rcolosi

Im new at this.

The tires I want for my new mountain bike are tubeless. Can I put the tube in anyway? I'd feel better.. I go over rough stuff.

They are kevlar IRC Serac tires by the way 26 x 2.1

well biked 

Yes, you can use tubes, but if you'll add some sealant such as Stan's No Tubes to your tubeless tires, you'll be much better protected against flats than you would be if you run tubes-

rea1high

also, tubeless tyres are heavier than non-tubeless. see if you can get the tubed type of the same tyre

trek1

I bought some new bontrager tubeless tires and they are extremely difficult to first install. I broke a couple of tire levers trying different methods then took it to my LBS and they said it was a 2 person job. They said they would get easire after riding them and breaking in but I fear changing a flat anytime soon. I will look into something different next time since i won't ride them tubeless. I was told the bontrager tubless rims are not that good for running tubeless than some other tubeless designs out there.

well biked 

Doesn't Bontrager have a sealant product similar to the Stan's sealant? Regardless, if they don't, just get some Stan's. When it comes to not having flats (and therefore not having to pull the tire off the rim), it's the sealant that's the key. I use the Stan's tubeless system (standard rims, standard tires, Stan's rim strip, Stan's liquid sealant) and I've NEVER had a flat with it, and I'm talking a few YEARS of off road riding with it. I've found the sealant stays liquid in the tire a lot longer than advertised, too, I add it about once or twice a year. If you want to run lower pressures off road, with the benefits being better control and better traction, there's no excuse not to go tubeless!

trek1

So you are saying that if I use Stans sealant I should not have to worry about it? I might give it a try but was reluctant since they said the Bontrager tubeless rims were not that good with sealant. Is it a mess when you have to change them? Does sealant plug only small punctures? I have only one flat in 2 years and that was from a barbed wire piece on the trail.

well biked 

When you say the Bontrager tubeless isn't that good with sealant, what exactly do you mean? I have no experience with Bontrager tubeless, so I don't know. But surely they're as good as Stan's "Poor Man's Tubeless System" , which uses standard tires and standard rims with only a special rim strip and sealant. I do know I've helped a few folks with UST systems add the Stan's sealant, and their days of flat tires are over. I believe I've heard the Stan's sealant will plug holes as large as 1/4" in diameter, FWIW. There used to be a photo of Stan on the website (maybe there still is) with a tire that has a BUNCH of screws driven into it, with the tire still holding air..........The Stan's sealant is really good, that's for sure, it's basically liquid latex I think, but it's even formulated to work in sub-freezing temps. If you can get the tire inflated initially, you should be good to go. An air compressor is very handy for initial inflation, because you have to force enough air into the tire to seat the bead before the sealant can do its job. It's tough to do with a hand pump from my experience. Also, get some soapy water and thoroughly wet the bead of the tire on both sides before inflating, it will help immensely with seating the bead. Once inflated, you shouldn't have any problems, and you can top the pressure off occasionally with a hand pump if needed. I'd recommend keeping the tire pressure at or below 40psi. I usually run about 35psi, and love it-

trek1

THANKS! I will check into this but my LBS kind of discouraged me from going that way. They said something like the way the inner flange was designed that they can leak around the spoke area and I don't know how true it is. It is an '05 model so should be descent to use.

well biked 

One more thing, don't let it alarm you when you're first inflating the tire with the air compressor and you have soap bubbles blowing up all around from air escaping. At first, you'll see leaking around the spoke holes in the rim, around the bead, etc. This is normal, the whole thing leaks before the sealant does its thing. Sounds crazy, I know, but it does work! Good luck-

trek1

That is the same way I felt but after a while you will not want the tighter tubless tires without added benefit. I think it is time to see if tubeless is they better way to go. When I got my only flat from the barbed wire, I had to walk my bike out of the woods because I didn't have good enough tire levers to pry off the tubless tire, they are freaking tight!

fiver

That's what Stan's rim strip is meant to do, make the rim side air tight. Oh, and there are not a lot of LBS doing Stan's No TUbes conversions yet, but the system really blows the crap out of other tubeless systems. The shop that I work at offers Stan's conversions for $40 a wheel, but we live right next to Stan's so we have access to all the necc rim strips, etc, and can even get custom rim strips pulled for any rim that has an odd profile.

wrench

As Trek dealers we have tried the Bontrager tubeless combo for a while and it works fine until you have to get the tyre off again. On the trail it's a nightmare, even breaking Park tyrelevers!! Getting a seal with a handpump can be impossible at times.
We have been using the Stan's conversion of late and can report that it's superb. We show customers how good Stan's is by having a demo wheel and tyre, puncturing it with a big screwdriver and watching it self-seal in seconds. Impressive.
When the time comes to remove the tyre, the liquid stays in the bottom of the tyre and if you're careful it's not messy.
It's the best tubeless system out there at present.

www.wheelspincycles.com

trek1

Thanks-I totally agree and will not buy these tires anymore if I don't go tubeless, they are just to difficult to fix on the trail if needed. My LBS uses no special tools and it was worth every penny for them to replace them from what they told me it took two.

Do I really need the entire Stan's conversion kit? If I have the Trek Race Disc tubless ready rims and special fittings that came with it then don't I just need the liquid?

well biked 

I think you should be fine running tubeless with just the Stan's liquid sealant added to your current setup. The only thing the Stan's System would give you besides the liquid sealant is the rim strip, and since the Bontragers are designed to be run tubeless, I think you'll be fine.

trek1

Thanks well biked- my only problem now is I just paid the LBS to bust their butt and put in tubes but I hate to get a flat with these tubless tires.

Let us know if those tires are really difficult to install, the Bontragers are a small nightmare for one when they are new.