of isopropyl alcohol, tube of vulcanising glue, patches, cloth and Tyre Glider. Pop a little bit of tyre off the rim, clean around the hole inside with alcohol and prep with glue and apply a patch. The Tyre Glider and non-drying milKit makes a permanent repair so easy and quick. And of course, the tyre reseals onto the rim thanks to the smear of milKit on the tyre bead that hasn't dried. One word of caution, don't buy the milKit valves. They do clog and it's a pain to refill with air or take tyre pressures. The idea is good, but in reality, flawed.

@@phil_d Thanks for the tips. It's greatly appreciated, as running tubless is still a learning experience. I'll follow up and get isopropyl alcohol and patches. I'll switch over to Milkit too. It seems to be highly regarded. Out of interest, what brand of tyres & rims do you run? Again, thanks for your help

try and get a set of the clincher version on a set of Campag WTO45’s. I’ll buy you beer if can

@@alistairmartin13 mine were clincher onto a set of Bontrager RSL 51's. No issues whatsoever however I'll defer to your greater knowledge of compag stuff.

@@mugenmrx5 honestly never had to give up before but these were a first, had Pirelli’s, Vittorias, Conti’s and goodyears on all loads of different Rims (Reynolds, Hunt, Miche, Giant etc) and never really had an issue until a month ago trying to get these Conti’s on. After two hours gave up, drove to Sigma in Oakham and bought a pair of Vittoria Controls which were fitted within 10 minutes of getting home.

Thanks for the tip. I struggle getting tubeless on my Bontragers. If you can let me know the brand of tape your using that'd be great

@@fabianmolyneux2308 the problem with strips is that it takes too much space in the well of the rim. While it may serves its purpose of keeping the void air right after the tire seats against the rim, it won’t have space that you would otherwise have in the well for slack until you scooch over the last bit over the rim - making it incredible tight to pop the last bit of tyre over the rim. I’ve always had this problem with tlr strips - which is why I just don’t bother anymore! Any good tubeless tape will do - check what your internal width of your rim is. I would recommend +1-2mm of your internal rim width. I’m using Stans. All the best

@@PuneethBedre Thanks I'll give that a go. What tyres are you using?

@@fabianmolyneux2308 I’m using Pirelli p zero race tlr

I don't know anyone that actually removes old sealant. Just top off and run the tire til it dies. Only time I have ever cleaned out sealant was tires I decided to sell after a bit of use. And only because Muc-off sealant (not the best sealant to be honest) is water soluble.

No trickier than clincher tyres with inner tubes in my experience, which are just as hit and miss when it comes to compatibility (slack vs tight on the rim) as old tubeless setups

Orange Seal regular is ammonia free. Not sure about their endurance or low temp formulas. The bottle tells you how much to add. But there's not really any harm is putting too much except it weighs more and you go through it faster

Great tips. Have you got any for breaking the rim bead when you’re in the field and have to fit a tube when a dynaplug doesn’t work? My thumb pressure is not enough to push the tyre off the bead

@Acousticmarine You may have misunderstood, I’m trying to take a very tight tyre off a hooked tubeless rim. I can’t get a lever under the bead to lever it off (ie. break the bead) so I have to push it off with thumbs. I use a bike clamp to pinch the tyre then twist to break the bead at home. Another helpful reader suggested I’m using a rim tape that’s too wide for the rim or too thick thus preventing the tyre bead moving over the rim bead

Whats a hardware store? Dont think Ive seen one of those in the UK for 10 years or more.

Yikes! Did you speak to Yoeleo about that? Glad you're okay

Gloves are a real help with grip

What brand sealant did you use? I recently had silca sealant delaminate my tubeless tape in only a couple of weeks

@@mro3494 Caffelatex - seems fairly standard stuff. It was fairly ok to use, but I don't want to replace the rim tape every year.

@@playandteach i agree. The silca sealant was poor. I've had a lot better luck with stans and orange seal. No issues with the rim tape