The Schwalbe tyre manufacturers say tubeless-ready tyres are the way of the future.
With less rolling resistance, higher comfort levels and close to no chance of puncturing, running a tubeless setup is basically a no-brainer – and so is the installation.
Bicycling Australia Magazine recently published a step-by-step how-to for the Schwalbe Pro One tubeless system found in there May/June issue, grab yourself a copy from the store here at bicyclingaustralia.com.au for the full article.
“Smoother rolling on bumpy roads, enhanced comfort and fewer ride-stopping punctures should all appeal to the rider who likes to get out and clock up the kilometres but what about the racer? This market segment is more concerned with outright speed and at a pro level has a rolling cavalcade of mechanics behind, so punctures are less of a concern. While the uptake on tubeless has been slow so far, attitudes are changing as tyre technology develops. The latest tubeless tyres are very close to the weight of a regular tyre and tube combo but also stand to offer lower rolling resistance.
A separate inner tube creates additional friction as the tyre casing distorts on the road surface. Eliminating the tube entirely removes this friction and recent testing has shown that a good road tubeless tyre rolls with less effort. Schwalbe pitted their Pro One Tubeless tyre against the equivalent One tube-type tyre and the tubeless model was measurably faster. This along with the aforementioned advantages has Schwalbe heralding tubeless as the future for road tyres.
From our perspective, tubeless is clearly the way to go, so let’s take a look at what’s involved in converting to a tube-free setup…”
What You Need
– Schwalbe Doc Blue tubeless tyre sealant.
– Schwalbe One Pro tubeless-ready tyres (check the manufacturers spec to ensure they are compatible with your rims).
– Tubeless valve stems with a rubber grommet to match the inner profile of your rims.
– Valve core removal tool.
– Nylon tyre levers.
– Schwalbe Easy Fit tyre fitting fluid.
– Rim strips/tape or whatever is required to make your rims ‘tubeless ready’.
– A good floor pump
STEPS FOR HOW TO:
- Consult the instruction manual for your wheels to see what’s required to get the rims ready for tubeless use. For our Bontrager TLR wheels we needed to remove the regular rim strips and fit these moulded plastic strips. They give the inner rim a profile that locks the tyre bead up on a shoulder.
2. Apply some tyre mounting fluid to the bead that you plan to mount first. While this product is designed primarily to help the bead pop into place during inflation, we’ve found that it also helps with getting the beads onto the rim initially, as tubeless tyres can be pretty tight.
3. Start opposite the valve and slip one side of the tyre onto the rim. Make sure that the bead sits in the lowest or deepest part of the U-shaped rim channel; this will give you the greatest amount of ‘slack’ to work with when pulling the tyre on.
4. Pop the last section of the bead onto the rim up near the valve. This will require some effort and some rim/tyre combinations will be tighter than others. Once the bead is on, push it over to the other side of the valve grommet.
5. Lube the next bead up in preparation for mounting. It is possible to add the liquid sealant at this stage but we prefer to inject it via the valve at a later stage.
6. Once again start opposite the valve and place the bead at the lowest point in the U-shaped rim bed. Push down evenly towards the valve to stretch the tyre on and develop as much slack as possible in the casing.
7. To get the final part of the tyre on, there’s a 90% or greater chance that you’ll need tyre levers. Make sure they’re nylon (not metal) and free from any sharp edges that could damage the bead. Hold one side of the bead in place with your thumb while you work the other side of the bead on in small sections. Add more tyre fitting lube if required.
8. With both beads on the rim, position them on either side of the valve. Give the whole tyre a visual inspection to ensure that it’s sitting evenly on the wheel and pulled into shape—this will help when airing up for the first time.
9. Attach a floor pump and with a few short hard pumps the tyre should seat and inflate. If air is escaping and the tyre isn’t going up, add a little more mounting fluid around the bead and remove the inner valve core to speed the airflow. You can also bring out the big guns and employ an air compressor if required.
10. Pump the tyre up to around 80psi. You’ll probably hear a number of loud cracks and pops as the bead is pushed up onto the shoulders of the rim—this is entirely normal. Inspect the tyre to ensure that it’s evenly seated on the rim. If it has a wobble, deflate, apply fitting lube to the bead and reinflate. Add more pressure if required until the tyre seats evenly.
11. Now deflate the tyre and unscrew the inner part of the presta valve (most tubeless valve cores are removable). Using a proper removal tool is less likely to damage the valve but a small shifter will suffice at a pinch.
12. Using an applicator bottle or syringe, inject the sealant through the valve stem. Check with the sealant manufacturer for the recommended amount but 30ml should suffice for most 25c road tyres.
13. Refit the valve core and inflate once more—it should go up with ease as the beads will be tightly locked in place on the tubeless rim. Once up to pressure, recheck the tightness of the valve nut as these can loosen when the tyre is fully inflated. Try running 10psi less than you did with inner tubes for a smoother ride.
14. This final step ensures there are no small leaks around the bead-to-rim junction. Hold the rim at a 45-degree angle with the tyre resting on the ground. Once the sealant has settled towards the bottom of the tyre, give it a bounce and a shake to slosh the sealant against the sidewalls. Now move the tyre around an eighth of a turn and repeat.
Do this all the way around on both sides and you’ll be ready to hit the road!
