Dheorl

Has anyone tried tubeless tyres on their folding bike? To me a folding bike seems like the ideal platform for them. They reduce the chance of punctures in general but if you do get one that the sealant can't fill it's a pain to fix. Not a problem with a folding bike though as you can just stick it in a taxi or hop on a bus and be on your way. Also the lower pressure you can run would really help with the comfort of smaller wheels.

Problem is small folding tyres seem few and far between. There's one skinny racing one by Schwalbe, and a couple of BMX tyres that say they are tubeless compatible. Is anyone aware of or used any others.

Would really just love to here what people think of the merits of tubeless on a folder, and whether anyone has tried it themselves.

Rick Imby

I have Schwalbe Durano 20 x 1.1 in the 406 size tubeless on my Dahon Mu D10.

Virtually any tire and wheel combo can be used tubeless. Do some youtube research on Stans. We had to put about 5 layers of rim tape on the wheels to keep the seal. I bought a set of Rolf wheels and wanted some really fast tires on them.

When you do get a flat you can dump out the remaining liquid and put in a tube---yes it is kinda messy but a couple of paper towels can handle it.

It takes time and if you are going to do it yourself buy a big bottle of juice, you will probably have to do it a couple of times----there is a learning curve to getting good at going tubeless.

My son's shop sets up 10-15 bikes a week tubeless---they are experts at it.

If you have a shop do it you will pay through the nose---especially if they do not do it much.

Many shops try to make it sound like it is really difficult---it is not.

fietsbob

Maybe a tire you get can be used tubless, the specific rim/tire combination may not be offered in that small size.
They are for the large diameter road & MTB wheel market.. currently,

Ive never seen any , made as such, but you can invest in the companies making bike parts and perhaps have a profitable business going..

(material for rims of aluminum typically are extruded straight.. though a corkscrew creating like extrusion machine, could be ? )




But I'm a pragmatic guy, with tubes in my 4 349 rims and the other 4 406 on the Bi Fri & Burly trailer







..

MultiplexMan

Velocity make the Cliffhanger rim that is tubeless ready. I use them in 406 on a Speedone SOR minivelo.

Rick Imby

Virtually any rim and any tire will work tubeless. You may have to add a few more layers of tape to get the bead to seal well.

sleepycactus

Question whether it's worth it. Especially because tubeless riders will carry (or should carry) tubes with them for if/when the tire blows off or gets cut. Blowoffs can happen at higher pressure especially with non tubeless specific components.

Benefits are: no pinch flats, slightly lighter result, flats in general becoming rare but not eliminated, and a tire made more supple by not having a tube. Fixing a flat of the road is only easily done by putting the tube in.

Few smaller wheels have any tubeless compatible tires or rims available. I have tried ghetto tubeless on small wheels and it works, but I don't trust it.

In thorny country, a couple ounces of slime in each tube has worked great for me over many years.